How To Return To Training After Quarantine

Everyone has spent the quarantine time in its own way. There were athletes who completely quit classes or decided to make psychological unloading and treat injuries. There were athletes who tried to function actively at home or outside only with their own weight or with minimal equipment. Anyway, the percentage of those whose training process did not change at all was minimal. For example, I did not get into it: 2.5 months of classes at home with PVC, bar, and minimum necessary outdoor walks with my family.

Generally, now we all need to go back to the platform. It is difficult not only psychologically, but also physically to start training after a long break. In sports science, there is even a special term to mean a long break in training and its consequences – rustiness / lack of training. To start properly training after a long break it is necessary not only to realize those changes which have happened with your body but also to build properly the process of training loads return.
First, let’s find out what happens to our body without high loads. The body quickly returns to a calm state and redistributes resources that used to be spent during sports. It is proved that in 1-2 months after termination of regular loads, the following physiological changes occur:

• Blood volume decreases.
• Adrenaline level and muscle oxygen consumption decrease, as a consequence, endurance reduces.
• Respiratory system capabilities bring down: respiratory muscles require more oxygen, taking it away from other muscles.
• The amount of fat increases as it is no longer used as a source of energy.
• Power capabilities keep much longer than many fear, but they are also gradually declining.

Why is it important to go through a training period of adaptation?

Remember that your body is almost at the initial level of preparation, but at the same time, both muscles and well-being tell you that everything is fine. It’s deceptive and dangerous. If you immediately decide to check yourself for strength after a break, such stress for the body is likely to be resulted not just in muscle pain and fatigue, but serious trauma.

Believe my experience, I have returned to sports shape many times and know well this desire to make a strong power position with a heavy bar. But first, let’s look at three rules for returning to training after a long break:

1. Warm-up. It is especially important after a break to overcome the imbalance between body systems. If muscles respond more quickly to the load, ligaments and joints are much slower to return “to a shape”.
2. Graduality. Reasonable minimum loads and their gradual increase. Therefore after a long break, 4 training session per week is maximum.
3. Spirit. I will remind everyone: it is possible to return to the previous shape. It is real to get better than before quarantine. All you only need is time, patience, and the correct training program.

Remember that if before quarantine you have been training for several years and were in normal shape, the return will be faster and easier than the beginner will have.

It is important to know that if the break was a couple of months, the power capabilities will not decrease so much, but the respiratory and cardiovascular systems need the recovery.

I decided that it is good to tell you about it, but to give a ready training program will be more effective. Especially for this purpose, I have created my new 2-week INTRO PROGRAM, designed specifically for the correct acceleration of power indicators with emphasis on  technique at the expense of high-repetition work with a small weight. I also added links to the program on useful information and a set of training programs that will be useful to you as soon as you feel that you are ready to move on to new goals.
INTRO PROGRAM – during quarantine Exit (May-June, 2020) you can download it on my website absolutely for free – LINK  

Listen to your body, as no one knows its best.

Keep your Body Warm and your Mind Cold

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