How To Get Back In Shape

If you’ve stopped working out for a while, getting back into shape can be hard work. But at the beginning of a New Year we have some suggestions about how to get back in shape.

Whether you’ve been inspired by a New Year’s resolution, an uncooperative wardrobe, or an unfriendly bathroom mirror, here are some tips about how to get back into shape quickly and safely after a break from exercise.

The first 2 – 4 weeks of your workout programme can include the same exercises you were doing when you stopped exercising, but you should do fewer repetitions

Since there is less blood flow for your joints, you should extend your warm-up a bit longer than you normally would, and also include a longer cool-down by including light aerobic exercise and stretching until you’re breathing easily.

Your body is incredibly adaptable, and within just 2 – 4 weeks of exercise, your brain learns to move your body more efficiently. Within 4 – 6 weeks of exercise, your body has completed significant anatomical changes that include increased muscle, wider blood vessels, higher blood volume, and more efficient oxygen delivery. Once you’ve made it through those first 2 – 4 weeks, you can then begin stepping up your workouts.