After more than a month out of the gym, I can sense that most people are getting pretty excited to get back in there and get a great workout in.
Some people have home gym setups so this period of time wasn’t too much of a change.
On the other hand, most of us don’t have any equipment at all and were stuck trying to either buy some things or follow a well-developed home workout program.
For those of you that don’t have a fully equipped home gym: If the gyms opened up today, what would be your plan?
The eagerness has been building and when those doors open up I can see a lot of people over-doing that first day back.
So today we are going to look at some options to plan a nice transition from your home workouts to gym workouts.
Re-Assess Your Current Status
This is a very important step to take before that first workout. Find out where you stand compared to where you were.
Think back to when the gyms first closed.
What were you working towards?
How close were you to that goal?
How close to that goal are you now?
An easy example could be a weight loss goal. You planned to lose 5lbs in a 3-month span.
Before the gyms closed you were down 2lbs on the scale and felt strong/fit. Now during the shutdown you are at the same weight but you don’t feel as strong. This is something to make a large note of!
In my last article I mentioned that we should be working on our weaknesses. This could be another thing to jot down about yourself.
Some of us are working on mobility goals to be able to move better. Are you closer or farther away from that point now?
Some of us are working on getting stronger, getting faster, feeling better, moving better. Whatever the case may be, compare and asses where you are at this exact point in time.
I also would like to mention that there have been plenty of people that I am working with at the moment who are still progressing at a great pace despite being out of the gym. This would be another thing to note.
So don’t think just because you have been stuck doing home workouts that you have declined.
Make A Goal
In the first step you had to look at your previous goal and figure out if you are closer or farther from that goal.
Now looking at where you stand, what is your new goal when gyms open back up.
I recommend creating a new goal to resemble a fresh start instead of chasing that previous goal. You will have less of a chance of trying to pick up where you left off and overtraining. You can also re-focus a fresh new program around a fresh new goal.
This “new” can be on the same level as your last goal but change it up a bit to create some differences.
Say your original goal was to squat 200lbs for 10-reps, your new goal could be squatting 200lbs for 5-reps. Similar goal, but a different design.
Less Is More
Before you walk into the gym I want you to stand in front of the door and repeat this line 25 times. LESS IS MORE
In all seriousness, keep this saying in the back of your mind during that first session.
I have talked to a hell of a lot of people about this topic and the most common phrase I have heard is “kill it” when regarding their first session back.
Please do not have this mentality, take it easy on yourself.
Less really is more when it comes to your workout.
Your objective is to do the absolute minimum amount of work while still creating a stimulus for your muscles to adapt and change.
If you go in and do a few sets for each body part, leave a few reps in the tank, control your movements, stay within your reach, and control your breathing you will feel so good after this workout that you will be ready for more the next day.
If you go in and hit 10 sets of squats, 10 sets of deadlifts, 10 sets of bench with a quadruple drop set at the end you won’t be able to sit on the toilet let alone go train the next day.
Not only will you have over trained, done more damage to your body than you can handle, and most likely took steps backwards, you are missing on days that could have been spent progressing with your fitness.
LESS IS MORE, DON’T FORGET IT
Now that we have rambled on about things to do and not to do, follow this workout for that first day back.
WORKOUT #1
Warm-Up
Jump Rope- Accumulate 2 minutes
Foam Roll- Target areas (pecs, lats, glutes, inner thigh, thoracic)
Mobilize
90/90- 2x5ea (3-5 second hold in stretched position)
2 angle hip flexor- 2x5ea (3-5 second hold)
Ankle Flexion- 2x:20ea
Pec/Lat Stretch-2x5ea
Lizard w/ Rot.- 2x5ea
Activate
Perfect Pushup- 1×10
BPA- 1×10
Reverse Lunge-1x10ea
Side Plank- 1x:30ea
1a. DB Chest Press– leave 2-4 reps in the tank (this goes for all exercises)
2×6-10
1b. Face Pull
2×6-10
1-2 minute rest
2a. Elevated Split Squat
2×6-8ea
1-2 minute rest
3a. Chest Supported Row
2×8-12
1-2 minute rest
4a. Lateral Raise
2×6-10
1-2 minute rest
5a. DB RDL
2×6-10
1-2 minute rest
6a. DB Curl
2×8-12
6b. Skullcrush
2×8-12
1 minute rest
7a. Side Plank
3x :30-:45ea
1-2 minute rest
I am working on some videos to go along with this workout, if you have any questions you can reach out to me and I’d be more than happy to help out.
Jeffrey Nagle
Coach || OPEX South Shore
