With last weekend’s announcement that gyms will indeed start to open again in Melbourne, it’s a cause for celebration as many people look forward to hitting their gyms for the first time in many months.
It’s also normal however, to have feelings of uncertainty and anxiety toward returning to your favourite exercise venues. It makes sense – your experience is probably going to be quite different from before and we’ve all been mostly stuck inside during the lockdown.
So, here are some tips on making the most of your time at DX3 Personal Training Studio now that we are all going to be back up and running.
Reflect on what you’ve achieved
While you may not have eaten the healthiest or exercised as much as you should have during Melbourne’s lockdown, it’s time to pause and reflect on what you’ve achieved.
We’re all experiencing a global pandemic and have had to adapt in ways we never even considered. Some of you may have built home gym setups and continued doing your exact same workouts. Some of you may have fallen out of your exercise routines and just focused on making it through what has been a very challenging time.
A lot of us were probably somewhere in between, adapting our workouts to being stuck at home, unable to exercise the normal freedom we’re accustomed to.
Take time to be proud of your achievements during lockdown, no matter what they were, and get prepared for the fact that your time in the gym will not look the same as before.
Follow the new rules and regulations
Before heading back to DX3 or your local gym, make sure you’re up to date with all the regulations and procedures.
Social distancing, scheduled session times and strict hygiene are all going to be norms for the near future. It’s probably going to be a smart idea to bring your own hand sanitiser (even though most gyms will likely provide it) and always wash your hands before and after going for your workout.
You’re also going to have to wear a mask while doing your workouts (unless you’re out of breath). It might even be worth doing some of your home workouts with a mask on in the meantime so you can prepare yourself for what it will be like.
Ensure you understand all of these new rules that are in place. After all, you’re not only keeping yourself safe and healthy, but others too. And when in doubt, consult Victoria’s coronavirus website for more details, or get in touch with your local gym.
Don’t expect too much
It’s important to properly manage your expectations around your post-lockdown gym experience.
Limits on the number of people allowed into gyms, along with social distancing measures will impact your ability to socialise. It’s probably advisable to spend your time focusing on your workout, rather than talking with friends. Your workouts are going to feel a bit lonely compared to before but it’s important for everyone’s safety.
You will also find that you may not be able to lift the same weight or achieve the same results as before. Even if you were maintaining a workout schedule at home, don’t be surprised by this. Considering we’re coming out of a fairly extensive lockdown, be kind to yourself and don’t expect too much.
Slight drops in results and outcomes are to be expected. Don’t push yourself too hard, and ease back into your workout schedule. There’s no rush at all and you will find that with time and patience you’ll eventually regain your pre-lockdown shape.
Be patient
There’s no point getting back to the gym after so long if you’re going to get injured straight away. Manage your injury risk and be patient with gradually increasing your workout intensity.
Talk to DX3 about creating a detailed progression plan to help you get back in the gym and eventually returning to smashing those personal records and achieving your fitness goals.
We can help you gradually and safely get back into shape while ensuring that you don’t get injured from going too hard, too early, but also making sure that you achieve consistent and reliable results.
Focus on maintaining proper technique and solidifying your gym workout as a regular habit once more. Or get one of our trainers at DX3 to watch your form and help you maintain consistency. We are all here to help.
Repetition and patience will be your best friends when it comes to getting back into the gym.
Enjoy yourself
This should probably be at the top of the list rather than the bottom, but it’s super important to have fun returning to the gym! Enjoy yourself and savour it.
We’ve all been sorely missing the gym these past few months, and at DX3 we are very keen to get back into it. Our clients have missed us and we have definitely missed them.
After all, gyms are places for personal improvement, achieving goals and helping others along the way. While your gym experience may not be the same as what it once was, take hold of the opportunity to get back into your workouts and enjoy yourself.
If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with our team today.