How to Get Active Again After a Break
Moving your body has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, lower rates of many types of cancer and the risk of a heart ¬attack, and improve overall immunity. It also helps build strength and stamina. Getting back into exercise can be a challenge in the best of times, but with gyms and in-person exercise classes off-limits to many people these days because of COVID-19 concerns, it can be tricky to know where to start. And it’s important to get the right dose of activity. “Too much too soon either results in injury or burnout,” says Mary Yoke, PhD, a faculty member in the kinesiology department at Indiana University in Bloomington.
The following simple strategies will help you return to exercise safely after a break.
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Don’t try to go back to what you were doing before your break. If you were walking 3 miles a day, playing 18 holes of golf three times week, or lifting 10-pound dumbbells for three sets of 10 reps, reduce activity to half a mile every other day, or nine holes of golf once a week with short walks on other days, or use 5-pound dumbbells for one set of 10 reps.
Increase time, distance, and intensity gradually. “This isn’t something you can do overnight,” Denay says. But you will reap benefits such as less anxiety and improved sleep right away.
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If you’re breathing too hard to talk in complete sentences, back off. If you feel good, go a little longer or faster. Feeling wiped out after a session? Go easier next time. And stay alert to serious symptoms, such as chest pain or pressure, severe shortness of breath or dizziness, or faintness, and seek medical attention immediately.
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Consistency is the key to getting stronger and building endurance and stamina.
Ten minutes of activity per day is a good start, says Marcus Jackovitz, DPT, a physical therapist at the University of Miami Hospital. All the experts we spoke with highly recommend walking because it’s the easiest, most accessible form of exercise. Although it can be a workout on its own, if your goal is to get back to Zumba classes, tennis, cycling, or any other activity, walking is also a great first step.
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Even if you can’t yet do a favorite activity, you can practice the moves. With or without a club or racket, swing like you’re hitting the ball. Paddle like you're in a kayak or canoe. Mimic your favorite swimming strokes. The action will remind you of the joy the activity brought you and prime your muscles for when you can get out there again.
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Exercising with others “can keep you accountable and make it more fun, so you're more likely to do it again,” Jackovitz says.
You can do activities such as golf and tennis or take a walk with others and still be socially distant. But when you can’t connect in person, consider using technology. Chat on the phone with a friend while you walk around your neighborhood. FaceTime or Zoom with a relative as you strength train or stretch at home.
You can also join a livestream or on-demand exercise class. SilverSneakers offers them for older adults, or try EverWalk for virtual challenges.
