The human body easily gets used to the levels of training or rest it undergoes. When you decide to go back to sports after a long period of inactivity, therefore, it is almost impossible to replicate the performances performed previously, when you practiced consistently.
In order not to be discouraged by temporarily not entirely satisfactory results, when starting to move again, it is essential to manage expectations, set realistic goals and take targeted actions.
Varying your fitness routine and combining cardio and strength training, for example, helps increase endurance and reduce the risk of injury. However, there are other tips not to forget if you want to return to the athletic level of the past.
for several seconds.
Although it is an absolutely normal event, it can be difficult to accept, especially for those who have always previously boasted a rather athletic physical form.
In that case, in fact, it is often the very identity of the person that goes into crisis who, accustomed to perceiving himself as a sportsman, struggles to recognize himself. time of inactivity, this can happen and generate a cognitive dissonance between one's idea of self based on fitness and the reality of the new situation, to which however one should not give up.
The most common reactions to this phenomenon are frustration and anger, but if you want to try to make up for lost time, you need to put them aside. These feelings, in fact, are useless to get back in shape because the people who try them tend to set unrealistic goals or undergo a routine that is too hard or intense, with the risk of feeling even less fit, losing motivation and abandoning the " work out.
The healthier attitude to take, on the other hand, is to objectively evaluate the starting situation and understand what to do to improve it.
Two or three times a week. To break the cardio routine, it is also recommended to do strength or low-impact exercises such as Yoga or Pilates on the other days.In addition to developing endurance, building strength also helps prevent injuries, especially as you age.
Furthermore, the resting phase between one training session and the next should not be underestimated because giving the body time to recover means preparing it to give its best in the next session.
Also pay attention to overhead dumbbell presses.
What to do in the event of an accident
If despite all the precautions you end up victims of an injury, it is essential to immediately stop performing the exercise that caused it and immediately contact a doctor.
While waiting to heal, instead of stopping completely, it is possible to perform other exercises that do not burden the same point.
Exercising to improve balance is also helpful.
which are activated especially when training becomes a habit.
To make the exercise enjoyable, it is important to first choose a discipline that you like so that it does not weigh heavily.
For example, if you want to do cardio-type activities but hate running, it is counterproductive to focus on this activity. Rather, it is much more useful to try to understand which alternative can replicate the benefits. In this case the options are not lacking: you can ride a bike, dance, train with the elliptical trainer and much more.
Plus, if you find it hard to stay focused while doing sports alone, you can sign up for an outdoor fitness class or find a training partner to help you stay engaged and motivated.
Finally, in order not to lose motivation, many experts recommend setting specific and realistic goals, such as starting walking three days a week for 30 minutes, progressively increasing both factors.
It is also quite useful to use an electronic device or a smartphone app that monitors progress.
