Implement these strategies post-marathon, injury, illness, and pregnancy.
Whether you just delivered a baby, recovered from an injury or illness, or finished an endurance event, the hardest part about returning to fitness is often mental.
Accepting that your current status might not allow you to do everything you once could be an ego blow. "Whether you're coming back from an illness, injury, or other life change, adapting to a new routine can be tough," says Chris Vo, Director of Programming for Group Fitness and instructor at Equinox.
When your body is ready to train again, your specific exercise prescription will be highly individual—but these mental and physical notes can help anyone make a strong comeback.
Post-endurance event
Set a new goal. Without a structured training plan, it’s easy to feel lost. Building toward an endpoint, even if it’s short-term, like trying a new activity three days a week for a month, helps you stay consistent, says Dillon Peterson, a Tier X coach at Preston Hollow in Dallas.
Prioritize different planes. Popular endurance activities like running, cycling, and swimming call for lots of movement in one plane of motion. Restore balance with lateral and rotational exercises like reverse lunges with cable chops and single-leg deadlifts with cross body reaches. Add 1 to 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps of at least two such moves per strength session, Peterson says. The benefits will trickle into other sports.
Cap strength sets at 8 to 10 reps. This range allows you to perfect form and quality using heavy weights without working to a point of breakdown, Peterson notes.
Do something new. Try a new class you've never done before, or pick up a new sport you have to learn. Switching it up will keep things fresh physically (and mentally) so your body doesn't get burned out in your sport.
Post-injury
Adopt a process mindset. No single session will rocket you to pre-injury strength, says Peterson. Instead, it's a small-steps process. Mapping out those milestones (for example, starting with a push-up from your knees, then progressing to a full push-up, and so on) gives you mini wins to keep you motivated.
Regress your exercises. Try doing compound exercises without weight or just your bodyweight. Doing so ensures you’re moving intentionally, which restores and improves range of motion, notes Peterson. Add dumbbells or other weights after 2 to 3 weeks.
Adopt long-duration static stretching. Every bit of range of motion that's lost in a joint is compensated elsewhere, explains Peterson. (If you have an injured shoulder and reach for something, you might twist more at the hip, for example, putting you at risk for more injuries.) Spend 90 seconds in a static yoga pose like Happy Baby during your warm-up to increase mobility and flexibility.
Check your breath. If you hold your breath during a lift, your body might tense up because it perceives the move as a threat. Breathing regularly relaxes the muscles, allowing for bigger movements and, ultimately, a return to the activities you love. Inhale from your belly before initiating a lift, hiss on the exhale as you move the weight, then inhale as you return to start.
Postpartum
Be compassionate. Having a baby is a massive life change that takes a toll on your body, schedule, and energy. Finding time to work out can be a challenge, but it's one that's worth committing to if you start slow and ease into it.
Reward Yourself. Being a parent with a new baby is hard. Reward yourself for prioritizing your health and wellbeing." Find ways to build in positive association with your new routine. Maybe discover a new favorite smoothie, and make it your reward for following through on your new routine," says Vo.
Split exercise into small chunks. You definitely don't need a full hour or even 30 minutes to get a full workout in. Sprinkle a few shorter movement snacks throughout your day and by nighttime, you may have fit in a full session.
Post Illness
Start Slow. Whether you are recovering from COVID-19, a surgery, or other illness, the first step is to avoid launching back into your fitness routine at full force. Your body needs time to recover and adjust, so start slow and take breaks as needed.
Set SMART Goals. If you're coming back to fitness after illness and don't know where to start, Vo suggests setting SMART goals to get you back on track. SMART stands for goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.
"Specific goals are focused and clear. They are easier to achieve and help with identifying a great starting point. Measurable goals can be tracked and help you see your progress. Attainable goals are realistic goals. Relevant goals are goals that align with your values and larger objectives. Timely goals are goals that have an endpoint. If you give your goal an achievable endpoint, you're setting yourself up with small wins."