Getting fit safely - Training after long breaks

The gentle path back to fitness movement

Athletes are often forced to take a longer break from training after surgery or an injury. But even an unfavorable winter weather-wise is completely enough to say goodbye to usual marathon training. Furthermore, voluntary training breaks—for example, after intensive competition preparation—are also a reason to give the musculoskeletal system a little rest. Such interruptions can therefore vary in length. Fitness levels can suffer to varying degrees during longer phases of interruption.

However, regardless of the reason or length of the break, all workout interruptions have the following in common: your usual fitness level declines during this time. Muscle mass decreases due to a lack of intense training. Returning to strength training or endurance training should therefore be approached gradually to avoid injuries or overexertion.

Starting training slowly makes sense

For a successful restart, beginning with moderate training makes sense. Your body and muscles must first get used to sustained and heavier loads again after a shorter or longer workout break. Your usual endurance training and strength training can only be resumed to a limited extent following injury breaks or surgeries. Restarting after a weather-related or voluntary pause can happen faster. This is especially true if the muscles continued to be trained during winter indoors or on the exercise bike. This can be done at a reduced intensity, preventing excessive loss of trained muscle tissue and maintaining a good fitness level.

However, your performance threshold drops during a break from your usual sport. You might prefer other sports or fitness equipment during the pause. But one thing is clear: an ergometer, a home gym, or a rowing machine can only partially replace typical marathon training. Although they are perfect for a full-body workout, they put stress on joints and muscles differently. Athletes therefore cannot avoid building up their actual marathon training slowly. Returning to your former performance level can only succeed if athletic effort is well-proportioned at first.

The key is to gradually get lagging fitness back on track. Proper pre-workout warming up plays a particularly important role here. Doing many repetitions of individual exercises after a thorough warm-up is the right approach. Training intensity should initially be rather moderate. Targeted muscle building is increased step by step. After just a few weeks, your former training level is restored. Specific muscle groups that had to be neglected for a longer period following an injury can be targeted on suitable fitness equipment. Massages and other physiotherapeutic measures also help minimize the effects of injury and get the muscular system back up to speed. An injury should fully heal before resuming your regular training routine. Advice from a physical therapist or sports physician is indispensable in this matter.

Always play it safe

To get your fitness back into shape after a break, a few rules are important. After a training pause, athletes should exercise extra caution in any sport. If you're no longer used to running 30 kilometers on rain-slicked forest trails, slipping happens more easily. You also lose that subconscious mastery over your mountain bike or road bike. Weight training feels harder, and you feel exhausted more quickly.

Untrained muscles should be warmed up better when hitting the track again. Since a lot of body heat is lost through the head during training, headwear should be worn during outdoor workouts. Anyone wishing to get back into a ball sport should complete sufficient strength and endurance training beforehand. The necessary stamina, the demands of fast sprints or abrupt changes of direction, and the body's familiar coordination skills must first be retrained. During warming up, all major muscle groups should be targeted for an adequate duration.

Strength and coordination – two important pillars of training

It's not just strength athletes and bodybuilders who strive for defined muscles and a strong body. While muscle building is the main focus, endurance training must not be neglected in the process. After an extended break from training, cardio training is a suitable way to get back into your usual shape. Cardio training can strengthen the heart and circulatory system while relieving stress. At the same time, the muscles get reconditioned to more intense workouts.

Fitness equipment that can be used at home is ideal for the periods between intense training phases. This helps maintain the essential baseline fitness needed for any sport. Whether an athlete practices strength, endurance, or speed sports: the desired training effect can be achieved with an exercise bike. The advantage of such equipment is that you can use it at any time of day without relying on gym opening hours. Even during bad weather, there is no need for a lengthy training break. This makes it easier to keep fitness levels roughly where they currently are.

When getting back into training after an extended injury break, strength training should be approached slowly. After warming up, only a fraction of your regular sets should be completed at first. Muscle building can be distributed across several smaller sessions. The restart can be supplemented by additional sessions on the cross trainer or treadmill. Medical advice must strictly be followed. The support of a physical therapist is important to ensure nothing goes wrong when restarting.

Recommended for getting started with home fitness training: