It is that time of the year when most people whose exercise and training routine was interrupted around Diwali have likely given up on returning to the gym right away. It's December after all, a month packed with year-end celebrations.
Most will likely return to training in the New Year once all the festivities, parties, travels and excesses are behind them. But as anyone who has taken an extended break from exercise — whether due to injury or other reasons — knows, returning to exercise after a long break is not easy. The first couple of weeks especially are going to be tough. “Almost everyone who trains regularly experiences a break at some point. No matter the reason, the moment you decide to return, the first thing you often notice is a drop in motivation and even the smallest movements suddenly feel challenging,” says Cult fitness expert Indira C.H.
I restarted my routine on Monday after a three-month break and I feel like a train wreck. My forearms are sore, there’s not one muscle in my leg that is pain-free, the back hurts, and my shoulders feel like they are made of lead. From experience, I knew this was inevitable, so it's little wonder that I put off my return to training a fair few times.
SORENESS IN THE MUSCLES IS A GOOD SIGN
Soreness is a common phenomenon after doing a workout that one is not used to or when exercising after a long break, confirms Vaibhav Daga, head of sports science and rehabilitation and a sports medicine consultant at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. “You typically feel it 12-24 hours after an exercise session. It occurs due to lactic acid accumulation and minor inflammation in the muscles being worked out, which might sound alarming. But it allows muscles to adapt to new loads and strengthens them,” says Daga.
Such soreness upon returning to training typically lasts for around three days after which it diminishes. “The soreness and pain are good. It shows you have worked hard for your body to get fitter. Once your body adapts to the activity you will accommodate this pain response,” says Daga. The best way to tackle this soreness is to continue your training and not stop, say experts. Post-exercise stretching, sports massage, compression garments, ice baths, steam and sauna, are a few ways to tackle this soreness. However, any prolonged soreness beyond three days that presents as sharp pain and limits movement of joints warrants an assessment by a sports medicine doctor.
Another reason people often have trouble restarting training after a break is not because they lose their fitness and strength immediately, or because they fear the inevitable pain and soreness. Those who tend to stop easily are those who haven’t built a solid habit yet, argues Indira. “Training still feels like a task to them. It is not a part of their lifestyle. So, when they miss a few sessions, it becomes much easier to slip out of routine. That one choice makes the next one [to skip training] easier. Soon, your mind gets used to not training and starts enjoying the comfort… no effort, no soreness, no push. That ‘easy feeling’ becomes its own dopamine,” she says.
Ever wondered what happens to your body during an extended break away from training? Once you stop, your fitness and conditioning drop gradually. The rate of decline depends on how consistent your training was and how strong your habits are, explains Indira.
“You might start feeling a small drop in stamina (cardiovascular endurance) after 2–3 weeks of inactivity. Strength generally remains constant for 2–4 weeks without any training, declining slowly thereafter. Minor stiffness may appear after a week or two, but real loss of flexibility takes several weeks of no stretching. Muscular endurance starts to decrease after about 2–3 weeks off. People with well-established routines retain most of their fitness longer, while those without strong habits notice drops sooner, simply because their baseline isn’t deeply built,” says Indira.
HOW TO BOUNCE BACK SMARTLY
There’s plenty you can do in your extended time away from training to ensure you don’t fall far behind. Simple lifestyle habits such as walking and taking the stairs can keep your body active and prevent major setbacks. Apart from taking the stairs and walking to nearby stores, Indira recommends the following: “Avoid sitting for long periods; stand, stretch, and move regularly. Use quick–slow walking intervals to maintain basic cardiovascular fitness. Add 5-minute stretch breaks during long hours of sitting or standing to retain flexibility. Carry your own bags or essentials to keep your muscles engaged. These small actions reduce the ‘detraining effect’ and help your body stay responsive, even during a break.”
The biggest mistake people make is trying to resume at the same intensity they left off with, warns Indira. “Your body needs a re-entry plan, not a shock,” she notes. The most effective strategy to restart your active routine is to take small steps and gradually increase exercise load, intensity and duration, say fitness experts. That’s exactly what Bengaluru-based IT professional Prabhakaran Rajagopal, 42, did when took a three-month break earlier this year. Rajagopal, who has been working out for a decade, started with short runs before returning to the gym. “I started with easy 5km runs thrice a week for two weeks. Once I got used to that, I went back to the gym and worked under the supervision of a trainer. I took it slow and didn’t suffer much pain or soreness,” recalls Rajagopal.
The most practical and scientific approach to restarting exercise after a break is also the most obvious one. Do a proper warm-up before every session; progress slowly, starting with lighter intensity (50-60% of capacity) and volume of exercises or lower intensity jogs/runs; keep adequate recovery time between sessions to allow the muscles to rest and repair. Most importantly, don’t stop, says Daga. “The body will adapt to the stresses of the exercises once you keep doing them with proper recovery periods in between sessions,” he says.
In the initial weeks, says Indira, consistency matters more than effort. “Don’t try to catch up. Instead, treat this phase as a mindful reset that honours your current capacity while gradually rebuilding your strength.”
Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.