How to Return to the Gym After a Lengthy Time Off

If it’s been a few weeks, months, maybe even years since you last worked out, or if you’ve recently restarted your fitness journey, we’d like to offer something that’s simple but surprisingly hard to believe:

You don’t have to catch up!

There’s no lost time that you need to make up for. There’s no scorecard, or punishment required. Just a gentle return to something that once felt good and will again.

What usually happens when people come back to the gym after a break is … rather chaotic! They typically jump in too far, too fast, and too soon. They tend to go ‘all-in’ to ‘prove’ they’re still disciplined.

And what follows is excessive soreness, fatigue, and usually another few weeks or more off.

But here’s the truth most people miss:

Your first few workouts back are not about getting fit. They’re about becoming someone who works out again. Becoming an exerciser. That’s the difference between restarting and rebounding.

So here’s what we recommend if you’re just starting or planning to start again…

Start smaller than you think you need to!

This is where almost everyone slips up. They think, “I used to do this much,” and jump straight back into old routines. But your body doesn’t care what you used to do. It only cares about what you’re asking of it now.

After a layoff, your body isn’t in the same condition it was when you left off. Your joints, muscles, and connective tissues need time to readjust to movement and load.

So don’t go all out at 💯 percent. Try 65 percent. The goal isn’t to set a personal record. The goal is to leave the gym feeling like you want to come back. If you feel better leaving the gym than when you came in, you nailed it!

Focus on your rhythm. Let it feel easy, seriously. Give yourself 2-3 weeks of showing up consistently. By about 4 weeks, you’ll be surprised at how much has returned – not just physically, but your confidence, your energy, and your sense of normal.

Let it be simple.

And let it begin!

~ Coach MJ