I was sitting here earlier, deciding whether I’m going to go back to the gym right now, since I haven’t been to the gym in months. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been lifting in my small home gym. But, living in an apartment (and with a crazy downstairs neighbor), I can’t exactly max out on deadlifts. So, I began thinking about other people in my situation, both pre-Covid and now, because of Covid, faced with the daunting decision about going back to the gym after months off.
I remember all the times I’ve taken time off from the gym and then come back. I’ve learned a lot about what not to do when coming back from a break. I decided to write this article, delivering you my top 7 tips on how to transition back to gym life successfully if you haven’t been to the gym in months.
These tips can apply regardless of whether you’ve taken time off of training or have been using your own home gym, although some will apply more or less based on your situation.
Let’s dig into it!
Tip #1 – Don’t Go Back to the Gym to Socialize
Honestly, this tip can apply to you even if you are someone who has been consistently going to the gym for awhile. There is a temptation many people have when they haven’t been to the gym in months to go back and turn it into a social club. But what is the gym for?
Maybe this is just me, but my philosophy for the gym is: get in, go hard, and get out. Nowhere to be found in that motto is, “spend 30 minutes finding out how everyone’s last three months have gone”. Look, I’m not trying to be cold here. But the reality is that you haven’t been to the gym for quite some time. This is not the time to reestablish social connections. This is time to build up consistency and dedication to the gym.
One of the reasons people lose consistency with going to the gym is because they forget why they are there. This is one of the ways to not forget why you are there in the first place. By blocking out an unnecessary distraction like socializing in order to focus on progress.
If you are truly serious about getting back to the gym, being consistent, and getting results, then you will forego your time spent socializing in order to focus all of your attention on your training.
I’m not saying you should never socialize. But, if this is what’s on your mind while you’re getting back to the gym, I think you need to reevaluate your priorities.
Tip #2 – Stop Caring About What Others Think
One thing that really irks me are people who go to the gym to impress others with their strength or physique. Gym atmosphere can be a bit toxic in that way. I don’t want to sound like I’m on a high horse here. I understand the drive to want to impress others. But, just like socializing in the gym, this is something that takes away from your own training.
And, if you are worried about what others think because you’re weaker and skinnier than you were the last time they saw you, don’t be. You know that you are there to make progress. If you have the right mindset in the gym, it won’t matter what others think of you.
The frame I like to have in the gym is that of a predator. As silly as this may sound (especially coming from a vegan), think about it like this: The weights are your prey. You are stalking them and attacking. Do lions stop to think about what the other lions might think of their jaw strength? Do they care what other lions might think about their paw hypertrophy?
No. And neither should you.
Tip #3 – Have the Right Expectations
If you haven’t been to the gym in months, and especially if you haven’t been doing any type of physical training, then expect to be weak and out of shape. Even if you have been doing some type of training, maybe it isn’t with the same equipment that you can use at the gym. Just know to set your expectations lower.
I know this is something that has killed me mentally in the past. I take some time off from the gym, get back to it, and am disgusted by how weak I am. I don’t really take breaks anymore (unless they are short and planned or absolutely necessary), but when I do, I know now to adjust my expectations to reality.
The truth is gains are hard to come by and easy to lose. The good news is that muscle memory is a real thing. It’s always easier and quicker to regain lost muscle and strength than to build it anew.
But, even with muscle memory, know that your short term quicker gains will not last long, as your muscles and strength return to their former level. So, always keep your expectations in check.
Tip #4 – Take it EASY for the First Week or Two
Okay, this is the one that I’ve screwed up the worst in my own lifting history. I wouldn’t go to the gym for months, then would go in all fired up and ready to get some gains, lift super hard, and get extreme DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness). Then, I’d have to take (at least) a few days off.
When I say extreme DOMS, I mean it. The soreness is absolutely brutal when you haven’t been training for a while and then go back in and immediately go to failure for multiple sets. I’ve had deep muscle soreness that’s lasted for over a week because I made this mistake.
DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE. I mean, you’ll recover from it, but it’s just bad for motivation to get all fired up and then have to take the next week off because you’re too sore to move. Plan to take it easy in the first week — maybe even the first two weeks. Just enough time to let your body acclimate to training again. Keep the volume and intensity relatively low. Keep your routine form-focused, as opposed to blasting your muscles or going for one rep maxes.
Tip #5 – Keep Your Workouts as Brief as Possible
In line with the previous tip on taking it easy, initially you want to keep your workouts as brief as possible. The main goal here is to keep your interest strong and avoid burnout. Remember, you are building back up a skill here. You don’t want to overdo it right away with long three hour workouts.
Referring back to my basic philosophy of “Get in, go hard, and get out”, staying focused on your training is key. I usually find that if I’m in the gym for too long (2+ hours), my focus starts to fade. I get tired and hungry. It’s just difficult to maintain focus on intense exercise for a long period of time. All the more reason to keep your workouts brief. Especially if you’re trying to rebuild a skill.
Once you have established a pattern of consistency with getting back to the gym, you can try extending your workouts a bit.
Tip #6 – Plan Time Off From the Gym
This one may seem a bit counter-intuitive. I mean, you just got back from a long break, so why would you take time off? Well, planned time off from the gym (not lasting more than a week at maximum) can be a really good thing to keep you consistent in the long haul.
If you haven’t been to the gym in months, then you’re probably fired up to be back. Which is great. But you can’t only rely on motivation. You have to flex the muscle of consistency. You don’t want to stop going because you failed to properly take time off and recover (both mentally and physically).
When I first started training, I never really had planned time off. This was a mistake, because I kept pushing it and pushing it. Eventually I stopped going to the gym because I was too burnt out. Especially if you are just getting back to the gym after time off, you want to keep this tip in mind. I’d recommend planning at least a few days off after a few months of being back in the gym consistently.
I know, it may be hard to do it, but your body and mind will thank you in the long run.
Tip #7 – Make Sure Your Nutrition is Dialed in
This is a big one. How can you make the strength and physique gains you desire if your nutrition is all messy? I know it’s really easy for your diet to start looking atrocious when you’re not going to the gym regularly. But, in order to have success at the gym you really have to have it dialed in.
I’m not saying you need to count every single macronutrient, but you need to make sure your diet is aligned with your goals. Getting back to the gym after months off can be daunting and you don’t want all your fired up enthusiasm to go to waste because you are not getting the proper nutrition in.
Nutrition is critical for recovery. And you want to recover properly so you don’t burnout and become inconsistent.
Wrapping It All Up
The point I want you to take home from all of these tips can be summed up like this: stay focused on your goal, train smart, eat right, and worry about yourself. If you haven’t been to the gym in months, it’s really hard to get back in and stay consistent.
However, if you use the tips in these articles, which I’ve learned from my own mistakes in training, the transition will be much easier.
Time to get after it!
Looking for more tips on getting the most out of the gym? Check these out: