Start from where you are now

New year new me! You have all the energy in the world to create the physical change in your life that you’ve always wanted. Getting back to the sports you love, lifting weights again and going all in.

Your energy and enthusiasm is well-intentioned, but maybe let’s take a second and to talk a bit about getting back to things that you haven’t done in a while. Ask yourself these questions: How long has it been? What is your health like now? Do you have a family? Do you have a job that is physically demanding?

Often times, when returning to the activities that we love, we think about how amazing, strong and fast we used to be. We imagine ourselves at the peak of our abilities. But the truth is, maybe it’s been a while since we did these things. Maybe work has been stressful, maybe we started a family, maybe we incurred an injury or ailment recently.

I think it’s an amazing practice, to reflect on our achievements for encouragement and enjoyment. However, we often want to pick it up where we left off and that might not be where we are now. Upon returning to activity or training after a hiatus, whether I’m talking about myself or for clients, I like to approach this process mindfully without the bias or expectation of being as good as we once were. Things are different now, and that is ok. We must acknowledge this if we are to regain our potential once again. 

Start with some warm up sessions. If you are starting to run again, plan on a 1, 2 or perhaps 5  km run for the first time out, depending on your previous abilities. If it has been a long time, you may need to remedy injuries or acknowledge body changes before pushing harder. This might look like going for a walk around the block or doing some 10, 20 or 30 second intervals where you could jog for 10 seconds and walk for a minute or two. If you are getting back to lifting weights, take the loads down to a manageable level where you can properly stabilize while performing the movements and leave some energy left in the tank at the end.

There is nothing wrong with going back to the basics and easing back into your favourite activities. In fact, there are no negative consequences in taking this approach. At least this way you can get a good sense of where your current strength, conditioning or skill levels lie, so that you have a better idea of where to go from there. Prioritize slowly building yourself back up, avoiding injury and maintaining consistency.

Be kind to yourself this new year and enjoy the activities you love in whatever capacity you are able to, from where you are right now.