There’s no doubt about it; these have been rough times for British gyms, as well as for British waistlines. So, now that many of the former are back open again, it’s understandable that you may be considering how they could help you with the latter.
Apply these five tips, and you will be able to maximise your own chances of completing a smooth transition back to life in the gym or leisure centre, while realising your fitness goals.
Take the time to get acquainted with the changed environment
In the nation’s gyms, as elsewhere, a “new normal” has had to be implemented. Your own local gym is likely to be operating somewhat differently to how it was pre-lockdown, with measures such as one-way systems, hand sanitising stations and restrictions on exercise time put in place.
So, be polite and receptive to staff at your gym and when asking them for advice about the new way of doing things, while also taking the time to adjust to the altered gym environment and rules.
Don’t dwell on perceived lockdown fitness failures
If you have piled on the pounds or your physique has gone somewhat south since gyms and other exercise amenities were last open, don’t be too hard on yourself.
Many of us, after all, are in the same situation, and adapting to the extremely unusual circumstances of a global pandemic may have exhausted you both physically and mentally. Now is the time to instead focus on gradually bringing healthy and sustainable fitness habits back into your life.
Resist the temptation to make an explosive return
It’s absolutely understandable that after months of no access to gym facilities at all, you may be anxious to attempt to ‘make up for lost time’ by enrolling on every possible fitness class each week or throwing around a lot of heavy weights.
But if your lockdown period was characterised by a more relaxed or even stalled exercise routine, an overly aggressive approach to your gym comeback could be a recipe for near-certain burnout and/or injuries from muscular strains and sprains.
Instead, then, we would advise you to start slowly with your resumed fitness regime, so that your body has the chance to acclimatise.
Look after yourself away from the gym
Your health and fitness outside the gym is intimately connected to your health and fitness within it.
So, now is the time to also pay close attention to supporting your all-round wellness, including by being responsible with the calories you consume, avoiding those tempting quick sugar fixes, and getting your seven to nine hours’ sleep each night.
Treat yourself to the most suitable gym gear
If you have been sifting through your current gym apparel and accessories at home and realised that you are lacking in certain key areas, now could be the perfect time to stock up on new items, not least as the right purchases could greatly help to bolster your self-confidence and performance.
Shop for gym clothing and all of the related products at Hybryd, for example, and you’ll benefit from stylish, functional and durable gear that also won’t hit you too harshly in the pocket – the latter possibly an especially important priority for you in these more economically straitened times.
Finally, don’t forget that the postage of all of the items in our store to a UK address is also completely free, with dispatch occurring on the same day for orders placed before 3pm. It’s one more factor among many that helps to make Hybryd the place to shop for gym clothing and accessories at this time when so much else about our world remains uncertain.
