15 + weeks without group classes means that whilst some of us have trained, it has probably looked and felt a little different.

Not all exercise and training is created equal (physiologically speaking).

This means that we have to be strategic about how we go about re-entering our training programs so that we can
a) get the most out of our sessions and rebuild our capacity to pre-lockdown levels 

b) ensure that we stay injury-free so that we don’t have to take any unnecessary time off

Whilst it’s human nature to want things yesterday and to come out all guns blazing from our hiatus, I’d like you to reconsider trying to undo 15 weeks of bad habits in a single week by applying the following: 

1. Take your time. Redevelop your skills by using high repetition sets at lower intensities. This doesn’t mean HIIT or pump, it just means high-quality reps at the lower end of the load continuum than you were probably hitting pre-lockdown.
   
   
2. Use time under tension as your go-to training variable. Increasing TUT (tempo training) is the perfect way to increase mechanical tension in the body, within a constraint that your body can give you real-time feedback. It is a way to make light weights feel hard and therefore you receive the benefits of lifting heavy / lots, without the risk factors or excessive loading.
   
   
3. Prioritise movement and mechanics over intensity and volume. Range of motion should be your priority as you rebuild your connective tissue to handle mechanical tension again. Working through a large ROM will cause some muscular damage, so be prepared for the upcoming discomfort and DOMS
   
   
4. Reduce your intensity (meaning weight on the bar): your central nervous system and soft tissue will need time to rebuild.
   
   
5. Reduce Volume: (reps x sets x load) ^^^
   
   
6. Speed is the enemy when returning from a break. Slow down to give your body a chance to remember the neuromuscular signalling and motor unit control that you developed.

7. Eat real food in the right quantities for the body and performance you want to have. Whilst calories are cool and will dictate body composition, quality will also influence your physiological signalling and metabolic responses. You can’t build a temple on a pile of shit.

8. Make time for recovery. Namely, some parasympathetic state enhancers like meditation, massage and sleep. Don’t think too hard. Actually, do the opposite. No recovery is bad recovery. 

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