How was your first day back in the gym after a long time off

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jmakleanaddo
jmakleanaddo Posts: 101 Member
in Getting Started
Its been about 3 years now for me and its been brutal. I'm living in a pretty small rural town with a very low Covid-19 case occurrence and so I've been feeling a little more confident to get back in. Anyone back in the gym as well? How's it feeling?

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  • hunnahs26
    hunnahs26 Posts: 288 Member
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    When I first got back in, I went too hard and got those DOMS hard. lol Now, it's not so bad, I'm really starting to enjoy the hurt later on that night now.
  • Tryckster14
    Tryckster14 Posts: 17 Member
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    We built up our garage so we now have an in home gym! But, I did the least and hurt the most! lol
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    edited August 2020
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    First day back after 3 months was rough psychologically...I was benching 140lbs for reps pre-covid. I was able to bench about 85lbs for a couple reps post-quarantine.

    Strength has been coming back steadily 6 weeks back into lifting. It's hard to avoid looking at my training log from March and compare...but comparison is the thief of joy (or something like that).

    Physically, the day after the 1st day back was some of the worst DOMS ever. However, I have literally the worst DOMS I've ever had right now, b/c I added Good Mornings (which I avoided in the past, b/c they're murder on the hamstrings).
  • lalalacroix
    lalalacroix Posts: 834 Member
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    Today was my first day back in the gym since covid. I ran on the treadmill, with a mask. Thought it would be annoying or harder to breathe but it was fine.

    What was annoying was the three people without masks. 🤬
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
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    Our gyms reopened May 4th, I went maybe 3 times in May and June, really restarted July 1st.

    I won't lie, the DOMS hits hard.

    I started back at lower weights than I expected, but I am going up way quicker than I expected too after the first couple of weeks, it is like the muscles just need to be restarted, they didn't vanish completely.

    That said, I'd only been out since January. I had an injury, a covid-like illness, then C.diff, then covid shut-down. 3 years is longer.
  • Tesha231
    Tesha231 Posts: 381 Member
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    I was extremely excited to get back to the gym, not only for my own health, but for my hubs who needs to keep the weight off because of a previous heart attack and pre-diabetes. Personally loved the "good sore" from re-working my underutilized muscles. Before I get nailed for those conditions being reason NOT to go, please know we know the risks and have weighed them against not staying active and healthy, alternate options to exercise, etc. (Hoping not to turn this political/righteous in any respect as that is totally unnecessary to the post.) Our decision was based on the cleanliness of our gym. Our gym social-distances, immobilizing equipment to enforce the distance. Masks are required except when you are actively engaged in the activity on the station you are on. Required to sanitize your equipment before and after you use it. Rules are very clearly stated so those that may be annoyed because some need/choose to be mask-free, know what to expect before judging others who may not be able to mask and/or worry about the health impact of extra carbon dioxide exposure when exercising with a mask. I'm just glad Americans still have freedom of choice at this point. For the record, I feel much less at risk in my gym than the grocery stores. Doesn't mean I'm going to quit eating!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    It was strange with the new COVID precautions but good to be back and a friendly atmosphere.

    After an over 3 month break first session was just getting used to unfamiliar movements and ROM again - started very light, low RPE and didn't go under 8 reps (increasing weight/decreasing reps).
    Not so much to avoid DOMS but to give my elderly joints and tendons a chance to get aclimatised and as we are now limited to 50 minute slots the overall volume was moderate too. Some slight and short-lived DOMS.

    Second and third visits steadily increasing the RPE (but still quite moderate) and min reps down to 6 and then 4 with heavier weights.

    Fourth visit did a little test to see roughly how much strength I've lost:
    February 3RM 100kg bench press on my 60th birthday - now down to a sub-maximal 4 reps at 75kg. It will take a while to get back to where I was but nice to be progressing again.
  • MohsenSALAH
    MohsenSALAH Posts: 182 Member
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    Soreness was intense after 3 months of lockdown. I'm glad i had 20kg weights and pullup bar but there ain't nothing gonna replace gym 🥵
  • amitgagal
    amitgagal Posts: 32 Member
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    I was feeling like I'll die next moment 😵 exhausted
  • hipari
    hipari Posts: 1,367 Member
    edited August 2020
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    Whoo boy. DOMS is definitely a thing. When I returned after a 4-month break, I took things very very very light, like squatting with the bar only (no weight plates) and so on. For free weights I did bar only just to get back into it and remembering correct form for each exercise. For machines I checked my workout journal and went with 50-60% weight I had in January.

    I’m still struggling to get into a good rhythm, but now DOMS is the good kind again, not the kind that makes me a prisoner in my apartment because walking down the stairs is a struggle.

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