4 Tips When Returning to Exercise After Injury
Your former, pre-injury self isn't gone, you are actually closer than you think. The key is to have a plan that assesses where you are and where you want to be, and bridges that gap systematically while minimizing the risk for regression — or worse, another injury!
Enough with the dreaded "I" word. If you're reading this then you're already on the right track. Follow these 4 critical tips when outlining your programming and before you realize it you'll surpass your pre-injury self.
Decrease the intensity
Approaching exercise with a strong level of mental intensity is always encouraged; However, requiring inappropriate levels of exertion too early in your return to programming will result in negative results. It's imperative that everyone feels comfortable gauging such levels of intensity, so we provided table charts as visuals below.
Pro Tip: Utilize the appropriate graph for resistance training or cardiovascular training and work up to an RPE level of 5 for the first two weeks of training. After a successful two weeks, apply the 10% principle, adding 10% more resistance (weighted or banded) or distance (mileage or steps) to each week, reaching an additional level of RPE each week for an additional 3-4 weeks.
Increase the frequency
Many fail to fully return to exercise due to inadequate training frequency. You've been out for a while and it's time to prime your body! With the intensity being at lower levels than normal, the early stages are a perfect opportunity to increase the frequency of training.
Pro Tip: Add 1-2 additional training sessions at a decreased intensity to re-introduce volume healthily. This will recover your physical capacity, so when it's time to increase the intensity and stimulus your body will be primed to perform.
Focus on quality reps
Surely you've heard the saying "quality over quantity" — well take it seriously! Allowing your form to break down to struggle through those last couple of reps is not a recipe for success when coming off of an injury.
Pro Tip: Whether performing your favorite lift, yoga pose, or running split, increase your attention to how your body is stabilizing from the ground up, maintaining your form for modified sets or intervals — as soon as you feel your attention drift or form breakdown, reset, and resume.
Avoid going to failure
Lastly, we love a good AMRAP (as many reps as possible) set just as much as the next guy, but it doesn't have a place in your return-to-exercise programming.
As previously stated, this is the time to become one with mental and physical processes of movement — prioritizing high levels of mental intensity with modified levels of physical intensity, setting an adequate training frequency to recover capacity, and staying true to the "quality over quantity" principle.
With that being said — it’s time to RESTORE YOUR POTENTIAL.