HOW TO APPROACH YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING AFTER ILLNESS
So you’re currently in a place where you’re coming out the other side of illness, be it Covid or something else, you think you’ve rested for long enough and you just want to get back to your normal volume of training. Many people try and speed up the return to fitness, “pushing through” and expecting their body to do as it’s told, but unfortunately this commonly leads to other setbacks.
Everyone is affected by sickness differently, so just because someone was back to their training in xx time, doesn’t mean you will be too. The key during your recovery is not to focus too much on volume and intensity - that will come. But rather concentrate on quality, reintroducing your movement patterns, technique and perfecting your skill based work. This is the time when you want to be leaning into those previously established routines, habits and behaviours. Using this framework to gradually build up your volume and intensity.
Providing you have no ongoing symptoms or concerns, a common sense approach should be applied. Generally most of us know when we’ve got enough energy to get back into training, and the chances are you’ll quickly know if you’re premature in your return. Equally your readiness to return to strength training may vary to your readiness to return to swim, bike and run training - the aerobic demands may be compromised especially if your respiratory or cardiac systems have been affected.
Using elements of your strength sessions in the early days can actually be really beneficial to see how your body is feeling and how it pulls up, without risking over doing it. E.g. mobility, activation and light load movement patterns.
The clinical nature of a strength program where you can clearly moderate the intensity and have designated recovery periods to reset and review your performance is always going to be a much more effective environment than just going for an “easy run”.
Expectations
Probably the most important part of your return is getting your head in the right place, being honest with yourself and realistic by lowering your expectations. You need to be okay with working at lower intensities, loads and volumes. Many athletes find it hard and commonly feel like they need “permission” from themselves or their coach to do this, so having someone to bounce off of is really beneficial. With our clients at SFE regular check-ins allow us to discuss how they are feeling and safely navigate their return to training. Generally speaking, when left to our own devices we are all guilty or doing too much, too soon.
Energy Requirements
Let’s think basic physiology here, you’re more than likely working your way out of a deficit due to your body expending energy to fight and overcome sickness. Therefore your natural resources and energy reserves are obviously going to be somewhat depleted, even if you’re feeling better. Your focus in this period of time should be doubling down on your nutrition, fuelling optimally and recovering alongside a gradual return to work.
Percentage of your normal
How do you know what weights to start with when going back to your sessions? At SFE when clients are coming back from injury, sickness or layoff we follow a general rule of thumb. The first few weeks of training are more about establishing routine than intensity. We use a 50%-60% rule with regards to the intensity of your strength efforts because this will allow us to focus fully on the quality of technique, with enough resistance to create an adequate amount of stimulus.
Progress gradually
Intensity is easy to create, session on session you can add more across all areas as you feel more and more comfortable doing so. However many do this from the outset, only leading to a frustrating rollercoaster ride of recovery. Following the 10% rule each week, with regards to progressing your weights/load/ intensity will enable you to keep evaluating your week to week energy levels. It’s key here to consider the accumulative stress that other variables in your life may have, such as returning to work, which will put greater, if not equal demands on your body.
Important Note: Remember illness is very much individual and if you’re at all unsure of whether you are ready to go back to training it’s best to seek medical advice before commencing.