The Importance of a Varied Exercise Regime Pre And Post Lockdown
During lockdown this year, like many others I found myself spending a lot more time in the house. It became the place where I was forced to do things that I’d normally go out to do such as work, study, have fun and of course WORK OUT. The two main positives to have come out of lockdown for me from a fitness perspective have been my ability to introduce VARIETY into my workouts and also CONSISTENCY, whereas pre-lockdown, life often got in the way of these things.
My PRE-LOCKDOWN workout regime involved:
2km walk to work & back again
3 resistance-training workouts per week using heavy weights and focusing on different body parts on different days such as legs on a Monday, back & biceps on a Tuesday etc
Teaching 4-5 classes per week
My LOCKDOWN workouts involved a combination of:
HIIT training – 30-45-minute sessions 5 times a week
Boxing HIIT training with light dumbbells (max 2.5kg)
Light dumbbell full-body workouts (maximum 5kg)
Leg/ glutes focused resistance training (maximum weight 16kg kettlebell & resistance bands)
Daily walks (although the novelty of these wore off after a couple of months!)
The DIFFERENCE in training styles
Pre-lockdown my workouts were very low-intensity, I rarely got my heart rate into fat burn zone unless teaching a circuits or HIIT class at Kate Campbell Fitness. I did a lot of walking as it was my commute, which I miss as I find it difficult to incorporate as much walking into my daily routine without it being my way of getting to and from work.
I’ve also been able to do daily yoga/Pilates from home which was something I committed to doing right at the beginning of lockdown. I’ve always tried to fit yoga/Pilates into my daily routine but it’s ended up taking a backseat. Since practicing daily I have noticed a huge impact on my flexibility, mobility, core strength, mental wellbeing and the conditioning of my muscles which has in turn improved my ability to train more frequently and has also had a positive impact on the quality of my training.
The difference in RESULTS
I have definitely lost muscle mass during lockdown as I didn’t have access to heavy weights at home, however my lean muscle definition has improved quite significantly meaning that I appear more toned.
My body fat % has dropped too even though I haven’t been watching what I eat too closely – I put this down to a combination and variety of daily HIIT workouts, light dumbbell, full body-resistance training and daily yoga/Pilates/stretching and mobility work.
The only downside to the increase in HIIT training is that it can be quite high impact and dynamic, therefore whereas I have seen an improvement in my agility and reaction times it has taken its toll on my joints at times and I’ve had a couple of minor injuries. That being said, there are many low-impact alternatives available that I am now incorporating where necessary.
The SCIENCE behind it
The difference in training styles & results is down to the different energy systems that are required during different types of training and how they impact the body. HIIT training requires the use of fast twitch muscle fibres & requires more from the cardiovascular system, meaning that the heart works harder and heart rate stays elevated throughout the workout. This improves overall heart health and also means you burn a heck of a lot of calories. Team this up with full body resistance exercises which build lean muscle and you’ll be burning calories at rest too – a winning combination which results in lower body fat and a more lean and toned physique.
Do’s & Don’ts
Do:
Mix it up
Be consistent
Move as soon as you wake up if you can – whether it’s stretching, yoga, or a more intense workout, I find that starting the day with movement sets you up to be more positive, focused and productive throughout the day
Refuel regularly – the more intensely you train the more you need to refuel your body with the right nutrients! Include 1.2-2g protein per kg of bodyweight in your diet per day to help repair and build lean muscle. Try to avoid sugar and refined carbs, drink lots of water and you’ll be feeling fabulous!
Plan exercise at the start of the week – write it on your calendar, in the notes on your phone, whatever works for you, but making a plan means you’re more likely to hold yourself accountable to it and actually get it done! Ticking off your workouts each day will also give you a sense of achievement which is very important to keep motivation levels up!
Don’t:
Overtrain & under-fuel – combined, these two are a recipe for injury and lack of motivation. Put together an achievable workout plan and team it up with a sensible, simple diet filled with natural produce and lot of water to avoid fatigue
What will I continue to incorporate?
I’d like to think that training with us at Kate Campbell Fitness has always been fun and varied but from now on you can expect additional support in the way of home workouts, live zoom classes and 1-2-1 sessions.
Training with me personally will be focused on the reduction of body fat & the building of lean muscle through a combination of HIIT & resistance training which will keep you in fat burn zone not only during but long after your session. We will also focus on conditioning your muscles to promote strength, mobility and flexibility through the use of yoga and Pilates techniques. As with all of our PT programmes we provide full nutritional guidance with everything from diet plans to recipes available.
There’s never been a more important time to stay fit and healthy – not only will training with us help you to look and feel great about what’s on the outside, but it will have a really positive impact on your immune health & ability to fight infection too. Furthermore it will have you feeling more focused and positive mentally too which in turn increases your ability to deal with stressful times such as what we’ve all been faced with so far this year!
Please get in touch with us for more information on the wide variety of personalised Personal Training, Gym & Class memberships that we offer and come to see us for a free consultation soon!