The clouds have parted and the lord has spoken — gyms in Texas can finally reopen! But what does that mean for fitness fiends across the state? Packed facilities, probably. Having to wait for your favorite machine, almost definitely. But with all the excitement and protein powder in the air, the most important thing to remember is to pace yourself so you don’t end up redshirting yourself trying to make up for lost time.

Slow Your Role

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and trying to rush your masterpiece won’t do you any favors. If you haven’t been getting regular exercise during the pandemic, now’s not the time to start lifting five times a week. It’s all too common to rationalize training harder: if running for one hour is good, running for three hours must be better. Not exactly. Overdoing it in the gym can be just as bad as underperforming, if not worse. It’s easy to get addicted to post-workout pains, but injuries are one of the leading causes for delaying a fitness regimen. Start slow, see how your body’s feeling and make adjustments as needed.

Get Dynamic

It’s about time you learned the truth about what your P.E. teacher told you — those stretches don’t work like you think they do. Research suggests that starting your gym flow with a dynamic warm-up instead of the old school static routine (think lunges and squats instead of leg and arm stretches). Dynamic stretching gets your body warmed up and can help to prepare your body for the activities you’re about to do. Static stretching, on the other hand, works best after exercise because these stimulate muscles that are already warm and more pliable.

Stick to the Plan

Before Covid-19 came around, hopefully you had some sort of fitness goal in mind and a plan to get there. If not, now’s the time to make a plan that works. Time lost is time lost and trying to modify your plan to speed up results will likely result in injury. Making a fitness plan increases the odds of consistency, and creates a roadmap to success that includes your gym sessions, rest days and measures your progress. One of the benefits of Planet Fitness is that most of their locations are open 24 hours a day to allow flexibility with your schedule and on-site showers and lockers, which can help cut down on time spent on hidden factors.

Know When to Fold ‘em

Don’t go into this overzealous — this is still a marathon, not a sprint. If you’ve been getting in extra reps of planks on the couch, then it may take you more time to get back into the swing of things in the gym. Those fond memories of burning biceps and rubber legs are nice, but don’t hurt yourself chasing that feeling. By not letting your body rest and recharge, you could be doing more harm than good in the long run. Listen to your body and check on yourself — taking painkillers like aspirin to dull the pain could be hiding real injuries. Your first-day enthusiasm is likely genuine, but more times than not people can’t maintain that energy over an extended period of time. Whether you’re taking a break between reps or giving yourself a rest day to avoid burnout, knowing when to rest is just as critical as knowing when to go hard. Let your body heal and restock the endorphin department and you’ll see some real results.

Expect Delays 

Even though gyms are opening back up, recognize that basically every gym has been working around the clock to figure out how to open the doors and keep them open. At the same time, there will be tons of members returning and tons of new faces hoping to get memberships. So don’t get discouraged if your gym routine requires a detour or two to hit every muscle group. Chances are, a lot of machines and equipment won’t be for the time being to allow social distancing, and some fitness centers may not be open 24-hours right off the bat. Don’t let these hurdles trip you up. Improvise, adapt and overcome. 

Keep these tips in mind while you’re making your way to your workout. Welcome back to your fitness journey.