3 Steps To Recovering From Covid

With Covid infections at an all-time high, I thought it might be useful to share a few tips on how to get back into fitness after suffering from Covid 19
 
What impact can a typical bout of COVID-19 have on you when you’re on the road to recovery?
 
Firstly, you will likely feel a lot weaker, your breathing capacity may be reduced, and you may see a loss of balance and coordination and general cloudiness when it comes to thinking.
 
The good news is that this won’t last forever, and physical activity and exercise can help you recover.
 
The issue is that if you are suffering from the aftereffects of Covid, exercise may be the last thing on your mind – But the reality is it is key to regaining your fitness.
 
Regular exercise benefits your physical & mental health. So, it’s even more important for someone recovering from COVID-19 to get moving as soon as possible.
 
Within just a few workouts you will see improvements in your:
 
* Strength.
* Endurance.
* Breathing capacity.
 
Here are the recommended guidelines to getting back up to speed after Covid:
 
* Aim to return to exercise after at least seven days free of COVID-19 symptoms
* Begin with at least two weeks of minimal exertion
* Listen to your body (and your doctor or fitness coach)
 
Along with the above, try following these 4 steps when you are returning to exercise after a bout of COVID-19.
 
1. Move, Even a Little, Often
 
Covid can have massive impact on your body and mental health, so it’s important to take things slowly.
A walk around the block may be as much as you can handle in the first few days. So, if this is the case for you then get up and move as often as you can throughout the day. Even things like standing up and sitting down or regular stretching through the day is enough to get started.
If you are used to being very active and exerting yourself more than this, just be mindful of not over doing things as you build things up.
 
2. Increase Your Effort Gradually
Once you get over the regular walking hurdle it might be time to start doing some lower intensity activities. Things like jogging, cycling for example.
The best approach is to start slow but aim to go for a bit longer each time. Maybe 10 minutes without stopping. From there you can try to introduce some faster pace intervals. The general approach here is to try and increase your effort & intensity gradually. Build this up to 30 minutes and you should be ready for the next step!
 
3. Improve Your Strength
 
The final piece of the puzzle will be improving your strength. You will have lost some strength and muscle due to a lack of physical activity so remember to take it easy. Start off with 1-2 lighter sessions in the gym per week before moving to 2-3 sessions. Once you have a bit of consistency with your training sessions you can then look to increase the effort & intensity of the sessions. As I mentioned before – if you are used to working harder or lifting heavier in the gym it’s important that you don’t overdo it starting out. Be patient and you will eventually get back to the level you are more used to.
 
Just remember that there are a small % of people who may have some problems that last longer than others, you’ve probably heard the term “Long COVID”.
If you think you maybe In that struggling with this then it don’t be afraid to get in touch with your GP before returning to training or exercise.
 
Take care
 
Kev