Returning to the gym? Leave your ego at the door

• Gyms, yoga, and dance studios reopen after forced closure
• Mobility exercises, proper warmups can help avoid injury
• Fitness should be a ‘long game’

Those who make a New Year's resolution to get fit were forgiven for starting a little late as provincial health orders shuttered gyms and fitness centres.

But after weeks of closures, it's time to get back into the swing of things as facilities reopen Jan. 20.

Whether someone is new to working out or returning to a regular fitness routine, one West Kelowna coach who leads high intensity workouts advises gym goers to dial it back at the start.

“You want to make sure that you start out just a little bit chill,“ Brad Hall, owner and manager of Bodyshop Fitness and Nutrition, told Kelowna10.

“You don’t have to be killing yourself in the gym. … It’s about the long game.”

He recommends focusing on proper movement to avoid injury. He said ideally you should commit to three to five workouts a week to adjust your body to the workload.

Hall advises people to adopt a mentality that the gym is a lifestyle, not a temporary goal to fit into that swimsuit.

Recovery should also be a priority. Hall said proper nutrition and hydration can fuel repairs to sore muscles. Sleep is also important to recover from intense workouts.

Hall advises mobility exercises and proper warmups beforehand to prime muscles for stress.

He tells anyone entering his gym to leave their ego at the door.

He said it’s only a matter of time before someone hurts themselves if their goal is to set new personal records every time they work out. This is especially true if they are returning from a fitness hiatus. Fitness levels and skill take time to earn.

Hall understands that to a newcomer, high intensity workout gyms can be intimidating, but offers some encouragement.

“You've just got to try it. You've got to come in with no expectations. Be prepared to do some learning. Leave that ego in the car and just have some fun with it,” Hall said.

“Do not try to keep up to everybody that’s been doing it for a long time... just chill out, start working on it. Two, three months down the road, you’ll be surprised at where you can get to with your fitness and how much fun you’re having."