Tips to Get Back in Shape
Everyone is now coming back to Dubai after some time away from the heat and from the gym. It’s important to make sure that you get back to training as soon as possible to get ready for the season, but it’s also important to do it safely. Getting injured is something that can be prevented if you approach your training and preparation intelligently and that you listen to your body. Here are my top 3 tips on how to get back in shape after the summer.
- Keep your workouts maximum 1 hour
I know a lot of people get excited when they come back to the gym and want to kill it. Your mind might remember how you felt before the summer or last time you were training, but your body might not remember so well. Make sure to increase the intensity and volume of your training progressively to prevent injuries that happen when you’ve been training for too long and when your body is tired.
- Get your nutrition in check
Chances are, you’re not just out of shape because you skipped the gym the last few weeks. Maybe you’ve also been enjoying certain foods too much? To get rid of the excess weight, a very important part is to get your eating back on track. Start by cutting out sugars (desserts, sugary drinks, candy), limit your carbs intake (especially white bread, flour, pasta), and make sure you’re hydrated (aim for at least 2-3L of water per day). Increase your protein and healthy fats to compensate for the decrease in carbs.
- Focus on unilateral exercises
Unilateral exercises are amazing to strengthen your imbalances and smaller muscles (which are so important to prevent injuries!). They will also prevent you from going too heavy too fast, and will pay off in the long run by making sure your stabilizing muscles are strong. These are also a lot more functional if you play sports like football where you need to change directions quickly by pushing off on one leg. Try Dumbell bench press instead of regular bench press, one arm lat pulldown instead of chin ups, and Bulgarian splitsquats instead of regular squats.
