Many people start getting serious about their fitness when the temperature rises. Sometimes it’s to look good when hitting the beach or, other times, it’s just easier to exercise when it’s nice outside. If you haven’t been exercising for a month, for the winter, or even for longer, it’s best to start slowly. The most frequent mistake that I see is when people jump back in too intensely. People who were pretty fit before taking a hiatus — exercising at a moderate to advanced level — think they can take up where they left off and continue at that same level, often injuring themselves. Not only are injuries common, people get discouraged, realizing how out of shape they’ve become. It’s painful and just plain unpleasant.
So, for the first few times you return to exercise, try to keep it to about 30 minutes at an easy pace. It may feel like you’re not doing much, but you’ll most likely be sore the next day. When you ease back in, the chance of injury decreases, while your motivation to continue increases. Getting back into shape is faster and more efficient in the long run.
Welcome to summer!
Jenny is NYS Licensed Massage Therapist who graduated from Finger Lakes School of Massage in 2003. Her integrative massage style blends deep tissue and connective tissue therapies to restore balance to the body and relax the mind. Jenny specializes in focused massage work based on the client and their particular conditions and especially enjoys working with those who have pain related issues of the hips, back, and neck where she can help bring significant pain relief. She also performs Swedish, pre- and postnatal, and hot stone massages.