So last night before bed I set my 4:30am alarm for the first time in months and IT FELT GREAT! Although I didn’t have the best night sleep because I spent most of it worrying that I would miss the alarm, when I woke up I was excited and eager to get going! After what felt like another very long lockdown I was finally back at work and in the gym today. Unfortunately, my business, just like many others, has taken a hit, but already I am beginning to fill my diary with potential new clients as well as booking back in some of the amazing people I have already been training.
Come 6am we had people queuing to get in, it was just so lovely to see so many people enthusiastic and buzzing to come back. The atmosphere in the gym today was one of real happiness which was great to see! For me it was the best feeling to be interacting with people again, something which I absolutely thrive on and have missed so much! Of course, there was the die-hard early starters I see all the time, but it was good to see a lot of new faces in the gym today as well, all with fresh new goals which I hope they absolutely smash over the coming months!
Today I actually kept my diary pretty empty as I have learnt from experience of these lockdowns that it’s nice to just get back into the gym environment, get your admin and ducks in a row and almost reassess the lay of the land, as well as lift some weights and get back into it myself!
At 7:30am I taught my first outdoor class. It was full to capacity and as I stood waiting for the class to start, chatting to members, it took me back to when I first started this job, the feeling that I am in the exact place I should be right now, doing what I love! It’s amazing how much energy you have to put into motivating 20 people in the freezing snow at 7:30am to get the best out of them, but it is the best feeling when you do!
The gym is very well organised for COVID. My gym has sanitising stations all around with notes to ensure everyone wipes their kit at the end of use, the equipment is distanced/some kit not in use to allow for social distancing to be practiced and generally everyone seems very comfortable with being back and following the rules! Of course, indoor classes are not due to start until at least May so for now there is just the gym floor to enjoy (and the pool of course). I wanted to flag this because I know for a lot of people, they are still a little hesitant to come back. Of course, the first few days are going to be busy, but generally I have found with these lockdowns that after a couple of weeks the natural ebbs and flows of people tends to settle down into peak and off-peak times so you can definitely find a good time to train for you.
I also mentioned all of the wonderful new faces I saw today which got me to thinking that many of you may have just joined a gym! I have mentioned this in a blog post before but most gyms offer an induction for new joiners to help them learn more about the equipment and give you advice on what to do for your goals. This is usually with one of the gyms trainers and I really recommend you book in a session as this will help you feel a bit more confident using the gym. You may even meet an AMAZING PT who inspires you to take up some 1:1 training (that is me for any of you reading from my club😊 ha!)
I finished off the day by picking up some weights myself, they felt HEAVY! Just like the advice I have given you all, I took my time today to see where I am on a few of my lifts as part of a full body weights session. My current plan is to do 3 full body sessions a week in total. For those new to the gym or looking to generally build/maintain muscle this should be enough sessions to begin with while you build up. I usually do more weighted sessions a week personally, but I am currently on a different secret squirrel training mission which I am hoping I can share with you all soon! Before I even started, I felt like my muscles were saying they were sore, so I dread to think how tomorrow will feel! All jokes aside you may find for the first few weeks of being back at the gym you will feel a very stiff and sore as your body gets used to lifting weights again. Make sure you allow for adequate rest days and listen to your body!
One final thing from me… I know it is probably tempting for most of you to jump straight back on the gym scales and asses the ‘damage’ of lockdown but I’ve got two thoughts on this; firstly don’t use the word damage, lockdown was tough enough without beating yourself up with negative self-talk and secondly, why not take a couple of weeks just to reignite or inspire a new love for training, enjoy the different environment and the new challenges that may lie ahead and see this whole process as a brand new fresh start for you to come in smashing it! This is not to say you can’t weigh yourself, but maybe try and take the emphasis away from the scales for the time being.
So, if you are heading back to the gym this week, I wish you luck and PLEASE ENJOY YOURSELF!! Take it easy to start with and just relish the simplicity of being able to train in a new environment which isn’t your house! If you are unsure as to if you feel comfortable returning to your gym, it may be worth calling or emailing in to see what COVID measures have been put in place, but from my personal experience I think gyms are doing the best they can. If you currently don’t go to a gym but are thinking of starting GO FOR IT!! It could be the kick start you need to smash your 2021 goals.
Anyway, a more reflective and slightly self-indulgent blog today about my day but I was just so excited to be back and I wanted to share it with you all.
Keep Fit, Keep Active & Keep Doing YOU!!
Lots of Love,
(A Very Tired) CK
Ciara Kiely 