Here is broadly how I’d approach training if I was getting back into it after a prolonged absence:
* First, I would focus on General Physical Preparation (GPP) to reclaim a solid baseline of fitness and toughness (mental and physical) after weeks, months, or even years of inactivity,
* I’d do that via twice weekly lifting sessions featuring mostly basic bodyweight exercises (think: air squats, pushups, etc.) supplemented by barbell complexes to get a tonne of movement practice in (that’s also low risk because complexes, when set up and executed correctly, force the use of Very Light weights) while also helping to shift some of the fat I’d have no doubt accumulated in my sloth,
* On top of that, I’d do cardio (running outside is best, but cycling is permissible, as is using a treadmill in extremis); two twenty to thirty minute sessions of work at a comfortable pace is plenty sufficient,
* Note how this involves training only four times per week (two lifting, two cardio) – it’s important to not try and do more than this when you are getting back into training, not so much because you’ll overtrain (although this is potentially a risk for some people), but more because doing more will likely result in missed sessions that will lead to you falling off the wagon once again,
* After three to six months of training for GPP, my next port of call would be getting my strength levels up,
* This is because strength is the foundation of ALL athletic ability, meaning a lack of it will neuter your ability to make meaningful progress towards any goal (yes, even endurance and skill-based ones),
* The core barbell lifts (squats, presses, and pulls) are the most efficient and effective way to build strength, so that is what I would do twice or maybe thrice weekly (the decision would hinge on my commitments outside of training; as it stands with a business to run and three kids five and under to steward, I would veer on the side of caution and opt for two),
* I’d keep cardio exactly the same as it was in the previous phase,
* Six to eighteen months later, having built a respectable level of strength, I would then start training to “hone” my physique by building muscle,
* The core of my lifting programme would remain broadly the same in terms of exercises; the main differences would be upping the reps per set marginally (I say marginally because my sets tend to be around 8 reps, even when I am training for strength) and introducing more resistance machines and dumbbell work to bring up weak points and accentuate “quick win” body parts (e.g. shoulders and upper arms),
* Cardio wouldn’t necessarily change, although I’d keep the door open to reducing the difficulty and potentially the duration of the workouts to account the increased volume and density of the lifting work,
* I’d do that for another six to eighteen months,
* Oh, and I’d walk every day without fail (including rest days, when it’s raining, and my birthday) for at least 30 minutes (but ideally an hour or even more) from day one as well.
* Where to go after all of that would be clear because I’d have accumulated tonnes of knowledge and experience through training diligently and consistently for anywhere from fifteen months to three and a half years.
That’s the plan, in a nutshell.
If you want help putting it into action, I recommend joining Phil’s Gym.
Info ’bout that here:
https://philtyreman.co.uk/gym/
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman