Unpause Your Workout Regimen

If you were sidelined by injury or illness, these strategies will switch on your fitness focus again.

- By Caitlin Carlson

Good news for bench warmers: Your body is primed to make a comeback. With strength training in particular, your brain remembers how it communicated with your nervous system and muscles to perform specific movements (a.k.a. “muscle memory), says physical therapist Kristi Barker, MPT. Still, key to a successful return, whether you lift, do cardio, or—ideally—both, is patience, says Simone V. Williams, CPT, who specializes in prenatal and postnatal training in L.A. Give yourself some grace.

What if you were injured? “Have a health-care professional oversee your rehab,” says Barker. “They will prescribe exercises that allow you to recover efficiently.” But anyone can gain applicable insight from the general recs below. Let’s get back to it!

STRENGTH TRAINING

FOLLOW THE 15% RULE