You’re cleared to start moving again, but where do you even begin? The idea of jumping into your old workouts might sound great… until you actually try. Maybe your knee still twinges when you squat, or your back feels tight in the morning. So, when pain or soreness pops up, how do you know if it’s a safe amount?
Getting back to exercise after an injury isn’t about bouncing back to a fully healed body — it’s about moving forward smartly. Come back too fast, and you risk slowing the healing process or getting re-injured. But take a thoughtful, steady approach with expert guidance, and you’ll build strength, confidence, and momentum.
In this article, you’ll learn practical, real-world tips to return to movement safely — without setting yourself back again.
You’ve been out of your routine, dealing with an injury (or just life), and that’s okay. The goal right now shouldn’t be to get back to lifting your heaviest or losing 10 pounds. Right now, it’s just about starting to move again — safely and smartly.
One of the main reasons why fitness resolutions fail is that we set impossible goals, leading us to feel like a failure. You might be ready to move more, but also be afraid of hurting yourself, which is completely normal. Go slow and think about setting a SMART goal that puts you on the path to recovery, like:
Just be sure to set reminders for your goals to make them a habit, like using alarms and post-its.
The phrase “no pain, no gain” has gotten too much credit. Our hustle society has us believing we should constantly push ourselves. Except, when it comes to our physical and mental health, it’s not always what’s best.
Whether you’re recovering from an injury or not, more rest prevents us from overdoing it and hurting ourselves. Look for signs that it’s time to rest rather than push forward, like:
So instead of scheduling another Soul Cycle to burn calories, look for movement that positively impacts your mental health and nurtures progress. After all, your body’s needs are always changing, and novelty in movement is one of the best ways to feel more open-minded about listening to what works for you. That could mean trying a Yin yoga class in jammies with YouTube one evening or heading to a nearby park for a peaceful walk while listening to the birds.
Meanwhile, there are also signs that you're ready for movement. For example, your injury might start to bother you more when you skip lifting weights for a week. Long stretches without resistance training can weaken muscles and joints, leading to inflammation.
Consistency, while taking it slow and listening to your body, allows you to regain strength and prevent pain. It's all about finding balance between allowing yourself rest and gentle movement while building strength slowly but surely. If you need any guidance on finding this balance, don't hesitate to work with an expert personal trainer!
You might want to jump back into routine, but your body’s giving you a new kind of reality check. Your lunge feels off, your back seizes on the bike, or your balance on the yoga mat leads to more tumbles than it used to. That’s your cue to slow down and check your form.
When you’re rebuilding strength, how you move matters more than how much you lift or how long you last on a machine. It’s a moment to give your body the gift of taking it slow enough to learn what proper form and pace mean for you now. You might not have even learned proper form before, which could lead to re-injury if you were unintentionally working out improperly.
Consider hiring an experienced personal trainer or physical therapist to be 100% sure you’re doing movements correctly. They’re more likely to keep you in check, reduce the fear (and probability) of reinjury, and not let you skip important mobility work, either.
We’re often told to exercise 4-5 days per week with 2-3 active recovery rest days, but that’s not necessarily what’s right for you. Pure rest or active recovery needs depend on countless factors, like your health status, age, stress level, diet, sleep, and more. Beginners, for example, might need 4-5 rest or gentle recovery days per week as they adapt to strength training.
One study also found that women had more muscular fatigue than men after lower-body resistance training. They needed much more time to recover, but rarely is more rest recommended for women.
Rest is especially important during perimenopause, when hormonal shifts can mess with your sleep, cause inflammation, and slow muscle repair. You might need to introduce more active recovery, like nature walks, restorative yoga, or mobility workouts. For example, one study found that postmenopausal women need around 20% more recovery time after exercise. Since the exact rest time for each person isn’t known, tuning in to your body’s needs for rest is key.
It’s not just women or days between workouts, though. Another study on men doing resistance training found that the group that rested for 3 minutes between each set, compared to the 1-minute rest group, gained more muscle size and strength.
Proper rest is essential for recovery, and that includes potentially taking your workout slower than usual and resting more between intense workout days. You can also support your recovery with:
You finally made it back to the gym… and you’re most likely not where you used to be. Maybe your shoulder aches just doing arm circles, or your energy's just not there. It’s naturally going to be frustrating, especially when you remember how things were before the injury. So the real question is, how will you care for your mental health when you’re in pain and forced to take things slower than you’d like?
Here’s what caring for yourself with patience and compassion can look like:
Maybe you’ve been given the go-ahead by your doctor to start increasing your strength, but you still feel unsure about it. Jumping into your old routine (or no routine) might not work anymore, so what’s the best way to begin?
After an injury, progress looks different from whatever it was before. It’s a moment to take things slow, listen to your body, and schedule enough rest and recovery time. Setting realistic goals with expert help can also make sure you don’t hurt yourself again.
That’s why trainwell’s trainers meet you where you’re at. There’s no pressure to push yourself and overdo it. Instead, it’s getting expertise on what movement and form is best to get you fully recovered as quickly and efficiently as possible. They’re also more likely to keep you consistent and make working out fun and enjoyable.
Curious to give it a try and see the difference a friendly trainer can make? Get your 14-day free trial and match yourself with the personality, style, and expertise that suits you, wherever you’re at.
Written by Jennifer Olejarz.
