Shortness of breath : 4 ideas and pointers for training or getting back in after a stop
It happens to everyone to take a period of stop from one’s training routine, whether for reasons of time, work, or because of an injury. If this period is a few weeks, it will be easy to resume the rhythms to which you were accustomed, after the first two/three sessions you can achieve the same past performance; if, on the other hand, the stop is longer, one or more months, you will have to proceed slowly to avoid further obstacles.
Resumption of sports activity : causes of the feeling of fatigue
Have you ever had the feeling of shortness of breath and fatigue a few minutes after starting the activity?
Don’t worry, this issue is very common, both for newbies and for those who resume training after a long break; let’s see together what are the causes and remedies.
Shortness of breath, in the absence of issues such as asthma, anxiety, or allergies, is most often due to excessive training intensity that the body cannot handle. In the first few minutes, the body needs to bring blood and oxygen to the muscles involved gradually; beats must increase slowly while also allowing the respiratory system to warm up and adjust to the effort.
The warm-up phase is very important during recovery as it serves the body to manage the demand for nutrients, blood, and oxygen, preventing the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. You read that right, lactic acid is the culprit responsible for premature fatigue in the body because, as the body cannot get enough oxygen to the muscles, energy is produced by anaerobic metabolism and its excessive production causes premature fatigue.
What to do to resume workouts without risking further stoppage?
After a long stop, it can be difficult to accept that you are not performing as well as before or that you are not achieving what you set out to do.
The most common reactions to this phenomenon are frustration and anger, but if you want to try to make up for lost time it is necessary to set them aside. These feelings are no good for getting back into shape because people who experience them tend to set unrealistic goals or subject themselves to a routine that is too hard or intense, with the risk of feeling even less fit, losing motivation, and giving up working out.
First, try to set yourself easy goals: if you used to do 10 km of running during your outings, try starting with 5 km, without giving yourself a set time to complete it. If at the end of 5 km, you still have energy and feel able to continue, try adding 1-2 km without ever arriving overly tired.
This reasoning also applies to strengthening activities such as weight training. Do not start with the same loads you did during the previous period. Recovery should be gradual; start with 30% less than what you were used to. After a period of inactivity, the muscles need to regain both the ability to contract properly and the inter- and intramuscular coordination to perform the movement correctly.
One tip is to use a fatigue perception scale so that you can understand your current state of fatigue. While performing the activity, try to maintain a difficulty level of 6/7 out of 10. It only takes a few weeks to get back in shape and use the same loads you used before or get closer to the idea of the activity you had set for yourself.
If you enjoy running, try to divide your training session into several phases, alternating with recovery periods so that you always give your body time to handle the workload. Running without break times could compromise the quality of your running. The muscles of the lower limbs, especially after a period of stop, need to regain the ability to contract and relax during movement; running sessions of long duration could cause cramping, stiffening of the calves, and pain in the plantar fascia.
Train, recover, and integrate
During the recovery period, it is important not only to train but also to recover between sessions. The body needs the right recovery time to improve strength and disposal of metabolites produced during the training session.
Also, don’t forget the importance of hydration. During your training always plan to supplement with minerals and vitamins such as Isostad’s Hydrate and Perform lemon flavor. This vitamin-, mineral- and carbohydrate-rich supplement will maintain your muscles’ homeostasis and allow you to complete your sessions without experiencing cramping and/or injury. Hydrate and Perform help prolong physical exertion and improve water absorption during prolonged exercise.
If you are an avid runner and do it outdoors, it is important to keep your body well-hydrated even before the training session to keep your performance high. Try to drink about 300ml of water or liquids with minerals 30 minutes before your outing, and always plan for small refreshments every 15 to 20 minutes.