Getting Your Fitness Routine Back After Covid

Hari Baskaran, a fitness enthusiast, and Silver Talkies Club Member writes about getting back to fitness routine post recovery from Covid-19. 

Panic and anxiety struck us as my wife, and I tested positive for Covid in the third week of April this year. My wife has an auto-immune disorder, and I have congenital heart disease, making both of us candidates for impending trouble.

As luck would have it, we both had mild attacks and shrugged off the virus with medication and rest at home. By the end of the month, we could say with a swagger that we too, had had the virus. But my hopes of quickly getting back to cycling and other fitness activities were soon dashed to the ground, as I learned that the post covid recovery period is as worrisome as the virus attack itself.

Doctors, researchers, and professional athletes warned of dangers to the heart and lungs, among other things, due to post recovery complications, more so for the current Delta variant. The broad consensus was a rehabilitation period of about three months before getting back to pre- covid fitness levels. I kept looking at my cycle wistfully but decided that I would venture out cycling only after three months post recovery and only if fit enough to hit the road again.

Mild symptoms of fatigue and discomfort and a sense that one was not entirely alright surfaced just after the recovery. I found my heart rate much higher than usual, even for an easy-paced effort. It seemed necessary to rebuild fitness immediately. I decided to follow a weekly rehabilitation plan with minimal effort, gradually scaling it up week by week. It has been eight weeks now, and while I am far below my usual workout intensity, I am quite happy with the progress so far. This feeling of being happy and positive is an important aspect of any rehabilitation plan.

My Post Covid-Fitness Plan

My weekly plan revolves around well-known fitness principles for diseases such as Covid that can compromise the heart and lungs and affect mental health.

Step 1: For the first four weeks, I concentrated on building lung capacity through breathing exercises, stretching exercises, and keeping the mind calm with little physical effort.

Step 2: For the next four weeks, I increased the stretching and added flexibility enhancing asanas and a gradual increase in rhythmic movements. I also started the use of lightweights. A focus area was strengthening the core. I added some asanas to improve balance.

Step 3 & 4: For the next eight weeks, I will gradually increase the cardio workload and strength training, listening to my body as I progress and growing my effort prudently.

Step 5: At the twelve-week landmark, I hope to be back on the saddle, cycling with gay abandon with a twinkle in the eye and a song on the lips.

A sports wristwatch that monitors heart rate and other workout parameters and an O2 saturation meter were my constant companions.

Fitness After 60

Most of my active outdoor life started after the age of 60. Now I have a mini gym at home that was set up with the help of a trainer I started working out with at the age of 62. After that, I purchased a cycle, and in the company of cyclist friends, went to inter-city and ultra-cycling events. At the age of 70, I cycled from Chennai to New Delhi, a distance of about 3000 km, in 58 days. The lure of the outdoors took me on several trekking trips, participating in distance running events, and even going on a 10-day walking pilgrimage from Chennai to Velankanni with a few friends. I suppose I let the cat out of the bag when it comes to yearning to get back to the vast alluring outdoors as quickly as possible. Prudence is essential, however.

Working on the mental side of fitness is imperative. I never thought that low levels of physical activity could bring a sense of fulfillment. Setting modest goals, being clear about what you want to achieve and living immersed in the workout, savoring every movement and breath is what brings this about.

Most professionals have a definite plan for every session of their training. I felt I was doing the right thing by using the enforced low-intensity period to improve lung capacity and flexibility, which needed improvement. Many pundits advise senior citizens to be mindful of improving flexibility, and in the age of Covid, you are asking for trouble if you don’t work on lung capacity.

We all tend to keep expecting the worst. A bit of confidence in one’s ability to recover and manage to do the recommended things is adequate insurance for recovery. Rediscovering the ability to enjoy oneself is the best panacea.