After recovering from COVID, you may want to get out and exercise, especially if you previously liked to stay in shape. Although a bit of light cardiovascular training can be a good option, strength training has particular advantages when it comes to overcoming COVID.
When our immune system mobilizes to fight off a COVID infection, this response, called inflammation, can affect various parts of the body, including muscles. So regaining muscle strength is one of the benefits of strength training after COVID.
We also know that COVID can affect our energy levels and ability to perform aerobic exercise. Research suggests that during rehabilitation for respiratory problems, strength training – performed either only Where alongside cardio – improves our ability to carry out activities of daily living requiring sustained breathing (functional capacity).
Likewise, a recent review exercise programs specifically for COVID patients after discharge from hospital showed that strength training accompanied by a small amount of moderate-intensity cardio was linked to improvements in functional ability and quality of life, for example through stress reduction.
Due to the stress that COVID imposes multiple systems of our body, especially our cardio-respiratory system, controlling the demand on our heart and lungs is crucial in deciding how to exercise after an infection.
One of the advantages of strength training over cardio is that it doesn’t require the same oxygen level consumption. This means we don’t have to breathe harder and faster when we do.
We can also modify several aspects of a strength training program to reduce our body’s oxygen needs. Duration increased exercise, shorter rest periods between sets, faster reps and greater number of repetitions increase all of our oxygen needs. So practice with fewer reps and more rest between sets can be a good idea to start with.
Exercises to try
Many strength training programs involve dedicated training days for specific muscles such as the back, chest, or legs. Over a week, this approach can result in too much overall work during COVID recovery.
The good news is that compound exercises can work multiple muscles simultaneously – and some research suggests that there is no added benefit to including single joint exercises in a workout.
Examples of compound exercises include push-ups, squats, rows, pull-ups, deadlifts, shoulder presses, bench presses, and dips.
The authors of a study I mentioned earlier suggest that training for post-COVID patients might include one to two sets of eight to ten reps at 30% to 80% of 1RM (the maximum weight you can typically perform one rep of l exercise), alongside five to 30 minutes of moderate cardio.
When you are ready to increase the intensity of your strength training, if you are using weights, increase the weight first rather than the number of sets or reps. If you’re doing bodyweight exercises, try adding an extra set rather than more reps (to allow yourself regular rest periods), or consider using equipment like resistance bands to increase the challenge.
Listen to your body
Although you may be tempted to start where you left off, the evidence suggests a gradual return at pre-infection activity levels may be best.
While people recovering from a serious infection should consult their doctor, those returning from a mild to moderate infection are advised to start around 50% intensity of their pre-COVID workout regimen.
When you return to training, or if you don’t normally do strength training but try it as part of your COVID recovery, be careful if you start to feel very tired. It’s essential to listen to your body and adjust your workouts based on how your body is coping with it.
If your workouts seem manageable, you can try the 50/30/20/10 approach that strength and conditioning coaches use to help athletes return to training after a long period of inactivity.
So start by reducing your overall training volume (the combined total of sets, reps, and weight) by 50% from what you were doing before you caught COVID. The week after, go 30% less, then 20%, then 10%. If your body tolerates the workout well, at the end of those four weeks you will be back to the same routine you were doing before the infection.
However, it is important to remember that progress is not linear. You may be able to increase the volume weekly, but you may also need time to increase more gradually.
