How do I get back?

So, I used to be pretty intense about my training—I was constantly jumping between soccer, boxing, and basketball—but then everything just kind of hit a wall and I had to stop everything about three or four months ago. Now, honestly? My fitness levels are absolutely non-existent; I’m basically in a total coma when it comes to cardio and general conditioning. Since I actually have some free time on my hands now, I was wondering if it’s even possible to get back into shape just by running, and if so, how much daily mileage would I realistically need to put in to see results? Any and all advice would be massively appreciated, truly 😁. 🙂

mellowgull60 said:I used to be super active with soccer, boxing, and basketball, but I had to take a break about 3 or 4 months ago. Now my cardio is basically non-existent. Since I actually have some free time now, I'm wondering if I can get back into shape just by running, and how much daily mileage I should aim for. Thanks for the help—any advice is appreciated! 😁. 🙂

Man, I came back after a 9-year hiatus where the only thing I ran after was the bus. I can tell you exactly how I handled it. I started out easy, just running based on how I felt and keeping an eye on my heart rate. As my fitness improved, I gradually increased my distance, and within two months, I could go for an hour and a half straight. I also hit the gym, starting slow there too. For the first month or two, I was dealing with constant aches—not just muscle soreness, but actual joint/load pain—but now, three months in, I feel totally fine.

I feel like it’ll take me a few more months (maybe even longer) to get back to peak performance because my break was way too long, but for you, a 3-4 month gap shouldn't be a huge deal. Just don't overdo it right at the start. If you push too hard too fast, you'll just end up slowing down your comeback.