Ramadan is finally here! And if you are observing the Holy Month, and you would like to maintain your fitness level while you fast, Mr. Trevor Flowers, a Senior Fitness Manager at Fitness First, has volunteered a few Ramadan training tips to make sure you don’t slack off.
Interesting Ramadan Training Tips to Maintain Your Fitness Level
Train To Maintain
During Ramadan, it is advised to plan your training with the goal of maintaining your fitness level. When putting your body into a fasted state you will most certainly deplete your energy stores, which means you will be running on empty. With that in mind, keep your sets and reps consistent, without pushing yourself to your limit. In this period, try to keep your fitness ticking over, rather than attempting to break new personal bests or records.
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Train When It’s Right For You
Going hours without food and drink will put you into a fatigued state, affecting your energy levels, mood, and focus. Make sure to adjust your Ramadan training schedule to whatever suits you. We are all different and have different times of the day where we feel low in energy. Training with low energy and a lack of focus means you are more likely to skip your session, or only put in half the effort. If this is the case, train after you have broken your fast, so that you have 100% focus on your sessions.
Intensity
If you plan to train in a fasted state, be sure to adjust your workout intensity to suit your energy levels. Consider reducing your training volume and working sets. Avoid high-intensity training or max effort lifts. Instead of going for heavy strength based training, reduce your loads and use time under tension to stimulate your muscle in a safer way.
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Keep Hydrated
Unfortunately, during Ramadan daylight hours, you will be restricted from drinking fluids, which may result in you becoming dehydrated. Dehydration increases the risk of injury, inhibits performance, and slows down your rate of recovery. Therefore, it is extremely important to stay hydrated at night (Aim for at least 2.5 liters, spread out throughout the evening). I think this is the most important of the Ramadan training tips (well, even if you are not fasting, you have to stay hydrated).
Portion Control
When breaking your fast, be sure to watch your food intake to make sure you are not over-doing it on your portion sizes. Remember, all foods have a calorific value if you eat more than what your body needs, then the excess calories will be converted and stored as fat. The main reason for people gaining weight during Ramadan is because they neglect this, and feast on high calorific foods when breaking their fast. Eat just enough to fuel your training, but not enough that you become sluggish from feeling full. Portion control people, portion control.
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After all is said, at the end of the day no one knows your body better than yourself. These Ramadan training tips are just a guidance tool. Don’t push or hurt yourself in an attempt to maintain your fitness level.
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