How to stay on track when you're injured or sick How to stay on track when you're injured or sick

Put the flexibility of Centr to work for you. With expert guidance and the ability to swap workouts at any time, the program will help you work around any temporary physical setbacks. Start with these ideas:

• Look for modifications from our trainers. For example, if you have a bad knee, taking the ‘explosive’ element out of Da Rulk’s Functional Training movements will allow you to continue the workout.
• As an alternative to high-impact workouts, try Dynamic Yoga with Tahl and Pilates sessions with Sylvia. Not just low impact and great for rehabilitation, yoga and Pilates also strengthen key parts of the body (think your core, glutes and legs), giving you a great base from which to build overall fitness.
• To avoid future injury, watch our trainers’ technique videos (in the Explore section, click ‘Coached Workouts’) to make sure your form is correct and you’re not putting undue strain on your body. This is especially important if you’re training with weights to build muscle.

For some of us, injury isn’t a one-off event, but can be persistent pain – such as a bad back or hip, or constant knots in the neck and shoulders.That’s where Centr’s Foundation Training expert, Dr Eric Goodman, comes in. The system of movements that Eric devised to save his own back from surgery is now a key part of Centr, helping our members to overcome knotted muscles caused by sitting at a desk all day and even to relieve chronic injuries. Here’s how:

• Foundation Training strengthens the posterior chain muscles, retraining the body to take strain off your spine. It’s not only about pain relief, but helps to improve posture and breathing, plus can be an alternative to warm-up exercises or a workout in its own right.
• Even when you’re feeling great, make Foundation Training a regular part of you training regime – as the name suggests, it’s a great foundation for all your other training. Find Eric’s exercises at any time under ‘Coached Workouts.’

Sometimes, after a setback, it’s hard to get yourself into the swing of regular training again. But even if you’re not quite up to doing a full, high-impact workout, it’s important (both mentally and physically) that you keep moving. In times like these, try Tiffiny Hall’s practical, low-impact exercise alternatives to stay on track:

• Walk wherever and whenever possible. Try logging your steps and aim for 10,000 per day.
• Always take the stairs, and avoid escalators, travelators and elevators/lifts.
• When out walking, look for hills, slopes and increase inclines if using a treadmill.
• Get a few extra steps in by parking your car a little further away from your destination. Or, if you catch public transport, get off a stop early.
• When watching TV, get up and do some stretch during the ads or between episodes.
• Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to move every hour: then do 20 squats, one lap of the backyard, go downstairs, or wander into the office kitchen for a glass of water – whatever works for where you’re at.
• At the grocery store ditch the cart and give your arms a workout by carrying your shopping. When you get home, if you’re not in a rush, carry one bag at a time from door to fridge.