ATP guide · Long covid
Getting your fitness back after long covid
Months on and the stairs still leave you breathless, a normal day leaves you flat, and every time you try to get fit again you pay for it. Our personal trainers build short, paced sessions that rebuild fitness without the crash at our Douglas and Ballincollig gyms, following whatever your GP has advised.
Long covid and training
Rebuilding without the boom and bust
The mistake most people make after covid is going back to what they used to do. The way back is smaller, slower and coached.
Pacing first
We start below what you can manage and build in small steps. Finishing with energy left is the target for every session in the early months.
Strength before cardio
Gentle strength work is easier on a recovering system than long cardio and rebuilds the muscle you lost while you were ill.
Watching for the crash
Post-exertional malaise, feeling worse a day or two after, is the sign we went too far. Tell us and the next session drops back.
Breathing and heart rate
Sessions are steady and controlled. If you have been given heart rate limits or breathing exercises, we build the session around them.
Confidence in your body again
The hardest part of long covid is not trusting your body. Steady, predictable progress with a coach beside you is how that comes back.
Working with your GP
Whatever your GP or long covid clinic has advised, we follow it, and we are happy to talk to them directly.
How it works
Training after long covid at ATP
Long covid takes people who were fit and active and leaves them unable to get up the stairs without a sit down, for months. The natural instinct once you feel a bit better is to go back to what you did before. That is the instinct that causes the crash, and the crash is what convinces people they will never get back.
The way back is graded and paced: start well below what you can manage, build in small steps, watch for the delayed slump that means you overdid it, and have someone else make the call on how much is enough. Gentle strength work is usually the best place to start, because it rebuilds the muscle you lost without the demand of long cardio.
What a session looks like
You train 1:2, one coach and two clients, each on your own programme, for 30 minutes. In the early weeks that might be ten minutes of gentle movement and a chat. Sitting to a box and standing, light rows and presses, short carries, easy breathing work. Rest as much as you need. Load and pace go up only when a level has felt comfortable for a couple of sessions, and we always ask how you were the day after.
Working with your GP or clinic
Whatever your GP or long covid clinic has advised, we follow it and build the programme around it. If you have been given heart rate limits, breathing exercises or a pacing plan, bring them and we work inside them. If you have chest pain, palpitations or dizziness with exercise, see your GP before starting anything.
What we are not
We are not a medical service and this is not a rehabilitation clinic. We are a coached gym where people rebuild fitness after covid gently and steadily, without going backwards.
Getting started
Your first session is free. Claim it below and tell us where you are with your recovery in the form or when we ring. It is a real coached 30-minute session at Douglas or Ballincollig, no card and no commitment, and it will be a gentle one. If fatigue is the main thing, our fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue page covers the same paced approach.
Memberships & pricing
Simple, flexible pricing
Personal training from €20.56 a session on a rolling membership, €35 pay as you go, and no-expiry packs from €289. See full pricing →
FAQ
Long covid and training questions
If yours is not here, give us a ring. We would rather talk it through.
Is it safe to exercise with long covid?
For most people, yes, once your GP is happy and as long as it is paced and graded. Going back to your old level too soon is what causes setbacks. We start low and build slowly.
I feel fine during exercise but terrible the next day. What is that?
That delayed crash is post-exertional malaise and it is the sign the dose was too high. Tell us and we drop the next session back. Learning where the line is takes a few weeks.
Should I start with cardio or weights?
Gentle strength work first, usually. It rebuilds lost muscle with less demand on the heart and lungs than long cardio, and the cardio comes back more easily once you are stronger.
How long will it take to get back to normal?
Everyone is different and some people take many months. What we can promise is steady, paced progress without the boom and bust, which is what gets people there in the end.
Do I need my GP's OK first?
Yes, especially if you have any chest pain, palpitations or dizziness with exertion. Then tell us what they said and we build around it.
What if I need to stop for a while?
Then you stop, and pick it up again when you can. Our no-expiry packs never lapse, so you only ever pay for sessions you use.
How much does it cost?
Rolling memberships start at €179 every 4 weeks for two sessions a week, and our no-expiry packs never lapse. Your first session is free, no card and no commitment.
From our members
From members who started where you are
In their own words, straight from Google.
"ATP Fitness is a great gym! I am currently signed up to PT sessions and classes post-COVID and it's really helped me to get back on the saddle and enjoy fitness again. Also, my credits don't have an expiry date so I can do the classes at my own pace when I have time."
"After recovering from a serious illness, I was nervous about returning to fitness. The PTs… supported me every step of the way, adapting each session to my recovery and helping me rebuild my strength and confidence at the pace my body needed. I genuinely feel like myself again, and I’m so grateful for their support."
"Both gyms are warm and welcoming and trainers take the time at the start of each class to check in on the people attending for injuries and energy wise. You are never pushed to beyond your limits but always encouraged to reach your full potential."
"I’ve always felt supported and encouraged. I’ve faced a few setbacks and injuries and the team have helped me get back on track in a safe and professional way. The team in Douglas are all so nice. I’m happy to recommend to anyone who is starting back to exercise after a few years as I was."
Talk to a coach
Want to talk it through?
If you'd like a chat about training around long covid, leave your details and one of our coaches will give you a ring. No pressure and nothing to sign up to.
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Find us
Two locations across Cork
Douglas
2nd Floor, Unit A1, Donnybrook Commercial Centre, Donnybrook, Cork City
Tel: 087 649 4134
Mon-Thurs: 6:30am - 8:30pm
Friday: 6:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Ballincollig
Unit 1A, Link Road Business Park, Carrigrohane, Ballincollig, Co. Cork
Tel: 085 725 2370
Mon-Thurs: 6:30am - 8:30pm
Friday: 6:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday: Closed