When it comes to cardio and strength, the adage “use it or lose it” is true.Regular exercise can improve Many of these benefits are lost when you take weeks or months off to maintain heart health and build strength and mobility.
That’s not to say rest days aren’t important.In general, short breaks can help you Recharge physically and mentallybut whenever possible, you should try not to make your vacation too long so that getting back on the wagon doesn’t feel too difficult or miserable.
“Your body adapts to the stimuli you provide,” said Dr. Kevin Stone, an orthopedic surgeon and author of the book. “Your muscles get used to all the wonderful things that exercise circulates: stress, testosterone, adrenaline, and endorphins. When you get rid of that, your body starts a muscle-loss program.”
What does it mean to lose fitness?
To understand the phenomenon of fitness loss, it is helpful to consider how activity, or inactivity, affects the cardiovascular system and muscle strength. Cardiovascular endurance is the first thing to drop when you don’t exercise because it helps deliver more to your tissues, says Edward Coyle, a professor of kinesiology and health education at the American University of America. Austin Texas.
According to Dr. Coyle, a few days of inactivity can reduce the amount of plasma circulating in your body, triggering a range of other cardiovascular changes. 12 days later study show The total amount of blood pumped by the heart each minute is reduced, and so is the amount of oxygenated blood available to muscles and other cells. This is measured as VO2 max.
If you go back to the gym at this point, Dr. Coyle said, you’ll only notice a slight difference in your performance. This is because the body works harder to get blood and oxygen where it is needed.
Scientists have found that around three weeks, people experience the greatest change in their ability to complete a workout. Energy produced by mitochondria Muscle cells are greatly reduced. “That means exercise is more fatiguing,” Dr. Coyle said.
Muscle strength declines less rapidly than cardiovascular health. After eight weeks, inactivity finally begins to affect muscle size and strength.For weightlifting and strength training, the maximum amount you can lift decreases, as does the number of repetitions you can manage, says Dr. Coyle. said. You’re also more likely to feel sore muscles a day or two after your workout.
The degree to which you experience fitness decline depends on your age, genetics, lifestyle, diet, and previous fitness level. Studies show that older people lose strength when: almost double the rate Those in their 20s and 30s. And while those who exercise consistently for months or years may experience fitness loss at the same rate as recreational exercisers and weekend warriors, athletes who start at higher fitness levels are more likely to experience “absolute “You have more to lose,” said Dr. Coyle.
What can you do to stop fitness loss?
The cardiovascular and muscle changes that occur after a long rest may sound dramatic, but the good news is that most people are able to keep up with all the activity in the same way participants are often instructed in exercise studies. It means that it is not cut.
Even if you have to travel or stay because of bad weather, doing something is better than doing nothing, Dr. Coyle said. Try making it smallerexercise snacksWe recommend setting a goal to climb as many stairs as you can or do a few short, high-intensity intervals throughout the day.
“Just a few minutes of interval training a day is enough to boost your blood volume and keep your mitochondria relatively high,” Dr. Coyle said.
If you’re a competitive athlete, reducing the intensity or frequency of your training before and after a big race or game can actually be beneficial, so long as it’s intentional. planning. 2-week or 3-week taper To give your body time to restore its glycogen fuel tanks and your muscles to recover.
For those who need to take longer breaks, cross training or switch to another sport, like skating and swimming. Alternatively, you can focus instead on improving your balance through aerobics classes or dancing to keep the same muscles active in different ways.
“Overall fitness is a combination of many factors,” said Dr. Stone. “It’s not just about strength and cardio.”
How long will it take to make a comeback?
Don’t get discouraged if you haven’t been exercising for a while. Just as the off-season is a regular part of any sport, working to get back in shape is possible and easier, even for those who exercise regularly.
Studies have shown that prolonged breaks can significantly reduce fitness, but most exercisers’ levels remain higher than those who have been sedentary all their lives. For example, muscle fibers may contract during long rests, but not completely disappear, retaining their molecular structure.muscle memoryIt helps you recover months after you stop exercising.
“With a moderately hard workout, you can regain about half your fitness in 10 to 14 days,” says Dr. Coyle.
After this initial period of retraining, the amount of time it takes to return your remaining fitness to pre-rest levels depends on how much you need to catch up. was less than 8 weeks Retraining after a 12-week break. Other evidence suggests that a competitive athlete may need to train for two to three hours before he can take off.
As you rebuild your fitness, start by setting a goal to work out for a set amount of time each day regardless of your strength or intensity. Once you are comfortable doing it, you can pick up the pace and start running. If you want to get back to lifting weights at the gym, start with lower loads and gradually increase them.
Many personal trainers recommend no more than 10% weekly.but rather than follow any numberfine-tune your routine based on how your body feels.
If you can’t afford a few weeks of retraining, or just want to get back in shape faster, you can either train more intensely or incorporate interval training to speed up the process. “The higher the intensity, the faster the rebound,” said Dr. Coyle.
