Detraining: How long does it take to get out of shape? (Fac

blondie456k

So, you’ve gotten busy with work and family responsibilities, and you’ve missed your workout for a few weeks. At one point in time, it’s happened to the best of us. What does this mean to your personal exercise training process? Now, you’re ready to focus on your weekly workout, but since you’ve missed a few workout weeks, at what intensity should you begin your workouts?

"Detraining refers to the physiological and performance adaptations that occur when an individual ceases an exercise training program. These changes are the exact opposite of what occurs during training programs, and the Sailor regresses toward his or her condition prior to starting the program. The National Strength and Conditioning Association states that after 2 weeks, the muscular strength is only slightly changed. It's the muscular endurance piece (aerobic conditioning) that decreases dramatically in 2 weeks. Once exercising stops, Sailors maintain their benefits from participating in a weekly muscular strength training program much longer than maintain benefits from aerobic training (1).

MUSCULAR STRENGTH: There is relatively little research on the detraining process with resistance training as compared to the training process, so the rapidity of the detraining process is poorly understood. However, short term detraining (14 days) appears to have little effect on muscle strength and explosive power in experienced resistance-trained athletes and recreational strength trainers, suggesting that the effects are comparatively slow. Extended detraining (32 weeks) did result in significant decreases in muscle strength in previously resistance-trained females, but values were still above pre-training levels. The effects of detraining can be significantly reduced with the incorporation of just one to two training sessions per week; Sailors with unexpectedly
busy or difficult schedules may maintain a certain level of
strength by training once or twice a week (1).

AEROBIC CONDITIONING: Once exercise is
stopped, muscular endurance decreases after only 2
weeks! The ways in which the body responds to
detraining are similar in the ways in which it responds
to training. One study showed reductions in the muscles‘
respiratory ability as well as in muscle glycogen over a
four week period, along with an increase in lactate, which
demonstrates obvious changes in the muscle metabolism.
(2) When re-starting an aerobic conditioning program
(even after only 2 weeks), it is important to gradually
increase the intensity and duration of training to prevent
injury. If you’ve quit training for a few weeks, gradually
work back up to your regular training status.

MAINTAINING FITNESS: To view the latest
national physical activity guidelines released by the
American College of Sports Medicine and the American
Heart Association, visit the NMCPHC Physical Fitness
Homepage at www-nmcphc.med.navy.mil/fitness/index.


(1) NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training. Editors: Roger W. Earle, Thomas R. Baechle, Human Kinetics, 2004.
(2) Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise 17(3): 339-343.

blondie456k

So, you’ve gotten busy with work and family responsibilities, and you’ve missed your workout for a few weeks. At one point in time, it’s happened to the best of us. What does this mean to your personal exercise training process? Now, you’re ready to focus on your weekly workout, but since you’ve missed a few workout weeks, at what intensity should you begin your workouts?

"Detraining refers to the physiological and performance adaptations that occur when an individual ceases an exercise training program. These changes are the exact opposite of what occurs during training programs, and the Sailor regresses toward his or her condition prior to starting the program. The National Strength and Conditioning Association states that after 2 weeks, the muscular strength is only slightly changed. It's the muscular endurance piece (aerobic conditioning) that decreases dramatically in 2 weeks. Once exercising stops, Sailors maintain their benefits from participating in a weekly muscular strength training program much longer than maintain benefits from aerobic training (1).

MUSCULAR STRENGTH: There is relatively little research on the detraining process with resistance training as compared to the training process, so the rapidity of the detraining process is poorly understood. However, short term detraining (14 days) appears to have little effect on muscle strength and explosive power in experienced resistance-trained athletes and recreational strength trainers, suggesting that the effects are comparatively slow. Extended detraining (32 weeks) did result in significant decreases in muscle strength in previously resistance-trained females, but values were still above pre-training levels. The effects of detraining can be significantly reduced with the incorporation of just one to two training sessions per week; Sailors with unexpectedly
busy or difficult schedules may maintain a certain level of
strength by training once or twice a week (1).

AEROBIC CONDITIONING: Once exercise is
stopped, muscular endurance decreases after only 2
weeks! The ways in which the body responds to
detraining are similar in the ways in which it responds
to training. One study showed reductions in the muscles‘
respiratory ability as well as in muscle glycogen over a
four week period, along with an increase in lactate, which
demonstrates obvious changes in the muscle metabolism.
(2) When re-starting an aerobic conditioning program
(even after only 2 weeks), it is important to gradually
increase the intensity and duration of training to prevent
injury. If you’ve quit training for a few weeks, gradually
work back up to your regular training status.

MAINTAINING FITNESS: To view the latest
national physical activity guidelines released by the
American College of Sports Medicine and the American
Heart Association, visit the NMCPHC Physical Fitness
Homepage at www-nmcphc.med.navy.mil/fitness/index.


(1) NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training. Editors: Roger W. Earle, Thomas R. Baechle, Human Kinetics, 2004.
(2) Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise 17(3): 339-343.

MrsTomy

Its so easy to get out of shape! I took a month off during my christmas holiday off of school. When i went back to working out, my easy days were hard! :sad: and my hard days almost un-doable! LAME!

I guess thats a good lesson to not skip working out for that long!

ChubbyBunny

Its so easy to get out of shape! I took a month off during my christmas holiday off of school. When i went back to working out, my easy days were hard! :sad: and my hard days almost un-doable! LAME!

I guess thats a good lesson to not skip working out for that long!

Had the same thing happen to me.

jljohnson

Wow! That is really interesting. I pretty much quit working out the whole time I was pregnant, so after over a year off, it's no wonder I'm having such a tough time getting back into my exercise groove.

borac

I was in " somewhat " good shape.. and than stopped for about 4-5 weeks.. and i felt terrible, i could literally feel my legs getting all back to pudding-shape.. and i felt just like ' blowing up" even though the scale didn't show any gain at the beginning, and everyone said " no you dont look like you gained" but i felt it.. i was sooo feeling it.. and guess what, out of nowhere.. on morning i step on the scale and it showed 13 lbs - over night- i was panicking.. than i said- it must be water, it must be .. something.. no .. you can't gain 13lbs over night.. well- it prooved me wrong- you can.. everything " i was feeling " showed up on the scale- and didn't go away ..
I had to start with my fitnes from almost square one.. i was so angry .. but i'm back into shape- didn't get the 13lbs down yet.. but i'm on my way

Don't take breaks.. when life gets busy etc.. don't do the mistake i did' let me get done with this and i will be working out 100% than.. - NO.. if you can't give it 100%, give it 30.. give it anything.. just don't completely stop.. I learned my lesson..

ohthatbambi

I didn't do nearly as much as I usually do in the months of Nov and Dec and then did a 35 mile bike ride in the cold at the beginning of January. My lungs rebelled and I am suffering from inflammation of lungs due to that. I never go to the doctor and I had to yesterday b/c it hurt so bad to breathe. After running some tests on my heart, he said it was fine and diagnosed me with costochrondritis. He prescribed some glorified advil and told me just taking a couple weeks off can take you from great shape to no shape!! I don't ever want to feel like I can't breathe again so I will certainly not take the month of December off when it comes around again..no matter how busy I am!!