HOW TO PREVENT THEM
We all know working out is very beneficial to our health. In fact, many studies have shown big improvements in strength, power, hypertrophy, flexibility, and bone density with just a few weeks of working out; but, how about detraining? What happens when you stop working out? How long before your gains start to disappear? And what can you do to stop it? Keep reading to learn more.
Resistance Training
When you stop working out, we know muscles atrophy (become smaller) and lose strength; but, how long does it take? Tavares et al. (2017) showed that there was significant reduction after 8 weeks. Two different groups, one which worked out once a week, and a second group which worked out twice a week, retained their strength. The third group, which did NOT exercise at all, lost significant strength and had a reduction in muscle cross sectional area after 8 weeks.
Another study by Lovell et al. (2010) showed that after 4 weeks of detraining, older men lost all the strength they gained after their 8-week training program. That’s a bummer, but the data shows that your gains start to dissipate after a few weeks of skipping the gym.
Therefore, hit the weights to make sure you retain your gains. Also, it's important to eat the right amount of protein. If I had to guess, I would say most Americans are NOT getting enough protein in their diets. Click on the image below to read more about your protein requirements.
Prevent Atrophy
Nobody wants to lose size and strength, after all, it took years lots of hard work to finally see the gains. What can we do to prevent a reduction in size and strength? If you want to keep your gains, your goal should be to work out all your muscles at least once a week, preferably twice per week. You can easily accomplish this goal with one workout. Perform exercises that work out all your major muscles: legs, chest, back, shoulders, arms, and core. When you have more time or more energy, you can always add more exercise to your plan.
I definitely recommend working out your legs at least once per week. Leg workouts build strength and burn more calories than other exercises. One of my favorite exercises is barbell back squats. In fact, we made a video of a bunch of hip extension exercises. You can click the image below to watch the video.
Cardiovascular Training
If you think you’re losing energy after a few weeks of skipping your workouts, you’re probably right. Toraman et al. (2005) showed the cardiovascular gains start to disappear in a as little as two weeks. But it seems to hit elite athletes even faster! Costill et al. (1985) showed that performance may suffer after only 1 week of detraining for competitive swimmers. Biopsies of their deltoids showed a 50% reduction in respiratory capacity after only 1 week. That lackluster feeling after a few weeks of skipping workouts is real! Therefore, just like resistance training, your goal should be to perform cardiovascular exercise at least once per week...preferably twice.
Speaking of cardio, have you tried high intensity interval training? HIIT is a great way to change up your routine, burn fat, and increase your cardiovascular endurance. We've written an article describing the workouts and all the benefits. Click on the image below to learn more about high intensity interval training.
Bone Density
Muscles are important but let's not forget about our bones. Shimamura et al. (2002) was able to show that detraining also induced a reduction in bone mass in the tibia of previously exercised rats. Initially, in the seven weeks of training, the subjects all gained bone density in the tibia from running. After four weeks of doing nothing, the poor mice lost bone density in their previously strong tibias.
I know we're not mice, but experts believe something similar happens to us after skipping workouts. There is a direct correlation between active body parts and bone density. You must continue to exercise all body parts to keep, or improve, bone density.
Also, women, especially older women, need to include resistance training in their exercise routines to maintain or improve bone density. We have also written an article on the benefits of strength training for women.
Furthermore, we have classes on exercises science and sports nutrition for those who want to learn more. Click on the image below for more info.
Home Workouts
Most of us prefer going to the gym. There's more equipment and you get to get out of the house. Cabin fever is real thing...especially if you also work from home. But we understand sometimes you can't make it to the gym. The next best thing you can do is grab some small weights and work out all your muscles at home. Below is a video that demonstrates exercises for all your major muscles in just a few minutes. Click the image below for the exercise demos.
Flexibility Training
There aren’t a ton of studies on detraining and flexibility but as you may have guessed, flexibility also decreases after weeks of detraining. The same study by Toraman et al. (2005) showed that flexibility decreases after two to six weeks of detraining depending on the subject’s age. Younger subjects tended to hang on to their improvements a little longer than the older subjects, but ultimately, we all lose our flexibility gains. High intensity workouts seem to be best for keep flexibility gains. And of course, stretching after all your workouts will also help you keep all your flexibility gains.
And, if you need help with an exercise, nutrition, or a flexibility plan, click the image below to contact a PFTA certified personal trainer.
Summary
Detraining is real. The evidence supports that workouts may lead back to square one. But everyone is different and that is mainly due to the intensities of the workouts. High intensity exercisers may limit the effects of detraining more than their lower intensity counterparts. The best thing to do is to exercise at least once per week, but preferably twice per week, to retain your gains. It’s not always easy to work out every week; but, just a little effort every few days will at least help to maintain your gains until you are ready to make a full commitment back to the gym.
Need a "pick me up" to get started? Caffeine has been proven to improve exercise performance. That's why I start every morning with protein coffee. Click on the image below to see my favorite recipe.
If you have questions or comments on this article, or on the personal trainer school, please use the form below. Happy health and happy training!
