How long gym break

Getting back to the gym after taking a small hiatus can feel like lifting weights for the very first time. And if you've ever tried to run after taking some time off, you know how painful that can be.

The change is real, and pretty discouraging—physically and mentally. But how much is that really throwing you off your fitness goal? And how long is too long before you've disrupted all that hard work you put in? Here's what happens to your body when you fall off the workout wagon hey, life happens , and how much progress you really lose.

In fact, sometimes, your body may need it. And assuming you don't make it regular habit, you don't need to stress about falling out of shape. The biggest risk in taking a week off is really more mental. Aerobic exercise a long, easy run, for example works your heart and lungs. The more you train, the more efficient your lungs and heart become at delivering fresh oxygen and blood to your body during exercise, and the better your VO2 max. When you stop exercising, both VO2 max and the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently start to decline.

We update our site regularly and all content is reviewed by credentialed fitness experts. There are differing opinions on this subject but what most people do agree on is that taking periodic scheduled breaks from your fitness regimen actually helps you achieve your exercise goals. There is no set formula for how often you should take a break from exercise, including weight lifting.

Anywhere from every eight weeks to every sixteen weeks is the norm with the average being every twelve weeks. If you exercise regularly and rarely skip a work out you may want to plan your week off after only eight-to-ten weeks. On the other hand, if you frequently take long weekends and go three or more days in a row without exercise, you may want to wait sixteen weeks for your full week off due to the mini-breaks you have already incorporated into your routine.

To take the stress out of planning your own workouts, go PRO today for access to certified personal trainers and workout plans that are created with your goals in mind. Naturally, when people think about taking time off from their fitness workout routine they become concerned with regression in progress and weakening of muscles. The truth is that taking time off actually helps you to make progress and achieve your goals whether they are related to weight loss, muscle strengthening, or general fitness and toning.

Muscles require time to recover and rebuild. Over time, you will notice in your workouts that your progress is slowing and the rate at which you are able to increase reps or weight will lessen. This is because your muscles are not able to recover at the same rate they were able to when you first began working out.

Just as you may periodically feel that you need a vacation from your job, your muscles need a vacation from work as well! Getting a good sweat on most days of the week is critical to good health and fitness. But if you're hitting the gym every day for months at a time, you may be getting too much of a good thing. Taking planned rest breaks both weekly and monthly helps your body recover from the intensity of your workouts.

Even if it's only one day off exercise, resting your body can go a long way when it comes to recharging your batteries and warding off injuries. Taking time off from the gym at least once a week helps your body recover, repair and get ready for the next workout.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults under age 65 should aim for 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise five days per week or 20 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise three days per week in addition to strength training at least twice per week to target all muscle groups. If you've been exercising regularly or are training for an athletic event you may want to go beyond these recommendations.

However, if you're new to fitness, you should increase the duration and intensity of your workouts slowly to prevent injury and burnout.

When you give your body a break, you're allowing your muscles time to recover between workouts , which helps to repair damage sustained during exercise and prepare for the next workout. So, what about all the cardio lovers out there who are more concerned with the strength of their heart and lungs?

Sadly, we lose this kind of conditioning a little more quickly than we lose strength. The research on cardio loss is a bit older.

A landmark study showed that after 12 days of inactivity, VO 2 max dropped by 7 percent and enzymes in the blood associated with endurance performance decreased by 50 percent. Coyle EF, et al.

Time course of loss of adaptations after stopping prolonged intense endurance training. Madsen K, et al. Effects of detraining on endurance capacity and metabolic changes during prolonged exhaustive exercise. In , researchers analyzed the performance levels of soccer referees in the period between the end of the competitive season and the preseason.

They noted a significant decrease in sprinting ability, cardiovascular fitness, and distance covered. Castillo D, et al. But keep your chin up. So get back on that horse, cowboy. Congratulations on your newish exercise habit! A study showed that nonathletes who trained their legs just once a week for three weeks were able to maintain their strength after two weeks of detraining. Ogasawara R, et al.

Comparison of muscle hypertrophy following 6-month of continuous and periodic strength training. Effects of periodic and continued resistance training on muscle CSA and strength in previously untrained men. A study of 13 previously untrained men found that three months after ending a three-month training program, they had maintained their eccentric strength gains but not their concentric strength.

Andersen LL, et al. Neuromuscular adaptations to detraining following resistance training in previously untrained subjects.