After long break. Now, in order not to break loose and not give up this venture, you need a plan that will help you adapt physically and mentally!

Walter Thompson, an exercise physiologist at the University of Georgia, studied what happens to the body during a break and what to expect when you decide to start exercising again. The good news is that in any case, you can return to the previous level and become stronger, faster and more resilient. The main thing is to do it right to avoid injury.

Termination of training or the use of loads that are not capable of maintaining the achieved level leads to deadaptation - a process that is the opposite of adaptation.

Deadadaptation is a remarkable ability of the body to use the released resources in other body systems. That is, resources are taken from where they are no longer used, to where the building material is needed.

How did the break affect your fitness?

There are no formulas that would allow you to accurately calculate how much you have lost and how long it will take to recover, but there are studies on the basis of which you can at least get an idea of ​​​​the big picture.

• If your break was several weeks, your respiratory and cardiovascular systems will lose a few points, while the strength qualities will remain unchanged.
• If the break was a year, but before that you were in good physical shape, cardio loads will be given to you 15% more difficult, power characteristics fall at least half.
• If your break was measured in years you will most likely have to start from scratch. But you will make progress faster than people who did not play sports at all.

The new training plan will depend on why you quit exercising and what happened to your body in the meantime.

If you had to stop because of an injury, you must be sure that you have fully recovered. Therefore, you must definitely visit a doctor. The physical therapist will be able to tell you about general condition of your muscles, point out imbalances and identify weaknesses.

If the break was taken due to the appearance in the family or a busy work schedule (you gave all the time to a new project), you need to understand how you can find time for proper sleep and nutrition so that there are no psychological and physical problems in the future.

Recovery rate

If your break was only a few weeks (holidays or vacation), just a couple of light workouts will be enough for recovery, and you will be back in shape.

But what if you haven't exercised in a year or more? If you went to gym, Thompson advises to start with half or a third of the weight that you took a year ago, and after a few weeks try your standard kilograms. Recovery usually takes 1-2 months.

As for sports that require endurance (cycling, triathlon, and so on), the intensity will also have to be reduced. In this case, Thompson advises starting with long walks, then moving on to interval running with walking breaks or running at a very low pace. The distance in this case does not matter.

If after two months you have not returned to your previous form, then you need to reconsider training program, and even better - to find good coach who will make it for you, based on your physical condition and capabilities.

What to do if you have to take a break again

Things happen in life and we can't guarantee we'll never take that big break again. The main rule is not to give up physical activity completely. Let it be walks or light workouts for 10-15 minutes a day, but they must be in your schedule!

Fortunately, you can now find a huge number of short workouts, both strength and interval. And if you can arrange such mini-workouts for yourself, then it will be much easier for you to return to your previous physical form. Yes, and psychological adaptation will be easier than if you completely give up sports.

With training in the amount of 25-30% of the previous ones, you will be able to maintain your shape for two to three months.

On average, the adaptation time after reduced physical activity (you left and you did not have the opportunity to train fully) is 2 weeks.

Unfortunately, we do not always manage to train regularly - work, study, family and a number of other important issues often leave their mark on the regularity of visiting the gym. It is clear that you need to strive for more competent planning and not miss training, but what if the break in training has already occurred and it has become long enough? I will talk about this in our today's article.

Where to begin?

First of all, with the understanding that all your past results are in the past and there is no point in trying to repeat them in today's conditions. Of course, muscle memory will make itself felt, and with subsequent regular training, you will catch up pretty quickly, but it will be later and not immediately. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to abstract from past results and start exercising as if you first came to the gym. This is very important rule which practically no one ever follows. Meanwhile, it is it that significantly shortens the time for returning to the usual physical form.

Principles of training after a long break

• Deep warm up. Before starting the main workout, spend 20-30 minutes warming up the main muscle groups and the cardio system. The use of light aerobic exercises will also be excellent. This will bring the body into a state of readiness, increase the effectiveness of training and significantly reduce the risk of injury.
• Training of all muscles. It is optimal after a long pause in training to use programs for all muscle groups, for example,. It is not as heavy as usual strength programs, however, it allows you to quickly bring the muscles into working condition. Use circuit training for 1-2 weeks.
• Training without "failure". Classic bodybuilding training involves training to failure, but after a long break, this technique should be temporarily excluded. The fact is that neither the muscles, nor the cardio-, nor the nervous system are ready to give all the best and demonstrate their maximum potential, and therefore failure training can become too stressful for the body, which will significantly slow down the time to reach its usual form.
• Rejection sports nutrition and pharma. At the first time (2-4 weeks) of training after a long pause, the intake of sports nutrition and pharmaceuticals must be completely excluded, since this makes no sense. And although training during this period may be difficult for you, this severity is relative, since the muscles and nervous system do not work at full strength.
• At the base - basic exercises . Try to use mainly basic exercises with free and. Don't use too much isolation and exercise equipment. This will allow you to get back in shape faster and significantly increase the effectiveness of training.
• Don't get overwhelmed. In the first 1-2 weeks, try to use minimal weights and a small amount of exercise. Otherwise, severe damage muscle fibers and, as a result, muscle pain will not allow you to work normally in the next workout.

How to quickly expect the result?

How quickly you get back to your previous shape depends on the length of your break (the longer you have not been exercising, the more time it will take to recover and get in shape) and on the regularity and correct subsequent training. As a rule, it takes half the time to set the optimal shape and work with the usual working weights than the duration of the break. That is, if you have not been exercising for a month, then you will need at least 2 weeks to reach your usual level. It is clear that everything depends on the individual characteristics of the body, age, lifestyle and a number of other factors, but these figures can be completely guided.

Physical activity is necessary for every person, and if you have not visited the fitness room for a long time, it is advisable to take the right steps towards restoring the body. Wanting to resume physical form, regain lost physical form and health, the question is probably of interest - how to get back to the gym after long break? Next, we will talk about the measures recommended by professionals to obtain excellent results.

Impact of the break on physical health

There are many reasons why regular workouts in the fitness room were interrupted: vacation, business trip, childbirth, illness, etc. One of the key factors is the duration of the break. The recommendations of experienced experts will help to return the body to a working state, to accustom yourself to physical activity again.

Training and physical activity improves performance internal organs, increase physical endurance and body resistance to infections. Oxygen absorption deteriorates, which is also not recommended. At certain time intervals, the state of the body will be characterized by the following manifestations:

1. The hiatus was several weeks.. Cardiovascular and respiratory system work worse, while the forces are sufficient. Endurance scores are still high
2. 1 year. Cardio loads are given 15% harder, and the strength parameters of your body will be reduced by half, and this is the minimum figure.
3. Years have passed. You'll have to start from the very beginning. If you previously had good results and were in an appropriate physical condition, then recovery will be faster and more efficient.

The new program is selected depending on the reason why you had to give up the fitness room for a while. The duration of the break also plays a big role in the formation of a training program. Below we will consider the correct actions for each case.

Video: DOCTOR / BODYBUILDER - how to train after rest.

2-3 weeks

Such gaps often occur due to illness. Do not assume that a period of several weeks without training did not cost the body anything, and you can immediately begin intense exercise. It is important to understand that most diseases, including bronchitis, colds or poisoning, entail intoxication of the body. Other consequences include fluid loss, disruption of water-salt metabolism. Muscles receive less oxygen and nutrients. As a result, the usual loads, jogging are more difficult.

What to do?

After an illness, the body is weakened, and it takes a couple of weeks to restore the immune system. During the recovery period, it is worth leaning on fruits, freshly squeezed juices, preparing and drinking homemade fruit drinks. Helps to normalize the water-salt balance mineral water. Start training only when you are fully recovered. Forget high-intensity exercise for the next two weeks. Also, you should not go to the sauna for the first time. Be attentive to your health, watch the body's reaction to physical activity!

2-6 months

Perhaps you have changed your place of residence, having moved to another city or district of the city, or you have been injured and have been recovering for a long time. These reasons are most common with such a gap without fitness. You probably think that you can run a few kilometers and do aerobics. In fact, already in the first weeks without training, muscle endurance decreases, strength is lost, while the performance remains high. After an injury, it is worth resorting to recovery exercises.

Exit

If the reason for the forced break was an injury, it is advisable to come up with a rehabilitation program. It would be better if a professional trainer or doctor is involved in the selection of a training program. If you have moved away from fitness for a while not because of an injury, start calmly training according to your usual program. Keyword- calm. You should not work according to the schedule, adhering to the former intensity: run the same distances, but at a reduced speed. Exercises will need to be done with half the weight used previously.

Also listen to your body. You feel tired - take a break for a while and rest. There is a complete absence physical form? For two weeks, walk on a treadmill, gradually adding pace. Often, it takes from a year to a year and a half to restore the body.

Helpful Hint: If you're on a forced break, it's a good idea to keep a couple of cardio and one physical workout a week.

Over 1 year

Such a break is characteristic of the fair sex who have given birth to a child. You most likely needed 1 year to allocate time for training, resume physical activity. During pregnancy, many expectant mothers do aqua aerobics, gymnastics, and therefore the question is often: “Why can’t I train like I used to?”.

How to proceed?

In fact, you will need to start working again, since prenatal loads are minimal and serve solely as a preparatory measure for childbirth. As a result, physical conditions are lost, you have to start from scratch. It is recommended to start with fitness testing. Perhaps, during the course of pregnancy, failures occurred in your body, problems occurred, and therefore it is advisable to consult a doctor. There is a possibility of the impossibility of past loads and the usual schedule of physical exercises.

Start training in aerobics and light loads, thanks to which you will be able to drive overweight to improve the work of the heart. Often, with long breaks, the cardio system suffers in the first place, because of which you are not able to perform even 20 squats without shortness of breath. In the first weeks, walking on the track is recommended - 2-3 sets of 20 minutes each. Next, increase the duration of walking to 30 minutes, add stretching exercises.

Go to the gym after a month after retesting. Seek help after returning to normal activities personal trainer: the specialist will draw up a training program, indicate correct technique. Even after missing more than a year since your last workout, you will be able to return former form and load yourself exercise after 2-3 months.

If you don't have time to go to the gym several times a week, work out at home. Indulge in strength training and stretching. It is possible to establish a cardiosystem only in gym. Walking with a baby stroller is considered healthy, but it remains a walk. Therefore, it is better to use a treadmill, with which you can keep a certain pace.

Some years

For whatever reason, you were forced to quit training. You think that returning to the pace and loads is a trifling matter, but this is not so. Of course, it is easier for you to start fitness training than for someone who has never played sports at all. In a few years, your body has weaned from physical activity. An exercise program designed for a young athletic student is not suitable for a person leading sedentary image life, besides having osteochondrosis or chronic bronchitis.

Your actions

Forget the past sports achievements in the field of sports. Muscle memory will definitely remember the previously mastered exercises, which is clearly seen in the example of rollerblading, cycling. If there has been a significant break in your training regimen in your life, start with the usual exercises. Take a fitness test, the results of which choose the appropriate level of load.

Fill training process a large number of exercises, while the number of approaches will need to be reduced. In case of strength exercises 3 approaches will be enough for the muscles to adapt to the loads. pumping more muscle, it will be possible to work out the entire muscular system faster. There should be one exercise per muscle group. Otherwise, there is a possibility of muscle overload, as a result of which next workout will not be fruitful.

A small or large number of repetitions is undesirable. Also, professional athletes recommend leaving a margin for each approach. You should not exhaust yourself to the limit - it will not be possible to achieve records, and the muscles will most likely hurt a lot. Starting with your first workout, do the basic exercises, which include bench presses, squats, and deadlifts. After a long break, you will need to reconsider the technique of the exercise. Pay more attention to the warm-up that precedes the training process.

In any case, after a long break between workouts, it is highly undesirable to overload the body with physical exercises. Significant loads will only harm in an effort to restore physical condition. Make a training schedule with an experienced trainer and doctor.

muscle memory. How it works?

Taking a break from training is every bodybuilder's nightmare. And indeed, there is something to be afraid of - after a couple of weeks without a gym, the muscles begin to shrink, their density drops, and at the same time you feel like a real pimple. But sometimes circumstances are stronger than us, and a break in classes in the gym has to be done. It is good that nature provided for this and created such a miracle as muscle memory. About why you should not be afraid of a long break in training, and in which case it can even be useful, I want to tell you today.

I, too, once worried about how quickly the muscles would deflate? And then one day I had to forget about training for three long years, so I'll be honest - the muscles are blown away very quickly. Especially if so strong changes occur in life that it is no longer possible to sleep and eat, as you used to.

For six months, only memories remain from the previous muscle volumes. Only forearms that do not want to lose weight in any way, and even can be trained, give out a person familiar with bodybuilding. But this is of little consolation, it becomes disgusting to look at yourself in the mirror.

However, I am glad that there was such a stage in my life. Now I know for sure that a break in training in the gym is not scary, because all iron fans have an ace up their sleeve called muscle memory.

In addition, even minimal physical activity to maintain the previous shape will help delay the moment of complete loss of the gained mass. I suggest watching the story on this topic.

how quickly muscles deflate after stopping training:

Conclusion: a decrease in muscle volume occurs very quickly, but with the help of even a minimal load, this process can be slowed down

What is muscle memory?

This is a restructuring of the cellular structures of muscle and nerve tissues, caused by exposure to regular weight training. Without physical exertion, a decrease in muscle volume occurs quite quickly. But with the return to the gym, their previous volume returns to their previous indicators.

Moreover, much faster than before the break in training. Kevin Levrone knows this firsthand, gaining huge muscle mass, losing weight almost to the ground and again restoring his previous condition after 13 years of a break in classes.

Kevin Levrone. Return to training after 13 years of absence from training

The emergence of the mechanism of muscle memory is based on two main processes of restructuring the body:

• Structure change nervous system . The index of excitability of motor neurons of the brain increases. As a result, the connection brain - muscles improves significantly. Feeling the muscles and contracting them, even the smallest ones, like, becomes easier. Consequently, it becomes easier to pump them up.
• Change in the structure of muscle tissue. The number of nuclei of muscle cells increases. This, in turn, increases the production of myosin and actin (special types of protein on which the ability of muscles to contract depends). Simply put, the set muscle mass with their help it goes faster. This is one of the main reasons why it is easier for an experienced bodybuilder with a well-developed muscle memory to add in volume than a beginner.

Conclusion: every workout done makes us stronger and more resilient, changes our body and develops muscle memory at the same time. The more training experience, the stronger it is.

How much muscle memory is retained?

Scientists from the University of Oslo conducted research and found that muscle memory is long-term. It was found that even with a break in training for a duration of 3 months, the number of nuclei of muscle cells does not decrease, and this turned out to be a surprise. Previously, it was assumed that created under the influence physical activity nuclei are destroyed at the same rate as muscle volumes decrease. But it was not there.

Suffice it to recall when Casey Viator returned to action after a long break in training (4 months) and lost 15 kg of muscle mass. Thanks to the developed muscle memory, he gained 28 kg of muscle in 28 days.

True, the Colorado experiment took place against the background of the most severe refusal-style training and the massive use of pharmaceuticals. But you must admit, gaining mass at one kilo a day is impressive.

The second striking example is Arnold's return to the Olympia stage in 1980, after a pause in training for 5 years. True, he did not show the former muscle mass, but even the form that he gained was enough to win the next title. Especially when you consider that the preparation process took only 8 weeks.

Note: it should be noted here that fast recovery muscle volume in these two cases has one common cause. As scientists have established, the rate of formation of such a mechanism under the influence of steroids is accelerated at times. Athletes using these drugs recover much faster.

But even an ordinary fan should not be afraid of breaks in classes in the gym. A decrease in muscle volume and a drop in strength indicators are bad, painful and unpleasant, but not catastrophic. Muscle memory in bodybuilding is a proven fact.

Conclusion: how much muscle memory is preserved exactly, no one will say, a lot depends on the level of its development. But the fact that muscle mass after a break in training returns with great speed is a fact.

Why do you need a break from training?

For most of us, a break in classes is forced. And can it be made on purpose, and most importantly why? As it turns out, it is not only possible to take a break in training from time to time, but also necessary, and here's why:

Reason 1. Muscle growth occurs under the action of a progression of loads. In response to constant stress (increase in weight of the barbell, number of repetitions, time under load), muscle volume grows, and strength increases. But sooner or later, the stress potential dries up, the muscles adapt even to the most sophisticated load and stop responding to it. There is stagnation.

A break in training in the gym (2-3 weeks) helps to cope with stagnation and even step over the usual line. Muscle volume and strength after returning to training not only recover quickly, they increase at the same time.

Many professional athletes use planned detraining regularly and to great effect. They rest 4-6 weeks after the end of the competitive season, and then, having lost weight and rested, they return to training. This allows them to gain more and more mass each time.

Reason 2. In an effort to gain mass, we focus on large muscle groups, completely forgetting about small assistant muscles (the same shoulder rotators), as well as. From continuous loads, these inconspicuous workaholics weaken, microtraumas accumulate in them and chronic fatigue occurs.

Lack of attention to development small muscles- this is one of the main causes of problems with weight gain in beginners. But I'm not talking about that. Putting the body into a state of detraining gives these muscles a chance to rest and recover.

The ideal option is to conduct restorative massage sessions during this period and change the types of physical activity. replacement strength training can become cycling or swimming.

Conclusion: a planned break in the gym gives you a chance to maintain your health, recover and prepare for the new season of mass gain. Sometimes, in order to hit harder, you need to take a step back!

Training after a break, what should it be?

Much depends on the duration of such a break, but in any case, the return to weight training has its own characteristics. The usual split program used before a pause in training is no longer suitable.

You need to move on to it gradually, because returning to the previous level of load, even for a well-rested body, is the strongest stress. Muscle memory in bodybuilding is great, but to minimize Negative consequences such stress, you should be careful and follow simple rules:

• The increase in load should be gradual. The first workout after a long break in training can be very short (30 minutes) and consist only of work on cardio machines. Do not forget that the heart, which is accustomed to pumping liters of blood during normal activities, has lost the habit of this, it needs to be prepared for work. The increase in the load should go on increasing, each subsequent session should be harder than the previous one, this will allow you to quickly return to previous levels.
• Warm up should be long.. Even if it seems to you that you are well rested and fully prepared for training, do not rush. The duration of the warm-up in the first lessons after returning should be significantly longer than before. Particular attention should be paid to the joints and ligaments, not forgetting about stretching. A short (4-5 minutes) hitch after the end of the main lesson will not be superfluous.
• Training after a break should be. For gaining muscle mass, such a training scheme is less effective than the usual split program, but it will allow you to quickly adapt after a break. You can train in a circle for a week or two and a month, until you feel that you are ready to pump muscles in a serious way.

Conclusion: starting training after a break is a very responsible process. From the smooth entry into the rhythm of loads, the effectiveness of the further period of weight gain depends on 100%.

Conclusion

I don't know if mother nature intended muscle memory as a gift for bodybuilders, but it really works. No matter what difficulties arise in life and how long breaks in training do not happen, remember that you can always return to classes, and at the same time become much bigger and more powerful than before. The main thing is not to rush. May the force be with you! And mass!

Moving, job change, injury, illness, banal session)) and much more can put us in front of the need to “tie up” with training. What happens to the body?! Answer In the same article, I will tell you how to train after a break, so as not to harm and get benefits.

After the break, as in the photo above, it’s definitely impossible)))

After a short break in training, your training scheme, exercises, number of sets, etc. may remain unchanged (depends individually), I talked about this in more detail in the main article: “How often do you need to change training programs” and further on in the article.

This, in fact, is not as important as the progression of the load (working weights, weights) in the exercises.

It is very important to start training not at the limit of your capabilities.

Many people don't know this! As a result, upon returning to training after a break (it doesn’t matter if it’s 1 week or 2 or a month of absence), they immediately begin to train as before (with the same working weights, in the same number of exercises, approaches, etc.) .

Here, for example, an eccentric bench pressed 100 kg, missed 2-3 weeks of training, returned and again from the very first workout began to press those same 100 kg (his maximum).

Or another example: a person did not study at all for 3 months or more. I came to the gym, and immediately come on, a bunch of exercises per workout (as before, well, for example 6-8), immediately trying to work with the same weights as before (well, for example, the same 100 kg bench press to the maximum, etc.). etc.), 4-5 approaches each (as before) ... not realizing that this is the case - in no case should you do it, because this is wrong / unacceptable.

The fact is that after any break in training = any load (even the lightest one), this is stress for your body (body). And so, imagine, you didn’t exercise for a week or two, maybe more (the more = the worse), came to the gym and immediately took your 100% weight, well, what do you think, what is the body like?

Yes, she's in shock! For him, this is a monstrous EXCESSIVE stress that only hurts. That is why training should begin with a gradual increase in training volume (not at the limit of your capabilities).

If the break was too long (a month, two and off we go, the more = the worse), and you work at the maximum from the first day, then most likely you will have overtraining right during the workout (you will immediately feel sweat, dizziness , nausea, etc.. Do you need it? =)

CONCLUSION: training after any break should not be at the limit of their capabilities.

This is firstly, and secondly, in addition to harming yourself, you also deprive yourself of the possibility of a regular progression of loads, without which muscle growth is basically impossible.

This is generally a sore subject! In bodybuilding, who is not yet in the know, what is important is constant progression (even if it is very meager, even insignificant, but it should be), and not MAXIMUM at a time. Do you understand?

The progression of the load should be IN PRINCIPLE! And not immediately the maximum at a time ...

This means that it will be much more effective to increase working weights in exercises from one workout to another for months than to take and pile on the maximum in one workout ....

P.s. I have already talked about this a hundred times, apparently many still do not reach))).

By how much should the load be reduced?

Depends on the duration of the break.

The guideline is as follows: weights 60% of the maximum if the break was 1 week, 50% of the max if 2 weeks; 30% of max. if longer than 2 weeks (up to a month); If the break was generally long (for example, 2-5 months or more), then the training volume should be reduced TOTAL, and not just working weights.

I mean, and the number of workouts, and the number of exercises, and the number of approaches and working weights. Those. from 2 (max 3 workouts per week), p.s. usually this is how the majority trains, but there are also those who every day (recommendation for them), from 2-3 exercises (up to 5-6 regular ones) per workout, 2 sets in each (up to 4-5 regular ones) , with 30% weights from max (to maximum), for example, if you benched 100 kg (this is your maximum), then after a break, you will need to start benching no more than 40 kg. And gradually, increase, from workout to workout, that is: 40 kg in one workout, 43 kg in another, 45 kg in the third, 48 kg, 50 kg, 55 kg and off we go. Do you understand? It is very important. This is the whole point.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO COME AND TRAIN TO THE MAXIMUM IMMEDIATELY. It won't do any good, only harm. This is the main extremely important aspect. In general, remember:

Training after any break - you need to start with a gradual increase in training volume (i.e. work not at the limit of your capabilities).

Sincerely, administrator.