How to start working out in the gym after a break in training? Returning to training after a break Resuming training after a long break

After a long break. Now, in order not to break down and quit this idea, you need a plan that will help you adapt physically and psychologically!

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 you can get back to your previous level anyway and become stronger, faster and more resilient. The main thing is to do it correctly to avoid injury.

Stopping training or using loads that are not capable of maintaining the achieved level leads to deadaptation - a process inverse to adaptation.

Deadaptation is the body’s remarkable ability to use released resources in other body systems. That is, resources are taken from where they are no longer used, to where the building material is most needed.

How did the break affect your fitness?

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

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

Your new workout plan will depend on why you quit and what happened to your body during that time.

If you had to stop due to injury, you must be sure that you have fully recovered. Therefore, you must definitely visit a doctor. A physical therapist will be able to tell you about the overall health of your muscles, point out imbalances and identify weaknesses.

If the break was taken due to a new family or a busy work schedule (you devoted all your time to a new project), you need to understand how you can find time for proper sleep and nutrition so that psychological and physical problems do not arise in the future.

Recovery speed

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

But what if you haven’t worked out for a year or more? If you've been going to the gym, Thompson recommends starting with half or a third of the weight you were lifting a year ago, and after a few weeks, try your standard pounds. Recovery usually takes 1–2 months.

As for sports that require endurance (cycling, triathlon, etc.), 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 jogging at a very low pace. The distance in this case does not matter.

If after two months you have not returned to your previous shape, then you need to reconsider your training program, or even better, find a good trainer who will draw it up 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 cannot guarantee that we will never take such a long 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-trainings for yourself, then it will be much easier for you to return to your previous physical shape. And psychological adaptation will be easier than if you completely give up sports.

By training at 25–30% of your previous levels, you can maintain your shape for two to three months.

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

It all depends on two factors. The first is how often and for how long you trained before the break. Beginners and professional athletes lose shape faster than those who trained 3-4 times every week for a year or more. The second factor is the duration of the break. The loss of strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination does not occur evenly, but progressively: the longer you don’t train, the more rapidly your condition deteriorates.

Strength training

3-4 weeks after you quit the dumbbells and pull-ups, your strength gains will continue. The fact is that strength is determined by the development of muscle fibers, and they retain their qualities for about a month. True, this is if you are healthy and skip workouts only because there are more important things to do. If skipping exercises occurs due to the flu or ARVI, a noticeable loss of strength occurs after 2 weeks: the body uses a lot of resources to fight the infection.

Interesting data was recently obtained by researchers in the USA and confirmed by their colleagues from Japan. It turns out that fitness enthusiasts and beginners maintain better strength and recover faster compared to professional athletes.

Run and jump

Jogging, walking, skiing are endurance training. They are aimed at developing blood vessels in muscle tissue, which lose fitness faster than muscles.

The first signs of loss of stamina are felt after 7-10 days of inactivity. This is why trainers do not recommend interrupting walking or jogging for more than 5 days. After a week, your stamina will drop by 3-5%! In 3 weeks the difference will be already 10%, and in 4 weeks - as much as 14%. In addition, there is evidence that taking antibiotics will worsen athletic performance by another 10-15%, regardless of the duration of the break.

Return to duty

When returning to push-ups, dumbbells and kettlebells after a break, do not try to act on the principle “I’ve only missed a month, now I’ll push myself and get everything back.” Such attempts lead to injuries, since during the period of inactivity the coordination of movements has also deteriorated. Returning to your usual weights will take about the same amount of time as you were idle.

When it comes to endurance training, it takes about twice as long to recover to a sporting level as was missed.

On a note

Missed up to 4 weeks? Start strength training with the same exercises you did before the break, but repeat them 5-15 times, not 10-20 as before. Shorten endurance training by 10-15 minutes. Jumps, swings, and sprints can be returned to the program no earlier than after 3 weeks.

Missed 5-11 weeks? Lighten strength exercises by 20-50%. Shorten your endurance training by 15 minutes and do this for 2 weeks (if you train twice a week, then 3 weeks). Over the next 2 weeks, return to your usual jogging duration, adding 3-5 minutes per session.

Missed 3 months or more? Start training as if from scratch. However, progress will be much faster than for a true beginner, and this is encouraging!

Sometimes a feeling of workload and fatigue, or maybe a simple lack of time, makes us give up training.

Then the question arises: “How to return to sports and training, to join the usual rhythm of life, how to start after a long break?” It’s no secret that people often forget about exercise and diet: there’s nothing wrong with that, we’re all human and want to relax. Moreover, it can be useful and gives us time to relax both mentally and physically from routine and everyday worries.

However, the mirror persistently suggests that it’s time to know your honor, but your feet still won’t go to the gym... Well, Broad Bone will not leave you in trouble and will help you return to the “true path”!

We will tell you when and whether to take a break from training, how long you can do it, and how to get back into action after a long rest!

Do I need to take breaks between classes?

Is it necessary and possible to take a break from training in the gym or is it better to exercise constantly? First, let's look at what happens to your body without the usual physical activity (except for the fact that it strives to acquire a cozy belly).

It is absolutely logical that after you stop training, your body will not fall apart before your eyes, and you will not turn into Jabba the Hutt. In fact, a break is even needed! A person gets tired of any activity, especially mentally. At a minimum, it becomes uninteresting to train, apathy and a persistent reluctance to go to the gym sets in.

In addition, training in the gym is a load not only on the muscles, but also on the joints and tendons - they take longer to recover than muscles. Therefore, injuries and “fatigue” of the musculoskeletal system are steadily increasing from month to month, from year to year.

You can, of course, take chondroprotectors, but as you and I already know,...

Understand one thing: everyone takes a break, even professional athletes. This is absolutely normal and there is nothing shameful about it!

In the first two weeks without exercise, strength and muscle mass do not change. Depending on the degree of training, endurance may decrease by 4–25%, but when training is resumed, the lost performance is quickly restored.

With a break of several weeks, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems will lose a few points, but the strength will remain the same.

If the break is a year, but before that you were in decent physical shape, cardio will be 15% more difficult, strength characteristics will drop by at least 50%.

If the break is more than a year, you will have to start from scratch. But you will make progress faster than people who did not exercise at all.

Which ones should they be?

What breaks should there be between workouts in the gym? Especially in the security forces? What is the best interval between classes?

In the context of the week: 1-2 days (maximum between classes without loss of progress 3 days).
In the context of the year: for 1-2 weeks of relaxation and doing nothing.

In general, a short break can be beneficial, since after two weeks the concentration of growth hormone and testosterone in the body increases. And if you worked out efficiently and conscientiously, without skipping work all year, then it will take you a lot of time for your strength and endurance to decrease.

And your body won’t really notice a week-long stop in sports; the worries will begin more likely from a psychological point of view. Therefore, it is very important to understand that you are not slacking or being lazy - you are taking care of your health!

Of course, after a month or more of rest, the results may drop significantly: it all depends on your lifestyle. It’s one thing if you’ve been frantically overeating, drinking, and leading a “vegetable” lifestyle for a month, and it’s completely different if you’ve been walking a lot, eating healthy, high-quality food, or going on a hike.

However, this does not mean that all is completely lost! Look at it more simply, since you were able to do it once, you will definitely succeed the second time.

How many breaks to take between sports: We recommend taking a 1-2 week vacation every six months.

How to start playing sports after?

A ready-made program for recovery in the gym after a long rest

This program is suitable for both girls and men.

Where to start after a long break:

Starting after a long rest is a difficult thing. It seems to you that you are full of energy, but you should not immediately expose yourself to heavy loads. You need to approach this, week after week, so that the restoration of physical performance is successful.

If it’s very difficult for you, then start training with absurdly small volumes - those that cannot be justified at all (a 500-meter run, exercises every morning, or a 15-minute walk before work).

Every day or every two days, add, but very little by little - 1 exercise or 200 meters of running, for example. If on some day you want more, do it, but after that still return to the original plan, and do not start from such a successful day.

And so you finally made it to the hall. How much should the load be reduced? It all depends on the duration of the break. A break of 1 week is 60% of the maximum, a break of 2 weeks is 50% of the maximum, more than 2 weeks is 30 of the maximum. If the break is more than 2 months, then roughly speaking, we start all over again - we take the minimum weights.

In the first weeks of training, you should build your training program so that it is more similar to a beginner’s program (see article, where there is a written first training program in the gym).

The motto is: perform a sufficient number of exercises according to the scheme for at least the first 2 weeks. The number of approaches is 3, and the most optimal number of repetitions per approach is 6-12.

No crazy high reps or max weights! We work calmly, and not like a steam engine that is about to explode.

If it’s hard for you to go to the gym three times a week after a break, then it will be enough for you two training sessions, especially the first 2 weeks.

Learn to restrain yourself! Don't chase weights/number of exercises, etc. Of course, after a break you simply won’t be able to carry out your previous training plan, and you don’t need to!

Just increase the load by 10-20% every month. If after training you feel excessively tired, slow down the pace and intensity of your training. You must understand for yourself that there is no need to rush after a break, it will give absolutely nothing.

Pay close attention to how you feel during training and at home. For some, the recovery process can be a breeze, but for others it can be a lot of stress in the bad sense of the word.

To know exactly how to recover, .

We all have bad days when we get off on the wrong foot, the weather is bad outside, our mood is lousy and the whole workout goes “wrong”! And guess what? And to hell with her! It doesn’t matter, rest an extra day, sleep normally, or do an easy, most comfortable workout for you. Don't force yourself!

Choose your exercises carefully. After a break of 3 months, there is no need to immediately rush to squat or pull. Start with easier exercises.

After the first 2-3 weeks of training according to the fullbadi (circular) scheme, you can return to, following all the same rules as described above.

So, let's summarize - training program for recovery after a break:

2-3 weeks of full body training, light weights, 3 sets, 6-12 reps =>
switch to split training, add basic exercises with minimal weights =>
by 4-6 weeks after the break we return to the old training program or ) =>
rejoice and live happily :)

The recovery period depends on the length of your break. For example, if you had a break of 3 months, the duration of your recovery may be about 1-1.5 months.

Motivation

Yes, alas, sometimes we are so overwhelmed by laziness that we simply cannot find the inspiration within ourselves to return to our old life. We start, throw and everything in a circle. Anything that makes you move.

Walk the dog. If you don't have your own, go for a walk with your neighbor's. The neighbors will be grateful to you.
Have a dance marathon instead of sitting in front of the TV.
Go to the park and take a walk with your favorite music or audiobook.
Walk everywhere. And even if the weather is bad: a warmer jacket and a wider smile, drive away the melancholy 😉
Play with the kids basketball.
Instead of driving to the store, walk or take bike.
Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk to work.

Just think about it – there are plenty of opportunities to be more active! Find the ones that make you happy rather than make you give up.

Secret of success

For many people, it is very difficult to continue something after a single failure. A mistake demoralizes them and brings a lot of negativity. If this happens to you, try to change your attitude towards the problem so as not to lose motivation.

If you didn't go to the fitness club on Monday, it doesn't mean that the whole week is lost. It just means you have to go there on Tuesday. Or even just walk the dog longer than usual.

The ability to play sports is not only the ability to squat correctly and a bunch of protein on the shelf. This is knowing how to set yourself up for classes and stick to this mood.

Start thinking of yourself as a sports person. And there, you see, it’s not far from the barbell.

Useful video

Cool video on the topic of a long break from training and how to properly return to exercise after it:

For a number of reasons, there may be long breaks in visits to the gym. Laziness, love, illness, work and other excuses are the reason for this. After a long break (a month or more), your body is unaccustomed to regular physical activity and needs a program that will help it adapt. This is exactly what this training program is for.

Features of this training plan

Remember the technique of doing the exercises - this will be the main goal of the first workout. Do not chase heavy weights, the main thing is to remember the mechanics of performing the exercises.

With each subsequent workout, gradually increase the weight of the load (2.5-5 kg). In the third week, training should take place with your usual working weights (which were before the break).

Before each workout, be sure to warm up. For example, start your workout with a 5-minute walk on an elliptical machine. Then stretch all the joints and muscles of the body well.

Rest time is average. Depending on your level of preparedness, you can change this number. Remember - you must rest exactly as much as your body needs (more about rest between sets).

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 regain physical fitness, regain lost physical shape and health, you are probably interested in the question - how to return to the gym after a long break? Next, we will talk about the measures recommended by professionals to obtain excellent results.

Impact of a break on physical health

There are many reasons why regular workouts in the fitness room were interrupted: vacation, business trip, birth of a child, illness, etc. One of the key circumstances is the duration of the break. Recommendations from experienced experts will help you return your body to working condition and get used to physical activity again.

Training and physical activity improve the functioning of internal organs, increase physical endurance and the body's 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:

The break was several weeks. The cardiovascular and respiratory systems work worse, while there is enough strength. Endurance levels are still high
1 year. Cardio exercises will be 15% more difficult, and the strength parameters of your body will be reduced by half, and this is the minimum indicator
Years have passed. We'll have to start from the very beginning. If you previously had good results and were in appropriate physical condition, then recovery will be faster and more effective.

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 is also of great importance when creating 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. Don’t assume that a period of several weeks without training has cost your body nothing, and you can immediately begin intense exercise. It is important to understand that most diseases, including bronchitis, colds or poisoning, lead to intoxication of the body. Other consequences include loss of fluid and disruption of water-salt metabolism. Muscles receive less oxygen and nutrients. As a result, the usual loads and 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, you should indulge in fruits, freshly squeezed juices, prepare and drink homemade fruit drinks. Mineral water helps normalize the water-salt balance. Start training only when you are fully recovered. Forget about high-intensity exercise in the next two weeks. You should also not visit the sauna for the first time. Be attentive to your health, monitor your body’s reaction to physical activity!

2-6 months

Perhaps you changed your place of residence, moving to another city or district of the city, or you were injured and took a long time to recover. These reasons are most common during such a period 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 and strength is lost, while performance remains high. After an injury, it is worth resorting to rehabilitation exercises.

Exit

If the reason for the forced break was an injury, it is advisable to come up with a rehabilitation program. It will be better if you involve a professional trainer or doctor in selecting a training program. If you have been away from fitness for some time not because of an injury, start calmly training according to your usual program. The key word is calm. You should not work according to a schedule, maintaining the same intensity: run the same distances, but at a reduced speed. The exercises will need to be done with half the weight used previously.

Also listen to your body. If you feel tired, take a break and rest. Feeling completely out of shape? Walk on a treadmill for two weeks, gradually increasing the pace. It often takes from a year to a year and a half to restore the body.

Helpful advice: when forced to take a break, it is recommended to maintain a couple of cardio and one physical workout per week.

More than 1 year

Such a break is typical for representatives of the fair sex who have given birth to a child. You most likely needed 1 year to set aside time for training and resume physical activity. During pregnancy, many expectant mothers engage in water aerobics and gymnastics, which is why the question often arises: “Why can’t I train like before?”

How to proceed?

In fact, you will need to start working again, since prenatal stress is minimal and serves solely as a preparatory measure for childbirth. As a result, physical condition is lost, and you have to start from scratch. It is recommended to start with fitness testing. It is possible that during pregnancy your body experienced disruptions or problems, and therefore it is advisable to consult a doctor. There is a possibility that the previous loads and the usual schedule of physical exercises will be impossible.

Start doing aerobics and light exercise, which will help you shed those extra pounds and improve your heart function. Often, during long breaks, the cardiovascular system suffers first, which is why you are not able to perform even 20 squats without shortness of breath. In the first weeks, it is recommended to walk on a treadmill - 2-3 sets of 20 minutes each. Next, increase the duration of walking to 30 minutes, add stretching exercises.

Hit the gym after a month of re-testing. After returning to normal loads, take care of the help of a personal trainer: a specialist will draw up a training program and point out the correct technique. Even if you have missed more than a year since your last workout, you will be able to return to your previous shape and load yourself with physical exercise after 2-3 months.

If you don't have time to go to the gym several times a week, exercise at home. Try strength training and stretching. You can improve your cardio system only in the gym. Walking with a stroller is considered useful, but remains a walk. Therefore, it is better to use a treadmill, with which you can maintain a certain pace.

Some years

For some reason you were forced to quit training. You think that returning to the pace and load is a piece of cake, but this is not so. Of course, it is easier for you to start fitness training than for someone who has never exercised at all. Over the course of several years, your body has become unaccustomed to physical activity. An exercise program designed for a young athletic student is not suitable for a person who leads a sedentary lifestyle and also has osteochondrosis or chronic bronchitis.

Your actions

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

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

A small or large number of repetitions is undesirable. Professional athletes also recommend leaving a reserve for each approach. You shouldn’t exhaust yourself to the limit - you won’t be able to achieve records, and your muscles will most likely become very sore. Starting with your first workout, perform basic exercises, which include presses, squats, and deadlifts. After a long break, you will need to reconsider the exercise technique. Pay more attention to warming up before the training process.

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