How to exercise after a long break?
What happens to the body after a break
Regardless of the reasons, if the break lasted more than two weeks, you need to know what happens to your body during this time. If there is no load, its work changes, and these changes should be taken into account when resuming training. Sadly, the force is waning at a catastrophic rate.
The level of loss of strength varies from person to person, but on average it is 20-30% after two to three weeks. Not only do the maximum indicators in some movements fall, but the overall level of strength decreases. Therefore, you return to the gym weaker than before, and you can not train with the same intensity as before the break. Recovery is much slower, and muscle pain lasts longer.
In many ways, your physical condition is very similar to when you first started training. The main difference is that you know what to do and how to do it. Even so, some people take much broader steps than when they first came to the gym. If your performance in your main exercises before the break was quite high, you are very concerned about how to achieve them faster. For example, someone who spent a whole year pressing 160 kg lying down will be very upset to learn that after a break, he can only cope with 150 kg. He just can't put up with it and throws himself into training like a madman, doing too much. He will over-train, but he will be adamant. Finally, the pain in his shoulder will force him to stop pressing for another two weeks, and the result will drop to 130 kg.
Our body is a balanced, well-coordinated mechanism that constantly strives to save energy in order to maintain vital functions. Thanks to training, we develop muscle mass, which means that it is the muscle tissue that becomes the most energy-consuming organ of our body. During a break in classes, the body tends to reduce the amount of energy consumed by the muscles. Gradually decreases the endurance of our body, then begins to decrease muscle mass due to lack of energy, at the last stage begins to decrease the level of power potential.
Many people believe that a big loss of form can only be experienced by those who irresponsibly approached training, ate incorrectly, and so on. But in fact, even a well-trained bodybuilder who took a responsible approach to the issue of nutrition can lose an average of 40-60% of the physical qualities that he was able to acquire through training during a year of break. Of course, in about 2-3 months, the bodybuilder can return to the previous form, but this will only happen at a young age. For a 40-year-old athlete, getting back in shape will be a much more difficult, and sometimes unattainable task.
Neuromuscular memory
Neuromuscular memory allows the body to restore the body's endurance. Gradually, the body begins to produce the amount of ATP that previously allowed it to train for a long time and achieve good results in sports. At the same time, the body wakes up from hibernation and begins to produce an increased amount of energy, all its processes are accelerated, even the number of capillaries increases to improve blood supply to muscle tissues.
Since now the muscle tissue receives plenty of energy and oxygen, the recovery mechanisms gradually come into operation. After some time, the previously existing muscle mass is completely restored.
Conclusions
Break time in training can be very useful if you plan your return carefully. Otherwise you can make life very difficult for yourself
When you return to the gym, your body is not ready for hard work to the same extent as before the break. Slow progress allows it to change and adapt. You must restore your regime and diet before your results start to grow
Thanks to the break, you have a reserve of energy when you return to the gym. However, it is not wise to immediately "dive" into the training. Start with an overclocking program or something similar. Be patient and reasonable, and always remember to move forward slowly. If you stick to this approach, especially in the first — most important — week, you will begin to move smoothly to the highest levels of fitness
Never be afraid to take a break from training. Consider your body as non-combustible capital that you have temporarily frozen in your Bank account. Of course, at first you will lose some percentage of your savings, but by returning the capital to circulation, you will restore it completely
If you already have the opportunity to return to training-do not hesitate and return. Of course, it is best to find a professional trainer who will help you return to work correctly and restore your previous form in a short time
