Regaining Fitness After a Break

It’s natural for fitness levels to fluctuate due to various factors such as injuries or waning motivation. Getting back in shape after a break is a common goal, and the good news is that there are proven methods to help you regain your fitness. Understanding how quickly fitness can be lost and how to approach regaining it is key.

Here are some important points to consider:

• Defining “being fit” is subjective and varies from person to person. It can mean having good energy, feeling strong, being able to perform daily tasks without pain, having mental clarity, and generally feeling healthy and happy. Your personal goals for fitness will influence your approach to training.
• Fitness can be lost relatively quickly. You can lose cardio endurance and muscle strength with just two weeks of complete rest. Generally, muscular strength declines faster than cardio endurance. Loss of fitness can lead to increased blood pressure, decreased blood oxygen levels, reduced neuromuscular efficiency, and decreased heart strength.
• Age is a factor in fitness levels. As people age, maximal oxygen uptake, muscle strength and mass, and flexibility decrease, while total body and fat mass increase.
• Regaining fitness is possible through a well-designed program. On average, it takes about 16 weeks to regain fitness with a strategic plan. Muscular strength can start improving in four to six weeks, with noticeable results in 12 weeks. Cardio improvements follow a gradual pattern.
• The rate of regaining fitness depends on several factors such as the training program, previous fitness levels, exercise experience, age, and the length of the break from exercise. If the break is less than a year, you may start at about 50 percent of your previous level.
• Setting a clear and measurable goal is the first step. Avoid a haphazard approach by clearly defining what you want to achieve.
• Pacing yourself when getting back into a routine is essential, especially after being inactive, returning from an injury, or when older. A steady progression in difficulty is crucial to avoid injury or burnout.
• A variety of methods exist to increase fitness. Cardio exercise can be increased by extending workout duration, and strength training can be advanced through more reps or increased weight. Max-rep bodyweight exercises are a good option for building strength.
• Patience is necessary. Getting fit again takes time, and small, consistent steps will lead to desired results.

Key Themes and Ideas:

1. Defining Fitness is Multi-Faceted and Subjective:

• The article stresses that “being fit” is not a monolithic concept. Physiologically, it involves factors like cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, mobility (flexibility and range of motion), and neuromuscular control (balance and agility).
• Anecdotally, fitness can mean different things to different people, from having good energy and feeling strong to being able to perform daily tasks without pain and having mental clarity. As Jacqueline Crockford states: “Does being ‘fit’ mean that you’re able to walk all day for your job and still have energy to play with your kids, or does it mean that you’re able to crush a new mountain biking trail without injury?”
• This subjectivity means that fitness goals will vary by individual, making a personalized approach to training essential.

1. Fitness Loss Occurs Relatively Quickly:

• The article highlights that fitness can be lost faster than many might expect. Heather Milton states that “You can actually lose your cardio endurance and muscle strength with two weeks of complete rest.” This doesn’t mean all gains are gone in two weeks, but that decline can begin in that time.
• Muscular strength and endurance can decline more rapidly than cardio endurance when training ceases.
• Loss of fitness can have negative health consequences, such as increases in blood pressure, decreases in blood oxygen levels, and a reduced heart and lung function.

1. a. Age Impacts Fitness Loss and Regain:

• The article acknowledges that age is a significant factor. As cited from a 2009 study, “Maximal oxygen uptake (or VO2 max), muscle strength and mass, and flexibility are all naturally reduced with aging, while total body mass and fat mass increase.”
• Older individuals should be aware that their “fit” will likely look different as they age and need to be cautious not to recreate the grueling routines they did when younger.

1. b. Timeframe for Regaining Fitness:

• With a strategically designed, evidence-based fitness program, it can take about 16 weeks to regain fitness. Muscular strength improvements can begin in 4-6 weeks with noticeable results in 12 weeks. Cardio fitness improves gradually over time.
• However, this timeframe is an estimate under ideal conditions. Milton notes, “However, that’s in a vacuum.” This timeline does not account for personal lifestyle factors.
• Factors such as prior fitness level, exercise experience, and how long you were inactive can also impact how quickly fitness can be regained. If the break from exercise was less than a year, individuals may start at about 50% of their prior fitness.

1. c. Practical Advice for Regaining Fitness:

• Set Clear and Measurable Goals: Avoid a haphazard approach to training. Vague goals such as “get back in shape” will ultimately take you longer to achieve your goals.
• Pace Yourself: This is vital, especially after a long period of inactivity, returning from an injury, or for older adults.
• Steady Progression: Gradually increase the difficulty of workouts to stay on track and avoid injury or burnout. This can be done by adding time to cardio or by increasing weight or reps for strength training.
• Be Patient: The article emphasizes that regaining fitness takes time and won’t happen overnight.

Key Quotes:

• Heather Milton: “You can actually lose your cardio endurance and muscle strength with two weeks of complete rest.”
• Jacqueline Crockford: “Does being ‘fit’ mean that you’re able to walk all day for your job and still have energy to play with your kids, or does it mean that you’re able to crush a new mountain biking trail without injury?”
• Heather Milton: “However, that’s in a vacuum.”
• Heather Milton: “If it’s less than a year, you’re starting back at maybe 50 percent of where you left off and slowly building back from there.”

Conclusion:

The article provides a comprehensive overview of regaining fitness after a break, stressing that it’s a personal journey with varying timelines based on multiple factors. The key takeaway is to be patient, set realistic goals, and follow a structured approach with progressive overload to safely and effectively return to a desired fitness level. It highlights that “fit” will look and feel different for different people and at different ages.

Frequently Ask Question

• What does “being fit” truly encompass?
• Being physically fit involves a holistic view of various factors, including cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, mobility (flexibility and range of motion), and neuromuscular control (balance and agility). Subjectively, it can mean having good energy, feeling strong, performing daily tasks without pain, having mental clarity, and generally feeling healthy and happy. It’s a personal experience, and what “fit” means varies depending on an individual’s goals and lifestyle.
• How quickly can fitness be lost when taking a break from exercise?
• Fitness can decline relatively quickly. Both cardio endurance and muscle strength can begin to diminish after just two weeks of complete rest. While you won’t lose all your gains immediately, this is when the decline starts. Muscle strength and endurance tend to decrease more rapidly than cardio endurance. This loss of fitness can lead to a rise in blood pressure, decreased blood oxygen levels, reduced neuromuscular efficiency, decreased heart and lung function, and changes in resting heart rate.
• How long does it generally take to regain fitness?
• Regaining fitness, with a consistent and well-designed fitness program, typically takes about 16 weeks on average. Muscular strength improvements can start to be noticeable in 4-6 weeks, with further progress up to 12 weeks. Cardio fitness also shows gradual and consistent improvement. However, this timeline doesn’t account for lifestyle factors like changes in weight, diet, health conditions, or hydration, which can all influence the timeline. The rate of regaining fitness depends on the training program, your previous fitness levels, exercise experience, and age.
• Does age affect how quickly someone can get back in shape?
• Yes, age plays a significant role. Natural age-related changes include a reduction in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), muscle strength and mass, and flexibility, while total body mass and fat mass tend to increase. This means that older individuals might need to be more cautious when resuming exercise and may not be able to return to the exact level of fitness they had in their youth. However, older adults may be better at pacing themselves due to their experience.
• What are some key strategies for getting fit again after a break?
• First, set a clear and measurable goal, moving away from vague statements like simply wanting to “get back in shape”. Pacing yourself is crucial, especially after a period of inactivity, coming back from an injury, or for older adults. A gradual progression in difficulty is key to avoiding injury and burnout. For cardio, this can mean gradually increasing total training volume. For strength training, you can increase reps with the same weight or increase weight while maintaining the same reps. Bodyweight exercises like max-rep push-ups are also beneficial.
• If you are returning to exercise after less than a year off, where are you starting?
• If you’ve taken less than a year off from exercising, you are likely starting back at about 50% of where you left off. From this point you should build back up gradually. This means that you can achieve your old fitness levels again, you’ll just have to slowly build your fitness over time.
• What happens to your body when you lose fitness?
• A loss of physical fitness can have several negative impacts on the body. These include a rise in blood pressure, a decrease in blood oxygen levels, a decline in neuromuscular efficiency, weakening of heart strength, reduced lung capacity, and even a change in your resting heart rate. All of these things combined can be detrimental to your health.
• Why is a clear goal important when getting back into shape?
• Setting a clear and measurable goal is important because it helps you create a focused approach to your training and ensures progress is measured. Without clear goals, training can become haphazard, leading to frustration and potentially causing you to stop exercising altogether. A goal also will be tailored to you and your unique situation, allowing you to work towards something you care about.