It would seem that what could be more difficult than the beginning of the journey? In fact, it is very difficult to return to training than to start it, because even based on the psychological component, a beginning athlete is full of strength and enthusiasm. He sets goals and dreams of achieving his goals. When returning to the training process, whether after an injury or for any other reason, the athlete faces a number of problems, the first of which is psychological. But if emotional depression can be removed, then returning to previous results in the shortest possible time is not so easy!
Rules for training after a long break
Restarting your training is a journey that should start from the very beginning. The athlete should gradually enter the usual rhythm of training. You cannot rush, otherwise the muscles, ligaments and joints that are unaccustomed to the load will not be able to withstand it, so the likelihood of injury is very high. Also, during a break, the cardiovascular system weakens.
So, where to start training after a long break?
- The main thing is not to rush. You need to start with short workouts that should last no more than an hour. If your usual workout consisted of 6-8 exercises, then during adaptation and recovery the number of exercises should be reduced to 4-6. You also need to reduce the number of repetitions.
- It would be important to start with circuit training , which involves all muscle groups, but performing one or two exercises for each group. The fastest way to get involved is by training all muscle groups . This training should last about two weeks. The number of workouts per week should not exceed three so that the muscles have time to adapt to the load.
- During training after a break, you should take only the minimum working weight . By the way, it makes sense to add a second warm-up approach, when the first approach is performed without weights or with the minimum weight, and the second using a small weight. For example, in the bench press the athlete makes the first approach with an empty bar, and the second with two weighting discs weighing 2.5 - 5 kg each. Naturally, this is purely individual and the working weight, the number of approaches and repetitions, as well as exercises must be chosen based on your well-being and physical fitness.
- During this period, it is very important to focus on strengthening the cardiovascular system, as well as joints and ligaments . To do this, you should include more cardio in your workout and perform exercises with light weights, but with a high number of repetitions.
- The first few workouts should not exceed a duration of forty minutes , but the rest between approaches and exercises can be increased. If before the break in training the athlete needed from thirty seconds to a minute to recover between approaches, now this time can be doubled.
- Another important point is to thoroughly warm up the joints, ligaments and muscles . To do this, it will be enough to perform simple exercises aimed at developing them, for example, rotating joints, bending and turning the body, as well as cardio.
And also read how to do joint gymnastics →
Changes in the body: first workout after a long break
The reasons for a break in classes can be very different. A deterrent may be a previous injury or surgery, a trip on vacation or travel, a move to another place of residence, and much more. However, the results are usually the same if the break is more than two weeks. What happens to the body when you give up sports, and why can’t you start training in the same mode as before?
After just fourteen days, the athlete loses about forty percent of his previous strength and endurance. At the same time, almost all indicators fall. That is, even the most resilient and powerful athlete returns to the gym after a break much weaker, again unprepared. In this case, muscle pain usually becomes stronger and goes away more slowly, and recovery processes are inhibited.
What happens when you don't exercise
The human body is a complex system that diligently conserves energy reserves to maintain basic physiological functions. By actively training, we build muscle mass. That is, it becomes the main “consumer” of energy. When training is suspended for some reason, the body reduces the supply of energy resources to the muscles. This leads first to a decrease in the level of endurance, and then strength decreases. After this, even the tissues themselves begin to decrease in size - the body gets rid of excessive energy consumption for their maintenance.
Some argue that catastrophic loss of shape up to 45-65% of the former muscle mass can only happen to those who exercised incorrectly, ate an unbalanced diet and did not lead a healthy lifestyle. However, such indicators can await even an experienced bodybuilder, subject to a one-year break from training. In this case, it will take at least two, and sometimes three months to regain its former strength. But why do you need such a long period of recovery and why can it be delayed even more with age?
Why adaptation is needed
The body has neuromuscular memory, which allows those who have previously engaged in sports to recover faster. After the start of training, the body begins to produce adenosine triphosphate (Adenosine triphosphate, ATP) in the same quantities as during previous active training. The body seems to awaken, remembers all past achievements, metabolism accelerates, blood supply to the muscles improves. But this process does not happen instantly; it takes some time.
If possible, it is better not to take long breaks from training. However, a properly planned return to the cohort of athletes will allow the body to make a new round in its development. The main thing is not to overload it so that the effect of overtraining does not occur. The slow process of returning to the training process will allow all body systems to adapt gradually, get used to the loads, “realize” them, take them for granted.
- If there is a break in training for a couple of weeks, only the “respiratory” and cardiovascular system will suffer. At the same time, endurance and strength, if we are not talking about injury, will most likely remain in the same positions.
- If the break in training lasted a year, but you are an experienced athlete with good training in the past, then strength will drop by 45-50 percent, and endurance by 15-25%.
- When the break between the last workout and the new one has already been several years, or even worse, dozens, then you will have to start from absolute zero. However, you shouldn’t be too upset, because you will be able to reach new milestones faster than those who have never played sports before.
What your workout in the gym will be like after a long break largely depends on the reasons for which you quit the sport. For example, if this happened due to an injury, then you need to make sure that the body has fully recovered. In any case, it is worth starting to plan future activities. If you cannot organically fit training into your busy schedule, then soon it will become more of a boring chore for you, interfering with your life and work. This should not be allowed, because sport should bring satisfaction, and for this it is better to join the process gradually and meaningfully.
How long will it take to return to previous results?
This is purely individual. Some athletes are able to recover in a month, while others will need four months! If you average the value, then a period of two months is quite realistic. Almost every athlete fully recovers after a pause in training and returns to the previous level of training. This refers specifically to strength or endurance, not results. Let's say, having previously had a biceps volume of 48 centimeters, an athlete who has degraded in shape to 38 centimeters in volume will not return to his previous shape in a couple of months, but will only get involved in the training process.
How to start training after a break
Warm-up
First of all, spend 5-10 minutes on a general warm-up of the body before starting strength training; during a long break, the muscles have lost elasticity and flexibility; if you start training without warming them up, you can get injured tendons, joints or muscle strain much faster, which will again unsettle you training.
Don't rush into sports nutrition
There is no need to immediately refuel with sports nutrition or, even worse, pharmacology; the body now needs proper rest, a properly structured training process and healthy natural nutrition. At a minimum, work according to this scheme for 1-2 months so that the body gets into the tone of the training regime.
Review your exercise technique
When you come to the gym after a long break, remember the exercise technique and possible mistakes you made in the exercises. Remember all your tricks to lift more weight or trick to finish the exercise easier. Try now to remove all these shortcomings, improve your technique and make your workout close to ideal.
Green light for basic exercises
From the first day, perform basic exercises, be sure to make sure that the “golden three” is included in the training program (bench press, deadlift, squat), this will quickly return the body to shape, due to the inclusion of a large number of muscles in the work.
Don't work yourself to capacity
There is no point in working until muscle failure while regaining shape, always leave a reserve of 1-2 repetitions in each exercise, you will not set records higher than the previous ones, your muscles are not ready for this, work at this level for 3-4 weeks.
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Perform medium number of repetitions
The working range should be around 6-12 repetitions; if you reduce the number of repetitions to 2-4, the muscles will receive an excessive load for which they are not yet ready, the same thing if you increase their number to 15-20 there will not be much benefit. Remember, your body is going through a recovery phase, so the loads must be adequate.
Load 1 muscle group with 1 exercise
Now you need this, the muscle tissues are unaccustomed to physical activity; it will be enough for them to experience stress with just 1, well, maximum 2 exercises; if you load them in the same manner, then muscle pain will not give you peace.
More exercises, but fewer sets
The main task at the training stage after a long break is to use as many muscles as possible so that the body gets a good shake-up, so that each muscle remembers its former power. Moreover, exercises need to be done on different muscle groups. Therefore, it is better to do 8 exercises of 2 sets each throughout the entire workout than 2 exercises of 8 approaches.
There is an opinion among sports experts that to get back into shape you need time 2 times less than the break, so now calculate, if you haven’t trained for 6 months, then be patient and work hard for 3 months.
I wish you all good luck and good sports results, share your achievements in the comments!
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Practical recommendations
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.
Three golden rules for returning to classes after a long break
The first rule that will help you quickly return to your previous shape: warm up. Warm-up is needed in order to overcome the imbalance between the body's systems. If muscle tissue responds more quickly to stress and increases in volume, then ligaments and joints return to their previous levels much more slowly. And only during warm-up can you warm up the body and prepare it for further stress.
Second rule: gradualism
We're coming back the same way we started. We started with minimal loads, gradually increasing them. Therefore, after a long break in the schedule, we watch only classes for beginners, gradually move to the intermediate level, and only after 1-2 months of regular training we sign up for high-intensity classes for those who are prepared.
Third rule: attitude.
It is possible to return to the previous form. It’s possible to become better than you were before the break. All it takes is time. Therefore, even if it’s hard for you, get ready to return to fitness and your previous shape. And the gradual loads that you will give to your body and which you can absolutely cope with will only lift your spirits and determination in conquering the heights of sports.
