Coming Back After a Break

Quick Intro

Coming back is usually easier than starting the first time. Stamina fades faster than strength during a break, but both tend to return more quickly than they took to build. The main risk when returning is doing too much too soon, so start below where you left off and build up over a few weeks.

This article explains what happens to fitness during a break, why coming back is faster and how to return after a few weeks off or after years.

What Fades and How Fast

Not every part of fitness fades at the same rate.

Stamina fades first. Aerobic fitness starts to drop within a couple of weeks of stopping and keeps falling over the following months.
Strength holds longer. For most people strength is largely kept for about the first month of inactivity, then declines more slowly than stamina.
Muscle size shrinks slowly. Muscle is lost gradually, and in studies of older adults the loss over the first few months after stopping was small.
Skills last well. The coordination for movements you have learned, such as a squat or a swim stroke, tends to stay with you even after a long break.

After a long break, people who were well trained usually stay above the level of people who never trained, though they lose the most recent gains. The longer the break, the more is lost, but rarely all of it.

Why Coming Back Is Faster

People who return to training usually regain what they lost more quickly than it took to build. In one study, older men who stopped training for several months lost only part of their strength and regained it within weeks of starting again. In another, a leg that had been trained before regained its earlier gains in much less time than they had first taken to build.

Researchers are still working out why. One idea is that muscle keeps some long-term changes from earlier training, sometimes called muscle memory, but whether this works the same way in people is still debated. Skill also plays a part, since you do not have to relearn the movements. It is fair to say the body seems to remember, without being sure exactly how.

After a Few Weeks Off

A break of a few weeks, because of holiday, a busy period or a minor illness, costs some stamina and very little strength. To return:

Start at about half to two thirds of your old training load for the first week, whether that means distance, weight or number of sets.
Expect your stamina to feel worse than your strength. Running or cycling may feel harder than lifting.
Build back over two to three weeks, adding a little each session as it feels comfortable.

After Months or Years Off

A longer break needs a slower return, even if you were very fit before. Your muscles may come back quickly, but it is sensible to give your tendons and joints time to get used to load again as well.

Treat the first few weeks as a fresh start. Use the checks and first month in how to start exercising from zero, moving up faster if it feels easy.
Resist the old numbers. Lifting your old weights or running your old distances in the first week is a common cause of injury and heavy soreness on return.
Keep most sessions comfortable. You should finish feeling you could have done more.
Check your health first if you have had a long illness, an operation or a new health condition, or if you are older and have not been active for years. A doctor can advise you.

Making the Break Smaller Next Time

If you know a break is coming, a little activity goes a long way. Even one short session a week, or a few minutes of Bodyweight Squats, Push-ups and brisk walks, keeps much of what you have built. A reduced routine is easier to keep through a busy patch than a full one, and much easier to restart from.

FAQ

How long does it take to lose fitness?

Stamina starts to fall within a couple of weeks. Strength is mostly kept for about a month. Both decline more over months, but rarely back to where you started.

Will it take as long to get back as it took to build?

Usually not. Most people regain lost fitness faster than they built it the first time.

Why do I feel so sore after coming back?

Your muscles are no longer used to the work. Starting lighter and building up over a few weeks keeps soreness down.

I used to be very fit. Can I go straight back to my old routine?

Not straight away. Tendons and joints need time to readjust, so start lighter and build up over a few weeks, even if your muscles feel ready.