How to take a break from exercise without losing fitness

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While regular exercise is important for building endurance, conditioning and losing weight, there are times when you need to rest too. So how to not lose fitness when taking a break from exercise?

1. Why take a break from exercise for a while?

One of the biggest reasons you need to rest is overtraining. Too much exercise or too much exercise intensity can lead to weakness, fatigue, restlessness and poor exercise performance. So, taking a day, a week, or even a month off shouldn't be the reason you're not meeting your fitness goals.
You may also need to rest because of fatigue, injury, being too busy, or some other life event happening that stops you from exercising.

2. Why do athletes need rest and recovery after exercise?

If you're not sure if resting is the best decision, here are a few signs that can help you identify common symptoms that indicate your body needs time to rest.
Injury or illness Reluctance to exercise Fatigue or exhaustion Poor performance Pain that doesn't go away You feel unmotivated or bored You have a trip coming up soon and you know you won't have time or motivation for a full-blown workout You're not making progress in your workouts Taking a few days or a week off may be what you need right now to get back into training with more energy and enthusiasm.

3. How to make a sensible workout break

There are several factors to consider when you take a week (or more) off from exercise. The length of your workout break can depend on a number of factors, and you should also consider alternating activities to keep your body fit and active.
3.1. You may be surprised to learn that taking a few days or a week off will not affect the results you have achieved. Sometimes, you should take extra days off to eliminate all fatigue in the body is also very good.
Think about marathon runners. They will typically peak in training about two weeks before the marathon, then begin to taper off to get enough rest before the race. Experienced exercisers and athletes typically schedule a one-week break after every 8 to 12 weeks of continuous training.
3.2. Physical Effects on Discontinuing Exercise You may be wondering, how does taking a break from exercise affect physical fitness. The question is, are you resting for pleasure or because you have to, which helps measure how taking a break from exercise will affect your fitness.
Endurance can be reduced by about 5% to 10% in three weeks: people who exercise vigorously or moderately will experience a rapid decline in fitness during the first three weeks of inactivity before entering a phase of gradual decline.
If you take a break for two months without exercise, you may lose all the results you have gained through the previous training process. There are no specific rules about how many days off or when. It's important that you listen to your body, when you notice exercise becomes tiring and no longer interested in exercising, that's when your body needs a break.

3.3. Alternative activities During your break, try doing other active activities that help keep your body moving.
A long bike ride Brazilian yoga class Dancing or rock climbing Gardening Hiking Hiking a soccer ball or a frisbee

4. Note when returning to exercise

Even if you only take a few days off, you may still experience pain when you return to training. The level of pain depends on genetics, how long you exercise, and the intensity of the exercise. If you've been on a long break, it's important that you exercise comfortably to avoid injury and pain.
You may feel like you are starting over, but it won't take long for your body to return to the way it was before resting. Because the body has already memorized how to exercise and it just takes a while to get used to it again.
Follow these basic principles to keep your body strong, healthy and easy to return to your training routine.
Give your body time: It can take up to three weeks to get back to your old form, depending on how much you've trained before and how long you've rested. Start simple: If you've been in the habit of heavy lifting before, try a lighter and less intense intensity. Extra days off: Returning to exercise means you'll have some muscle pain to some extent. Plan recovery days so your body can get used to it and keep getting better. Each week, gradually increase the intensity until you are back to the previous intensity. In fact, exercising when unwell can cause more harm than good. So when you feel that your physical condition is not good, you should not try to force yourself, but allow yourself to rest for a few days to rebalance your health and plan your future workouts.

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Reference source: verywellfit.com