Generally, it takes anywhere from two to 12 weeks to regain cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength and feel like you're back at your previous level of fitness.
A two-week break, especially due to illness, won't derail your progress. Think of it as a recovery period that could even prevent overtraining or burnout. Your body is designed to adapt, and with consistent effort, you'll return to your normal strength and performance in no time.
However, in general, it's estimated that it can take between 4 to 12 weeks to regain lost muscle mass. When you start working out again after a period of inactivity, it's important to ease back into your routine gradually to avoid injury.
Early Changes: Research suggests that within the first two weeks of complete inactivity or immobilization, noticeable changes in muscle size and strength can occur. Some studies have shown that muscle protein synthesis starts to decline after a few days of disuse.
Aerobic Capacity
Research shows significant reductions in VO2 max within two to four weeks of detraining, which is attributed to decreased blood volume and cardiac output. Another study found that most of the aerobic capacity gained through exercise over two to three months is lost within two to four weeks.
If your testosterone is low, there are natural ways to increase it, such as: Allowing ample time for sleep and recovery: The length of your recovery period is linked to the intensity and length of your workouts.
In the first ten days to two weeks of inactivity/de-training, there is a measurable loss in cardiovascular fitness, but even this level of decrease is only about 2-3% drop in values such as VO2 Max, MAP (maximum aerobic power), or FTP (functional threshold power).
For the majority of people, it takes roughly 130 quality hours to get fit. A lot of people ask me where I got that number. It's equivalent of training hard, an hour a day, 5 days a week, for 6 months. Your hours can't be half-ass hours, either.
Between two and four weeks of regular exercise you will start to see measurable improvements in your strength and fitness. If weight loss is a goal and your exercise program is being complemented by healthy eating then you may start to see desirable changes in your weight.
So if you lose 1lb (0.45kg) a week you could hope to reduce your waistline by an inch after four weeks. Dieticians advise that if you eat 500 calories less than your daily requirement you will lose about 1lb every seven days (expect some variation from person to person).
For those wanting to get back into shape after a week off, on average it typically takes about two to four weeks according to Live Strong. “A motor unit is like a spark plug in a muscle,” Pete McCall, American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer, said.
A lot of people fear de-load weeks as they believe they will make them weaker, when in reality, the opposite is true. On average, you won't begin seeing reductions in strength and power until around 3 weeks away from the gym, so don't worry about that.
Testosterone levels are at their highest after a night of rest, between 7 and 10 a.m., says Yafi, noting that they “follow the circadian — basically the sleep — rhythm.” For men with low testosterone, he suggests that morning workouts may help further boost those levels for some men. But all exercise is beneficial.
To get more testosterone, focus on weight and resistance training. Cardio is still important for weight management and heart health, but exercises like bench presses, deadlifts and squats will have a bigger impact on your testosterone levels. Besides exercise, there may be other factors affecting your testosterone.
The key is to start at a pace that is comfortable for you. You'll want to gradually up the intensity as your fitness improves. You may want to start with a 15- to 20-minute session, two or three times a week. You can gradually increase both the duration and frequency as your body adapts.
The frequency of deloading depends on the individual's training history, goals, and the intensity of their training program. Most athletes benefit from deloading every 4-12 weeks. However, if an athlete experiences symptoms of overtraining or fatigue, they may need to deload more frequently.
Short term “breaks” from the gym (1-2 weeks) are not the end all be all of your hard-earned progress. But, be sure to keep your diet high in protein and feed your body what it needs to help you hold onto that muscle!
When it comes to regaining muscle mass, it can take longer than the study results suggest, Beyer said. The general guideline is that every week you're not working out or immobilized, it takes about three weeks to recover and return to your previous level, he explained.
After 16 hours, the study found amino acids from muscle contributed to 50% of the glucose maintenance, but then almost 100% after 28 hours. So, muscle loss occurs after around 24 hours, but that's if you've eaten NO protein!