Is it okay to take 2 weeks off from lifting weights?

Author: Larue Rogahn PhD  |  Last update: Tuesday, September 2, 2025

It may be as short as a few days, but it's important to realize as well that it can also be up to 1-2 weeks without any significant detriment or loss in previous fitness gains. In determining how long of a break you might need or take, it's important to listen to your body and to be aware of signs of overtraining.

Is it good to take 2 weeks off from lifting?

Key Takeaways
  • If you take a week or two away from the gym, you probably won't lose strength or muscle mass.
  • If you take more than three weeks off, you'll lose at least a little bit of strength and muscle, but you'll regain it quickly when you start lifting again.

Is it okay to skip the gym for 2 weeks?

People are actually advised by trainers to take a break of 1-2 weeks. But it is only if a person has been doing intense workouts for over 8-12 weeks. A week off the gym will help the body recover and replenish. However, during the rest period the body will undergo some changes.

What happens if you stop training for 2 weeks?

While you may experience a temporary decrease in muscle size and strength after two weeks of inactivity, it's not a significant loss. Muscle memory helps regain lost gains when you resume your workouts. Consistency is key for long-term progress, but a short break usually won't erase all your gains.

Is missing 2 weeks of gym bad?

TL;DR: Missed Workouts are OK. Consistent Exercise = Good For You AND Your Genes. Don't worry too much about missing one, two, or even a week of workouts. As long as you pick up where you left off (yes, it will be hard after a long break), your rest won't siphon off all the physical progress you've made.

How Fast Do You Lose Muscle When You Stop Working Out? (& Ways To Avoid It)

Will I lose my gains if I take 2 weeks off?

In these studies, there was actually NO significant drop off in muscle mass after two weeks of detraining. Even if you are not training at all, you most likely will be doing some sort of normal everyday activity.

How do I get back to the gym after 2 weeks off?

Here are six tips to get you back into working out again:
  1. Take it Slow. You won't do yourself any favors by overexerting yourself early on, and burning out in a week with 90-minute gym sessions. ...
  2. Watch For Ego. ...
  3. Stretch. ...
  4. Mix it Up. ...
  5. Be Kind. ...
  6. Schedule Rest Days.

How long does it take to regain fitness after 2 weeks off?

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.

Do muscles shrink if you stop working out?

Disuse (physiologic) atrophy is caused by not using your muscles enough. If you stop using your muscles, your body won't waste the energy it needs to take care of them. Instead, your body will start to break your muscles down, which causes them to decrease in size and strength.

Will working out for 2 weeks make a difference?

As a rough guide, you'll probably notice some initial changes in the first four to six weeks, but longer-term changes (what you're working toward) will often take around eight to 12 weeks. The good news is that you're likely to start feeling better quickly.

How much fitness is lost in 2 weeks?

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).

How often should you take a break from lifting weights?

Taking some downtime between exercise sessions is essential for building strength and preventing injury. Experts recommend taking at least one day off from your daily workout routine each week. Taking a rest day after a particularly long or intense workout can be especially helpful.

Do you regain muscle faster after losing it?

Physiological muscle memory

While they may lose muscle mass due to their inactivity, it will typically return more quickly than when they first put it on. This form of muscle memory occurs because when you first build muscle, your body adds new cells to those muscles.

How long does it take to regain muscle after 2 weeks off?

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.

How do you know if you're overtraining?

When you're trying to tell if you're dealing with overtraining, consider these common symptoms:
  • Your Performance Declines. The hallmark sign of overtraining, Dr. ...
  • Fatigue and Soreness Ramp Up. ...
  • You Get Sick or Injured More Easily. ...
  • Sleeping Gets Harder. ...
  • Your Mood Changes. ...
  • Other Physical Symptoms Pop Up.

What happens to your body after 2 weeks of working out?

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.

Do you lose strength after 2 weeks off?

Remember, if you're not injured or bedridden, try to get back to resistance training when you can. You've got about 2-3 weeks before you lose a significant amount of muscle mass and strength. If you are injured, incorporating light resistance exercises can help to maintain muscle function and metabolic health.

Does protein turn into fat if you don't workout?

Although adequate protein throughout the day is necessary, extra strength training is what leads to muscle growth — not extra protein intake. You can't build muscle without the exercise to go with it. The body can't store protein, so once its needs are met, any extra protein is used for energy or stored as fat.

Why do I look skinnier when I stop working out?

"A lot of people feel and look less tight and toned when they stop working out," he explains. "It's more of a cosmetic thing." When you don't work out regularly, your body composition starts to change. With little physical activity, muscle cells shrink.

Is 2 weeks off gym too long?

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.

What is the 130 hour rule?

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.

How long does it take to lose belly fat?

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).

Can I take 2 weeks off from working out?

In the last decade, most researchers agreed if you took two weeks off from the gym, you were not only bound to lose all your gains, but you'd suffer some pretty serious psychological issues in the process.

How good are mad muscles?

Mad Muscles is one of the newer workout apps yet has a relatively large following. Users rate it 4.7 on the App Store, 3 on Google Play, and 1.3 on Trustpilot. Unfortunately, the app has a list of issues which makes it hard to recommend. Overall, I simply cannot recommend it.

What happens if I miss the gym for 2 weeks?

Whatever the reason, before you know it, you're out of shape. Neglecting the gym every once in a while is nothing to worry about — after all, sometimes your body needs to rest and recover. But, when you hit pause on your workouts for more than a week, you might actually be throwing your fitness level into rewind.

Previous article
Is it better to take collagen or collagen peptides?
Next article
How long to leave coffee on hair?