You likely didn't lose much muscle and will be back to where you were in less time than you took off. 2 months is nothing in the grand scheme of a lifetime pursuit.
On average, studies indicate that individuals may lose about 1-2% of muscle mass per week during a period of inactivity. Therefore, within a month, you might expect to lose approximately 4-8% of muscle mass.
Yes, if you stop going to the gym for two months, you will likely experience some loss of muscle mass. Muscle atrophy, or the decrease in muscle size, can begin within a few weeks of inactivity. Here are some key points to consider: Time Frame: Initial muscle loss can start after about 2-3 weeks of inactivity.
A study from researchers in Finland shows that people can take more than two months off from the gym and quickly regain their strength when they get back to it.
While the number will be unique for you, most people can expect to gain between a half-pound to two pounds of muscle in a month with a targeted resistance training program and correct nutrition, usually including a surplus of calories. Gaining weight involves more than just adding muscle mass.
Thanks to muscle memory, muscles quickly recover their size and strength once you return to your routine. For regular exercisers, experts say it usually takes about half the length of the break to get back to your previous fitness level.
That's because your ability to put on muscle is individual—and can vary greatly based on genetics, age, gender, and the specifics of your workout program. Still, one study suggests that beginners can gain around four to seven pounds of muscle in their first three months of lifting (5).
You might have found that despite the time off, it was quite easy to return to the weights you were lifting before. This is because of muscle memory. It applies to any exercise you perform, and can make it easier to regain lost muscle mass compared to when building muscle the first time.
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.
You may notice that you have improved energy, mood, and sleep. Noticeable changes (2-4 months): More noticeable changes typically occur within several months, including weight loss and muscle tone. Your genetics, muscle fiber makeup, and the quality of your workouts affect your strength if you are well-conditioned.
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.
Muscle atrophy is the loss or thinning of your muscle tissue. If you have atrophied muscles, you'll see a decrease in your muscle mass and strength. With muscle atrophy, your muscles look smaller than normal.
One of the first studies to see more rapid re-growth in resistance training was performed by Staron et al. in 1991. In this study, the female participants regained their muscle strength and fiber size during 6 weeks of retraining compared to the initial 20 weeks of strength training.
How much weight can you lose in 2 months? After 2 months of consistent effort, you could lose between 8-16 pounds (3.6 to 7.3kg). This is a great milestone to reach, and you should start noticing significant changes in your body, energy levels, and overall fitness.
While these are rough estimates, our experts agree you're likely to notice muscle atrophy anywhere in those first three months when you take a break from working out. That's when “you can actually see physically that the muscles aren't quite as strong as they used to look,” Dr. Hankenson says.
Noticeable Changes (Months 2-3): After two to three months of consistent training, you'll likely start seeing more significant muscle size and strength changes. At this time, many people notice that their muscles appear fuller and more defined.
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.
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.
Although a small amount of natural muscle loss will inevitably occur with age, it can be slowed and sometimes even reversed.
You'd expect to regain all your strength and muscle after 2-4 months back at it.
If you're trying to build size, up it to 8-12 repetitions per set at a moderate intensity (around 65-85 per cent of one-rep max). To stimulate those slow-twitch fibres and build resistance, aim for 13-20 repetitions per set at a lower intensity (around 50-65 per cent of one-rep max).
Physiological muscle memory
This form of muscle memory occurs because when you first build muscle, your body adds new cells to those muscles. But when you lose muscle, those new cells don't disappear, as previously thought. Instead, they stick around and are easily reactivated when you return to your typical routine.
It turns out that beginner lifters build way more muscle mass than experienced lifters, and they build it quickly. This phenomenon is known as newbie gains and is commonly seen in the first 6 months to a year of a lifter's time training. Unfortunately, after this the rate of muscle growth declines pretty quickly.