Is that a week away from resistance training shouldn't hinder strength or muscle size according to the research we currently have. A week off results in a boost in muscle-building hormones, which won't mean more muscle growth, but perhaps a better mood for when we return to training.
It is totally fine, and actually beneficial, to take a week off from the gym. Most of your progress is made outside the gym in the form of recovery. When you lift heavy weights, your muscle fibers break down, and then when you aren't working out, they repair with stronger fibers.
Taking one week off from the gym is unlikely to result in significant muscle loss. While there may be some temporary changes, such as a decrease in strength and power, actual muscle mass loss is not expected to occur within such a short period of time (1)(2).
No. Studies have shown that it takes at least four to six weeks to start seeing any noticeable loss of strength. In fact taking a week off may actually improve your performance as it gives the body a chance to rest.
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.
You'll Lose Muscle Mass
And while your body will hang onto strength gains longer than aerobic gains, throwing in the proverbial exercise towel will gradually lead to a loss of lean muscle mass, muscular strength, endurance, and neuromuscular training adaptations, explains Holland.
Studies show that those who weight train regularly are less susceptible to muscle loss when training breaks take place. In these studies, there was actually NO significant drop off in muscle mass after two weeks of detraining.
There isn't a single answer that we can give to you how long muscle memory lasts for. However, according to this study by Gundersen (2016), it is strongly believed that muscle memory can last for a very long time in humans, up to 15 years and possibly even permanently. Others estimate a more modest 3-6 months.
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!
Even if we're super-fit to begin with, stopping training altogether will result in a pretty rapid degradation in fitness. Admittedly, the losses in the first week of total inactivity are small and in the first 2-4 days there may even be fitness gains as you recover fully from prior training.
One week off will not negatively affect your gains. In fact, it will most likely do the opposite.
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.
Scientists have good news for you. Evidence is piling up that condensing your exercise into just one or two days a week — being a “weekend warrior” — is enough to reap the many benefits of physical activity.
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.
The extra muscle nuclei obtained by a strength training episode seems to be very long lasting, perhaps permanent, even in muscles that are inactive for a long time. The ability to recruit new nuclei is impaired in the elderly, so it might be beneficial to strength train before senescence.
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.
According to Jesse Shaw, D.O., associate professor of sports medicine at the University of Western States, this is typical for the general population, too: It usually takes between three and four weeks to start noticing a decrease in strength performance with a complete cessation of activity.
If you're new to exercise it's a good idea to spend the first 10-12 weeks committed to regular exercise in order to develop a routine. Once you have a sound routine under your belt, and you exercise between 4-6 times a week, taking a week off could be good for your mind – and it shouldn't affect your fitness either.
The amount of time it takes to develop muscle memory depends on various factors, such as the complexity of the movement, the frequency of practice, and the individual's level of experience. In general, it may take several weeks or months of consistent practice for muscle memory to develop.
Numerous studies link lifting weights to everything from reducing your risk of disease and illness to literally helping you live longer. Yes, you can build significant strength by training just once per week. And this isn't just motivation – it's backed by solid science.
"Muscle is developed in its 'repair phase', when you're resting and refuelling," says Jordane. Every time you work out you create microscopic tears in your muscle tissues. When you rest, your muscles start to heal and grow back stronger, meaning you'll be able to do the same workout with less effort in the future.
Downtime between workouts (whether you're lifting, doing cardio or training for a sport) is when our bodies have a chance to actually build muscle. Strenuous workouts cause muscle breakdown, while rest allows our bodies to build it back up.
The researchers concluded that training once every 7 days can significantly preserve muscle gains and aerobic fitness, while training every 14 days can still retain a significant portion, though with larger declines.