“I took a break from working out for a few months”… Should I start building muscle again from scratch?

During the holiday season, when commitments pile up, it can be difficult to stick to your regular exercise routine.

 

But you don't have to worry about your hard-earned tower collapsing during a break. Research has shown that taking a break after months of strength training doesn't significantly impact maximal strength or muscle size.

A research team from Jyväskylä University in Finland analyzed 55 healthy men and women aged 18 to 40. Participants were divided into two groups: 1) continuous strength training twice a week for five months; 2) strength training twice a week, with a 10-week rest period in between. The research team measured the participants' muscle strength and size before the study and every five weeks thereafter.

Analysis results showed that those who rested for 10 weeks experienced similar gains in strength and muscle size as those who exercised consistently. When the rest group resumed exercise after a 10-week break, they regained the same strength and muscle size as before the break within 5 weeks.

Previous research results from a research team at the German National Sport University also showed that there were no significant changes in ▲muscle mass ▲muscle thickness ▲exercise performance ability when adolescent athletes who had been doing strength training for three months stopped exercising for three weeks.

 

The research team analyzed that while results may vary slightly depending on individual body type and exercise type, those who consistently exercise tend to recover more quickly from exercise breaks. Regular strength training increases blood supply to muscles and improves blood flow, preventing muscle fibers from becoming depleted easily even when muscles are not being used, and taking longer for blood vessels to constrict. It also improves the neural pathways in muscle cells, allowing for faster muscle recovery after rest.

The research team defined this as "muscle memory," the ability of muscles to remember movements and actions they've performed repeatedly in the past. For example, when you repeatedly practice lifting weights or hitting a baseball, your brain and muscles work together to make the movement easier over time. Therefore, even if you stop the activity for a while, your muscles remember how to perform the movement, so even after resting, they remain in a more advanced state than when you first started.

 

step The effects of rest vary depending on the duration of the rest period and the duration of the exercise. For those who have exercised consistently, a one- to two-week break has little effect on exercise performance, but for beginners, it can cause muscle loss. Regular exercisers typically need about half the rest period to regain their previous strength.

 

The research team recommended taking a few weeks of planned rest every few months. This reduces excessive muscle strain and the risk of injury, aids physical recovery, and optimizes exercise performance. "The exact length and frequency of rest periods will vary depending on individual needs and training intensity," said lead researcher Dr. Ryan Glatt. "Listen to your body. If you feel pain or an injury, take a few days off to allow yourself time to recover."

Meanwhile, the results of this study were recently published in the 'Scandinavian Journal of Sports Medicine and Science'.

 

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People who exercise regularly

No matter how much rest you take

Looks like the muscles are coming back right away.

 

Beginner exercise

Muscle loss...

I don't even want to exercise

 

It's minus 11 degrees today.

It's so cold