The advice on this is varied, and there isn't one right answer. Most experts agree that it all depends upon your goals and your current level of fitness. If your main goal is to maintain your fitness level during a few weeks of reduced training then moderate exercise for 30 minutes every other day is all you need. If your current level of fitness is high and you want to keep it that way, you will need to adjust your exercise time, type and intensity accordingly.
You start losing fitness (or deconditioning) in about two weeks if you stop exercise altogether. Once lost, it takes nearly three times as long to recondition as it took to decondition.
The Bottom Line
Exercisers who need to cut back their training time for a couple of weeks can do so without worry. Just don't stop exercising altogether.
Studies have shown that you can prevent declines in cardiovascular fitness for up to three weeks simply by doing higher intensity exercise (70-75 percent of maximum heart rate) for as little as two days per week.
Tops Ways to Maintain Fitness During Breaks
- At a minimum, perform two high-quality, high-intensity, 30-minute training sessions each week for up to three weeks and you should be able to maintain your fitness level until you can resume your usual program.
- Consider Interval Training Routines. These are perfect for fast, efficient workouts.
- Short, intense workouts also burn more calories in less time.
- Plan the two sessions 2 to 4 days apart for maximum benefit. This allows time for Rest and Recover, which is essential if you are doing high-intensity workouts.
- Don't go longer than about three weeks, though, or you will start to see an overall decline in fitness that will take some effort to overcome.
More Ways to Maintaining Fitness During a Break
- Use the S.M.A.R.T. principle for increasing your motivation and goal-setting for exercise.
- Schedule exercise ahead.
- Ask your family or friends for support.
- Make exercise a family activity.
- Exercise first thing in the day so it doesn't get skipped.
- Use the same tips that beginners use for Getting Started and Sticking with Exercise.
- Exercise at home or in the hotel with the "No Equipment, Body Weight Workout" to save travel time.
- Review the Top 10 Fitness Equipment Ideas for Travelers
- Maintain a balanced attitude and enjoy the variety of shorter workouts.
- Use the time off to rest, cross train or as a way to combat overtraining.
Source:
Mujika I, Padilla S. Cardiorespiratory and metabolic characteristics of detraining in humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001 Mar;33(3):413-21. Review.
Lemmer, J. T., et al. Age and gender responses to strength training and detraining, Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, 32(8):1505-1512, August 2000.
Burgomaster KA, Cermak NM, Phillips SM, Benton CR, Bonen A, Gibala MJ.
Divergent response of metabolite transport proteins in human skeletal muscle after sprint interval training and detraining.
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Feb 15;
Toraman NF., Short term and long term detraining: is there any difference between young-old and old people? Br J Sports Med. 2005 Aug;39(8):561-4.
