Sometimes for one reason or another, you have to take time out in training. Various diseases, injuries, vacation – all these circumstances, one way or another, can significantly affect the course of training. And there are generally training plans, providing for rest during the week. Naturally, a week break in classes will not affect your muscle mass and physical qualities. Nevertheless, many are wondering: what will happen if you stop training?
First, you need to figure out what changes in the body lead to systematic training.
1. The effect of physical exertion on the human body
Any muscular load is stress for the body. To reduce its effects, the brain gives the command to adapt, or rather, the need to increase calorie intake increases, because the body sends them to a much greater extent during exercise. Calories are necessary not only as a source of energy during sports but also to maintain muscle mass.
Exercise promotes the growth of muscle mass. Since the body is at rest when it receives an excess of nutrients it is more willing to store reserves in the form of adipose tissue.
With a long break in training, the body gets rid of muscle tissue, as it does not need it during your daily routine work. The size and strength of the muscles begin to decrease gradually, depending on the length of the workout – you lose shape. The body’s metabolism slows down; the need for additional energy is significantly reduced.
During the training process for the growth of muscles, the body has to use additional mechanisms to stimulate it. First of all, muscle-forming hormones are produced, such as testosterone – one of the main ones in the development of muscle tissue. Consequently, during a break in training, the testosterone level decreases.
It is necessary to remember the main principle: the more you have trained, the longer the muscles will remain during the sports pause, and the faster the recovery will be when you resume physical exertion.
In other words, the speed of adaptation processes is directly dependent on the experience and skills of physical training, as well as the duration of the break.
2. The consequences of a stop training
During stop training, the following changes begin to occur in the body:
- The neuromuscular connection between the brain and muscles weakens. The brain during a workout gives a command that encourages the muscles to act. In other words, the implementation of any physical exercise occurs with the participation of not only the muscles but also the nervous system. Due to a long pause in training, the technique of exercise is significantly deteriorated. Therefore, a return to training should begin with less complex exercises;
- Size and strength of muscles gradually decrease. If you have not trained at all, then within two weeks you lose your power abilities. If you occasionally had low-intensity training – in a month. But there is also quite good news – there is a muscular memory that helps in a short period to return lost skills;
- Deteriorating state of the cardiovascular system decreases stamina. The first “bells” will appear in two weeks of a break in cardio. Therefore, you should not hope that you can easily perform the same amount of aerobic exercise in the event of a return to training. The process of restoring the level of cardiac endurance should be gradual;
- Metabolism slows down in the body. The decrease in physical activity provokes disruption of the metabolic process. Thus, systematic cardiac loads contribute to improved blood circulation and fat burning. And anaerobic training force the body to get rid of calories in a calm state;
- Insulin susceptibility decreases. Any load increases insulin susceptibility, and if there is no physical activity, it decreases. Consequently, when you stop training, but at the same time your menu remains as a bodybuilder – the extra weight is provided to you. Diet should match the level of activity;
- Appearance changes. Having the most pronounced changes in appearance, bodybuilders are strongly distinguished from other athletes. Naturally, if you give up sports, then the body already without the need for such large muscles and it starts to get rid of them, gradually reducing their volume by about seventy percent.
3. Dispel the myths
Many people think that if they stop training, their muscles transform into fat. This is absolutely not true. In fact, muscles cannot turn into fat for the reason that muscle and fatty tissues are completely different substances and cannot turn into one another, even from training.
Muscles can simply become smaller since the body no longer needs them. But the fatty layer is formed as a result of the fact that, despite the decrease in the body’s need for calories during a break in training, a person continues to consume a large number of calories, as during physical activities.
As a result, muscle mass becomes less, and subcutaneous fat more. Therefore, it seems that when a person throws a workout, his muscles turn into fat.
In general, if you are forced to take a break in training, you need to revise your menu and make it less calorie. And do not delay for a long time with a pause – resume training as soon as possible.
One way or another, there are no former athletes. In addition to experience, there is also a muscular memory that will help you quickly regain your previous skills. But remember: the longer the pause, the more difficult it will be for the body to “remember”.
