How fast do you de-condition and to what degree?

[bullandbear]

I notice that if I stop training for more than 5 days, I somehow cannot keep up with the same rest period and rep scheme when I restart my training. I find myself needing as much as double the amount of rest time needed in order to start the second set and finish the desired reps. This is discouraging because I somehow feel that I have the "local muscular strength" to keep going but at the same I'm panting heavily and my heartbeat is racing. It's a little contrary and I am at a loss of what to make of it. I tested my 1RM before my hiatus and again after resumption of training on the 6th day, I was able to maintain my max strength.

Is that an indication perhaps I need more strength endurance work or just simply that I've lost strength? Could it be that my base level of strength has been maintained or even increased with 5 days of rest and recovery but simultaneously, my cardiovascular fitness has deteriorated at a much faster rate. Could you guys share your thoughts or experiences?

[gobbla]

Do you get it back the following session?

[bullandbear]

I get it back after the third or fourth workout. The first 2 sessions after the breaks are hell for me.

[JimmyC]

maybe youre not eating enough during the off days?
maybe you could do some cardio on the off week to keep your aerobic capacity up?

[Lisa~]

Originally Posted by bullandbear

Could it be that my base level of strength has been maintained or even increased with 5 days of rest and recovery but simultaneously, my cardiovascular fitness has deteriorated at a much faster rate.

I think this is what is happening and I think Jimmy's ideas are good. Keep your conditioning up during the off week and see if you still experience the same phenomena.

[gobbla]

Dunno man, that's pretty weird. You're broken I normally need a few sessions to get my strength rolling, but the conditioning portion never really was a big thing. That said, historically I've done a lot more conditioning than I have heavy lifting so that may come into play somewhere.

Have you tried de-load weeks in stead of a full week off? 1-2 heavy sets and maybe some calisthenics or light high rep work?

[bullandbear]

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts. My focus has always been on strength and my logbook has never recorded any sets of more than 15 reps on any exercise.

Thinking about it, on the occasions where I take long breaks, I've also not been doing any form of conditioning plus my diet becomes plain bad, lots of processed carbs and meat but very little in the way of fiber and veggies on certain days or less than 2 meals a day for some other days. When I resume training, somehow, the discipline to eat nutritiously comes back.

Thanks to the replies, I think I may have found the solution.

[Mahler]

Originally Posted by Lisa~

I think this is what is happening and I think Jimmy's ideas are good. Keep your conditioning up during the off week and see if you still experience the same phenomena.

Lisa,
This has always been my philosophy. I never actually rest in the sense of doing nothing fitness-wise. Even when on vacations, I do a morning run or some heart pumping calisthenics just to let my body know that it's not time to go into couch potato mode.

[Bill Hartman]

Blood volume will decrease with a reduction in training in just a few days. This reduces endurance and stroke volume. To maintain cardiac output, the heart has to beat faster.

Such a short period rarely affects strength levels if it doesn't actually make them better.

Since you recover to previous levels in a very short time, it's a non-issue. Don't sweat it.

Bill

[Jason B]

Like Bill said, conditioning (cardiovascular endurance) is the first fitness quality to be lost in the absence of training. Strength begins to deteriorate next, and muscle mass hangs around the longest.

[bullandbear]

Originally Posted by Bill Hartman

Blood volume will decrease with a reduction in training in just a few days. This reduces endurance and stroke volume. To maintain cardiac output, the heart has to beat faster.

Such a short period rarely affects strength levels if it doesn't actually make them better.

Since you recover to previous levels in a very short time, it's a non-issue. Don't sweat it.

Bill

Bill, I appreciate you taking the time to explain. I am truly relieved to hear this. Until this thread, I was always of the impression that something was really wrong with me.