- Detraining is a useful break for the body, aiding recovery and preventing overtraining.
- Progress doesn’t disappear immediately, but gradually decreases with the interruption of training.
- A strategic break can get you past the plateau phase and improve performance without compromising long-term results.
When you are forced to take a break from workouts or decide to decrease your workload, it is normal to feel a little lost and sometimes even a little frustrated. But in reality, detraining, that is, the period when you reduce the intensity of your training, is something completely natural and even helpful in the long run. In short, there is nothing to be afraid of!
What is detraining?
Detraining is the partial loss of the progress you have made with hard work, sweat and effort. It does not happen suddenly: the body needs time to adapt, and the more trained you are, the slower this decline will be. The longer the period without exercise, the greater the loss of progress in strength, endurance, and muscle mass.
How long does it take to lose progress?
It is not something that happens overnight, but it is a gradual process. The speed at which this happens depends on the kind of training you have done and how well you are trained. Generally what happens is:
- there is a slight loss of speed in the first few days, but nothing serious;
- within three weeks, energy levels begin to decrease, with increased feelings of fatigue;
- after about 12 weeks you may notice more noticeable and significant drops in your performance, such as a reduction in aerobic capacity and therefore endurance.
Detraining is not synonymous with inactivity
Be careful: detraining doesn’t mean completely stopping, but simply reducing the intensity of your training. For example, you can lower the intensity or change your routine: try different activities like swimming, yoga, or just take a walk in the park. This way, you’re not stopping movement, but giving your body time to recover without slowing down too much.
An idea could be to schedule a week of detraining each month. Take a break from intense training to allow your body to recover without compromising the progress you’ve made so far.
A way to avoid overtraining and plateau
Detraining and overtraining are closely related: you find yourself in a state of overtraining when you don’t give your body proper recovery time. This can lead to chronic fatigue and, over time, a decline in performance. Detraining, on the other hand, is precisely to prevent this by allowing the body to recover without stopping completely.
On the other hand, when the body gets too used to the workouts, progress stops. This is the plateau, the phase when you no longer see improvement. In these cases, a short targeted break or period of detraining can help you overcome this phase and resume progress.
Rest is part of the process
There is no reason to fear detraining: it is a fundamental part of the training process. It is not about stopping training, but about reducing the intensity and taking a strategic break. When you resume training, you will be ready to perform at your best. So the next time you feel the need for a break, remember: it’s all part of the process. Your body will thank you!