Out of Shape

We are all busy people. At times because of work or personal events (wedding, new child, etc.), our lives get even more hectic. One of the first things that we tend to do away with is our workouts during this time. So how long of an absence of exercise does it take before you are out of shape?

Well that matter depends on many factors including your general level of fitness, age, and genetics. Also, your cardio level drops much more significantly than your strength during times of inactivity. An interesting note, because of muscle memory, you can generally get back up to 50-90% of your strength levels after one set of workout. So if you are unable to spend much time during a hellish week getting your workout in, if you can at least get one set of five exercises in, you will at least be maintaining your fitness level.

So breaking it down:

After two weeks - You will probably see a general decline in your fitness level at this point. However, its probably safe to jump back in at the same intensity as where you left off.

More than two weeks - The longer you have taken a break, the more you will have to scale back. If you had a good level of fitness before your break, you will regain your levels much faster than someone who is not.

A break can be a good thing for you as well. If you have been going all out on your workouts, getting some time off may be just what your muscles need to fully recover.