Use It Or Lose It
Nicole Chatten • March 6, 2021
The Effects of Detraining and Inactivity
Use it or lose it. A saying that gets thrown around often, but what does it really mean? Throughout the past year Coronavirus has made it extremely difficult to workout, stay motivated and keep training. If you have taken a short or a long break from training, do you really know what this is doing to your body and fitness gains you have previously made?
The principle of detraining explains the partial or complete loss of training induced anatomical, physiological and performance adaptations. This detraining happens at different speeds and intensities for cardiovascular systems vs. strength adaptations.
STRENGTH LOSSES
Strength can be maintained for 3-4 weeks but is gradually lost with longer periods without exercise (Ochi, et al., 2018). When we return to the gym, it has been shown that it is easier to regain our strength and muscle mass due to quicker neural adaptation; what everyone calls ‘muscle memory’. In order to maintain strength, an individual must train once per week to maintain strength over 8-12 weeks (Ronnestad, Nymark, & Raastad, 2011; Travares, et al., 2017).
CARDIOVASCULAR LOSSES
Endurance and cardiovascular detraining occur at faster speeds compared to strength loss. Endurance athletes can see decreases of 4-25% within 3-4 weeks, while beginners can see decreases in as little as 2 weeks (Bosquet, Mujika, 2012). It will take longer to regain these losses for the cardiovascular system, with timelines around 4 weeks. To maintain endurance, lower training volume by 60-90% and frequency by 50-70% with the same intensity (Mujika, & Padilla, 2000).
Detraining affects both males and females equally (Lemmer, et al., 2000). However, age has been shown to influence detraining outcomes. After 12 weeks of inactivity and no training, older individuals have shown greater rates of detraining compared to younger individuals (Lemmer, et al., 2000).
TAKE ACTION
To curve the effects of detraining during injury, remember that there are many alternatives to your usual training routine. For example, if you have an injury, you can still train the upper or lower body depending on the type of injury. In consideration of lockdowns and gym closures during Covid, you can always use your body weight to train strength rather than dumbbells and getting outside for cardio instead machines is another option.
When it comes to ensuring maintenance of your fitness progress, be flexible and open to trying new things. That way you will not be susceptible to detraining and who knows, you may end up finding something new that you really enjoy. A break can be a good thing, but don’t stop training for long periods of time. Decreasing intensity, time, frequency and loads in our workouts are ultimately better alternatives to complete cessation of training. Remember, training should be fun and provide physiological and psychological benefits, so don’t stress yourself out over having to take a week off here and there.
“In lockdown 1 I tried to maintain fitness by lots of walking through the neighborhood. With dark Winter evenings that wasn’t an attractive option in lockdown 2, so I decided to try online training. With no home gym I was a little skeptical on what the sessions could achieve. However I’ve been pleasantly surprised and pleased with the results to date. With just a yoga mat, some resistance bands, an exercise ball (all courtesy of Amazon) and some space in the downstairs den, the Nova team has designed training sessions that help me keep progressing towards my objectives. I can now be confident that when I get back to the gym in person, there will have been no backsliding in fitness levels”.
-Rosalind Messer
If you have been off training for some time and need help getting started
contact us
for some direction and motivation.
References:
Bosquet, L., Mujika, I. (2012). Detraining. Research Gate.
Lemmer, J.T., Hurlbut, D.E., Martel, G. F., Tracy, B L., Ivey, F. M., Metter, E. J., … & Hurley B. F., (2000). Age and gender responses to strength training and detraining. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 32(8), 1505-1512.
Mujika, I., & Padilla, S. (2000). Detraining: Loss of training induced physiological and performance adaptations. Part II. Sports Medicine, 30(3), 145-154.
Ochi, E., Maruno, M., Tsuchiya, Y., Ishii, N., Miura, K., & Sasaki, K. (2018). Higher training frequency is important for gaining muscular strength under volume-matched training. Frontiers in physiology, 9, 744
Ronnestad, B. R., Nymark, B. S., & Raastad, T. (2011). Effects of in-season strength maintenance training frequency in professional soccer players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(10), 2653-2660.
Travares, L. D., de Souza, E, O., Ugrinowitsch, C., Laurentino G. C., Roschel, H., Aihara, A. Y., … & Tricoli, V. (2017). Effects of different strength training frequencies during reduced training period on strength and muscle cross-sectional area. European Journal of sports science, 17(6), 665-672.
Andrew has been a Nova member for 9 years. One of his long standing goals was to do his first triathlon. He has been working towards this for years and just at the end of August he did it!
If you're doing all the “right things” — working out, eating clean, trying to stay consistent — but still struggling with stubborn belly fat, low energy and slow results, you’re not alone.
Tanya’s dedication to rebuilding her health after surgery offers valuable lessons and perspective for anyone facing setbacks.
Do Hard Things Now, So Life Becomes Easier Later Modern humans default to the easy way but it's not our fault... Throughout human history, we were wired to survive constant hardship - scarcity of food, threats from predators, harsh environments and manual labor for everything. Our DNA evolved for survival in these conditions, not for modern living. Imagine an early human stumbling across a fruit tree. It made sense to gorge - there was no telling when the next meal would come. The human who gorged had a higher chance of survival than the human who only ate a few pieces of fruit. Practicing self-control in an environment of scarcity would have been a death sentence. Likewise, if given a chance to rest instead of walking miles or hunting, rest was the obvious choice. The problem? Our genes haven’t caught up with modern life. Today, food is everywhere. We don’t have to fight to meet our basic needs. Technology does the heavy lifting, cars replace walking, entertainment is on-demand and calorie-dense foods are always within reach. Left unchecked, our instincts will always lean toward easy options like overeating unhealthy foods (that are so easily accessible) or driving to the store instead of walking. In other words, we’re still hardwired to take the path of least resistance. But here’s the catch: Choosing easy now often means a harder life later and choosing hard now often means an easier life later. Most modern humans are overweight, stressed, tired and dealing with chronic health problems because we’re following outdated survival programming that no longer serves us. It’s time to become aware of these defaults. To override them. To consciously choose the hard thing - because doing hard things is what actually makes life easier in the long run. Hard things like: Going to bed on time instead of watching another episode Preparing a healthy meal instead of grabbing fast food Moving your body instead of sitting all day Walking or biking to the store instead of driving Managing stress with deep breaths and fresh air instead of pouring a drink Looking at your habits instead of masking symptoms with medication It might feel uncomfortable because it goes against everything your biological programming is urging you to do. But that’s exactly why it matters. Don’t think of it as punishment or sacrifice. Think of it as an investment. Every time you take the stairs instead of the elevator, cook instead of order out, or put your phone down to truly rest, you’re building a life that’s easier, richer, and more fulfilling down the road. And remember: Do easy things, and you’ll have a hard life. Do hard things, and you’ll have an easy life. Most of the above information is probably not new to you. That’s because we live in the information age with the internet and now AI - we already know what it is we need to do. The problem however is implementation. This is where having a customized plan and accountability comes in. If you know the hard things you need to do more of but struggle with breaking past your ‘default mode’ then contact us for a complimentary consultation HERE .
Congratulations to Sonya Jeyaseelan, Our July 2025 SuperNova!
Congratulations to Liz Belford, Our June SuperNova!
We are back with our second series of 'Pod Calls' available exclusively to our Nova Health Club members. Don't miss these unique sessions to help you level up your health and wellness game! What is a Pod Call? A Pod Call is a live online (webinar like)_ session with a Nova coach, offering support and insights on key health topics like fitness, nutrition, recovery and overall wellness. Why did we create Pod Calls? Our goal is your success and your health goals can not be built on fitness alone. After delivering thousands of personal training sessions, we noticed a disconnect between fitness sessions we were delivering and the other pillars of health (and lifestyle habits that happen outside of the gym). To get the most out of your health and your fitness sessions at Nova we need to link other pillars such as mindset, nutrition, stress and recovery. Training coaches who care about your results will agree that a couple hours of personal training each week is not enough time to workout AND learn everything you need to know about maximizing those workouts... Things like how to eat before or after workouts, what recovery habits should be practiced or the link between stress and working out are all subjects that you need to know on your health and fitness journey. Pod Calls are dedicated sessions where we teach you essential health and fitness insights that we can't often cover during your gym workouts. We hope you take advantage of these expert-led sessions that will enhance your workouts, teach you new concepts about health and bridge the gap between fitness and overall wellness. Upcoming Pod Calls (all times in EST) Mon Jun 2, 2025 (6:00pm) Topic: How To Eat Carbs For Better Energy, Muscle & Fat Loss Coach: Josh Allen Wed Jun 4, 2025 (2:00pm) Topic: Hip Mobility Using the 'CARS' (active session) Coach: Kim Vo Sat Jun 7, 2025 (12:00pm) Topic: Benefits of Single Leg & Arm Training for Overall Strength Coach: Matthew Nadler Tues Jun 10, 2025 (6pm) Topic: Releasing Neck Tension Coach: Zack Fernandez Wed Jun 18, 2025 (1:00pm) Topic: Training The Backside of The Core Coach: Colin Soltesz Thu June 19, 2025 (7:00pm): Topic: Ayurveda for Healthy Ageing Coach: Kayla Hutchinson These calls are free for Nova members and Zoom links for each call can be found in the Nova Mighty Networks platform. If you are not a Nova member and would like to attend any of these please email Info@NovaHealthClub.com for a seat. We look forward to seeing you then!
Check out the interview with Beth to see the habits, mindset and lifestyle shifts that helped her reach her goals
Simon’s 6-Week Transformation: From Stressed & Stuck to Strong & Energized
Simon joined Nova through the LeanDads 12-week program in February. Like many busy professionals...
