Getting back to the gym after a break
How much to lower your weights depending on the time off, and how to regain your level without getting injured.
Holidays, an injury, a rough patch: everyone stops at some point. The typical mistake when coming back is loading the bar with your old weights, and the good news is that you don't need to in order to get them back quickly.
How much you really lose
Less than it feels like. Up to two weeks without training is barely noticeable. After that strength drops gradually, but what you built once comes back much faster than it took to gain.
How much to lower the weights
- Two weeks to a month off: 10% less.
- One to two months: 20% less.
- Two to three months: 25% less.
- More than three months: 30% less, or start again with light weights.
AppGym checks this when you start a session: if more than 14 days have passed since the last one, it suggests the matching reduction and applies it to all your weighted exercises.
The first sessions
- Prioritise technique and leave two or three reps in reserve on every set.
- Don't add new exercises until you're back in rhythm.
- Add weight as soon as you complete your sets: progress is quick at first.
Soreness
It's normal for the first two or three sessions and doesn't mean the workout was better. If it lasts more than three days, the load was too much: ease off a little next session. Walking, staying hydrated and eating enough protein help more than staying still.
If you stopped because of an injury
These guidelines are for breaks without an injury. If you stopped training because of pain or surgery, come back following your doctor's or physiotherapist's advice.