HighIntensity.net View Mike Mentzer Bodybuilding Topic

We need to find the right balance as regards rest days between workouts.The rest days should be enough so that we are recovered , but is there any danger of detraining setting in.

Does anyone have any idea about the no. of days when detraining sets in?

it can definitely vary from person to person, but speaking for myself I′ve sometimes gone several weeks with no training and when i get back to it i am always, ALWAYS stronger on every movement.

even last year when I took a few months off from training because of moving and changing jobs, when i came back it took only a few weeks to get back to, and then exceed my previous levels.

I would say it takes at least a month to start to lose strength but even then it would be negligable.

as long as you keep your calories to a certain level you shouldnt lose any appreciable size either.

Depends on the level of the athlete. Also depends on what you mean by "detrain."

If you mean, "loose demonstratable strength," then it can take anywhere between 2 days to 2 months. A more advanced lifter will detrain quicker than a beginning lifter. It′s more difficult to asses with elite Oly and Powerlifters, as they rarely if ever perform top lifts outside of meets and always use their max training weight as opposed to their max competition weight in the gym.

If you mean "General Physical Prepardeness (GPP)," which is important when increasing ones work capacity in the more advanced stages, it can vary greatly depending on the level of the athlete as well. Zat′s reports that, when gearing up for a meet, elite level lifters can begin to detrain if more than 2-3 days are gone without some sort of training.

Hope this gives you an idea of what goes on in the real training world.

Jeff

Hi,
I found the below research on the subject. As per this , there is no detraining effect even for 6 weeks!
Pls let me know what you think.

Flex > Sept, 2005
FROM LAB TO GYM THE BIG BREAK
Jim Stoppani
A serious bodybuilder never misses a workout. Week after week, month after month, he consistently hits the gym with gut-wrenching intensity. If this is you, you may want to stop impressing the gym staff with your perfect attendance and take some time off. A few days won′t do it. You need to think about taking a two- to three-week hiatus from the gym about once every six months, as this can be beneficial to your future muscle gains.
Weight training imparts severe stress on the body. The act of lifting the weights isn′t what′s good for you–it′s the adaptation that your body makes in response to the weightlifting. You grow when you are recovering, and sometimes you need to provide your body a longer recovery window than just a few days.
A two- to three-week break every six months will help heal any borderline injuries you may have. It also gives your body some relief from the stress of lifting weights. When you return to the gym, you will have renewed enthusiasm and drive, as well as a thoroughly recuperated body and mind.
Exercise scientists at the University of Connecticut (Storrs) instructed trained men to go six weeks without lifting weights or performing any other recreational physical activity. They measured the subjects′ muscle mass, bodyfat, strength and jump height, as well as their testosterone and cortisol levels before and after the six-week layoff. The scientists found that the six-week sabbatical had no effect on any of these variables.
From lab to gym: FLEX would never recommend you take a six-week break from the iron game–unless you′re ill or injured–but the study results should rest your fears about losing all your gains during a break of two or three weeks. Getting away from the gym is just as important for your mental health as the physical rest. During your weight-training "vacation," try new activities that aren′t too intense. Enjoy your time off and anticipate the gains you will make when you get back to the gym.
Reference: W.J. Kraemer et al., "Detraining produces minimal changes in physical performance and hormonal variables in recreationally strength-trained men," Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(3):373-82, 2002.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

"Hope this gives you an idea of what goes on in the real training world."

oops, silly me, I forgot that HIT isn′t "real" training!