Their studies showed that frequency was FAR less important than intensity in regards to gaining strength and maintaining strength. The same was even true for aerobic conditioning! Keeping intensity constant was MUCH more important than how often the aerobics were done!
People working out just ONE time per MONTH maintained strength as those doing it several times a WEEK. Only when not training at all (zero intensity) caused a major drop in strength. Check it out.
Az,
It depends on the INTENSITY of the workout before. It doesn′t surprise me that you would loose strength that fast, because you probably weren′t going totally to failure those workouts before the 2 weeks off (correct me if I′m wrong). They′re saying it′s the intensity level that affects how long you′ll keep it. That jives COMPLETELY with what I′ve seen in regards to volume trainers loosing their strength VERY rapidly. It′s not the FREQUENCY that determines how long you′ll keep it (I used to think that), it′s the INTENSITY applied to the muscle that determines how long you′ll keep it.
But I′m sure there are differences in people too. But I would think it wouldn′t be a huge difference. The intensity factor would probably be the largest factor.
Darrell