How long does it take to get unfit.

Blazher

Right here is a question. Does anyone know how long it
Takes to get unfit

I run 5k in 26 mins between 3 and 4 times a week. I want to know if I rest for a week would this hurt my run time by much.

LightningBolt

You definitely won't lose fitness in a week! In fact if you were to apply the idea of taking a week off in lifting after 10-12 weeks training you may find you improve your time. I could be really wrong on that point though. You should not notice your time increase in anyway.

thirtyfoot

Blazher wrote: »

Right here is a question. Does anyone know how long it
Takes to get unfit

I run 5k in 26 mins between 3 and 4 times a week. I want to know if I rest for a week would this hurt my run time by much.

One person will say no and the weeks rest will do you good while another will say that every missed training day will require two training days to catch up.

I think missing a week won't be the end of the world and many great times/performances have been got after much longer enforced lay-offs (that are usually caused by injury as opposed to simply resting) so I'd say you'll be grand.

Cleberp

I always take about 5days off before running in a long distance running event. If I didn't I wouldn't have the energy to do it. You might find you run better

hunnymonster

It largely depends on your current basline. If what you currently do is the top of your abilities then a week off may do you the world of good as you will comd back from teh edge (the edge of overtraining that is). If, on the other hand, what you currently do, is just enough to get you off the couch, then you'll get no benefit from the rest. Studies seem to detect the start of detraining after only 48 hours but the effect is modest for 2-3 weeks.

Blazher

I know ill end up doing a run or two.

Thanks for the replys I felt a bit guilty.

Smellyirishman

Regardless of starting point one reaches the depths of unfitness in precisely 3.2 months, there have been freak occurances of people maintaining hints of fitness up to 3.5months but this is assumed to be largely due to people sneaking in fitness snacks during their period of fitnesslosslessness.

It's a well known fact that if a soccer player breaks a leg they had better be training again within 3 months time or they will effectively be reduced to the fitness level of the morbidly obese and have lost all hope of ever playing professionally again.

</sarcasm>

It's hard to define "fit" and "unfit". Never mind how long it takes to become "unfit". How long can you cease training before you see any negative effects? Not too long, but once you return you'll quickly recuperate any losses. The greater the time spent away, the greater the losses and the more difficult the recuperation.

A week off is no biggie, not for an amateur.

Guvnor

In a week no.

However it all depends on how fit one is to begin with. If you are not in tip top shape then an extended break and cessation of all meaningful exercise can render you 'unfit' a lot faster than you would imagine! Spoken from experience!:D

yeah-buddy

your fitness will decline once three days have gone, it won't be by much but it will decline slightly

Blazher

I felt to guilty so I am just back from a quick run.

Here is another question.

I just did my normal 5k run. But It did nothing for me.
I don't feel tired. It felt so easy. Maybe I need to do more 10k runs

Is 8min a mile good for a 5k and 10k runs.

blah

Try pushing yourself,
do one km fast, the next slow, etc.
If you find it's not challenging you then mix it up to make it hard.

brianon

Depends on what you are talking about.

If you are asking how long it will take your gains made by the 4/5 runs a week to disappear then it should take about as much time as you put in. In other words if you trained like this (aerobic) for 2 months then it should take 2 months for the gains made to go. So a layoff of 2 months should see you back where you started.

Strength gains take longer to disappear in general though and any training you do during a supposed layoff can have a maintenence effect and prolong the period before you get back to your baseline fitness. So if you went from 4/5 runs a week to 1 run a week this would prolong the return to baseline fitness.

Detraining not only depends on how much training you had just done (2 months in this example) but also what you trained (aerobic, leg strength etc...). It also depends on your level of training and your age.

As for taking a week off. I would imagine you'd probably see a posiutve response but it depends again on how much (and for how long) training you had been doing. Tapering might be a better option as its been shown to produce positive results as opposed to detrainig completely. I doubt a week would have a detraining effect though.

Alicano

Any regular running like that is gonna stand to you long term.I ran an ultra marathon in april,didnt touch the pavement for 3+ months,then got back running in mid august for an october event.first couple of runs were hairy but then the body kicks in with the memory and i was back in form.so i wouldnt worry about taking a week off!.rest is highly recommended.your body will always tell u whats going on.as for your split time.for 5k 10k distance you prob could push yourself(everyone really if there honest!) a little faster..but not all the time..when u feel good put the foot down,but those slower pace runs are great fun too..enjoy.

Khannie

I'm guessing it's sport dependent. I took two weeks off (more or less) when I was travelling with work before. Took me a long time to regain what I'd lost.