First phase to suffer after 6 weeks off?

Probably the biggest hit is when you kick yourself in the butt saying, "why did I take 6 weeks off?" as you struggle through your next workout.

I'm going to guess swimming. It's so technique oriented, and relies so much on muscle memory for executing correct technique repeatedly, that when you take and extended amount of time off, you lose some of it.

Obviously, you lose overall fitness that affects all three, but you don't forget how to run or bike.

So how quickly does it come back?

Pretty quickly...give it a week or two.

It's going to take more than a week or two to regain your same fitness level after a 6-week layoff. Runners World had an article about this a year or so ago. I can't remember the specifics but basically, it said that one week off won't hurt you but after that, you start losing your fitness level more quickly and that it takes at least 2 (maybe more) weeks for each one week you were off to get it back.

Speaking strictly about swimming, which is so much more technique-dependant than fitness-dependant, the feel for the water that you lose after a layoff does come back within a week or two of consistent workouts.

Is does take longer to reagin lost fitness, though.

I had just a week off from swimming last week, after swimming 2x a week about 6000 yds per week with a master's class, and I TOTALLY lost the "feel" which was weird since I never knew I had the feel....

I learned that the next time I want to take a break from swimming, I better not expect anything big and exciting to come of it...

Swimming is the first phase to suffer. Riding a bike is like . . . riding a bike. It comes back. Running is running. Swimming is a whole 'nother thing.

possum, what happened to your avatar?



Oh, my.

oh, I thought I should finally stop pretending to be someone I'm not. I'm really Dolly PArton and I thought you, as my BT family, should all know that.

It is funny you mention this I just got done taking about 7 weeks off and my swim sucks. My endurance is shot. I ran today and it felt good but my heart rate was way to high.

I took only two weeks off from swimming and I definitely felt it when I got back in the pool today. I felt out of shape, but mostly I felt so awkward...I was afraid I looked like a fool, so I called it quits after a 1000 meters and figured I'd give it another workout or two before I got back into my normal routine.

Also, make sure you start out slowly when getting back into running. Six weeks isn't a lot of time, but enough time that you'll be more prone to injury if you try to start where you left off. Just ease your way into it for a while.

You should be fine on the bike. May feel a little out of shape the first few rides or some discomfort from not sitting in that position for a while, but a ride or two should clear that up.

Take care, and good luck getting back into the swing of things.
Good luck!

Dolly Parton's a lesbian? I think all of Tennessee just collectively got the vapors.

ya, jim, actually, for years it has been reported that I am a lesbian. But I categorically deny it, even though I haven't lived with my husband carl for years, and I have admitted that, even when traveling, I "sleep with Judy." Judy is my oldest friend, and since we were little girls we have shared a bed so why stop now?

I do a lot of really charitable things for gay people, including vocal and financial support for both AIDS and same sex marriage. But I am not gay.....

Hollis is, that dear sweet thing, and for her, I suppose I might cross over, but she's taken, soooo.....

If it walks like a lesbian, and quacks like a lesbian...

(exactly, whispers Hollis!)