Training & Nutrition - Can 10 days off ruin fitness levels?

Hubby and I were really getting into biking. Going 3-4 days a week on some good rides, I was feeling very strong and improving every week. Then we go to visit his parents who took us to the Adirondacks for a vacation. I didn't want to go in the first place but since they invited and it was free, what the hey!

So I get back home and my riding sucks! I feel like I have no muscles in my legs and I'm only up for easy rides because I don't feel ready or even scared of those big rides I was just doing 2 weeks ago.

I had planned on walking or hiking everday while up at the 'Dacks, or even doing some strenghth exercises (no weights) just to keep up, but it was too stinking humid I didn't even want to move, and the lake was too cold to swim in.

I just feel like my fitness went down hill in just 10 days, like I'm starting over almost. Plus we dropped in elevation like 5000 feet going to NY.

I have heard that you lose fitness twice as fast as you gain it...

I just got back from the Honeymoon in Mexico. I took 9 days off total. Vacationing in Mexico at sea level...coming back to 6,000ft altitude here was pretty painfull to jump back on the bike.

You actually deacclimated when you descended the 5000ft as bike colorado stated. It takes 2-3 weeks to fully acclimate back to where you were and only 5-7 days to lose it. Acclimation is the build up of red blood cells and the enzyme called 2,3 DPG (2,3 diphosphoglycerate) that helps the release of oxygen from the red blood cells to the muscle tissues. That's what you are feeling. It isn't so much that you VO2, excercise capacity has dropped that much (although it plays a role it is probably minor compared to the above.)

Well, in addition to the deaclimation process, doesn't your body lose overall fitness at roughly double the rate it takes to gain it? So that even if you stayed at the same altitude and just sat around for 10 days. It would be like you'd LOST about 20 days worth of fitness gains?

well, the deacclimization could be the problem...

as to general fitness declining:
* the cardio system should hardly notice 10 days - actually you could be stronger as you are fully rested/regenerated
* in 10 days you can loose a slight bit of muscle, but again since i presume your muscles are well-rested they might even be stronger than before (but in the following weeks you will be less strong unless you do some hard training)

in general you need a good 2-4 weeks to really notice any major decreases. a "rest" week every 4 weeks is actually a good thing and most pros train that way - although a rest week doesn't have to mean no riding...

just start riding again and you should feel right like normal very soon.

Originally posted by nathank
well, the deacclimization could be the problem...

as to general fitness declining:
* the cardio system should hardly notice 10 days - actually you could be stronger as you are fully rested/regenerated
* in 10 days you can loose a slight bit of muscle, but again since i presume your muscles are well-rested they might even be stronger than before (but in the following weeks you will be less strong unless you do some hard training)

in general you need a good 2-4 weeks to really notice any major decreases. a "rest" week every 4 weeks is actually a good thing and most pros train that way - although a rest week doesn't have to mean no riding...

just start riding again and you should feel right like normal very soon.


yup

I didn't realize how quickly you could deacclimize. Hubby was pretty worried about this, but i didn't really worry too much. Now I know.

Well, the good thing about going to NY is that we practically FLEW up Mt. Marcy. The air was like soup! That was our only exercise for the 10 days.