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If i just started to work out after a 4-5 week break would it be best to start slowly or just pick up my old pace? The 'sport' im referring to is fitness. Im currently debating with myself whether or not i should imediatly go back to 4-5 days a week training or if i should start with training day followed by resting day followed by training day etc. The most i do is cardio followed by abdominal excercises. I usually dedicate 1-2 days (depending on the amount of days i excercise that week) to weights followed by a resting day. After a weekend of partying (eating unhealthy/drinking alcohol/little excercise) i would proceed that week with a lot of cardio and a minimum amount of weights (usually around 3-4-5 days cardio and 0-1 days weight (or a bit of weights after cardio)). Although this might not be the best for my muscles it did feel like the best thing to do.

So to my question: Yesterday was the first day of excercise in about 4-5 weeks (holiday and work, etc). Would it be wise to just start head-on and go for my 'old' scedule or just start slowly for a week or two and just do 3 days a week at first.

I know this could be considered opinion based but lets add some facts about muscles or something to make it specific.

Thanks a lot in advance anyway.

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Honestly, I'd ramp up over a couple weeks.

  • Week 1: half the volume of work
  • Week 2: 3/4 the volume of work
  • Week 3: back to full volume

Cardiovascular fitness is easy to lose, but also very easy to reacquire. Strength is slower to lose, but 4-5 weeks won't see any significant differences.

However, the bigger concern is the health of your tendons and ligaments. Ramping up allows them to get re-acclimated to work and less prone to developing tendinitis or something of that nature.

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  • I understand. Do you mind if i keep this question un-accepted for a day or two more, just to see if more valuable answers show up?
    – Marco Geertsma
    Nov 19, 2014 at 7:54
  • Of course I don't mind.
    – Berin Loritsch
    Nov 19, 2014 at 12:30
  • @MarcoGeertsma - You can probably accept it. His recommendations pretty much mirror what mine would be, as I suspect most will be right along the same lines as well.
    – JohnP ♦
    Nov 19, 2014 at 15:53
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Was in the same situation a few months ago and came back from a 2 month break.

I trained as if i didnt take the break. The first 2weeks the training was harder but after that ist was just as before.

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  • Good stuff man! i'm back on the benches since a few months now. I must admit i was really disapointed with myself for the first few weeks but after that initial period i slowly got back to my original pace and im enjoying going back again.
    – Marco Geertsma
    Jan 14, 2015 at 10:18

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