Diminishing strength (time frame)

[5kgLifter]

This is an interesting topic; I'm not entirely sure but I reckon I have not replicated my DL PB since about April this year, I believe (and certainly not since August)...Neither have I really done much heavy deadlifting, if any at times, since then...Yesterday, however, I equalled the DL PB once again.

The thing is that a good many sources, trainers and studies, continue to state that strength is lost relatively quickly, as in a few weeks. Any many newcomers to lifting get overly concerned about diminishing strength when they get injured and find themselves out of the gym for a few days.

The fact that my strength does not appear to have diminished flies in the face of the concept that strength gains are lost relatively quickly. It should also be of comfort to some that are out injured and worrying that they will lose a lot of their hard earned strength.




Does anyone else have personal experience of no or little substantial loss in strength gains after having a lay-off from training, for whatever reason?

[BendtheBar]

I do Babs. After a 3 year layoff I was squatting 315 for reps and was able to deadlift 375 (after never deadlifting before) during my first week back.

No idea why though...

I often go many months between training certain lifts and hit PRs.

[BendtheBar]

I wonder how many of this studies are on newbs who were making rapid neuromuscular adaptations...not sure how that would impact things though.

[Rich Knapp]

Originally Posted by 5kgLifter

Does anyone else have personal experience of no or little substantial loss in strength gains after having a lay-off from training, for whatever reason?

After being off and forced into retirement in 2004. Come back in 2009.
Yes I lost a lot of strenght, but it was due to muscle not needing to store the needed energy. After a few months of honest work I was back to normal lifts.
Now 2 years later I have already smashed my life time PR's in lifts I can do, at almost 10 years older.

Example: I rep out 10 or more Db presses at my 1 rep PR 9 years ago.

Losing strength in a week or 2, I think is more CNS and mental than muscle. IMO

[Off Road]

Don't forget that you are still working the muscles you use to deadlift with other lifts, and making them stronger.

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by 5kgLifter

Does anyone else have personal experience of no or little substantial loss in strength gains after having a lay-off from training, for whatever reason?

I think it depends how far along the strength curve you are, I think the closer you are to your starting strength the easier it will be to maintain this after a break.

My own example, I could raw squat 500lbs prior to taking 18 months off to do some travelling. I came back from that and promptly ripped my right hamstring pretty much clean off the bone with a mere 400lbs deadlift. Gutted. It has taken me pretty much 4 years to get most of that strength back and I still haven't duplicated the 500lbs squat raw.

On the other hand I used to suffer with minor back issues when I first started training that would lay me off for a few weeks. I would typically come back at the same level of strength that I left off at, around 300-350lbs.

At the upper levels of strength I think the drop off is markedly higher.