Re-training in running is needed by every runner who covers at least 40 km a week. A break from running is favored by deteriorating weather (rain, snow, wind) and a smaller number of running events in winter. But detraining should not only depend on the season, because it is primarily our body's need, which requires regeneration after an exhausting season. However, should rest from running mean giving up exercise and diet altogether?

Detraining in runningis primarily used to regenerate the body after a season full of competitions. This is because running, like any competitive sport, exposes our body to injury. Daily workouts put a heavy strain on the skeletal and muscular systems, and also cause hormonal imbalance. Running continuously, with the same intensity throughout the year, can lead to overtraining and serious injuries - especially since many runners after the fall have had an exhausting season.

It is worth understanding that the efficiency of running and the body's capabilities will be greater if we allow ourselves to take a break from time to time.

Detraining in running - what is it and what is it?

Detraining is a break from regular training. However, this break must be thought out and planned individually, depending on the needs of a specific runner. In running, it usually takes place after the end of the running season, i.e. in winter, when there are fewer starts and the weather is not conducive to outdoor training.

Detraining is not the same as taking complete rest from all activities. It is about a significant reduction in the intensity of running training and the release of a restrictive diet.

Why do training in running?

Athletes know that resting is often more important than training. The belief that muscles remain idle during a break from training is incorrect, because it is during rest that the body increases its exercise capacity by repairing damaged structures.

During detraining, i.e. taking longer rest than running, many phenomena beneficial for the form of a runner occur. The benefits of detraining include:

•regeneration of the organism- every organism toto function properly, it must have time to rest. Overloading with training causes fatigue and worsens the well-being - both physical and mental. To maintain a balance in this regard, you should be able to say stop, giving your body a chance to get back into shape.

•repair of the skeletal and muscular system- frequent jogging is not indifferent to bones and muscles. While running, microtrauma occurs, the bone structure is weakened, and the attachments of muscles and tendons are damaged. Without taking a break, these injuries would show up in the form of long-term injuries that could exclude the runner from being active. Detraining allows for spontaneous "repair" of these damages in the body.

•regulating the hormonal balance- regular starts and running trainings subordinate the hormonal balance. The intensity of training, the adrenaline associated with competitions, the right diet - all this changes the hormone system in the body, which, apart from running, may have a negative effect on the well-being. Detraining restores the hormonal balance.

•reducing the risk of recurrence- even healed injuries like to come back, especially when the body is exhausted and overloaded with training. Detraining avoids the risk of recurrence and allows you to stay in shape throughout the season.

•gaining new will to run- running every day, taking part in most races, training in the same area can be a boring routine for a runner. If we add the body's fatigue due to intense activity, it can lead to discouragement. Passion can very easily turn into a boring duty, so detraining can help us reawaken our sports enthusiasm. A break from running triggers a longing for training, so returning to sport after a period of detraining is new, fresh energy and motivation.

•increasing exercise capacity- it has long been proven that detraining promotes better results. Thanks to the regular regeneration of the body, we have more energy and strength during the season, which translates into better endurance and better and better sports achievements.

Worth knowing

A break in running and a decline in fitness

It is normal that during detraining there is a partial decline in form and after this period you have to re-work your previous performance. Nevertheless, it is much easier than it used to be when we started running. Recovery after detraining is fairly quick.

How long should running training take?

Detraining will be useful for every runner.Its duration should correspond to the intensity with which we trained in the season. The more starts a runner has and the more tiring they were (e.g. marathons), the longer he should spend on regeneration. The exception is when a professional runner was forced to take a longer break during the season, e.g. due to an injury.

Classic detraining takes about 4 weeks, but the general recommended time range is 2 to 6 weeks. It all depends on the level of a sports runner:

  • if you run 40 to 60 kilometers a week - you need 10 to 14 days of training,
  • if you run 80 to 100 kilometers a week - you need 3 weeks of training,
  • if you are competitive - you need 4 to 6 weeks of training.

If we train very sporadically, even a few days' break from training can improve our endurance. Nevertheless, we should not defend ourselves against a few weeks' rest. Certainly, we are not threatened by any drastic decline in form, which is the most common fear of runners during a stoppage. Remember that there is something like muscle memory that allows us to quickly return to our full disposal.

When to do jogging training?

Training in running usually takes place between seasons, when one season ends and the second one has not yet started, i.e. around October / November. Some runners plan a recovery time right after their most intense starts, sometimes even twice a year (October / November and May / June). It all depends on what the runner's body demands. Professionals know when they need retraining. Amateurs should observe the symptoms that the body sends them - e.g. a marked deterioration of results, lack of progress, frequent fatigue is a signal that the body requires a break in training.

Worth knowing

Detraining and recreational running

If we run for recreational purposes, e.g. 2-3 times a week, or occasionally take part in competitions, retraining should not be long, because we take sufficient breaks between trainings to regenerate the body. Sometimes the detraining stage may even turn out to be unnecessary.

Professional runners should attach the greatest importance to training. In their case, the time for regeneration should be a permanent element of the annual training plan.

Detraining in running - what should it look like?

Entering the detraining period

Detraining is rest, but active - do not give up sports at this time.

The transition to the decay period should be smooth, so there is no question of a sudden abandonment of activity overnight. In order not to shock the body, detraining should be slow and it should never come to a complete cessation of movement.

Exercise intensity during the detraining period

It is often assumed that a runner still trains during retraining, but how and what he wants, not what he has to. When we get to this point, we first reduce the training intensity and replace some workouts with other forms of movement. Instead of e.g. jogging every day, we run every few days for shorter distances and with less intensity, e.g. jogging (we go jogging or walk). If you feel that your body is overloaded, you can allow yourself to train even more sparingly or suspend your activity for a few days. Many professional runners, during their training, allow themselves to completely relax, e.g. by spending two out of four or six weeks on a holiday trip.

Activities recommended for runners during detraining

During the period of pre-training, it is worth taking up other activities that will maintain our form, such as: cycling and rollerblading, tennis, team games, swimming, trekking, walking, exercising on an elliptical cross trainer and oars. To keep working on fitness, she recommends pilates, stretching, yoga.

Diet while jogging

During detraining, you can give up your diet. Here too, however, we need caution. After months of sacrifice, you must not make up for this time by intense overeating. However, you can start eating a little more and allow yourself to eat something that was prohibited during the season.

It is normal for our weight to increase after we decay and let go of the diet. However, this should not worry us, because returning to training after a break, the weight will also return to its previous state, and a few extra kilos will only be additional energy to start.

Regenerative treatments during the detraining period

An important element of detraining are treatments that support the body in regeneration and, apart from the physical sphere, also take care of our mental form, relieving us of tension after intensive training. It is worth giving up at this time, among others. general cryotherapy (up to 10 treatments), saline and pearl baths, peat wraps, massages, regeneration in the swimming pool and sauna, ultrasound and laser treatments, magnetotherapy.

What tests are worth doing during a break from training?

Detraining is also a good time to do some kind of he alth check. It is a good idea to do a basic package of tests: blood (including peripheral blood counts, iron, cholesterol, glucose, sodium, magnesium and potassium levels), general urine tests and a resting ECG. In the case of recurrent injuries, it is worth performing biomechanical tests, which, through gait analysis, can help to identify the causes of discomfort.

Category:

Running