Detraining is a training break needed by professional athletes and useful for amateurs. However, this is not only a time of blissful laziness - to get out of training, you need to properly prepare, prepare a training plan and make changes in your diet. Read how the detraining should be done, how to plan it and what mistakes to avoid.

Detrainingis the time when a professionally practicing sport gives up high-intensity training - the kind that he or she does during the preparation for the season and during it. The best time for training is autumn and winter, i.e. the period after the competitions are completed.

What is the purpose of taking a break from training? Contrary to appearances, it is not only about rest after increased physical activity, because you need to be well prepared before retraining - as an element of your training plan. Reducing physical activity during detraining should be gradual - so that after a few weeks you will be half as active as in the season.

Detraining - why is it necessary for athletes?

There are at least 3 reasons why you should give up exercise for a few weeks.

1. Detraining is a springboard from training and mental relaxation

Daily workouts lasting several hours and adjusting your daily schedule to them, following a proper diet - they can tire both mentally and physically, which is why it is necessary for every athlete to keep fit.

It is worth remembering, however, that it cannot consist in completely giving up physical activity overnight. Its reduction should be gradual - so that at the end of the detraining period, the activity is about 50 percent less than in the season.

Detraining is essential to recharge your batteries, allow yourself to rest, calm down, and exercise purely for pleasure, without the psychological burdens of regular training. After this period, the competitor returns to the regular training plan of the day with even greater commitment.

Worth knowing

Who needs training?

Detraining is a mandatory element of training for every professional athlete, but is it also necessary for an amateur? Alldepends on the intensity of his workouts - if he runs 3 times a week, he will not need detraining, but if he trains every day, and additionally works, he has household duties - detraining will be useful.

The more so that due to the increasing popularity of, for example, running in Poland and the fact that competitions for amateurs are held almost all year round, they rarely allow themselves to rest, which can lead to mental fatigue and injuries.

2. Detraining has a positive effect on sports form

It is also worth remembering that detraining actually helps to improve the form. A person who is just starting to actively practice sports almost invariably improves his performance, but at some point it reaches the point where it is not that easy, because we are getting better and faster. In order to be able to attack your sports peak again, it is necessary to temporarily lower your form in order to be able to start training with new enthusiasm at a later time.

3. Detraining allows you to make up for the remaining time

Detraining also serves to make up for the time that we could not spend with our family because it was needed for training. During the training, the athlete can finally rest with his loved ones: go to the cinema, restaurant, visit friends. It is also an opportunity to take care of your he alth: heal an injury, conduct medical examinations that will help you develop a new training plan.

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What should the training look like?

You need to be well prepared for training. The possibility of letting go of the rigors of the daily training diet and catching up on social events, especially those with alcohol in the background, can be tempting, but indulging in too much can negatively affect our form.

Training plan

Detraining does not mean giving up physical activity altogether, so it's worth doing sports to your liking. If running - it's for fun, not with a heart rate monitor and counting every calories burned. Workouts should be limited to 3 times a week.

Similarly with cycling, which at that time is supposed to be a nice, family form of spending time rather than a race. A good solution in the period of de-training is a swimming pool, as well as changing the current physical activity to lessweight-bearing - yoga, pilates, aerobics. Each activity should last no more than an hour, one specific day, except for Sunday, which can be fully rested.

Here is an exemplary training plan during a 3-week pre-training:

MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
1. weekfreejogging (half an hour)freejogging (half an hour)freebike ride or swimming poolfree
2. weekfreejogging (half an hour)core stability + stretchingfreefreeyoga or pilatesfree
3. weekcore stability + stretchingfreejogging (half an hour)freejogging (half an hour)bike ride or swimming poolfree

Diet

A proper diet is a very important element both in the season and in the period of non-training. It is worth remembering that while resting from intense workouts, we should not gain more than 5 kg. Since detraining involves more free time, it's good to use it to eat about 4-5 regular meals throughout the day.

During the period of de-training, energy expenditure decreases, and thus - the need for food, so it will be beneficial to reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed by about 30 percent. However, it is not worth giving up on groats, baked potatoes and brown rice. The time between seasons is also an opportunity to limit the intake of supplements and sports drinks.

During the detraining period, remember about a nutritious breakfast and an easy-to-digest dinner. The diet should include, among others. sea ​​fish, veal, pork, poultry, game, apples, pears, broccoli. You shouldn't overdo it with the amount of alcohol consumed, as it hinders the regeneration of the body.

Mental rest

Detraining is not only the time to regenerate the body, but also the mind. So give yourself a long rest with a book, meetings with your family, trips and outings for which you do not have time during the training period. If you miss regular training, you can use this period to set goals for next season and summarize the previous one.

Sports research

It is worth using the several-week break in training to do the necessary tests. These can be both he alth tests, such as morphology or ECG, and performance tests. They will help you gauge how much progress we've made compared to last season, including by how many percent have our VO2 max and maximum heart rate increased.

How long should it take to train?

How long detraining should take depends on several factors, including:

  • on the intensity of physical activity in the season,
  • from the starting date of the next starts,
  • from the mental condition of the athlete.

It is assumed that the maximum decontraining time is8 weeks . Triathletes usually only have 2-week breaks in intense training, but other athletes usually allow themselves a 2-3-week rest.

It is worth remembering that the more we exercise during the season, the longer we can afford to rest. So if you train 4 times a week, 2 weeks of pre-training will suffice. Daily workouts may already require a 3-week break. It's best to return to full physical activity when you feel clearly regenerated and hungry for new challenges.

Retraining in running training

How should training in running training look like? It is worth taking part in team games, e.g. volleyball, which will activate other parts of the muscles - the rectus and biceps muscles of the thigh will rest, and you will strengthen the arms and shoulders. What's more, while running you are alone, this time you will have a chance to play for a team.

Stretching will also be useful, as it allows you to stretch and make your muscles more flexible. It is also worth taking advantage of the effects of water sports, such as rowing, swimming, i.e. activities that require aerobic work. You can also sign up for a wellness treatment with a physiotherapist.

Stretching twice a week for about 20 minutes ( alternatively, you can play volleyball once for an hour), once a week you will also need a 40-minute bike ride and the same long stay in the pool.

Detraining in strength training

Detraining in strength training will have a beneficial effect on muscles, joints and tendons tired with intense training. Therefore, it is worth performing 2-3 times a week muscle exercises that are exposed to the greatest loads during the season: chest, back, legs, shoulders, arms and abdomen - all activities during one training, in 4 series, about 15 repetitions each. Such detraining will allow you not to lose too much muscle mass.

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