Taking a break from your strength training routine can feel like a setback, especially if you’ve been making good progress in the gym, getting stronger and building muscle. You’ve been grinding it out, hitting the iron, and pushing your muscles to grow, only to have life throw you a curveball. Work calls you away, or maybe you just need a break.
The big question: will that downtime undo all your hard-earned gains?
What if I told you that weeks, or even months, off might not be as detrimental as you think?
A fresh study published by the University of Jyväskylä in Finland and in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports explores this question.1 It compares continuous resistance training (CRT) with a more flexible approach, periodic resistance training (PRT), to see if muscle strength and size really suffer when you take a break from lifting. Will you lose all your gains?
The Training Programs
In this study, researchers split 55 untrained men and women into two groups.
One group followed a CRT plan for 20 weeks straight, while the PRT group had a 10-week break halfway through a 20-week program.
The participants followed two training protocols, summarized below:
| Group | Training Period | Description | Training Frequency | Exercises | Detraining Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRT (Periodic Resistance Training) | 10 weeks, followed by 10 weeks detraining, then another 10 weeks | 10-week resistance training, break, then retraining | Twice per week | Leg press, leg extension, Smith machine bench press, barbell curl, chest-supported seated row | 10 weeks |
| CRT (Continuous Resistance Training) | Continuous 20 weeks | Continuous resistance training over 20 weeks without breaks | Twice per week | Same as PRT group | None |
Training Load and Progression
- Loads were adjusted weekly based on performance. If the participants completed more than 10 reps, the load was increased; if they performed fewer than 8 reps, the load was decreased.
- Training loads were initially set at approximately 70% of the participant’s one-repetition maximum (1RM) for all the exercises except biceps curl and legextension where they started at 50% of 1RM.
- Participants performed each set with around 1–2 reps in reserve except in the last set of the second weekly session, which was taken to failure.
So, Does Taking a Break Hurt Progress?
At the end of the study, both groups showed significant increases in leg press and biceps curl strength, as well as increased muscle size in the legs and arms.
While the PRT group did lose some of their gains during their time off, their muscle strength and size bounced back quickly after the break. They quickly regained what they had lost when they resumed training, catching up to the continuous group by the end of the study.
In fact, the PRT group saw rapid muscle size and strength gains within the first five weeks of retraining—potentially due to what is often referred to as “muscle memory,” where muscles respond with very rapid gains the second time around, making it much easier to regain muscle and strength you’ve once had.
What This Means for Your Training
This study offers some reassuring news: a break doesn’t spell disaster for your gains. You’ll lose some muscle and strength if you’re away from the weights for more than a couple of weeks, but you’ll regain it all so that it’s like you never took a break soon enough.
In everyday life, vacations, family time, and unforeseen events can and will disrupt your training. Knowing that your muscles will bounce back quickly may help you enjoy those breaks, planned or unplanned, guilt-free.
In the long term, consistency is key, but occasional breaks won’t hurt. They might even give your body a chance to rest, heal up from nagging little aches and pains, and come back stronger.
So go ahead, enjoy that vacation, or take care of those life priorities—your muscles will be ready to pick up where they left off, and your progress will be waiting for you when you’re ready to jump back in.
