Returning to Bodybuilding After a Holiday: Easing Back Into Training
For many bodybuilders, taking a holiday means a break from the strict routines of training, nutrition, and recovery. But when and how to resume bodybuilding after a holiday should be given a great deal of thought. Whether it’s a short getaway or an extended vacation, the break can be both physically and mentally rejuvenating. However, once the holiday is over, the thought of returning to the gym can be daunting. While the urge to dive right back into intense workouts may be strong, it’s crucial to approach your return with caution. Easing back into training, rather than jumping straight into heavy lifts, is not only more sustainable but also essential for preventing injuries and ensuring long-term progress.
The Importance of Easing Back Into Training
After a holiday, your body will have experienced a reduction in physical activity, regardless of how active you were during your time off. This decrease in training can lead to temporary detraining, a process where strength, endurance, and muscle memory slightly decline. Additionally, your body’s connective tissues, such as tendons and ligaments, may not be as prepared to handle the same volume or intensity of exercise as before. Jumping straight back into a high-intensity workout routine can put immense strain on these tissues, increasing the risk of injury. All of these factors should be considered when contemplating Bodybuilding After a Holiday.
Instead of resuming your pre-holiday routine at full throttle, it’s vital to allow your body time to readjust. By gradually reintroducing training, you not only reduce the risk of injury but also give your muscles, joints, and nervous system the chance to re-adapt to the demands of weightlifting.
Step 1: Assess Your Current Condition
Before stepping back into bodybuilding after a holiday, take a moment to assess how your body feels after the break. Did you remain somewhat active during your holiday, or were you entirely sedentary? Did you maintain your nutrition, or indulge in different foods and drinks? These factors will play a role in determining how your body responds when you return to training.
You may notice slight stiffness or soreness if you haven’t exercised for a while. Alternatively, if you’ve stayed relatively active, you might feel more energised and ready to go. Either way, listen to your body, and let it guide your return. It’s important to accept that you might not be as strong or conditioned as you were before the break, but this is temporary.
Step 2: Start With a Deload Week
One of the best ways to ease back into bodybuilding after a holiday is to start with a *deload* week. A deload is a planned reduction in training volume and intensity, allowing your body to re-adjust without placing excessive stress on it. During this week, you should aim to perform your regular exercises, but at around 50-70% of your previous working weights. For example, if you were squatting 100kg before your holiday, consider starting with 50-70kg.
The key is to focus on form, technique, and controlled movements rather than lifting as heavy as possible. This will help to re-establish your muscle memory and prepare your nervous system for more intense training in the coming weeks. A deload week also prevents excessive soreness, which can occur if you try to lift too heavy too soon after a break.
Step 3: Prioritise Compound Movements
During your first few weeks back, prioritise compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and overhead presses. These exercises engage multiple muscle groups, helping you to regain strength and coordination more efficiently than isolation movements.
Focus on performing 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions with moderate weights, gradually increasing the load as you feel more comfortable. While it may be tempting to dive back into your usual bodybuilding split, it’s best to keep your workouts full-body or upper/lower splits during the first week or two, allowing for greater recovery between sessions. Follow this advice and you will successfully navigate the process of bodybuilding after a holiday.
Step 4: Gradually Increase Training Volume
Once you’ve completed your deload week and your body feels more accustomed to lifting weights again, you can begin to gradually increase your training volume. This involves adding more sets, repetitions, or increasing the weight you lift. However, it’s important to make these increases gradually. A good rule of thumb is to add no more than 10% to your total training volume each week.
For example, if you performed three sets of 10 repetitions with 60kg on the bench press during your deload week, you might increase the weight to 66kg or add an extra set in the following week. Progress should be steady and sustainable, allowing your body time to fully recover between workouts.
Step 5: Don’t Neglect Mobility and Flexibility
After a period of reduced physical activity, it’s not uncommon for flexibility and mobility to diminish slightly. Incorporating mobility work into your routine is crucial during the initial weeks back in the gym. This could include dynamic stretching, foam rolling, or specific mobility drills targeting areas like the hips, shoulders, and spine.
By improving your range of motion, you’ll not only perform exercises more efficiently but also reduce the risk of injuries. This is particularly important if you’ve spent a lot of time sitting or travelling during your holiday, as these activities can lead to muscle tightness and imbalances.
Step 6: Maintain Proper Nutrition and Hydration
During your break, your eating habits may have changed, leading to fluctuations in energy levels or body composition. As you ease back into training, it’s crucial to also return to your usual nutrition and hydration protocols. Ensure you’re consuming enough protein to support muscle recovery, as well as carbohydrates and fats for energy. Staying hydrated is equally important, as even mild dehydration can negatively impact performance and recovery.
Step 7: Be Patient and Consistent
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when returning to bodybuilding after a holiday is to be patient. It’s natural to feel eager to get back to where you were before, but pushing yourself too hard, too soon, can result in setbacks. Trust the process, remain consistent, and give your body the time it needs to fully readjust.
What if the Hotel has a Gym?
Some (a few) hotels might have a decent gym and you could be tempted to carry on your workout regime while you are away. My personal take on this is that a week or two of quality rest is really important in the scheme of things and unless you’re training for an upcoming competition, relaxing on holiday is a key part of the whole thing.
Examples of Bodybuilding after a Holiday:
Week 1: Just cover the basic compound exercises for back, chest, shoulders, legs and arms. Do one exercise for each of the group mentioned, for three sets only! Example: Bench press x 3, Shoulder Press x 3, Upright rows x 3, Bicep Curls x 3 and Tricep Curls x 3.
Week 2: Stick with three sets and do all of the above, but add in a second isolation exercise for each of the groups mentioned in week 1. So you might add Peck Deck x 3, Side Deltoid Raises x 3, Narrow Grip Rowing x 3, Leg Curls x 3 and Calf Raises x 3.
During the first two weeks, assess the level of pain/stiffness that you may have from your workouts and if you don’t feel like you’ve overtrained, move to week 3.
Week 3: Migrate into your regular workout.
In summary, bodybuilding after a holiday should be thought through carefully. Easing back into training after a holiday is key to avoiding injury, rebuilding strength, and ensuring long-term progress. By taking a gradual approach, focusing on form, and prioritising recovery, you’ll set yourself up for a successful return to the gym.
The article ‘bodybuilding after a holiday’ was written and first published on behalf of Bill Jones, on Thursday 17th October 2024 at 13:30 and is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved.
You might also be interested in the article ‘how to avoid injury at the gym‘, which I wrote on my personal website earlier. Also, you might be interested to take a look at an earlier article that I wrote about ‘why compound exercises are so important‘.