Taking a break from Strength Training in Summer? How to maintain strength

recording in progress Hey and welcome to this fit metal fitness podcast in today's episode, I talk about suit you take a break during the summer from strength training, as this is a topic I took her actually last night with a couple of my members who are participating my group workouts and from my experience I have seen it so many times that people especially here in Italy now when summer is coming, there is a nice weather outside and many of people are thinking that now I rather do something like play tennis or go for hiking or walking or running or do some outdoor activities when the weather is nice and and that I don't have time or or I don't have energy to do some kind of resistance training or strength training. And this is something what I have seen what I kind of feel always so sorry for people as I have seen this trend happening so often. So both most of the people they are very, very consistent with their strength training during the summertime or during the wintertime. And then when weather is now outside. It's easy to kind of convince themselves and talk themselves out of that now I'm still doing an active I'm doing some kind of resistance training and and now then when summer is coming, you are like that. No, I rather do something else but you enjoy it. But this is also some of things like that you are good like you think that I'm going to run but that honest truth is that that most likely you won't be as consistent so you need to have a plan. And the reason why that is so important is that that just maintaining your results, maintaining your muscle strength also in warmer time of the year. So the reason for this is that even like I have members that they are coming very consistently, let's say three times a week, doing some draining during the winter from September until end of April and then when summer is coming, they are like kind of now I don't need I need some kind of break or doing a bit less. And now when you might end up that this sounds very good. But that honest truth is that when I it happens almost always when I see those people then in September again after taking a short break. I asked how was the summer How did you stay consistent with training is that the kind of first couple of weeks, but then, as soon as something happens if you don't have a plan in place like it don't have to be some group workout. It has to be some kind of plan with you know that you will do also in the times that you probably don't feel like like obviously, summer is time that you most likely you are doing right or some activities outside as weather is nice and I totally get it. It's there is nothing wrong with that. But just keep it in mind that resistance training strength training is something that you don't need to do a lot to maintain your results. So the reason the reason for this is that like that even you do some activities like walking you go for a run you do something else than some kind of strength workouts would you probably don't enjoy it that much then doing some other like playing tennis like I personally I love playing tennis at summertime, I love going for hiking, but I have set for myself that I have my non negotiable strength training that what I must do do at least two times per week. In ideal cases, some weeks it's going to be three times a week I have more time maybe even four but that's very rare. That I aim for four times a week just because that's that's I tried to do minimal amount of strength training to maintain my progress and to see even some kind of progress because it's not about at the moment my goals are not some that I don't need. I don't I do eat for my health and to basically maintain where I am and to get all these benefits. So strength training is something like that. it bakes like, how often use them strength training and what are the benefits even doing a minimum amount of strength training. So, so strength training, strength training is something that it takes a lot of effort to get some results. So if you think like that, if you haven't done it for a while and you decide to start doing even one strength training session. It can be lifting weights it can be using your bodyweight only it can be using bands or whatever equipment you have available but draining your muscles and by the way, so many people think that walking or cycling or or hiking is kind of strength training because you are using your legs are like in cycling that you use your legs but that is not the strength training that is endurance training and you are training only your heart like even you are using your muscles. What is the definition of strength training strength training is something that you will predict close to failure or some movement. So obviously if you are for example, let's say that you are walking, so it would mean that you are walking uphill so that you can't imagine that you would make let's say, three more steps. So and that is most likely not happening with cycling. It's not happening with with hiking or walking. So even you are using your muscles and even you are using your legs that is not the strength training. Because strength training is something that you use that kind of resistance that you've got pretty close to failure and that is a verb what you don't need to do a lot to maintain your results. So it's if you look at some studies what are out there it's it's it's five sets per week per muscle group. So that is not a lot like if you get going get in one to 30 minute workout. So one hour of resistance training per week. That is pretty much everything you need to maintain your results. And if you have if you haven't done it a lot lately, like let's say that you are new are brand new starting strength training you are receiving you are seeing progress with doing one strength training sessions per week, because it's something new for your body. So your body's adapting for this new signal you are seeing the differences even one session per week, but then obviously more experienced you have longer you'd have been doing it the same amount is not going to be any more beneficial. Like you need to do always something more so you might get for the first let's say three to six months or even nine months, some kind of benefits in progress but then at some point if you want to see progress you need to do I would say that that most people even two, two times per week you are able to see some kind of progress and to get most optimal results is if you get three to four sessions per week and that is kind of a sweet spot for most people. What what is enough what is sustainable with your lifestyle, but also see enough progress that it keeps you going but the most important part is to do also in those spirits time when you do something else rather like doing outdoor activities is to maintain that habit and booting putting that kind of your strength on maintenance and there it comes that even that one session per week. So beneficial. So they get that thing it does vary them as I did a little bit about my own background. So I was I was professionalized with the player I when I turned 30 High retired and I was kind of soul tired of doing strength training going to seem I didn't enjoy it. I didn't enjoy it at all. And then that was the time when I decided that I'm not going to lift any beats. And it took me 10 years to get back on that and I lost so much muscle mass. I lost my strength and the hardest part was when I at some point I decided that no it's I have been talking myself out of it long enough. I didn't have any planned what I should be doing and even sometimes between even within this 10 years, I started I did maybe a question only one tuber or parts. But that never really stayed consistent because I just didn't have a plan how I'm going to do it. So it was one workout maybe for a week maybe for two, but then it never lasted longer because I didn't have any plan on place. So So then when I started was it's it's like obviously I remember like how much weight I used when I did some squats or bench presses or something or what was my like, obviously, when I was a younger, younger me there was nobody asked that. I didn't even think about it that I do it for my head and I did I did strength training for my performance and that they asked how much it was like when you are younger. How much bedspreads you get what is your one rep maximum been split squat? deadlift, and of course I remember those results what I had in my best times and for example, squats. I used to squat like 200 kilos earlier and then when I restarted I was like 5060 kilos and my legs were saying I was sore after first workout for a week. And I was like holy signal where where I am now I have lost everything. But the good thing is with strength is that you have muscle memory. So I it took for me around three months, I would say that I've had pretty close to back to that level where where I used to be so so it's not it doesn't take long to get back to the levels or close to levels where you used to be if you have done it at some point of your life but you make this your life so much easier when you keep and maintain that habit throughout for the summer and I like to think it always this way that even like I do and what we talked yesterday with some of my members who are participating in my group workouts, is that okay? Even if you go you love to go for hiking, you love to play tennis, you love to do some kind of outdoor activities think this as a bonus is what you naturally enjoy and try to maintain even it's only that one. We're about one system per week during also in times when you rather do or prioritize something else. But that strength maintaining it. It makes it so much easier because if you quit everything and you know that you don't, you are not going to string train for let's say, three, four months you make the decision. It takes you when you restart you it's not that you are losing everything you still get it back relatively easy. So it's not that you are ruining everything but it takes you one to three months to get back to the levels you used to be and if you were if you are able to maintain even you are not getting any improvements but you are maintaining where you are and focusing on improving something else like for example your tennis game or Heidi view work on your endurance so there is something what you always almost a Newport kind of strength on maintenance and it's the same thing you're not precise then maybe in other time of the year you put that strength kind of on on a front seat that you are focusing on building that strength and pulling that kind of that cardio or endurance kind of unpacks it and it's it's going to be a bit less and this way in within one year or within let's say 510 years. You are going to see so much more progress when you when you are doing consistently kind of everything even it's going to be a bit less so. So and you are going to shake us this thing this fitness thing like it's it's meant to be for life not for like that now I have to last deal for one month or two months no this is it's going to be for life and there is I hope there is never coming you are never coming to a point that it totally because quitting and it's it's that you're not staying consistent. It's it's at some points you might need some kind of break. But I have seen it so many times that these are like even it's so easy to talk yourself out of it like at with the busy work or whatever hap is happening in your life. That now you need a break. But you have to make also decision how long your break is going to be and that how you are going to get restarted because longer you are taking that break harder it is to getting back into that routine. So it says to prayer Dyson think that even it's a bit less than you ideally would do. It's always worth it to do to maintain your results and keep the strength up so that you are not losing your progress and because if you take that kind of well deserved break and do something else focus on something else. It takes so much longer. So if you think it like even it's only one system per week for three, four months, in a warmer summer time. You are in a totally different spot when you begin have more time you have more energy and you don't it's not maybe like here in Italy. It's not so hot outside but you don't you you you do you don't do some outdoor activities as much as in maybe in summertime. So it's it's it's really like those stories what I hear like from people, people always in summer goes I feel I feel so sorry. I feel so like that. Oh my god okay, one fact that they are like that, you know I don't have I do something else. And I already know at the moment like I tried to be kind of nice and tell it like that how you are going to do it. and convinced them to do but then when it comes to September or something people are like taking off for the summertime and coming to coming to in September. No, they're nice. They're how they went how he planned taking that break to dia in May I was like during running a couple of times but then get lazy and when you get out of that routine. It's so hard to get like push it's it's so easy to talk ourselves out of day to it all. Also with myself. I have gotten better with that now that if I take some break what I of course sometimes need or there are some injuries you get sick, but it's so hard to get back on back home that routine would you have had and now I have kind of changed my own approach that I I barely never take breaks. How I do it. Every time like I decide every single Sunday. I look my schedule, how my schedule is looking I make decisions how often I will start my strength training I have a program. Then if I ideally let's say at this point, I would do three strength training systems per week, which would be like around 3045 minutes. It says if I see that my schedule, how my schedule is looking. I have time maybe only two times, but I never promised myself that I have to finish my workout I promised myself to start my workout. So I have a place I have to put my workouts into my calendar that there is there they are non negotiable appointments with myself and I have to get started at that time. I don't ask myself that how I feel in my motivated. I get into my garage where I work out. I get started. And I know that when I get myself there. There have been some days that I work out only for five, maybe 10 minutes, maybe some days it's a 50 minutes, but I must get started. I don't talk myself out of it. Do not get started and if I need to reduce the amount of exercises I make, I have to make the decision already on Sunday and those appointments with myself. If it's two types of a week, I keep them and this way I have stayed consistent and if I think my workouts if I how I feel if I feel motivated. I would say that maybe from the past my last 10 workouts I have been motivated. Maybe two times maybe one it's usually between one to three workouts from out of 10 workouts that I feel motivated and all maybe there are like four or five workouts that I feel like that. I don't mind doing it. And then like the rest like three four workouts. I really I tried to talk myself out of it and I know that the five would have the systems in place. I would not get started I would talk myself out of doing things what I need know that I need to be doing in order to feel better in the long term. So it's all about like that consistency. It's it's it sounds so easy, but it's really I have to say and and I'm fitness professional I know that your life is I do this for a living, but I don't know you have properly I don't have children. I don't I have a lot of work going on at the moment. But it's still all about like those decisions what you make and kind of prioritizing like earlier how I would say that verb is more important. I do I have to do this. But I said if I if I don't have if I don't take time for my own health I might be working out working more hours but I'm not as productive as I am when I have done my vertical die feel energized. I feel so proud of myself when I have done it and I know I'm pretty sure you feel it's you that you don't regret work out what do you have done that holy sit by I did work out. Now I have only like I have 30 minutes less time to work. Because I'm pretty sure that if you've worked full hours or you are you aren't getting so much more done in the days when you have worked out so it's really at least for me, it's it's just a way to talk myself out of it kind of with the busyness or vulgar or whatever is going on in life to not work out to find the kind of excuses what the things what you don't naturally in so doing like in my case. It's a strength training if somebody's asking me to play tennis or or go for a walk. That's I'm like right away that Alright, let's go when we go like goes this is something what I truly enjoy, but I know that if I don't do that strength training, it's in a long term. It makes me I might get injured or I know that in the past I have gotten injured I have had pains, everything and I didn't feel so good. Like obviously after workout. It's it's you don't feel it. But in the long term those benefits of doing that strength training. They are just life changing. And this is I just want you to keep it in mind when you are making those decisions that make a plan like either it's appointment either with yourself or sign up for sim or some system. What do you know that you have to go or make it out with your friend or two even better if you have two or three friends who are going so you kind of put someone down or it could be that if you need some quotes or something was holding you accountable. Like okay it's in my it's bad sales man but in my coaching like those people who I work with directly they when I see if they have done work outside message then by ask them things, you know, it's lot more likely that you are actually doing it so keeping yourself accountable in some way or in my Facebook group for my members who are in my membership coaching program. They are posting their their wins, struggles. We have weekly monthly check ins, weekly tendency, so it's always like kind of even it's not the main priority all the time but you keep it in your mind that those are things what you need to be doing in order to get those all those benefits in the in the long term. So just think it think twice in both all these kinds of decisions what you are going to make for for upcoming times or summer if you are in a in a situation that took you take a break or should you do it just a Burmese bird doing it because it's only one time per week that's easy to wear to fit. So absolutely, absolutely do make a plan and and in some form. Try to beat that habit up because it's always so much easier. When you have that habit if it's better if it's if it's simply doing a five minute workout or a couple of times per week or 10 minutes. You are consistent. You are sewing up and then it's so much easier to start adding things when you have the doll already that habit was it's like I struggle also with that kind of perfectionist mindset that it's either all in or nothing, or at least that was earlier it was a lot worse is that if I don't have time to work out for three times per week, what is the point even to work out one time per week and now i i When I'd say is it that I need to get started it don't have to be perfect. It has changed literally everything so so keep that habit up somehow and gosto sort breaks they are winning your progress. Because even if it's a short break, that's not ruining anything, but often those short breaks, they end up not being sought. I know it for me personally, it's every holiday when I planned it break for a week or two from my workouts. It's so hard to get back on it. But that's why I have learned that it I have to do it no matter what I have to get started with my training right after the holiday goes even it's the last thing I naturally want to do but you get back on it because ultimately what makes the difference what is the what makes the difference? With the people with their fitness journey is their ability to get back on track after bad days or bad times. So that is that is literally everything like so it is and this applies to everything. It's also for your nutrition. It's also it's for your workout. So because everybody's having those times or periods of life when you can't do everything perfectly but what matters the most. Is that your ability how fast you are getting back on track, or are you trying to make it up? What you think that you have kind of ruined your your progress and when you are when you are doing it. When you are getting just simply back on it. You don't join anything but the longer you take harder it will be and the slower your progress will be and obviously slower if you don't see any progress or you see you feel that you are going downwards. It's so demotivating it's harder to get back on it. So strength is something that you don't need to it takes a lot of time, a lot of effort to build it. But the good thing is that it takes us a lot of time to lose it and you don't need a lot to maintain. So maintaining it it's it's very simple. You don't need to if you do like I said one strength training system per week, you are basically able to maintain everything. Like obviously depends what is your activity, how is your workout history, but for most people 145 60 minutes session per week is more than enough to maintain everything what you have and then at some point when your priorities are different, your times different you have maybe more time available. It's so much easier to stop adding things and focusing on and you don't need that kind of rebuilding phase and getting back on where you were, even if that happens. Good thing is that like I've mentioned that muscle memory which is a real thing. It requires that you don't need too much effort to get back on that level is better than you used to be. Like for me that's my example 10 years and took like three months and I wish I would say 90 Proceed on that level where I used to be at some point so it really doesn't take too long it comes relatively easy back. But do you ever worry that that you get back on it where you kind of stopped prioritizing your strength? It's so much easier. So I wish everything is going I hope everything's going well with your fitness journey and I hope this episode helped you to kind of setting your priorities and thinking it those that even you do temporarily something else. matter what gives you also obviously that enjoyment what is the most important thing of doing it but maintaining that strength is such a valuable thing. So I hope this helped. And if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me DM me my instagram at personal trainer, underline or email me Turo at fitment turo.com and talk to you in the next episode.