Maintain Your Gains On Vacation

Option 1: Take a break

First, you can choose to take a complete break from training. Research has shown that a two-week break from training does not significantly impact muscle mass and strength in young athletes (1). So, if you need a physical and mental break from the gym, this could be a suitable choice. You won’t lose your gains just by taking a short hiatus.

Option 2: Keep Training

Another option is to continue your training regimen. If your love for the iron doesn’t wane, no matter where you are, this option might be for you. Staying committed to your routine can keep your gains intact while you explore new places.

Option 3: Maintain with Reduced Volume

The third option is to reduce your workout volume to what’s known as “maintenance volume.” Studies indicate that young athletes can maintain their muscle mass with just 1/9 of their original workout volume (2). As you age, maintaining muscle mass requires slightly more effort, about 1/3 of the original volume.

Let’s break this down with an example. Suppose you usually do 18 sets for a particular muscle group each week, spread over three sessions. During a maintenance period, you can reduce this to 6 sets per week, still divided over three sessions. This means you would do 2 sets per session for that muscle group.

Normal Training Volume:

– 18 sets (6 sets x 3 sessions)

Maintenance Volume:

– 6 sets (2 sets x 3 sessions)

– Per session: 2 sets (1 set x 2 exercises)

A good guideline for maintenance volume is to aim for between 1/3 and 1/2 of your original volume. However, it’s crucial to keep the intensity the same. This means maintaining both the absolute and relative intensity of your workouts: the weights you lift should remain the same, and you should still train to muscle failure or near-failure.

When to Use Maintenance Volume

Now that you understand what maintenance volume is and how to apply it, you might wonder when to use it in your training routine. Here are some situations where maintenance volume can be beneficial:

– Vacation: Enjoy your holiday without worrying about losing your gains.

– Busy Periods: Life can get hectic. During particularly busy times at work or in your personal life, switching to maintenance volume can help you stay on track. Once things calm down, you can return to your regular training volume.

– Deload Week: This is a period meant to reduce physical and mental fatigue after an intensive training phase. During a deload week, maintenance volume allows your body to recover without losing progress.

Conclusion

Now you understand what maintenance volume is, how to use it, and when it can be beneficial. Incorporating this strategy into your training can ensure you maintain your gains even when life gets in the way.

Sources:

1. Resistance Training-Induced Elevations in MuscularStrength in Trained Men Are Maintained After 2 Weeks of Detraining and Not Differentially Affected by Whey ProteinSupplementation

2. Exercise dosing to retain resistance training adaptations in young and older adults

Dymphy has been a fitness enthousiast since 2008 and has been working as a personal trainer since 2013. She knows better than anyone the mental challenges of “the couch magnet” where you prefer to sit on the couch after a long day at work rather than train or thoughts such as
“I can also have a nice glass of wine tonight instead of training.”

She is fascinated by the psychological and physiological principles that underlie this. In a nutshell:

Motion leads to emotion. You produce happiness hormones dopamine and endorphins. Exercise instantly makes you feel better!

She works with different methods to get you moving. Interested? Book your free trial session now.

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