More or less serious, the first force us to give up running for a while and then be patient at the stage of returning to training.

However, the text that you are reading now will be of interest to those who put the workout on pause due to employment at work, vacation, or even a prolonged attack of laziness. What happens to the body while we are lying on the couch, and how to return to training so as not to be on it again.

What Happens To The Runner Body During The Break

One week after the cessation of regular training in the runner’s body, changes begin to occur that affect not only the muscles directly involved in the run but also all other organs and systems. The amount of blood that the heart can pump is reduced by 5-12%, the number of mitochondria (cellular “power plants” that process oxygen into energy) in the muscles is also reduced. Anaerobic threshold falls.

By the time a break in training reaches the mark of 1 month, all of the above changes will continue, and muscle degradation will be most noticeable. The capillary network will reach the level at which it was before you started training.

After two months of inactivity, your heart will noticeably decrease. Muscle mitochondria will become less effective when using oxygen to process energy. This effectiveness may be reduced by 25–45% by the time your pause reaches the  3-month mark.

Changes in the hormonal system of the body will lead to the fact that in the case of the resumption of training, more stress hormones will be produced than with equivalent loads during active training. These hormones will increase the time taken by the body to recover.

Good news for those who have been jogging for a long time before taking a forced break. The longer you train, the easier and faster you will be able to return to its former shape. The “bad” news is that you also have to start small and move carefully.

Therefore, our further tips on how to effectively and safely return to duty apply to everyone. If it seems to you that you were too experienced a runner and therefore you can just start with the loads you stopped at, then you will be disappointed, or even a new injury.

Walking, Walking And Once Again Walking

In the event of a forced break due to injury, before you resume running training, you need to test yourself walking. If during active walks, you still feel pain (and even more so if you still use painkillers), alas, it’s too early to think about running. When you are able to walk 45 minutes with an energetic step without pain, you can begin to accelerate slowly.

Even if the cause of your running break was not an injury, but a lack of time or motivation, you still need to start small. Your muscles, ligaments, and even internal organs should “remember” what running is. Resuming training will be stressful for your body, so you need to introduce loads gradually.

Walking is the best way to prepare muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues for running. Be sure to add vigorous walking to the beginning and end of the workout, as well as go one step while running. This will allow you to progress quite quickly (reducing the percentage of walking to run) without exposing yourself to the risk of injury. Do not forget the warm-up and stretching and make sure to see a sports chiropractor near you.

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