How fast does fitness fade?

[sundial]

I finally rode this morning after being limited to just weekend rides for the last 3 weeks. This was due in part to me trying to get paintings finished and delivered, then having company for a week while having a s-i-l in the hospital.

I rode today and I was pleasantly surprised by my speed and cadence but I knew I was good for a distance of only 25 miles as opposed to a 40+ mile ride. I have a feeling I won't recover as quickly either.

I read that if you completely lay off cycling for a month, you have lost all your gains. But what if you just ride weekends?

How much does this affect my overall fitness level?

[Zen]

Not much. An out of shape person can't ride 25 miles. Get back to a regular routine and you'll be back where you were within a month.

[limewave]

I heard something like you lose 30% of your fitness every week . . . but I think that's if you take those weeks entirely off.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I heard something like you lose 30% of your fitness every week . . . but I think that's if you take those weeks entirely off.

Wow- I find that impossible to believe! You mean someone in fabulous fitness shape would be completely out of shape in 3 weeks? I refuse to believe it.

[Zen]

that 30% sounds high to me too. at that rate you'd be bedridden in a month

A MONTH???

A month is only four weeks
I meant a month at most.

[sundial]

Must......pedal......faster! Pant, pant!

[sgtiger]

I heard for cardiovascular health, it takes about 2 months of regular activity for an inactive person to reach the fitness(heart-wise) of someone who has exercised their whole life and vice versa.

[limewave]

Wow- I find that impossible to believe! You mean someone in fabulous fitness shape would be completely out of shape in 3 weeks? I refuse to believe it.

I'm just repeating what I read in some fitness magazine or in the health section of some national news. It's not my theory . . . I just remember this one statistic so vividly because I read it about a week before I had my bilateral bunionectomy and was looking at 3 weeks of bed rest followed by 3 months of recovery. I was scared.

[Bklynmom]

I think age has to be a big factor. In the past year I have riden more than I have ever before in my life, I'm 48.

I'm still not sure if I am as fit as I was in my 30's with a few months of serious exercise.

Drives me totally nuts!

[aicabsolut]

I did lay off cycling for a month. I went to Europe and walked a lot, but I also had plenty of good Bavarian beer .

I lost some weight, so climbing when I got back felt much easier on the legs. My HR was off the charts for the first couple weeks back. My muscle recovery time has been taking the longest to build back up. And as I put some muscle back on, those climbs got a little harder again, but with that brought back some more speed and acceleration abilities that had faltered after the time off.

You have been riding on the weekends, so I doubt you've lost much fitness at all.

[Geonz]

Everyone is very different.

If you pay attention, you'll get to know how far & fast you can push yourself after how much rest. It's usually a *little* further than you think

[sundial]

Get back to a regular routine and you'll be back where you were within a month.

A MONTH???

[Veronica]

Everyone is different.

I hardly rode during the week once school started, but managed to finish my big ride on the 22nd. I didn't finish as strong as I would have liked, but I finished. And I felt great doing a 75 miler this past Saturday.

V.