Can you maintain muscles without training?

[Superfluo]

Hi!

Is there a natural way to keep muscles and general fitness without constant training?

It may be a dumb question, but let me explain. It's been more than a year since I worked out appropriately, and I see that my muscles and general buffness have shrinked. But is there a way to prevent this? I don't ask in order to be lazy, but rather to understand how muscles work and to be more strategic in my life.

For example, is there a way to train, get bigger, and then maintain muscles without proper full intense training, maybe with a little burst training once in a while?

Thank you!

 

[Federico del pueblo]

I'm no expert on that matter.

But I would say it will still require one hard training session (including all muscle groups) per week to maintain a certain physique, training to or close to failure.

But if you had a really elite physique it probably would still take more.

There's no reason for the body to maintain a lot of muscle mass if you're not using it = sending the signal to your body that your muscles are required in that quantity.

[ValiantSalvatore]

@Superfluo Usually you have muscle memory so if you built it once you can re-train it faster how fast I don't know. Yet IIRC the crux is you have to re-train, yet it builds faster. This gives a good science perspective. I am also not an expert, yet he studied this stuff IIRC.

This is a partical video:

This should give a good strategic view. 


A 3 day full-body workout per week. Might give you what you need and are looking for. A 5 day split can be quiet ambitious. This is more how muscle memory works. In case my post was not helpful or missed the mark. Let me know.

Again I am no expert, neither do I look like the guy in the video.

Edited March 3, 2022 by ValiantSalvatore

[aurum]

@Superfluo Muscles that don’t get used atrophy, that’s just how it goes. I don’t see anyway around that.

Best solution would be to incorporate more vigorous activity into your day to day life. Walk or bike instead of drive. Take the stairs. Get a job that requires physical labor. Get a standing desk. Put a pullup bar in your kitchen. Etc etc.

Outside of that, you might be able to maintain on one full body workout in the gym each week. I would not expect to make gains though.

[RendHeaven]

No. Your body is insanely efficient. If you're not using your muscles, your body will deconstruct them.

[Michael569]

On 03/03/2022 at 0:10 PM, Superfluo said:

or example, is there a way to train, get bigger, and then maintain muscles without proper full intense training,

not even with anabolic steroids. Without progressive, constant and repetitive mechanical pressure and micro-tearing that is impossible. 

You can maintain only as much as your body needs for basic level of functioning at the level of activity you're at (this is where the atrophy will eventually stop for anyone who cuts down on their exercise routine) but if you want to get a bit bigger, resistance training is the only way. 

For more functional strength, things like bouldering, swimming, sprints, primal movement etc are also useful. You won't get big but you can get very strong, agile and get immense core strength doing these things. 

But generally, with everything in the body - "you don't use it you lose it." It is a way of recycling resources and minimising energetic consumption to ensure survival and reproductive efficiency 

There is no need to have big muscles, in fact it becomes kinda counterproductive at some point but maintaining decent level of lean muscle mass with strong core and decent overall fitness level (rest bpm < 55-60) is a boost for your longevity and disease prevention goals 

[Hardkill]

Yeah, like everyone else on this thread has already said, no matter how genetically blessed you are or how young you are or how healthy you are or if you are man in your prime or whatever performance enhancement drugs, or what have you, you are still always going to have to continue doing some kind of moderate level resistance training at a minimum of 1 to 3 times a week in order to maintain all of your muscle mass and gains.

If you have been doing a resistance training regimen regularly for at least 6 months and you feel the need to give your body and mind more of a break and time to recuperate from the consistent weight training regimen, then you can actually take a de-load week once every 1-2 months. There are different ways to de-load and it generally depends on which training program you are on or what your exercise routine has been. Check out Starting Strength, 5x5 Stronglifts, Wendler's 5/3/1 or any other programs that involved deloading to see how they have you de load properly according to their programs. The idea of de-loading is basically that you only lift more or less half of the weight you usually use in each of the exercises you do and for less sets and reps than you usually do for each of the exercises. 

Edited March 5, 2022 by Hardkill

[Superfluo]

@Federico del pueblo @ValiantSalvatore @aurum @RendHeaven @Knowledge Hoarder @Michael569 @Hardkill

Thanks everybody!

[Hawaiihealing]

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[Kshantivadin]

On 3/5/2022 at 4:34 PM, Superfluo said:

@Federico del pueblo @ValiantSalvatore @aurum @RendHeaven @Knowledge Hoarder @Michael569 @Hardkill

Thanks everybody!

I've read a study that reports that noticeable atrophy starts after 7 weeks of no training, and that maintenance will happen on a regime of training once a week.

[Superfluo]

@Kshantivadin

And then there's me, who hasn't worked out appropriately for more than a year, lol.

Do you mind sharing the study?

[Kshantivadin]

1 hour ago, Superfluo said:

Do you mind sharing the study?

I cannot find the exact one, but I know someone shared it on reddit. Check out this thread's top comment for a lot of useful studies relating hypertrophy and atrophy.

[Kshantivadin]

This might be useful:

also: very interesting study!

Edited March 7, 2022 by Kshantivadin

[Superfluo]

@Kshantivadin Thanks a lot!

[Carl-Richard]

No.

[UDT]

On 03/03/2022 at 1:10 PM, Superfluo said:

For example, is there a way to train, get bigger, and then maintain muscles without proper full intense training, maybe with a little burst training once in a while?

 

For sure!

Walk min 6km a day
lift your groceries
do 50 push ups every day randomly somehow 
do some sprints every other day 

+ go to the gym and lift heavy compound sets for once a week

+ eat healthy and enough

 

should be enough for maintenance 

[Danioover9000]

@Superfluo

On 05/03/2022 at 3:34 PM, Superfluo said:

@Federico del pueblo @ValiantSalvatore @aurum @RendHeaven @Knowledge Hoarder @Michael569 @Hardkill

Thanks everybody!

   Flexing and isometrics works for me, to at least preserve fast twitch muscle fibres and improve mind muscle connections. Size to me isn't helpful nor important, in fact bigger muscles can be detrimental long term, so my ideal physique is lean. Nutrition is important, but also sleep quality is even more. 

[Inliytened1]

On 3/3/2022 at 6:10 AM, Superfluo said:

Hi!

Is there a natural way to keep muscles and general fitness without constant training?

It may be a dumb question, but let me explain. It's been more than a year since I worked out appropriately, and I see that my muscles and general buffness have shrinked. But is there a way to prevent this? I don't ask in order to be lazy, but rather to understand how muscles work and to be more strategic in my life.

For example, is there a way to train, get bigger, and then maintain muscles without proper full intense training, maybe with a little burst training once in a while?

Thank you!

 

I have not found another way yet.

[Vynce]

The YouTube Channel "PictureFit" does super compact and informative videos about everything related to muscle growth, general fitness and nutrition. 

His rule of thumb is, that you need to do approximately 1/3 volume of your muscle growth training routine, to remain muscle size. 

Less volume means, less weight, less repetitions or less training duration. 

No training at all will downsize significantly you after 6-10 weeks or so. 

 

[Superfluo]

@Carl-Richard @UDT @Danioover9000 @Inliytened1 @Vynce Thank you all for your perspectives!