Going on vacation but worried about your GAINZ? Don’t be!

Exercise How To, Hypertrophy Training, Leg Training, Motivation, Physiology, Recovery, Strength Training

Ahh, April. Spring is in the air, flowers are beginning to bloom and with any luck, the snow is gone until at least a cool late August evening. Once summer hits, our priorities begin to change. Holidays start to pop up, and you definitely want to hit the sun and show off that nice bod you’ve been keeping under wraps all winter. But with that comes the worry: “what about all those sweet gainz Jon and Thomas helped me make this winter? I know I’m a 10/10 on the swole scale now but what if I take some time off? Are my gainz as good as gone?” Fear not, because a new study yields the answers to these important questions…

The Study:

Researchers at Baylor University were curious how an acute (short) period of detraining (not exercising) would affect the strength and size improvements made during a resistance training program. For their study, 20 subjects trained 4 times per week for 4 weeks. This was immediately followed by 2 weeks of detraining. The researchers measured the subject’s leg press strength and the cross sectional area and lean mass composition of the rectus femoris (the big muscle in your thigh) before and after the 4 week training program and again after the 2 week detraining period. Interestingly, the improvements made in leg press strength over the 4 week training program were not impacted by the 2 week detraining period.

The Take Home Message:

Fear not, for your gainz are safe during your summer holidays. While you won’t improve your strength or size on a holiday, you certainly will not lose what you have gained over the winter months. It is difficult to say how a longer period of detraining will impact the improvements you have made but who really wants to be away from JKC for more than 2 weeks!

Reference:

Hwang, P.S., Andre, T.L., McKinley-Barnard, S.K., Marroquin, F.E.M., Gann, J.J., Song, J.J., Willoughby, D.S. (2017). Resistance training induced elevations in muscular strength in trained men are maintained after 2 weeks of detraining and not differently affected by whey protein supplementation. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(4), 869-881.

Prepared for the JKC blog by Coach Thomas

Curtis Comerford

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I’m 34 and started at JKC in 2015. My wife joined while I was working away in 2015 and started making amazing progress while also completing exercises I’d never perform on my own. I felt I was missing out so I signed up. JKC helps in establishing goals while also having clear direction of what to do, and how, in each session. They also measure your progress which is another means of motivation! At other gyms I wouldn’t have a clear plan and would just use whatever equipment was free, it was hard to see any results. Between setting some personal bests and making good friends its hard to identify a favorite memory.  One that does come to mind was when I hit my target goal/PB in both bench and squats in the same session, big day.

Kristy Howard

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I’m 40 years old & started training at JKC in 2015. The gym I was working out at closed and my husband recommended JKC. JKC meets you where you are in your fitness journey and tailors the work to help achieve your goals. I’ve trained with Jon & Thomas pre pregnancy, while pregnant and now post baby and they have helped me enormously to stay fit through all life phases.

I joke with the guys often that I’ve seen no change in my fitness level since joining the gym, but the reality is I’m in far better shape at 40 than I ever was at 30 thanks to them.

Paul Heffernan

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

I have never previously seen the passion and level of care that Jon and Thomas bring to everyone who works out at JKC. Their knowledge, insight and skills are extraordinary, and they work with everyone individually to ensure the best possible results. The attention to detail and to every person’s specific requirements and goals, and the incredible, constant encouragement they provide, is, in my opinion, what truly distinguishes JKC from any other program in which I’ve participated. I am extremely pleased with the progress I’ve achieved thus far, and it’s largely attributable to Jon and Thomas and the approach they take to training and working with people.

Courtney Currie

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

A few years ago, I pinched a nerve in my neck which led me to be stationary as any form of movement would cause extreme pain. During this time, my fiancé (Sean) started at JKC and loved it!! Once I overcame the nerve issue, Sean spent a long time trying to convince me that JKC is exactly what I needed to safely start working out again (I’m slightly stubborn and was super scared of re-pinching the nerve). Long story short, Sean was right… as much as I hate to admit it!

I never had luck at gyms, if it started to hurt I would call it a day. At JKC that is not an option, as Jon & Thomas will push you to finish the workout, whether you want to or not! Working out in a group setting is also a big benefit of working out at JKC, if you’re not feeling motivated you can simply feed off of someone else’s energetic vibes.

Patrick Ryan

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I’m 43 and started at JKC just over a year ago. I started at JKC because of multiple recommendations from existing clients. There are 2 main elements that distinguish JKC for me. Firstly the sense of community. I’ve been to multiple gyms in multiple cities/countries, you just  can not manufacture the sense of community and support you get from other gym goers and the team. It’s very motivating and happy to say I’ve made some friends at JKC.

The other major distinguishing factor for JKC is the expertise and passion of the team. Jon, Thomas and Craig craft highly personalized programs based on my fitness goals and know how to push me best without being pushy. They pay close attention to ensuring my form is solid before encouraging me to take on more weight for the exercise. Plain and simple they love what they do and it shows.

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