I am trying to figure out what I lose by missing a workout. If I work out regularly, am I sacrificing progress, or could I lose gains? I do three full-body workouts weekly and run on two or three non-workout days. What happens when I skip one workout?
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Nothing, you’re just getting an extra rest day.
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It’s barely noticeable. You can take weeks or months off and get back to where you were. Life happens, sickness, holidays, family, but you always return to your previous level.
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There is hardly any difference between working out 180 days a year versus 179 days. You can train 2 to 5 days a week and still make similar progress.
What about working out 100-120 days a year compared to 180 days?
For strength and muscle building, 1-4 sets per muscle group per week to failure gets you about 64% of your maximum gains, which could be achieved with just one or two workouts a week. To reach full gains, you’d need 10 sets per muscle group each week. My routine includes 8 sets per week for 64% of gains. To maximize gains, you’d need 40 sets per week and significantly more workout time. For optimal health benefits, one set to failure per week is enough.
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Thanks! It is reassuring to see that 1-2 workouts can deliver the majority of the gains. This definitely seems like the Pareto principle in action.
You might lose some gains, but a break can be beneficial. The bigger risk is that missing sessions can quickly lead to a longer break, which can cause noticeable atrophy.
I make more progress working out 3 times a week consistently than working out 5 times a week and occasionally missing a session. I feel less stressed, less tempted to skip workouts and recover better.
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What happens is you miss out on the results and benefits of your workout. There’s no secret or magic solution here.
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I am curious from a scientific perspective: does it mean you are not making physical progress, or does it mean you’re going backward?
You lose fitness. Often, it helps to do the same movement the next day, but with lighter intensity, to get the blood flowing and aid recovery.
I still drink because I’ve always been more of a social drinker. A glass of wine at a restaurant doesn’t seem to affect my energy or progress much the next day.
It makes me feel worse physically that day.
I view it as gaining recovery time rather than missing out. Regression tends to occur more if your diet also falters along with the workout. Missing a workout usually affects you more mentally than physically.
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It’s essentially a hit to your consistency. Every time you go to the gym, you are reinforcing the habit and affirming that you’re someone who works out. Missing a workout occasionally won’t derail your progress, but if you let these missed workouts pile up, you risk becoming someone who doesn’t go to the gym regularly.
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Are you referring to Atomic Habits?