Reversibility
by Doug Reese TTNL
Whether you are an Olympic wrestler, or a junior varsity football player, it only takes three to four weeks for your body to lose its conditioning. It doesn't matter how long you have been training - sports scientists call it reversibility.
Effects in Aerobic Output

Although research has not provided
all the answers yet to understand why reversibility occurs so quickly, studies do show that if the muscles are not stressed constantly, they rapidly lose their ability to use oxygen efficiently. This simply means that reversibility sets in quickly for aerobic endurance sports such as swimming, cycling, long-distance running, and cross country skiing which require the muscles to use oxygen over an extended period of time.

Effects in Strength

If strength training is discountinued or interupted, the muscle will atrophy - decreasing in both strength and mass. Adaptations in skeletal muscles that occur in response to resistance training may begin to reverse in as little as 48 hours! It does appear that consistent exercise of a muscle is essential to prevent the reversal of muscle growth and development that occurs due to strength training.

Effects in Endurance

Even with reversibility creeping in, sprinters can still run at top speeds, but they won't be able to run repeated heats at consistent times. The same applies to strength. Athletes may be still able to lift top weights, but they will not be able to do it repeatedly for set after set.

Signs of Reversibility
  • Drop in performance.
  • Loss of endurance.
  • Shortness of breath - body struggling to utilize oxygen.
  • Muscular soreness - smaller fibers are weaker, they tear more easily and take longer to heal.
Stopping Reversibility

The key to stopping or slowing down the effects of reversibility is to stay active. It maybe cross-training. Many times an athlete will stop working out all together when an injury occurs. The correct response is, to do what you can do.

If you suffer for example a knee injury, to maintain aerobic conditioning, workout on a rowing machine, or a hand ergometer. Even with a serious knee injury it is possible to continue strengthening many body parts through weight training. Too often the athletic focuses on "what I can't do," rather than, "what I can do."

Always do what you can do to slow down the negative effects of reversibility. Because of reversibility it takes far less time and effort to get out of shape than it does to be in superior shape. Do everything you can do to maintain what you already have worked to develop.

References:

Always, SE, MacDougal, D., Sale, G, et al: Functional and Structural Adaptions in Skeletal Muscles of Trained Athletes, Journal of Applied Physiology 64:1114, 1988.

Faulkner J, Green H, White T: Response and adaptation of skeletal muscles to change in physical activity. In Bouchard C, Stephens J, editors: Physical activity, fitness and health, Champaign, 1994, Human Kinetics.
To The Next Level (c) 2000, 2001 Reprinted with permission.