Taking a summer break from the gym: Why it is a terrible idea
The risks of summer gym break outweigh the benefits by far. Picture this: You’ve been hitting the gym regularly, breaking a sweat, and pushing yourself to new limits. You’re on the healthy path to building a sustainable lifestyle, and you don’t need to force yourself every time you have a training ahead. But then, like a mischievous imp whispering in your ear, the thought of taking a break from training begins to tempt you. The summer is just around the corner, and you know you will have a bit less time in your hands, you would like to spend more time with your friends, enjoy the long warm evenings on the restaurant terrace and you might even be planning on going on a trip. With all of these things in your head you start contemplating the idea of indulging in a well-deserved rest.
Stop right there! Taking a break from the gym may seem like a tempting proposition—a delightful oasis in the desert of exhaustion or maybe a way of saving some money. However, it’s crucial to recognize the perils that lie beneath the surface of this alluring mirage. In this blog post, we’ll explore why taking a break from the gym is not just a bad idea, but a downright terrible one.
1. A break’s bitter aftertaste
Regardless of the reasoning behind the break the aftertaste is going to be bitter.
Imagine taking a bite of a ripe fruit only to discover that the fruit has started to become spoiled. That’s precisely what taking a break from training feels like. Initially, the idea of giving oneself a break and maybe even indulging in guilty pleasures might seem like the greatest idea, but the consequences soon rear their ugly heads.
When you take a break from training, your body begins to slack off. The muscles you’ve worked so hard to sculpt and strengthen start to deflate like balloons losing air. Your stamina wanes, and your cardiovascular fitness takes a hit. All those gains you fought tooth and nail for. They quickly slip away, leaving you feeling like a deflated balloon yourself.
Remember Newton’s first law of motion? An object at rest tends to stay at rest. Well, the same principle applies to your body when you take a break from training. That initial pause might seem harmless, but before you know it, you’re caught in a vortex of inertia, a never-ending cycle of sedentary habits that’s harder to escape than quicksand.
2. The slippery slope of habits
Taking a break from training doesn’t just affect your physical fitness; it seeps into other areas of your life like an insidious vine, choking the life out of your healthy habits. Remember that saying, “How you do anything is how you do everything”? Well, it rings true here.
Skipping workouts becomes a slippery slope that leads to other unhealthy habits. That extra hour of sleep you promised yourself turns into a Netflix binge marathon. Your healthy eating habits slowly crumble as you find solace in a pint of ice cream. Before you know it, you’re spiraling down a rabbit hole of bad decisions, clutching a spoon in one hand and a remote control (read beer) in the other.
3. The mental domino effect
Training isn’t just about building a stronger physique; it’s also a mental game. Regular exercise has been proven to boost mood, increase focus, and reduce stress. When you take a break from training, you’re depriving yourself of these invaluable mental benefits.
It’s like entering a dark, dreary cave where motivation goes to die. Your mind, once sharp and focused, becomes foggy and lethargic.
4. The self-deceiving “other activities”
“But I am going to do outdoor activities instead”. C’mon now! First, you will unlikely do those activities. The picture you have in your head of you hiking in the beautiful nature or playing that beach volleyball will most likely just stay as picture in your head. Second, even if you were engaging in those activities, you will most likely not be doing them as much and as often as you have been hitting the gym. Third, the intensity of those activities will not replace the intensive CrossFit workout and even less the weight trainings. Have you ever heard the saying “money goes to money”? Well, training goes to training. Less of one kind quite often leads to less of the other kind as well.
Conclusion
The summer is around the corner so what should you do instead of taking that summer break? Well. If you’ve been hitting the gym 5 times a week maybe you schedule 3- 4 trainings a week and see if you can replace those 2 trainings with outdoor activities. In case that does not happen, you know what to do. If you’ve been hitting the gym 1 – 3 times a week you should keep that and see if you can hit some additional outdoor activities. So what if you are travelling for a few days or even weeks. Get back to the gym as soon as you are home again. What if you even ended up being fitter after the summer? Imagine that.
Also, getting back is HARD! It is harder than you think. It is even worse than when you started training in the first place because now you know what is waiting for you! And believe us when we say that you do not wish to bring that on yourself.
Remember, your fitness journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency and perseverance are key. Every step you take, no matter how small, contributes to your progress. By staying committed to your training regimen, you build not only physical strength but also mental resilience and discipline.
So, the next time that mischievous imp whispers in your ear, tempting you to take a break, remember the perils that lie in wait. In the end, the decision is yours. Will you succumb to the siren call of a break, or will you rise above and embrace the transformative power of consistent training? Choose wisely, for your future self depends on it.
In case you need help with your consistency, the CrossFit Kreis 9 staff is here to help!
