Regular exercise is part of everyday life for many people. Many end up in fitness studios, sports, swimming and gymnastics clubs, which are closed in times of the corona crisis. Hard training is quickly undone with a longer break. In order to stop the loss of muscle and strength, we have prepared suitable tips!
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When does the body lose muscle?
If the muscle is no longer used and the necessary stimuli are lacking, the body slowly breaks down muscle after about two to three weeks. It is too expensive for the body to supply unused muscle cells with energy. To stop or slow down this process, there are a few options that can also be implemented at home.
1. Not on a diet
Muscles need energy. If you start a diet now, you risk muscle loss if you don’t get enough stimulation and don’t eat enough calories. That’s why you should now be eating at least the calories you expend daily. Even a small excess does no harm now.
Also interesting: Calculate calorie requirements – this is how many calories you need per day >>
2. New stimuli and progression
Athletes who have been training hard for years will have a harder time at home without the right equipment than those who only use the sport for themselves on the side. However, delaying muscle loss is not impossible. It is important that you try to set new stimuli in the muscles at home in order to stimulate the muscles to maintain them. It is possible to build strength through progression, i.e. increasing the weight and repetitions in each new training session. Sports beginners in particular benefit from this, as they can gain muscle with a low training weight.
Also interesting: Home workout – train effectively with simple equipment >>
Anyone who trains regularly in the gym can adapt their exercises for home and, if necessary, exchange them for similar exercises. Now is also the ideal time to train with your own body weight. Push-ups ensure e.g. B. for a strong shoulder, arm and chest muscles and dips on a chair edge train the triceps muscles. There are exercises for strong legs and a firm bottom here . On the other hand, if you want to work on core tension and abdominal muscles, you will find suitable exercises to do at home here.
By the way: One of the winners of the corona crisis is the fitness trail, which is currently experiencing a real boom. Fitness trails are a great change for anyone who wants to stay fit and train in the fresh air. Various stations have been set up about a hundred meters apart, with signs calling for exercises. Whether mobility and stretching exercises, jumps, pull-ups, strength, gymnastics or coordination exercises – here the athlete’s heart can beat even faster.
Here you can find the locations of the fitness trails in Germany >>
3. Proper nutrition
Protein is not only essential for building muscle. It should also be a regular part of the menu to protect the muscles. Healthy people without kidney disease can increase their protein consumption to 2.5 to even 3 grams per kilogram of body weight with less training than usual. Increasing protein intake is important because muscle breaks down without the small amino acids. Protein-rich foods are mainly lean meat, e.g. B. chicken, but also fish, eggs, milk and milk products as well as legumes and nuts . If you like, you can also use protein powder .
Also interesting : 6 signs that the body lacks protein >>
4. Get enough sleep
Sleep is extremely important for the body to regenerate sufficiently. However, if you don’t sleep enough, you risk disrupting your hormone balance, which can lead to muscle breakdown. Testosterone, which is also responsible for building and maintaining muscle in women, is produced less while the cortisol level rises. The body uses the muscles as a source of energy. It is therefore better to get at least six to eight hours of sleep a night !
5. Don’t despair
Of course, it is terrible for every athlete without a home gym that the gyms are currently closed. To despair and to mourn for the muscles is the wrong way. It is now important to make the best of the situation, to continue exercising and to eat healthily. The good news: When the studios open again and training can begin, the so-called muscle memory effect will be noticeable. Due to the earlier training, each muscle cell builds up daughter cells, which have a kind of memory. If the cells of the muscle are stimulated again, this memory of the earlier growth stage sets in and the musculature returns more quickly.
