HAVE FUN, STAY FIT!

Want to keep moving while you're away? Heed these holiday workout tips from the Women's Fitness experts

Q How long will it really take before we lose fitness while on holiday?

Joey Bull says: ‘Science tells us that there is very little reduction in cardiovascular fitness for a well-trained exerciser in the first 10 days of a break, but “well trained” equates to having four-to-six months of base fitness. Those new to exercise, without that foundation of fitness, will see a decline before then. ‘Beyond two weeks is when more significant losses are made. After 14 days, studies show that VO2 max decreases by six per cent. So if you’re a 5K runner with a 25-minute best time, there is a 10-second decline after one week of rest. After two weeks, there’s a 60-second decline. After a luxurious one month away, that 25-minute run could now take 28 minutes. The good news is that the six per cent loss is reclaimed once back in training within seven-to-14 days  ‘But what about strength? In comparison to metabolic depreciation tests, there isn’t the same research, but it seems that muscular strength decreases significantly slower unless you do zero activity. Tests show that after one year of training with a two-week break, while carrying on with normal activities, there is no significant drop off in muscle loss. Whether any decline you do have is gradual or sudden isn’t clear, but most likely there is a reduction in glycogen and water stores rather than actual contractile tissue loss, which explains how the rebound of muscle mass is so fast once you hit the gym again!’