Is 3 weeks enough to lose condition?

[Anonymous]

I stopped working out for 3 weeks because I didn't have the time because of finals & all. Now that school is out for the summer I went back to my normal excercise routine which is intense cardio and I'm super sore. Is it because the workout was so intense or is it because I lost condition?

[thatcanadian]

If you don't use your muscles as intensely for a period of time, your body begins to break them down to conserve energy and that will happen after a couple of days on not working our as hard as normal. I think it takes about 2 or 3 days to really effect you. That's why most people who stay fit do exercises in the morning and before bed if they don't have as much time as usual to exercise.

[sikoo31]

even a week is enough to get sore again, its happened to me many times.

what you need to do is stretch more than usual if you haven't worked out in a while, then you won't be so sore.

and condition, well, I don't do cardio, unless you count shadow boxing as cardio, but I don't jog or anything, so idk.

[ilovenursing]

probably a mix of both.