Don’t Stress About Missing Gym Sessions Over Christmas - Ben Griffin

The Christmas and New Year period is a time for rest, family and food (and a few drinks😉). If your gym sessions drop off for a week or two, don’t stress, it’s far less damaging than you think.

Fitness doesn’t disappear overnight.

Your body is pretty good at holding on to the adaptations you’ve built through training, especially if you’ve been consistent throughout the majority of the year.

How Long Does Strength Last?

Strength is one of the slowest fitness qualities to fade. After 1–2 weeks off, most people lose little to no strength. After 3–4 weeks, you may notice a small drop, but much of the strength comes back quickly. Muscle memory helps you regain lost strength faster than when you first built it. If you’ve been lifting regularly, a short break is unlikely to make any noticeable difference — and may even help with recovery.

How Long Does Cardiovascular Fitness Last?

Cardiovascular fitness fades a bit faster than strength, but still not as fast as people fear. After 1 week off, changes are minimal. After 2–3 weeks, you might notice getting puffed a bit sooner. Fitness returns quickly once training resumes though, often within 1–2 weeks. Even staying lightly active (walking, swimming, playing with kids) helps maintain cardiovascular fitness.

Rest Can Be a Good Thing

Time away from structured training can:

- Reduce accumulated fatigue.

- Help minor aches and niggles settle.

- Refresh your motivation for the new year.

Many people come back feeling stronger, more energetic, and mentally ready to train again.

The Big Picture

Strength and fitness are built over months and years and not lost in a couple of weeks. What matters most is consistency over long periods of time.

So, enjoy the break, get in what training/movement you can and then get back into it in 2026 💪🎄