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Muscle loss can occur after an injury, illness, or any prolonged period of inactivity, leading to muscle atrophy. The good news is that it's possible to rebuild lost muscle through a comprehensive programme that includes physical therapy, strength training, cardio, flexibility, and a nutrition plan that includes more protein and calories. Muscle memory means that it's easier to regain muscle if you've had it before, and younger people are able to regain muscle faster.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle recovery time | Depends on age, diet, water intake, sleep, and workout intensity |
| Muscle memory | Exists and helps rebuild muscle faster |
| Age | Younger people can regain muscle faster |
| Diet | Eat a slight surplus with more protein and calories |
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What You'll Learn
Muscle memory
To regain muscle, it's important to eat a nutrition-rich diet with plenty of protein and calories. You should also ensure you're drinking enough water and getting enough sleep.
It's important not to strain yourself when you first start working out again. If you've been inactive for a while, you should start with a gentle workout and build up slowly. This will help you avoid injury and muscle soreness.
A comprehensive program that includes physical therapy, strength training, cardio, and flexibility exercises can help you rebuild lost muscle.
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Age
As we age, it's normal to experience some reduction in muscle mass, strength and function, a condition known as sarcopenia. These changes begin as early as your 30s and continue at a rate of 3% to 5% per decade. However, strength training can help to maintain and rebuild muscle at any age. Research shows that older adults see even greater improvements in their muscle strength versus younger adults.
A 2000 study found that older participants lost strength almost twice as fast as younger ones during a period of inactivity. However, the older women were the only ones to return to their baseline fitness level after the break, meaning they had lost all their progress. Menopause is most likely the cause for the loss of strength in the older female participants.
A 2010 study found that athletes are able to return to their former fitness levels more quickly than non-athletes due to muscle memory.
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Nutrition
Consuming additional calories may help you regain muscle faster. According to one source, you should aim for a surplus of 350 to 500 extra calories each day. If you're older (35+) or you gain weight easily, increase your intake by 10-20% of maintenance calories. This will help you regain muscle fast while minimising fat gain. You should expect to gain roughly 0.5-1 lb of bodyweight per week, most of which should be muscle gains.
If you're a young, skinny "hardgainer", you'll require even more calories to bulk up. This is because you likely became underweight as you detrained, and your hyper-fast metabolism means you need to consume more calories to gain muscle.
It's also important to eat enough carbohydrates. While a lot of diet plans talk about limiting carbohydrates, they can be beneficial when it comes to muscle gain.
According to research by pro bodybuilder Jeff Nippard, the timeframe to get your muscle gains back is typically around half the time you took off. So, if you took two months off from lifting, it might take just a month to get all of your gains back. This timeframe works well if you've been off for a period of months, but if you've detrained for many years, there's no formula to tell you how quickly you'll get it all back.
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Exercise
For those who have previously built muscle, it is easier to regain muscle mass than for those who are new to lifting. This is because your body has muscle memory and an abundance of satellite cells that will help you rebuild faster. Eating a slight surplus of calories and protein will also help you regain muscle faster.
Younger people tend to regain muscle faster due to their bodies' ability to produce myonuclei at a quicker rate. However, regardless of age, anyone can regain muscle mass with the right exercise routine and nutrition plan.
A comprehensive program that includes physical therapy, strength training, cardio, and flexibility exercises will help rebuild lost muscle. It's important to work out smart and listen to your body to avoid injury.
Additionally, proper recovery is crucial to regaining muscle mass. Ensure you are getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, and eating a balanced diet with sufficient protein and calories to support muscle growth.
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Muscle recovery
Younger people tend to recover muscle faster due to their bodies' ability to produce myonuclei at a quicker rate. However, for those who have built muscle before, muscle memory can help rebuild muscle faster than a new lifter.
It is important to ease back into exercise after a period of inactivity to avoid strain and injury. Starting with light exercises and gradually increasing intensity is recommended. Additionally, ensuring adequate protein intake, hydration, and sleep can further support muscle recovery.
The speed of muscle recovery can vary depending on age, genetics, and the duration of inactivity. While there is no definitive timeline, some individuals may notice improvements within a few weeks to months of consistent training and proper nutrition.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle memory means that it's faster to regain muscle than it was to build it the first time. If you're eating enough protein, drinking enough water, sleeping enough and working out smart, it'll take 2-3x less time to get to the same muscle mass than it did the first time.
Yes, younger people make myonuclei faster and so have the ability to regain muscle faster at any point in their lives.
The best way to regain muscle is through a comprehensive program that includes physical therapy, strength training, cardio, flexibility, and a nutrition plan that includes more protein and calories.
Yes, if you've been inactive for 6+ months, you should go easy with it when you first start exercising again. Just feel it out, don't put any real effort into it.
