How many days of rest is ideal for building muscle?
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The ideal duration of rest for building muscle varies based on different studies. Research suggests that prolonged bed rest, such as 14 days, can lead to muscle atrophy in both young and older adults, emphasizing the importance of regular physical stress to maintain muscle function . On the other hand, a study involving 20 days of head-down bed rest with daily exercise showed that specific exercise training during rest periods can help prevent muscle atrophy, with a decrease in physiological cross-sectional area being less in the trained limb compared to the control limb . Additionally, a 56-day horizontal bed rest study highlighted the effectiveness of vibration muscle exercise in maintaining muscle structure and function during prolonged immobilization, indicating that daily short bouts of exercise can counteract muscle deconditioning . Therefore, a combination of rest and targeted exercise may be beneficial for muscle maintenance during periods of inactivity.
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| Papers (4) | Insight |
|---|---|
Open access•Journal Article 2 Citations | 14 days of bed rest induces muscle fiber atrophy in middle-aged adults. However, for muscle building, regular resistance training with rest days in between is ideal. |
161 Citations | Not addressed in the paper. |
Open access•Journal Article 01 Dec 2000-Journal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology 83 Citations | Not addressed in the paper. |
Open access•Book Chapter 01 Jan 2014 | Not addressed in the paper. |
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