I skipped all my workouts during a two-week summer holiday: when I saw my VO2 max on my return, I understood what my body had lost first
Just two weeks away from exercise is enough to trigger a measurable decline in VO2 max—your body’s aerobic capacity—before you lose any meaningful strength. Research shows plasma volume and mitochondrial function are the culprits, but the good news is recovery happens faster than you’d expect.