Do You Lose “Brain Fitness” During a Break From Training?

The off-season is a necessary part of endurance training, but it’s often accompanied by a little voice in the back of your mind concerned about losing physical fitness. Physical detraining does, in fact, lead to decreases in VO2 max, reduced capillary density in muscles, and metabolic changes after 2-4 weeks off. However, these effects are pretty moderate considering most athletes go into the off-season well-trained and don’t completely stop working out. But physical change isn’t the only thing to think about.

Endurance training is also known to boost cognitive functioning in multiple ways. It improves motor learning and reaction time, strengthens our attention networks, and increases our ability to make decisions. With all of these brain-related benefits in mind, it’s natural to wonder whether stepping back from structured training comes with cognitive costs. The current research offers some early and reassuring clues, so let’s take a look at what we know.

Is there a cognitive cost to taking time off?

What happens to brain fitness when you step away from daily workouts and disengage from the drills, intervals, and high-volume training that stimulate both your body and your mind? At this point, the scientific picture is actually pretty sparse, but there doesn’t appear to be any clear evidence of meaningful detraining effects on cognitive performance.

The studies that have been conducted focus on older adults, since physical activity is promoted as a protective factor against cognitive decline. One study of master endurance athletes examined changes in blood flow after a 10-day period of no exercise. The results indicated a decrease in cerebral blood flow in eight gray matter regions, as well as both sides of the hippocampus, which is involved with learning and memory. Interestingly, there was no associated reduction in cognitive function after this 10-day block.

It is important to note a couple of facts about this finding, though. First, the task used to assess cognitive function was verbal fluency, which does not hold much relevance for endurance sports. Second, it is possible that cognitive function does not follow the same timeline as reductions in cerebral blood flow. So, perhaps collecting data beyond 10 days would have indicated changes. But the bottom line is this: Training cessation may reduce blood flow to certain regions in the brain, but this shouldn’t be overinterpreted, since there isn’t any evidence that cognitive performance declines as well.

The cognitive benefit of a triathlon off-season

Here’s what’s not great for your brain or athletic performance: overtraining. A review of several studies focused on endurance athletes found a negative correlation between excessive training load and cognitive performance. When endurance athletes push without enough recovery time, stress accumulates and leads to measurable decreases in cognitive performance. Think slower reaction time and more impulsive decision-making in workouts and races.

The good news is that these changes are highly reversible. Research shows that one or two weeks of reduced training is enough to restore cognitive function and re-engage the executive networks responsible for inhibitory control, reaction time, and focus. In other words, while high training loads are critical for growth through adaptation, they should be balanced with intentional recovery blocks. It’s important to note that cognitive reset often shows up as sharper pacing decisions, steadier focus during long intervals, and better ability to maintain proper form under fatigue once the training intensity ramps back up.

Brain tune-ups to stay sharp in the off-season

Do short, focused drills

Winter is the perfect time to play around with some agility and balance drills. Try balancing on one leg at a time while slowly turning your head. Stand on a Bosu ball or close your eyes for an added challenge. In addition, incorporate some lateral movement patterns, such as lateral lunges or side shuffles. You can also do single-leg pedaling on a stationary bike or trainer. All of these drills keep your cerebellum engaged (the part of your brain involved with proprioception and balance).

Get outside

Reduce the intensity of your workouts, but don’t avoid the outdoors. Even though the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing winter, one way to boost the cognitive benefits of exercise, without maximizing your workout intensity, is to move the workout outdoors. One study found that exercising outside provided added cognitive benefits over exercising inside, specifically in a brain response corresponding with attention and working memory.

Meditate

Meditation is a science-backed way to not only activate the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce stress, but to also improve cognitive function. One study found that even 13 minutes of daily guided meditation can improve attention and working memory. However, these positive cognitive effects were only seen after eight weeks of daily meditation, not four. But if you commit to this practice, it will serve you during the season as well.

In summary

The bottom line is that the brain may be less susceptible to detraining than the body, at least from a cognitive functioning standpoint. In fact, time off may actually provide a cognitive reset that endurance athletes desperately need.