How fast do you lose strength gains?

Getting enough rest between strength training workouts is essential, but so is finding the right frequency of workouts. Most people believe that strength gains start to deteriorate with 2-3 days of inactivity. Not true, say Ted Weimann, author of Warrior Speed. "If you have just completed a high intensity, eccentric workout, it can take 7-9 days for the muscles to repair, rebuild and fully recover. Once recovery is complete, then the clock starts to tick." So don't be afraid to give your muscles enough time to recover between hard workouts, but avoid layoffs of a week or more.