Recovery week

[mfenske]

I have decided to take a week off from training to give myself a week to recover. This is the first off time I have taken in nearly 3 years. I am a little freaked out, but I think it'll be good. I am making sure to stay strict with the nutrition. I am also thinking of loading up with a little more protein to speed recovery. I was planning on lower intensity cardio to ward off bodyfat, but no more than normal. What does everyone think about this? Thanks. Mark

[BigGreen]

I personally think it's a fantastic idea. I try to do this three times per year or so and I've trained relatively injury free while going hard for some time now. I don't necessarily plan to do it every 90 days or so, just when i feel i need it, which works out to roughtly that time frame.

[arthurb999]

I do that twice a year. Resist the temptation to work out...

[bobbo23]

I do that twice a year. Resist the temptation to work out...

I tried a few months ago..gave in after 3 days.

[mfenske]

I tried a few months ago..gave in after 3 days.

I've made it two so far... Haven't done any cardio yet. Man, I feel like such a lazy SOB. Guess I know what it's like to be Joe American now. Mark

[saboudian]

I take a full week off every 2-3 months. I don't feel lazy either because I've come to realize the absolute importance of recovery. I feel the same way when i cut back my workouts to 4x a week.

[mfenske]

Posted by saboudian -
I take a full week off every 2-3 months. I don't feel lazy either because I've come to realize the absolute importance of recovery. I feel the same way when i cut back my workouts to 4x a week.

Thanks for the encouraging words. I feel pretty good so far. I just kinda figured I would deflate immediately on taking a layoff. I think that I will be so psyched to hit the gym on Monday that I will definitely make some progress. Mark

[popa]

I love taking a week off training, you come back super strong and everybody needs a vacation once in a while.

[solidj55]

I do this every 6-12 weeks depending on what type of training I have been doing and what kind of gains I have made. Its rewarding as well as healthy to let the body heal. I also say screw the diet on that week. Which as far as protein, I always get enough regardless of how I eat because even when I dont watch my diet and try to eat clean I end up eating shit loads of steaks, burgers, etc...

[mfenske]

Posted by solidj55 - Yesterday at 09:28 PM. I also say screw the diet on that week.

I would love to, but I am so completely jazzed by the progress that I have made lately as far as fat loss goes that I hate to chance anything. For the first time ever I am just starting to see striations in some muscles (delts for instance) and I think that I might have a six pack in there somewhere. For someone who was 285+ at about 35 to 40% bodyfat weighing in at 231.5 is awesome. Man, I can't wait till Monday. Mark

[solidj55]

I would love to, but I am so completely jazzed by the progress that I have made lately as far as fat loss goes that I hate to chance anything. For the first time ever I am just starting to see striations in some muscles (delts for instance) and I think that I might have a six pack in there somewhere. For someone who was 285+ at about 35 to 40% bodyfat weighing in at 231.5 is awesome. Man, I can't wait till Monday. Mark

I can definetly understand what your saying about the diet deal. I would be the same way. The thing is, I never schedule a week off of training and dieting around a time that I have certain goals at hand. If I am bulking, I bulk, I dont take a week off until after I feel I have completed that phase. If I am cutting, I cut, I will not take a week off until I am finished cutting. This goes for the training and diet, of course there are exceptions such as injuries or just something uncontrolable happening. The only time that I would take time off in the middle of a training goal and not feel that it hurts me is if I am training strictly for strength. If I feel burnt out I will take time off even if I havent met my goal in strength gains because normally when I come back I am stronger anyway. But as far as cutting and bulking I feel it necessary to carry out the cycle until it is finished. Hope that all makes sense. Basically I will bulk for a certain amount of time, take a week off, work on strength for a while, take a week off, work on cutting for a while, take a week off, then normally I will go into a maintaining phase and just kinda workout with no goals in mind. During this time I just maintain what I have for a month or two and decide where I want to go from there.

[saboudian]

I feel the same way as solid, when you have a goal in mind, I don't want to stop until i get there. However, if its been 12 weeks of intense training, then at that point I know a week off will be more beneficial than a week of training.

[GetPsycho]

speaking of.... its time for me to take a break. i will spend my week off on the beach chillin.

i would like to take a break every 12 weeks. just take 5 days off. a lot easier said than done. im way over due for a week off

[chicamahomico]

I have found that a planned rest period is a lot easier to do if you plan via a periodization scheme, that means writing down your workout plan for months in advance. Then you know it's coming and bust your ass in the weeks leading up to the rest period.