Taking a Break? How often? How long?

[Gladiola]

Rest is very important and to many are afraid to rest, i take 2 days off after training for 4 days, the max i take is 3 days sometimes but not often

So you usually do 4 days back to back, 2 days off?

Right now my schedule is:
Mon: Legs
Tue: back & rear delt
Wed: chest & shoulders
Thur: OFF lifting [cardio]
Fri: bi & tri
Sat: OFF totally (I teach a 'sculpt' class that isn't really a w/o for me)
Sun: muscular endurance (another class I teach) & cardio

But there is variance... sometimes I have 3 days off. So I'm talking about maybe taking a WEEK with NO lifting at all.

 

[Robboe]

Problem is - I usually don't feel right when I take time off! I get antsy, I miss it, I start imagining atrophy & growth of fat

it's in your head.

btw, how are you doing with that split?


are you progressing and gaining steadily?

 

[ARN]

I used to workout 5 days a week and take the weekends off. Now I'm doing 3 days on 1 day off and 2 days on 1 day off. So far it's pretty good. I've heard that you're suppose to take a 1-2 week break every 4 months or so.

 

[Gladiola]

it's in your head.

btw, how are you doing with that split?

are you progressing and gaining steadily?

Oh I know it's DEFINITELY all in my head! I should have clarified that "I feel atrophy" - I meant emotionally I feel that way - I know I won't deteriorate that quickly. I just need my fix at the gym as much for my mental health as for my physical health

I had taken some time off from lifting last June & July while focusing on learning this new yoga class I teach. Since August, I was doing 2X per week upper body lifting - lower body training was only muscular endurance (a bar bell class I teach - BodyPump) cuz I feared 'getting big'!

In October or Novermber I added legs - so it was a 3X per week split. 'BodyPump' only 2X per MONTH.

Late Dec or early Jan I wanted to lift more & do less cardio so I changed to the 4 day split. I love it - I have been gaining quite steadily - although I think a rest is in order.

Thanks again

 

[rez]

i took a week 'off'

well...just stuck to cardio FTITM both hi and mod intensity for about an hour each morning...just didnt lift. Now im soooo happy to get back to it this week...looking forward to the pain

 

[BatZgirl]

RE:

Take it when you need it.

a whole week off can actually be more productive then you'd think.

I agree, although not to often, Id say about 1 or 2wice a year depending on how desperate you are for it