Do you ever take time off?

T

theGOOCH

2
I always used to take a 1/2 week or a week off from training when I would start to feel really fatigued and I'd come back stronger.

In more recent times, I've just worked through it and I haven't missed a single scheduled workout for over 6 months. It has worked up until now and I've noticed an improvement in my physique.

Now, however I think I might be hitting the point of diminishing returns. I feel like I've hit a wall. I'm very fatigued...I find it hard to drag my ass out of bed after 8 hours of sleep and I've experienced a slight loss of performance in the gym...especially on bench press. I think several days of solid rest could help me to bounce back.

Do you ever do this? Is it scientifically sound that your body needs a week off every few months?

...Also, now that I'm much more careful with my diet, I'm afraid it will be too difficult to adjust my calories for a little time off.
 
I think that you may be feeling the effects of being overtrained. Fatigue is usually the 1st sign.

I'd take a good 4-5 days off and keep you diet in check and rest.
 
I take one complete week off every 9 weeks: In addition, when I was deficit dieting up to the 9 weeks, I would eat over MT 3 days of the 4 (taking advantage of the benefits that come after deficiting for long periods). This has assisted with many different things over the past. And, not once did I go back losing stength or reps on an exercise--sometimes I even gained more reps and gone up in weight. In addition, this has assisted with stick points.
 
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LV's right. overtraining/pushing the nervous system to its limit is an individual thing. a general guideline is to take a short break every couple months, just for a few days/1 week. over time you can easily push beyond that because your CNS adapts to a point, just like your muscles adapt.

weight training is the most taxing, so if you take a break from that, and continue with cardio, or do something totally different for the week like play tennis, go rollerblading, climb indoor rockwalls, etc...that helps recharge you but still allows you to be active.
 
We take vacations from work for obvious reasons. And, sometimes the body needs a vacation to regroup as well (once in a while). It can refresh your mental Psychic, refresh the central nervious system, and replenish the entire body, and sometimes, mediate mental and physical "Burnout".
 
Thanks guys, I figured that's what I needed to do, I was just looking for validation:)

The funny thing is....I'm not happy to take the time off. I want to lift, I hate taking time off.

I'm supposed to have 2 more lifting sessions and 1 cardio this week. Maybe I'll just go cycling Saturday and do nothing else between today and Monday
 
i used to be parynoid about taking a week off for recovery and CNS adaptation.
the truth is, its a GREAT idea to take time off whenever you start feeling fatigued.
time off really helps get your mind ready to get back in the gym...you actually start missing it lol.
NROL acutally has some point in between training cycles where you take 2 weeks off. you will only benefit :]

my friend trevor stated that he thinks over 90% of the population overtrains, most arent even aware. and i agree with him; i was once one of those that made the 90%
 
I'm probably only going to train three times this week, due to priortity override from school, but I've been thinking that I'm starting to be overtrained.

A few months ago I was overtrained and had some solid PNS overcompensation (apathy, lack of energy, etc)..and I kept working. I['ve started to feel like I did back then...not to mention weighing in 4-5 lbs heavier than in the previous week (this is after sweating a bucket)

The first indicators are emotions. If you are apathetic, tired, have a bad attitude towards training, and just in general don't feel like doing **** when you've had everything go right (diet, rest)...then you're probably overtrained.

I was reading some article about sudden weight loss or gain with overtrained athletes as an early indicator, but I forgot which it was, and I can't find the article again.
 
hhmmm...I'm just physically tired. Mentally I want to kick ass. Whenever I decide to take off my inner voice starts calling me a p#$%y LOL


I think I'm literally addicted to exercise. 1/2 hour after my last post I lifted:yelrotflmao:

I did however, do a little better....maybe it was the extra nap I got
 
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Just look at it this way...

rest=repair=growth so rest wil actually help you make gains.
 
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