How much of a layoff?

SDMan · Oct 23, 2005

Just curious, how much time do you take off from lifting? I finished an 8-week training cycle last Monday, and have done nothing but think about going to the gym ever since. I've heard to wait anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks, but not training is making me crazy! This is really kind of a first for me. In the past, I've just kept going until I burned out (overtrained probably), then quit altogether for as much as three months, so this is progress. I'm just rarin' to go. How can you tell when it's a good time to go back?

xcelbeyond · Oct 24, 2005

I don't really go on "scheduled" layoffs. When my body has maxed out on a program, I just switch programs.

Right now, I've been on an unscheduled layoff, due to being sick.

SDMan · Oct 24, 2005

xcelbeyond said:
I don't really go on "scheduled" layoffs. When my body has maxed out on a program, I just switch programs.

Right now, I've been on an unscheduled layoff, due to being sick.

Sorry to hear. Hope you get better soon. And, thanks for the input. I guess I should have asked this in the professional muscle forum though. Someone asked the same question yesterday and got a lot more responses.

Tough Old Man · Nov 19, 2005

SDMan said:
Sorry to hear. Hope you get better soon. And, thanks for the input. I guess I should have asked this in the professional muscle forum though. Someone asked the same question yesterday and got a lot more responses.

I sometimes go months at a time without a break. after a while your body will let you know somethings up. your lifts will start going backwards or not moving at all, You'll dread even lifting, no appetite, hard time sleeping. You'll know. As long as you feel good, have no problems above and are gaining strength, I see no reason to take off.

Sometimes I just start getting the feeling and I'll I have to do is back off the heavy weight for a few days and then I'll start feeling better and then it's time to get back to work