How often do you fellas take breaks?

mytreefiddy · Jul 20, 2015

I loved to train... can't seem to stay away from it....i'm 45 years young but the lil' nicks and dings are starting to add up.... out of 52 weeks a year if I rest 1 or 2 weeks it's a lot... I SAY i'm gonna rest but I end up right back hitting the weights... how do you guys stay away??... I know one thing that makes it hard for me is all my weights/equipment is at work.... I literally walk 50 yards and i'm there.... I train on my lunch break AND after work at 5pm... I can train through the injuries I have but I have a real big bulk coming and its probably best to be as close to 100% as I can...... advice? words of wisdom??

Jizzmo · Jul 20, 2015

just do deloads... you dont need to completely stop working out imo.

decrease intensity and volume by 1/3 or so, stop before failure... do that for 2 weeks, really FORCE YOURSELF not to go all out

if you love the iron then this is much much harder than working out heavily day in day out honestly.

BUT the strength and energy youll have after 2 week of that is insane...
it does your body good.

lilgumby · Jul 20, 2015

I take a break when I leave the gym until I get back the next day

:headbang:

jm425 · Jul 20, 2015

I believe the older you get the more breaks you need to take. Deloading is nice and easier on the joints, but it doesn't completely give them a break. For myself, I give myself a week break after 8-10 weeks. My body thanks me for it and I would advice you to do the same. At the end of the years towards Christmas and New Years, I give myself 2 weeks off. Works wonders for my CNS and joints. I still do stretching and a little cardio on my breaks, just no weights.

wizim · Jul 20, 2015

i take 2-3 weeks throughout the year. im 44yrs old. i need it.

nathenking · Jul 20, 2015

I also try to take a week off at 8-10 weeks. Body needs it and I appreciate it as well.

Prada · Jul 20, 2015

I think taking breaks is viewed as being regressive when in fact it is a progressive tool. It may be counterintuitive but deloading/taking breaks will lead to more and better gains. I just go with feeling, if I feel the CNS is down or a few small injuries are popping up I take a week off.

brocksamson · Jul 20, 2015

Every 12 weeks
One 1 week off weights completely
One week light weights until next 12 weeks start

JUICEDUP3 · Jul 20, 2015

10 weeks training, then one week off.

Google&Pubmed · Jul 20, 2015

Subbed. I'm very interested about this. I'm in my 20s and this pass 2 years was the only time i had time off and that was not because i actually wanted to. I was forced to and no way around it

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musclehngry · Jul 20, 2015

When I am working overtime I get minimal sleep and though I should take a day off here and there I don't; we have a small gym upstairs in the staff area but I take it slow and light to not injure myself.

Injured = bad...I love this shit.

Growman · Jul 20, 2015

I dont really take time off, im 34. I take time off when im sick or traveling, but hardly ever a whole week. Im either on cycle trying to maximize gains, or off and trying to keep them.

I dont compete so i should take a break here and there. Think i might start...

mytreefiddy · Jul 20, 2015

If I can train I do.... it's when injuries come into play I question whether I should back off or not..... I tend to train "around" the injury instead of resting and healing...... that's my dilemma.... if i'm healthy I train no matter what.

Giants83 · Jul 20, 2015

When I go on vacation which is twice a year. We don't bring workout clothes. We don't follow a diet and we drink. It's a nice little break from the norm. Occasionally when work gets crazy and I push 80 hour weeks then I might slack a bit.

LK3 · Jul 20, 2015

mytreefiddy said:
I loved to train... can't seem to stay away from it....i'm 45 years young but the lil' nicks and dings are starting to add up.... out of 52 weeks a year if I rest 1 or 2 weeks it's a lot... I SAY i'm gonna rest but I end up right back hitting the weights... how do you guys stay away??... I know one thing that makes it hard for me is all my weights/equipment is at work.... I literally walk 50 yards and i'm there.... I train on my lunch break AND after work at 5pm... I can train through the injuries I have but I have a real big bulk coming and its probably best to be as close to 100% as I can...... advice? words of wisdom??

I was talking with one of my younger guys about this today but it applies to all.

I always see people doing this endless training, they simply use drugs to compensate for lack of proper recovery. you can drug yourself out of overtraining but it often leads to injury.

in order to constantly progress you have to take steps back, you can not and will not just continually get stronger.

someone touched on cns, but the important thing to think about with that is that when you start a new training phase you get these big bumps in strength as you progress, this is due to the cns adapting and creating new innervations which make you perform the exercise more efficiently, your body is always trying to become more efficient.

that is WHY you gain that strength then stall, the cns has adapted and you need to introduce a new stimulus to continue to make it adapt.

it also needs time to recover.

years back a bb his name was brian hayckock or similar talked a lot strategic deconditioning... but lots of things have talked about the same concept.

you need to take time off to recover, not doing it leads to more injury and more aches and pains.

the time off can be completely off, but you can also do more cardio or stuff outside, if you HAVE to go to the gym just keep it super light, barely get a pump, no real volume, I try to be sure I do not break a sweat when I do this. its just light going through the movements maybe practicing a new exercise or something.

doing this regularly will lead to a bigger you.

if you plan to do a big bulk take two weeks off, you will go into it raring to go and make great progress.

ZOFO1973 · Jul 20, 2015

Usually 1 week off in Sept and 1 week off in April. I also do a week deload 3-4 times a year; typically cut volume in half. At 47 , my joints need the break.

FutureFreak7 · Jul 20, 2015

I never take breaks, I'll take a break when I'm your age treefiddy lol

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Love_to_Bodybuild · Jul 20, 2015

been bodybuilding now for thirteen years and have taken one week off after three months in the past. done deloads as well.

Now I just listen to my body and take a time off like recently I tooki a week off on a vacation with my girlfriend. When I want to have a good time for a couple days or so ill just take them off.