How do you guys deal with "gym burn-out"?

[thebrick]

Curious about some opinions When you've been around a while and you encounter those periods of feeling "burned-out" at the gym. Those times when you feel less "charged" about training. How do you get around that? Take it as a sign to take time off? A week? A month? What if your lifts are strong? Does that mean its totally a mental state on your part? That's a huge part of training, correct? Or do you prefer "active rest" or "cruise", that is, keep training but ease up on the intensity and weight. Maybe simply change routines, or even gyms? Ideas?

 

[donjoy]

Generally i will take a day off. Which means making my obliques and legs sore by playing a round or two of golf. (no carts and no glove, hardcore golf all the way haha).

When I get into those funks I usually only need a day or two off to get me right. I have often noticed that even when I don't have that burned out feeling and I go out of town for a weekend, when I get back to the gym on Monday I have a great workout.

I only lift three days a week and try to do cardio on most other days, but sometimes a day of doing nothing really helps.

Even mentally after you slack for a day or two you get fired up to work hard in the gym when you are finally back in it.

 

[JETHRO TULL]

Brick, you know what I do? This is going to sound gay as hell.

Curious about some opinions When you've been around a while and you encounter those periods of feeling "burned-out" at the gym. Those times when you feel less "charged" about training. How do you get around that? Take it as a sign to take time off? A week? A month? What if your lifts are strong? Does that mean its totally a mental state on your part? That's a huge part of training, correct? Or do you prefer "active rest" or "cruise", that is, keep training but ease up on the intensity and weight. Maybe simply change routines, or even gyms? Ideas?

I forget about all the dogmatic crap that I "know" about training and just come up with some fun routines. When I get burned a little I group my chest and back one day...legs another day.... take a day off and do shoulders with no pressing movements...laterals, shrugs, front raises, rear delt....then the next day ...arms with biceps and triceps supersets. It's FUN! I don't care if I am not lifting a ton or whatever...I just start looking better immediately too.

Oh, and right now sitting beside me in the unopened box is the P90X. Yep, I am going to do that for a while...the yoga...the whole thing. Hey, I can always go back to lifting heavy and eating a ton of food, right?! lol

I can't seem to not train though...I can't remember the last time I have ever taken a week off. Maybe once or twice in 20years.

 

[Lenny]

It is hard for me too take breaks too JT, but like he said mix it up, have fun with it, superset it, giant set, circuit training, etc....then when you feel recharged get back to the progression table, trust me you will want to eventually go back to it.

 

[dabeast75]

music...

when i get burnt out i know its time for a new set of tunes on my ipod...

And if thats not the problem and i feel like just walking right back out of the gym again and go home and snuggle up in front of my 50" plasma TV, watch Desperate Housewives with a gallon jug of chocolate fudge sundae, i have a firm rule to make my workout even more intense than i have in a long time. I realize its a plateau and that I need to bust my ass. I grunt extra loud, do new training routines or use machines that i havent used in a while or generally avoid, and shake things up a little. But basically get my ass moving and sweat. Requires a bit of disciplin (which is NOT one of my strong points) but it works every time. And come the next day those blues are gone.
Presto!

 

[SOCOM]

Take a week off, take a dip in the pool...

 

[Ness]

Two days off seem to really help me more than anything. It hard not to go train, but it really helps a tired mind and body.

 

[Che]

I hate to not train, but oddly enough, I hit that "wall" yesterday where I immediately realized that I needed a break. When that happens, I'll take a whole week off of lifting. I inevitably start getting the typical aches and pains after going balls out for a few months, so it's a good time to regroup, let me body heal, rest, and get back to full speed. I know it's hard not to train, but that week off every two to three months has really helped. I actually believe it's helped my gains in the long run.

 

[Thick1]

I found that taking off a week has done wonders, muscles feel fuller and they respond better when I get back into the gym.

 

[Thor]

YES

Take a week off buddy, I know it's hard to do but you will be glad you did, and you won't lose anything, it was very hard for me to do at first but when you do you'll see what I mean.

 

[musicmann89]

il generally take 2 days in a row off

 

[marilyn]

brick

this has happened to most of us..I usually take a few days or a week, then I'm ready to go back....or change things up like JT said, and make it fun, try different workouts.

 

[mooshue]

I drop my current routine, hire a trainer either local or internet based like many of them on here, and follow them to a T. You get new motivation and a whole new plan to try out and out of the funk.

 

[BigChef]

I sometimes get sick of doing the same old shaggin sessions with my wife and gym. Like others said, time for a change, take 1 week off, adjust your workout, do something new in the gym....it's bout motivation...hardest part is to keep the motivation going.

I read muscle mags to keep my motivation going, and reading this forum has inspired me to keeep going...

Hang in there mate!

Regards,


Chef

 

[tbone01]

I started training 22 years ago and used to push through it when I started but I've found now I get better returns and results from 2 weeks off. I just hit the beach or spend time with family. Just anything not involved with training. Just my 2, Peace T

 

[pumpt73]

Well this is something all of us face from time to time, and Im no exception. Training for me can be a tad bit tougher than most. You have to remember I work in a boiler house. Some days are easy, but others, well, it's nothing to lose 3-5lbs just in water. The temp inside can get up to 200 degrees in certain areas. Not to mention the coal dust that can cover you at times. Also add in working 10-16 hour shifts and it can be hard to push yourself to go train, but I still do it.

The best thing I've found is every 7 or 8 weeks, I take an entire week off of training. I keep straight on my eating, but it's nice to come off of a shift, and just go home or go visit some friends or family.

 

[Tom]

off

i concur with the week off. i need to do it more often. i have always been meaning to just take that week off every 8th week, but most of the time it's going too good to do that.

 

[sadie]

i jsut go anyway.. it cant be fun all the time.. if it gets real bad ill make some major change to my routine which usually helps

 

[pumpt73]

I hear ya Tom. One thing I'll do, is when I get to about 1 or 2 days before it's time for me to return to train, I'll pick a training DVD and watch it from start to finish. Lately, it's Branch Warren: Unchained Raw Reality. After watching that combined with the rest, Im ready to get back to work.

 

[cjjrwe]

I also take a week off and focus on some other exercise that is out of the gym...the beach and swim, get around and see the sights (involving a lot of walking), etc. I will also come up with a new routine so when I do hit the gym I have a new focus.