Making step back to make few steps forward

[tr]

Taking time off from bodybuilding completely - no training, no eating every few hours, no cardio, no bodybuilding supps for an extended time (month, two months etc)

How many of you does that? How long?

A friend of mine was forced to take almost 3 months off training, eating and supplementaning, now he is back 6th week of serious training and he is bigger and stronger than ever, he says that time off let his body and mind to heal up fully, reset the system and now he is going to take time off every year just not a 3 months, maybe a month or so. More and more pro bodybuilders is taking time off after major competition Ronnie said when he took his first time off before '00 I think this was his best decision ever, all his body has recharged and healed up to the max, Jay was taking time off after every Olympia these past years, Jose Raymond takes time off every year and is better and better year after year, Dennis Wolf in his recent video told that month after Olympia he was barely lifting any weights, did very light workouts and sometimes ate only one meal a day, we all know about Kevin Levrone case and I believe there are many others.

 

[letsrun4it]

It's likely an individual thing. I'm a big believer in staying with it, making progress every week. It's a long haul to the heavyweight division!

I don't like the idea of going off gear, because your receptors will never freshen up in a short period of time to make up for the loss of gains. Unless you got to get your girl pregnant

Eating shitty will never help you but eating a ton of halfway decent food is good to reset the metabolism.

Training seems like the best candidate to make sense for an extended break. I haven't had one yet in 5 years of real training but eventually we'll all catch an injury to give us a break. Just taking a break when healthy would just be hard to do.

 

[Ironman2010]

This is pretty much me in cruising mode, between cycles. I would cruise on between 100-200mg (sometimes completely off) for 8-12 weeks maybe even 16 if i can push and i would have be more lenient with myself.

I actually enjoy keeping a diet and a routine, i feel without it i almost dont know what to do, but if i am sitting there with my GF and fancy some food i will have it. Some days 3 meals a day, some days 5-6, so i guess you cant say i take a complete break but its definitely 50% off, and then before i fancied going back on cycle or blasting again i'd usually take a week off training. I actually find it bizarre that week off training though, i almost feel lost. But i think it keeps hunger there massively and allows the body to recuperate from constant beatings

 

[Ocean cool]

I'm a strong believer in taking time off. Not 3 months but just a month of no training, no cardio (just walking), no dieting and just resting and enjoying life.

Doing so is more beneficial and u will come back stronger and better.

It is just like the old myth of cheat meals. Before cheat meals were considered a set back. But now everyone knows its beneficial.

Every time i have a cheat meal (Just 1 cheat meal 600-700 cals), i find i loose more BF.

So yes, it beneficial.

 

[pesty4077]

I train for 3-4 months of serious training, strict DIET, then take 2 weeks off and eat whatever I want. It saves my joints too and keeps my sanity.

 

[mcswag]

Go on vacation once or twice a year and don't train the week your gone

 

[sma]

Depends on your routine , goals , life, job etc.

Me my routine requires me to take 2-7 days completely off when I feel it sometimes after 6weeks sometimes after 4weeks sometimes after 8 weeks. When I find my self dragging to to gym or not contracting hard during every rep I know it's time for me to rest. Come back at it and it's sore city lol

 

[mytreefiddy]

I think age has something to do with it.....Ain't no young buck anymore...need more rest the older I get.....just so hard to get away from the gym....even the weeks that I do take off I find myself thinking about training and what changes to make.

 

[PitbullTank]

Taking time off from bodybuilding completely - no training, no eating every few hours, no cardio, no bodybuilding supps for an extended time (month, two months etc)

How many of you does that? How long?

A friend of mine was forced to take almost 3 months off training, eating and supplementaning, now he is back 6th week of serious training and he is bigger and stronger than ever, he says that time off let his body and mind to heal up fully, reset the system and now he is going to take time off every year just not a 3 months, maybe a month or so. More and more pro bodybuilders is taking time off after major competition Ronnie said when he took his first time off before '00 I think this was his best decision ever, all his body has recharged and healed up to the max, Jay was taking time off after every Olympia these past years, Jose Raymond takes time off every year and is better and better year after year, Dennis Wolf in his recent video told that month after Olympia he was barely lifting any weights, did very light workouts and sometimes ate only one meal a day, we all know about Kevin Levrone case and I believe there are many others.

it comes back so fast once you already had it...ive done breaks several times from a year to most recently 3 months(cant say they were planned or wanted lol).... ive never noticed ive came back "bigger or better" thoo w the same dosage...i just get back to whatever size i was with that dose much faster than it take me to get there initially... but i feel great bc the joints muscles cns get a nice break, as well as no hormones... i also get an extreme drive after breaks to get training hard again that i sometimes lose after a year or so straight...