Taking time off from the gym ???

[chris250]

What do you guys think about taking time out from the gym ??? Do you believe it benifits you or do you believe it puts you behind progress in the gym...I have this year actully taking alot of time out the past couple months from the gym...Only because of work right now, being in retail sales I have put alot of time in...But, even though Im a tad fatter (LOL !!) and a touch smaller..I feel pretty good and healthy and ready to hit hard after the first of the year...It also has given me more time off of super supplements so that is a good benifit to...Overall I think it will help me in the long run, even though right now im not as big or as lean as I was a few months back...

what are your thoughts on this

chris

 

[BigJB]

I would say...

If it feels right for you at this time in your life go for it. You've probably been pounding it hard for a long time and are a bit burnt out. I haven't been lifting anywhere near as long as you and I feel the need to take a week or so off every few months. Taking some time off the super supps is always good for your body. Again thats just I.M.H.O.

 

[mikeyt869]

deff think its a good idea to come off super supps, time off the gym i think helps a good bit to, but last time i did it when i got back upper body exercises started inflaming my tendons in my forarms

 

[Bigbubz]

I take periodic breaks. This week is one. When I'm in the gym, I'm there 5x a week, up till about 3 hours a day. It takes that long to get through the workout with my partner. It's hardcore and tough. The break is nice, my joints start to heal, and I come back much stronger. It's absolutely necessary to give your body proper rest. I just have the problem of, mentally, feeling like crap if I haven't punished myself. If I can barely move the next day, I'm probably in a pretty good mood. It's a sickness I'll look for a cure one day, just not today.

 

[Blenderate]

-

 

[alecaf]

I was wondering the same thing. I've taken two weeks off from the gym and been off cycle for about a month and a half. I feel great for some reason and didn't even do pct, I think our bodies need a break. I hadn't taken time off from the gym in a very long time (a year or so) and going 4-5x a week i think it been really taxing on my body. I'll start going again soon.

What i think is critical when coming off cycle and taking time off from the gym is accepting that you'll get smaller and learn to be comfortable like that. In reality muscle memory will get you back to your previous weight fast and with clear receptors and more energy from a rested nervous system you'll probably grow more than when not taking time off.

 

[Mash1]

I take periodic breaks. This week is one. When I'm in the gym, I'm there 5x a week, up till about 3 hours a day. It takes that long to get through the workout with my partner. It's hardcore and tough. The break is nice, my joints start to heal, and I come back much stronger. It's absolutely necessary to give your body proper rest. I just have the problem of, mentally, feeling like crap if I haven't punished myself. If I can barely move the next day, I'm probably in a pretty good mood. It's a sickness I'll look for a cure one day, just not today.

5x a week 3 hours a day

Wow, number one how do you even do that physically, number two how do you fit that in a schedule?

 

[Dubs]

Time off the gym

Its important. Sure, muscle has time to recover between workouts days on end, for months, or even years without a break. but the CNS does not.
I take a week off every 8 weeks. I usually go back stronger on MOST exercises, and i feel alot better. My appetite, if it has declined at all during those 2 months, comes right back with a vengeance LOL, along with my strength, as i had mentioned. That week off for me is my scheduled recovery week, and it works great.
I recommend a week off every 8-10 weeks AT LEAST.

 

[gooey]

ha!

I have this evil little thing called OCD that doesnt allow me to let go very easy. I dont know how people stop training all together for weeks if not months. I cant, I took a week off after last show and right back into training slowly getn back into it. Im not very good at resting I guess.. Im more of a believer in active healing then sitn on my ass watching the day go by. To each their own, but I say listen to what your body says... itll say less or more.

Goo

 

[Uluwatu]

I took off from the gym for about 3 months. I got real into cycling(rode biking) and that took up most of my time. I lost 20 lbs, more body fat than muscle. Now I've been back hitting the weights hard and back to eating like a bodybuilder for 3weeks with super supps and have gained back 14 of the 20 lbs I lost. I would say 3 months off is a little excessive, but if you took 2 weeks off, you would more than likely be fresh and ready to hit it hard again.

 

[Bigbubz]

5x a week 3 hours a day

Wow, number one how do you even do that physically, number two how do you fit that in a schedule?

I rest Sat & Sun. The rest of the week I go in the evenings around 6 and leave at around 9. and rarely is it standing around holding the machine up while blabbling my mouth, although I have had a couple of those days. Especially when it's one of those young women at the gym wanting to know how to do this or that. I get suckered into that pretty easily.

The really screwed thing about these late night workouts, is the lack of sleep do to not being able to go to sleep at night. It's tough to get to sleep after a workout. I'm also considering going in the morning and doing cardio prior to going to work. I'm not cutting now, but I really need to kick in the cardio to help out with the rest of the workout.

As for the schedule. The wife gets pissy about it. All I need to do is run some tren and she's more than happy to get my cranky ass out of the house, LMAO!!

 

[swole79]

I occaisionally will take short breaks here and there when my shoulders start to ache. It deffinately helps, my joints feel better when I come back and I am stronger. Just a few extra days every now and then.

 

[7_Deadly_Sins]

I rest Sat & Sun. The rest of the week I go in the evenings around 6 and leave at around 9. and rarely is it standing around holding the machine up while blabbling my mouth, although I have had a couple of those days. Especially when it's one of those young women at the gym wanting to know how to do this or that. I get suckered into that pretty easily.

The really screwed thing about these late night workouts, is the lack of sleep do to not being able to go to sleep at night. It's tough to get to sleep after a workout. I'm also considering going in the morning and doing cardio prior to going to work. I'm not cutting now, but I really need to kick in the cardio to help out with the rest of the workout.

As for the schedule. The wife gets pissy about it. All I need to do is run some tren and she's more than happy to get my cranky ass out of the house, LMAO!!

If you go from 6-9 you might want to look into over training, and how muscle grows if you don't allready know.

 

[Big Dave Smith]

I like DC's cruises in between blasts.

I did take about 6 weeks off from working out after competing this year and it made me feel a shit ton better when I came back. Everything responded very well and I've beaten a few of my best lifts since. I dropped down to about 235 while not working out. I ate like a normal person (well, 4x a day instead of 6-7). It was weird.

 

[Beachmuscle]

I take a month or two off a year.. straight. takes me about 4 weeks to come back to form after that. And then I usually break through all my previous records.

Give your body a break, give your mind a break, and come back stronger with the combination of both rested.

 

[anabolic_hippie]

personally i think the biggest limiting factors of bodybuilders is as follows 1) ego if bbers put as much time into their ego as they did their muscle building there would be alot more (ALOT) better bodies out there 2) over-training bbers are nerotic and persistently always over working in the gym, i see young guys doing like 3 hour workouts working out 7 days a week and wounder why they arent growing. body needs a break i take off a good 1-2 months every so often when i can and everytime i do i totally blow through my plateaus. more isnt always better. when i am in the gym i give maximum effort through my sets, but when its time to go its time to go. bodybuilding is a science i am not trying to preach i know it all cause i dont at all but its all about timing. the right things at the right time.

 

[Bigbubz]

If you go from 6-9 you might want to look into over training, and how muscle grows if you don't already know.

Yeah I've heard that before. I'm more than sure I'm over training, but things are still working, so I'll continue on for now. My appetite is still doing well. I've gotten into the over training where you start going backwards and lose your appetite. This isn't the case right now.

Although I'm not disagree with you guys at all. I'd probably see even better results if I cut back a bit and rested. I can get half obsessive on it sometimes.

Thanks for the advice..... Seriously.

 

[7_Deadly_Sins]

Yeah I've heard that before. I'm more than sure I'm over training, but things are still working, so I'll continue on for now. My appetite is still doing well. I've gotten into the over training where you start going backwards and lose your appetite. This isn't the case right now.

Although I'm not disagree with you guys at all. I'd probably see even better results if I cut back a bit and rested. I can get half obsessive on it sometimes.

Thanks for the advice..... Seriously.

Np, I believe if you're in the gym over an hour then you're over training. On nearly every day I'm out of there in 45 mins, 1 hour max.
Consider hiring a PT, we have a few good ones here.
Phil is really great.
If you don't see any negative signs yet, it's because it hasen't hit you, and because over training is from long peroids of doing it. You should stop before it starts to hurt you.
I was over training before, only certain body parts, and they never grew, but some other parts of me did and my diet was fine. Just something to think about.
Gl with w/e you choose to do.

 

[Chrisco915]

I took 15 years off....and I felt great when I came back. Smaller, weaking and a little fatter..........but my shoulders, knees, elbows and back didn't mind the time off. Been back for a year with a random week off here and there........but I just feel so much better now that I listen to my body.

 

[Big_Truck]

I took 15 years off....and I felt great when I came back. Smaller, weaking and a little fatter..........but my shoulders, knees, elbows and back didn't mind the time off. Been back for a year with a random week off here and there........but I just feel so much better now that I listen to my body.

I don't think I could take 15 days off, let alone see a reason why too....besides health issues or injuries.