How important to you is it to take a few days off?

[saudades]

I find that at my age, I'm needing to take time off more often when I'm working out with major intensity. Do you all take time off or do you push it until you're forced to take off time?

 

[vetteguy]

I've been taining 17 years. In that time I've learned although there is a difference between you wanting time off and your body wanting time off, the consequences are the same... injury. I take time off when its time.

 

[Sammy421]

i feel like your body needs the rest regardless if u want to or not. some time off is good especially if uve been training with high intensity non stop for weeks or even months. helps prevent injury too

 

[Pharm_Fed]

Better to take a week off by choice and be able to hit it hard again when you return than to push until you injure yourself and be forced to take a lot of time off and then have to ease your way back in. Plus sometimes I feel like I just need a break. A week to relax, just live life, not worry about if I missed a meal, or counting my calories, or anything else. Not only is a physical break good, but for me I need the break mentally as well.

And really, what's the big deal? I'm never going to compete, it's just a hobby. Is a couple days or a week off really going to make any difference in the long run? I doubt it. IMHO it is supposed to be fun. If it stops being fun, I know it's time for a break.

 

[jtunderdog]

Ive played with the idea of a weird split with on a day off a day basis. I am about to be 35 and I can tell when I overtrain because I feel like absolute garbage. I am currently doing 5 on and 2 off with the weekends my recovery time. I have noticed gains while off for a week as well.

 

[klock]

That's crazy you say this because after Monday's workout I forced myself to take 3 days off. I'm not going back until Friday. I was so overtrained I didn't want to eat, libido was toast, I felt like I was dying! I feel much better now here on the second day but I know I need another solid day of food and rest.

 

[wanabbig]

i always take a week off every three months to let everything heal up properly and get that good sore feeling to come back.

 

[Crazymank]

Ill go hard for 3 days, then body feels pretty beat up. So im forced to take a day off around day 4.

but when it comes to taking any length of time off sequentially, I dont really plan on it. I think i've gone years without it. But life gets in the way some times and vacations/ work will make you take a week off.

 

[Chris250]

With me now that im 35, I've found that I have to take more time out of the gym to recover...When my intensity is higher or when im going heavy and doing lower reps (8 or less)...If I dont my joints and body will not recover and I feel like I could get sick or have an injury...

chris

 

[pimphandstrong]

I gotta do something every day

I still have fat on my gut and it's driving me crazy. I have to keep movin to keep it shrinkin'

Hopefully, in about another year, or so, I can chill a bit.

It's not too bad...I just mix it up and try to jog on trails, or take long walks around a local park.....just to keep movin. Lifting every day is taxing on my shoulders...

A break from the gym is good.....I think them doods know all my bizness already. Ha!

 

[MrPerfect]

lately ive been taking weekends off and just training mon-fri

my strength is up as well as stamina.... dnt get me wrong i wasnt giving it my all 7 days a week... just picking a body part like calfs or abs to do on the weekends. now i strech and relax....... so the answer is YES, we all need to listen to our bodies and give them more rest then we thinik we need

 

[vetteguy]

Speaking of time off, I just realized that my cruise phas for my DC training and my short break from IGF will be the week that in going to the Smokey Mountains in Tenn for a week vacation!!! Works out perfect!!

 

[irishhammer]

M-W-F/ T-TH-Sa/ always have a days rest in between sets otherwise my joints feel like they are gonna pop, and not to hijack but what do yall use for joint health ive been running into problems ever since I got to repping 1.25 bw on squats.