View Full Version : Experiences/advice for a break from training ???
I know someone just asked about overtraining, but this is a bit different...
I'm currently trying to lose a ton of body fat and gain some muscle (aren't we all?). I've been crazy successful by losing over 55 lbs since November '11, while gaining strength and recomp'ing rather well.*
Recently, I pulled my lower back muscles, strained both my Inguinal Canals, and am battling two week long poison ivy! Shit hit the fan, and the rain has been pouring more than usual. All of which is subsiding at a wonderful pace thanks to recognizing my core more during lifts, resting my abdominals and getting my hands on a friend's prednisilone pack...
Basically, it's time for a break. I didn't want to take my regularly scheduled week off until I finished my eighth week of my current routine... but I don't want to ignore my body either. I'd be starting week 5 today.
The advice I was seeking was how to effectively take advantage of this week off.*
What experiences have you had to mold how you treat your breaks from training?
The last time I took a week off it was great. I wasn't as knowledgeable as I am now concerning training, nutrition and vitamin supplementation, so I'm sure there's room for growth this go around.
My strength went up and my preWO worked better, I just want to see if y'all have any tips on what I can do to utilize this rest period.
I'm thinking of starting on a glucosamine or cissus regimen today, definitely keeping up with my daily dosing of Animal Pak, fish oil, creatine and the ECA stack.
Stats: 6'0" 247lbs, 23.5% BF*
Calories: 1500-2500 daily in a 20/40/40 split (fat/carb/protein
Yeah bro, I train for 6 weeks, take a week off, repeat. I train HIT so this works great for me!
My new scheme will be 8 weeks on, one week off, new routine for eight, repeat. Lookin forward to logging and seeing how different routines work. Keeps monotony at bay for sure!
Preston
03-23-12, 12:40 pm
I still would consider removing weight-training, but not cardio for that week "off."
Big Byrd
03-25-12, 12:15 pm
do whatever the hell u feel like doing. sleep late/ go to bed early. take ur girl on a date; spend time with ur parents/kids. do all the things u wish u could do but cant cause u gotta train. u wont lose a damn thing in a week. People are so scared they will regress that fast, even some top of the game powerlifters. its just not true.
ive taken 6 weeks off from an injury and had one break in week and i was back without skipping a beat the next. I took 9 months cause of school and life conflicts, came back to hit a 35 pound squat PR in the Animal cage. Take the time off to recover and refresh ur mind, and enjoy life while ur at it; u only get one.
sworn_enemy
03-25-12, 12:28 pm
Everyone knows you grow while you rest so take you're week off and recover. Not doing your cardio is the only mistake you can make here.
Nice job losing the Lbs.
msktyshha
04-05-12, 1:34 pm
I think it's really important to not wait to take a week off from training. I've been training heavy 80%-90% for good 4 months striaght,and after my 8th week I was thinking about taking a week off but I kept on saying no I'll just take the next week off and then the next. During the last 3 weeks I saw numbers declining on my lifts and I knew it was a good time to take a week off, but this monday morning I was so full of energy that I said ok I'll just take the next week off. So I went to the gym and was planning on hitting my Back, I started off with 4 good sets of barbell rows then got into deadlifts and I was on my second set of deadlift with a moderate weight and on my 4th rep on the way down my back just gave in and something in my lower back sort of snapped or pulled and hurt so bad that I couldn't even stand up straight, I wanted to stretch it out but couldn't even bend forward, the pain was so unbearable that I left the weight on the floor and went home. Been using cold packs and got a deep tissue massage but stil the pain has eased a little but its pretty much still there and I cant really bend forward. So now Iam guessing I'll be away from gym for atleast 2-3 weeks minimum just because I refused to take a week off when I was supposed to and if I did I wouldn't have had this injury. So it's very important to understand the necessity of taking a week off from gym when you're training heavy. What I learned from this is that in order to take a step forward sometimes you have to take two steps back.
I think it's really important to not wait to take a week off from training. I've been training heavy 80%-90% for good 4 months striaght,and after my 8th week I was thinking about taking a week off but I kept on saying no I'll just take the next week off and then the next. During the last 3 weeks I saw numbers declining on my lifts and I knew it was a good time to take a week off, but this monday morning I was so full of energy that I said ok I'll just take the next week off. So I went to the gym and was planning on hitting my Back, I started off with 4 good sets of barbell rows then got into deadlifts and I was on my second set of deadlift with a moderate weight and on my 4th rep on the way down my back just gave in and something in my lower back sort of snapped or pulled and hurt so bad that I couldn't even stand up straight, I wanted to stretch it out but couldn't even bend forward, the pain was so unbearable that I left the weight on the floor and went home. Been using cold packs and got a deep tissue massage but stil the pain has eased a little but its pretty much still there and I cant really bend forward. So now Iam guessing I'll be away from gym for atleast 2-3 weeks minimum just because I refused to take a week off when I was supposed to and if I did I wouldn't have had this injury. So it's very important to understand the necessity of taking a week off from gym when you're training heavy. What I learned from this is that in order to take a step forward sometimes you have to take two steps back.
Shit mate that's bad news, hope you feel better soon...
I think it's really important to not wait to take a week off from training. I've been training heavy 80%-90% for good 4 months striaght,and after my 8th week I was thinking about taking a week off but I kept on saying no I'll just take the next week off and then the next. During the last 3 weeks I saw numbers declining on my lifts and I knew it was a good time to take a week off, but this monday morning I was so full of energy that I said ok I'll just take the next week off. So I went to the gym and was planning on hitting my Back, I started off with 4 good sets of barbell rows then got into deadlifts and I was on my second set of deadlift with a moderate weight and on my 4th rep on the way down my back just gave in and something in my lower back sort of snapped or pulled and hurt so bad that I couldn't even stand up straight, I wanted to stretch it out but couldn't even bend forward, the pain was so unbearable that I left the weight on the floor and went home. Been using cold packs and got a deep tissue massage but stil the pain has eased a little but its pretty much still there and I cant really bend forward. So now Iam guessing I'll be away from gym for atleast 2-3 weeks minimum just because I refused to take a week off when I was supposed to and if I did I wouldn't have had this injury. So it's very important to understand the necessity of taking a week off from gym when you're training heavy. What I learned from this is that in order to take a step forward sometimes you have to take two steps back.
Good luck homie. I hurt my lower back as well - took a week off. Didn't fix the back, but felt good nonetheless.
My new scheme is to take a week off every 8 weeks... Then start a we training program as apart of my lifelong experiment to see what works best for personal muscle growth.
msktyshha
04-05-12, 11:22 pm
Shit mate that's bad news, hope you feel better soon...
yeah thanks man just going to rest and do some self treatment so lets see
msktyshha
04-05-12, 11:26 pm
Good luck homie. I hurt my lower back as well - took a week off. Didn't fix the back, but felt good nonetheless.
My new scheme is to take a week off every 8 weeks... Then start a we training program as apart of my lifelong experiment to see what works best for personal muscle growth.
so is your back fine now and do you still train? I never realized I could get an injury I thought they were for older folks lol but now I know how important weeks off are and how important warming up really is like a little treadmill warmup alone with good stretching and warmup sets. I am planning on doing the same scheme as you thought of 8 week cycle of high intensity low volume then week off then 8 weeks of a little more volume and moderate to high intensity