Author Topic: How long are you willing to take off of training? (Read 8697 times)

myseone · « **on:** June 12, 2007, 10:01:38 AM »

Starting today I'm going to take a month off of training. The reasons for my vacation, slight boredom (I love to train), would like to focus on some other areas of my life right now, and a little injury in the right elbow area. The time off will be a welcome change for sure.

This has gotten me thinking about the question, how long would you be willing to take from the gym? Do you feel that you are addicted to exercises? Do you go through anxiety when you stop training or are you comfortable with yourself?

War-Horse · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2007, 03:12:57 PM »

I willtake any day of that i notice my strength or desire is low. Sometimes i drive to the gym and dont even make it to the front door, and turn around back to my truck..lololol

If i rest a day i know from my past that the muscles will be ready to go the next.

I average 4 days a week lifting, 3 off in random patterns.

Im coming off aweek of camping with the family and doing projects.....I wont even think about lifting or posing or dieting for that week.

I can go about 8 weeks regular before i need a week off. A month would be weird for me tho.

nzmusclemonster · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2007, 03:17:32 PM »

I recently too 3 months off because I was travelling.... and to be honest I didnt lose all that much muscle of defination and felt a whole lot better when I started again.

You body will thank you for it...

myseone · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2007, 05:15:43 PM »

Quote from: War-Horse on June 12, 2007, 03:12:57 PM

I willtake any day of that i notice my strength or desire is low. Sometimes i drive to the gym and dont even make it to the front door, and turn around back to my truck..lololol

If i rest a day i know from my past that the muscles will be ready to go the next.

I average 4 days a week lifting, 3 off in random patterns.

Im coming off aweek of camping with the family and doing projects.....I wont even think about lifting or posing or dieting for that week.

I can go about 8 weeks regular before i need a week off. A month would be weird for me tho.

Yeah I've had those days, sometimes I start warming up and just walk out if I'm not feeling up to the task. The longest that I have taken off was an 8 month period, I just felt that I needed it. Actually it was fun to break the schedule a bit, and focus on other things for a change.

myseone · « **Reply #4 on:** June 12, 2007, 05:18:05 PM »

Quote from: nzmusclemonster on June 12, 2007, 03:17:32 PM

I recently too 3 months off because I was travelling.... and to be honest I didnt lose all that much muscle of defination and felt a whole lot better when I started again.

You body will thank you for it...

I agree. If your training hard (which is most of us) then the body takes a beating, having time off is great for rejuvenating the connective tissue, hormonal system, mind set, etc.. Maybe I'll take a bit longer off.

Law

BigCypriate · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2007, 04:32:45 AM »

I usually train for two months (4-5 x weekly 1 hour sessions)

and take a week off

Feels great the first day back

jonno gb · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2007, 09:58:57 AM »

Mentally,I find it very hard to take time off from the gym.I took 2 weeks off after competing in 2005 and felt really depressed after just a few days.It would maybe have been better just to go in and have some really easy,light workouts.

BIG ACH · « **Reply #7 on:** June 13, 2007, 07:49:01 PM »

If I feel that I need it, I will usually take 1 week off every 6-8 weeks, if I get to that point and feel fine, I will keep going.

The most time I will really take off is 2 weeks, if I take more than that, then I start to freak out and get antsy and start to really miss working out. I find that I really don't lose much size or strength, guess its just a mental thing for me.

AVBG · « **Reply #8 on:** June 16, 2007, 02:54:11 PM »

taking a month off training for a natty aint a big deal, any loss in size or strength would be minimal and usually picked up within a few weeks of regular training.. This is one of the major benefits (IMO) of training drug free.

I usually take a week off every 8-12 weeks and if ever injured I take it right back and depending on the injury will take a month off... When I do take some time off I usually do other things which I dont get to do often like bike riding and playing golf

IrishMuscle84 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 16, 2007, 03:33:13 PM »

Man, at the most 5 days is my tops, any longer than that, Id go fucking crazy.

Knives · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2007, 07:37:37 PM »

I'd say that if you look like myseone or War Horse, you deserve your time off.

As for myself, I don't like to take more than a week off, and I rarely ever do that.

By the way, when you guys take time off, do you keep your diet the same, or do you take off from that too?

myseone · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2007, 07:59:14 PM »

Quote from: Knives on June 18, 2007, 07:37:37 PM

I'd say that if you look like myseone or War Horse, you deserve your time off.

As for myself, I don't like to take more than a week off, and I rarely ever do that.

By the way, when you guys take time off, do you keep your diet the same, or do you take off from that too?

Thanks.

No time off is time off, I eat what I want, sleep as much as I want, drink, hang out, etc..

Law

AVBG · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2007, 08:02:39 PM »

Quote from: Knives on June 18, 2007, 07:37:37 PM

I'd say that if you look like myseone or War Horse, you deserve your time off.

As for myself, I don't like to take more than a week off, and I rarely ever do that.

By the way, when you guys take time off, do you keep your diet the same, or do you take off from that too?

The extra cals for the limited time when not weight training will assist your recovery.

myseone · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2007, 09:23:56 PM »

Quote from: AVBG on June 18, 2007, 08:02:39 PM

The extra cals for the limited time when not weight training will assist your recovery.

Yeah your right, but it doesn't take into account the need to rest the mind from the discipline of bodybuilding. A total relaxation phase, where you do what you want can increase mental fire once you come back to the game. It's definitely a good strategy to increase in season drive.

I'm driven, I actually love training, but the rest will increase my love so to speak. More importantly when i come back I will be rolling on new wheels.

BIG ACH · « **Reply #14 on:** June 18, 2007, 11:36:38 PM »

In the past, when I take time off I used to go off all supplements, but i'd sneak in a protein shake every now and then, and would eat what I wanted.

But I'm thinking of not doing that anymore, and staying on diet even when I'm taking time off, will be interesting to see how my body reacts to that!

DK II · « **Reply #15 on:** June 20, 2007, 02:09:39 AM »

Usually when i'm at home i take off one week, maybe two if i have to travel from work.

I tend to do a 4 week vacation in Japan lately, i don't train at all in that time.
Taking time off helps me to stay focused, regenerate and i helps fighting boredom.
I never felt i lost much muscle or strength in that time, mostly when i come back after taking a week off, i feel better than before.

BodyMachine · « **Reply #16 on:** June 22, 2007, 10:27:46 PM »

Lucky guys. I took a week off and felt like crap a few days later. When I got back to the gym I felt weak and couldn't lift nearly as much. Three days of training and I felt "normal". I do think overall it may have help my muscles get bigger due to the total recovery/rest.

DK II · « **Reply #17 on:** June 23, 2007, 02:45:57 AM »

Quote from: BodyMachine on June 22, 2007, 10:27:46 PM

Lucky guys. I took a week off and felt like crap a few days later. When I got back to the gym I felt weak and couldn't lift nearly as much. Three days of training and I felt "normal". I do think overall it may have help my muscles get bigger due to the total recovery/rest.

it's really just a mental thing.

Baby_Hercules · « **Reply #18 on:** June 23, 2007, 07:22:11 PM »

Unless I'm recuperating from some sort of injury I usually don't take more than a few days off. Going to the gym over the years has become a part of my daily activities as much as brushing my teeth or going to work.

climber · « **Reply #19 on:** June 24, 2007, 11:50:21 PM »

Quote from: Baby_Hercules on June 23, 2007, 07:22:11 PM

Unless I'm recuperating from some sort of injury I usually don't take more than a few days off. Going to the gym over the years has become a part of my daily activities as much as brushing my teeth or going to work.

I'm like you as well... But, sometimes it's hard to say out of the gym long enough to let some injuries heal. Like, for example I strained a tendon in my upper arm from heavy benching a few months ago and it's flaring up when I bench. Only now I've made my mind up to keep the weights low and completely avoid bench and direct tricep work. I wonder if this will give it enough time to heal up properly. Maybe I'll need to take a whole month of training altogether to get rid of this injury. I hope not. :[

9 Ball Slim · « **Reply #20 on:** June 25, 2007, 02:46:12 AM »

Being in the military, and traveling a lot, I don't always get to schedule my time away from the gym...it's those forced layoffs that really mess with me mentally. When I'm able to train regularly, I like to take off one week, every eight weeks. During that week I usually reduce my carbs, but keep my protein high, and don't go crazy eating junk. Some off the best workouts I've ever had have been the ones right after a week off.

fitt@40 · « **Reply #21 on:** July 02, 2007, 02:12:23 AM »

Last year I took an unplanned six weeks off. My body responded really well when I started training again. My numbers in the gym went up, and I gained about four pounds. That doesn't sound like much, but it is when you're 42 years old. I think I'm going to take a week or so off every now and then. Prior to this break, I had only taked a couple forced days off here and there over the past 20+ years.

BIG ACH · « **Reply #22 on:** July 02, 2007, 02:18:57 AM »

If I take more than 2 weeks off (which hasn't happened in a while). My biggest concern when i return to training is not to get injured. Usually my body and strength respond very well, but I find that I get hurt easily if i move to fast up the weight ladder!!

Hedgehog · « **Reply #23 on:** August 03, 2007, 12:37:08 AM »

Quote from: myseone on June 12, 2007, 10:01:38 AM

Starting today I'm going to take a month off of training. The reasons for my vacation, slight boredom (I love to train), would like to focus on some other areas of my life right now, and a little injury in the right elbow area. The time off will be a welcome change for sure.

This has gotten me thinking about the question, how long would you be willing to take from the gym? Do you feel that you are addicted to exercises? Do you go through anxiety when you stop training or are you comfortable with yourself?

Good question.

I think in general my training got better once I dropped to training three times a week, as it allowed for more rest, bot mental and physical. So when I'm in the gym, I can go harder.

A week off every three month is probably a pretty good idea. To take a slightly longer break, say 2-3 weeks, once a year, is also probably a good investment.

myseone · « **Reply #24 on:** August 07, 2007, 07:55:44 PM »

Quote from: Hedgehog on August 03, 2007, 12:37:08 AM

Good question.

I think in general my training got better once I dropped to training three times a week, as it allowed for more rest, bot mental and physical. So when I'm in the gym, I can go harder.

A week off every three month is probably a pretty good idea. To take a slightly longer break, say 2-3 weeks, once a year, is also probably a good investment.

Yeah 3 days a week works great on so many levels, 1 of the main ones being that you can fill the rest of your life up with other interests and still build a good body.

I ended up taking 3 weeks off, and then 2 weeks of lighter weight to build up again. The joint pain is gone.

Law