6 week layoff, no strength loss

[Coach is Back!]

Jason Ferrugia recommends taking something like 4-6 weeks off each year.  One of the biggest guys at my gym back when I was in college would take something really long, like two months or even more off in the Summer and, not saying he didn't lose anything, but he bounced RIGHT back.

Seems like a lot of older guys who aren't obsessive about their workouts either take long breaks themselves (to little ill effect), or recommend it.

Do you know Jason?

[Lundgren]

Dude.Unless your name is Derek Anthony you are no 06, sir. I pegged you as a non gimmick, noob, right from the start. The only person who could pull off an insane gimmick like this has a name that rhymes with "stars" and I'm guessing he's too busy with mom for that.

Lolz my current account I've had going since 06.

[Master Blaster]

Lolz my current account I've had going since 06.

these are fucking TRIX you play

this is no real

[cephissus]

Do you know Jason?

No, why?  I just read one of his books.

[Palpatine Q]

Don't you think those 6 weeks could have been better spent trying to improve and strengthen your lifts instead of very slight regression?  I mean if your goal is to get a ripped, strong physique surely a break can't be especially beneficial? Why did you take a break ?

You take an extended break to heal up completely......not making fun of you but when you train hard and heavy it takes a toll on your body....a good long break IMO "resets" your body and gets you gaining again.

I take about a month off every Fall and a shorter break in the spring...bout 2 weeks.

Thats why I had my shoulder scoped in September. ...all part of the master plan. People question my status here but I would bet you there are not 5 other people here that train as effectively as I do...and I'm not being a dick, I'm serious.

[Lundgren]

You take an extended break to heal up completely......not making fun of you but when you train hard and heavy it takes a toll on your body....a good long break IMO "resets" your body and gets you gaining again.

I take about a month off every Fall and a shorter break in the spring...bout 2 weeks.

Thats why I had my shoulder scoped in September. ...all part of the master plan. People question my status here but I would bet you there are not 5 other people here that train as effectively as I do...and I'm not being a dick, I'm serious.

Hmm you've gotten be doing something right, your the only person I've ever met to get bigger and stronger the older you get.

[Palpatine Q]

Hmm you've gotten be doing something right, your the only person I've ever met to get bigger and stronger the older you get.

I've actually dropped almost 20 lbs the last couple years and my strength is nowhere near what it was 10 years ago.

[Palpatine Q]

So thats the secret to being 250 lbs @ 15% naturally? 

One of them.....yes.

Another is most people could probably cut their workouts in half and get better results

[dj181]

In my experience strength starts to regress after 3 weeks.

[chaos]

One of them.....yes.

Another is most people could probably cut their workouts in half and get better results

Real.

[makaveli25]

What strength. When were you ever strong? 160 girly man 

[Firemuscle]

Don't you think those 6 weeks could have been better spent trying to improve and strengthen your lifts instead of very slight regression?  I mean if your goal is to get a ripped, strong physique surely a break can't be especially beneficial? Why did you take a break ?

 I was on vacation and living out of my backpack. For the first week I did some pullups and pushups and stuff but after a while I just decided to take a break and enjoy the vacation.

 Also, I lifted really hard for like 6 soild months, so my body could use a break.

[Firemuscle]

What strength. When were you ever strong? 160 girly man 

 I'm sure you've got me beat huh.

 Post up your shitty picture then chump. Let's see who's better.

[Agnostic007]

I'll take 2 weeks off about every 4 or 5 months due to vacation, illness or whatever, and i come back feeling pretty good. At the 4 week mark (Taken rarely but usually circumstances dictate) I feel I have lost significant ground both strength wise and cardio wise and the soreness is extreme like a beginner. Plus, mentally, I find it hard to stay away from training for very long anyway

[Firemuscle]

I'll take 2 weeks off about every 4 or 5 months due to vacation, illness or whatever, and i come back feeling pretty good. At the 4 week mark (Taken rarely but usually circumstances dictate) I feel I have lost significant ground both strength wise and cardio wise and the soreness is extreme like a beginner. Plus, mentally, I find it hard to stay away from training for very long anyway

 I agree with you about the soreness and the weak cardio condition.

 As far as losing ground in strength I think it takes longer than 6 weeks. I did lose strength on some lifts though, my curls are weaker for some reason especially.

 I think diet makes a big difference too.

[#1 Klaus fan]

Don't you think those 6 weeks could have been better spent trying to improve and strengthen your lifts instead of very slight regression?  I mean if your goal is to get a ripped, strong physique surely a break can't be especially beneficial? Why did you take a break ?

Groink explained it pretty good but I'll continue little. Like Groink said, it lets you heal completely. I mean, 100 %. When you train hard, you notice how each week you lose a little bit of sharpness, strength and stamina. It's gradual but necessary process. If it happens during 6 months or a year a body can't recuperate in a few days. The long rests allows you to reap all the benefits of the gradual decline of your abilities. Bodybuilders pay too much attention to rest days. Those don't mean shit! You don't recover in a day. They think the rest days protects them from overtraining but it's actually the opposite. Balls out training for a while and then 2 weeks rest is a safe training style. But 6 days a week training with no longer breaks might lead to overtraining.

[The Showstoppa]

Groink explained it pretty good but I'll continue little. Like Groink said, it lets you heal completely. I mean, 100 %. When you train hard, you notice how each week you lose a little bit of sharpness, strength and stamina. It's gradual but necessary process. If it happens during 6 months or a year a body can't recuperate in a few days. The long rests allows you to reap all the benefits of the gradual decline of your abilities. Bodybuilders pay too much attention to rest days. Those don't mean shit! You don't recover in a day.

I agree with this.  The longer you train, I think the longer the breaks that are needed up to a point.  The ligaments, support muscles, etc... really need more time to recover.   People focus too much on, lets say, "I did chest and it's not sore...."  But they forget the amount of stress they place on their shoulders when doing chest, etc...

[dj181]

Cardio losses happen much quicker than strength losses do.

[The Showstoppa]

Cardio losses happen much quicker than strength losses do.

I agree.

[SilverSpoon]

I had the flu 2 weeks ago, and it forced a 3 week layoff, because my fever kept lingering.
Thing is, I NEVER get sick.
My 20 rep squats went in the toilet, I had zero stamina and only got 15 repetitions with a weight I cruised with before Christmas, and the last 3 reps were grinders.
I'm pissed.
Interestingly, I lost 7 pounds from the flu, and got leaner.  The Tanita says I lost zero muscle, which I find very hard to believe.

[The Showstoppa]

I had the flu 2 weeks ago, and it forced a 3 week layoff, because my fever kept lingering.
Thing is, I NEVER get sick.
My 20 rep squats went in the toilet, I had zero stamina and only got 15 repetitions with a weight I cruised with before Christmas, and the last 3 reps were grinders.
I'm pissed.
Interestingly, I lost 7 pounds from the flu, and got leaner.  The Tanita says I lost zero muscle, which I find very hard to believe.

I think, which I'm sure you will agree, that having to take time off because you were sick is different than taking it when you are healthy.  I mean, your body was just in "get better" mode vs "rest and recupperation" during that time. 

And the flu is a great way to shed some lbs.....

[tonymctones]

I agree with this.  The longer you train, I think the longer the breaks that are needed up to a point.  The ligaments, support muscles, etc... really need more time to recover.   People focus too much on, lets say, "I did chest and it's not sore...."  But they forget the amount of stress they place on their shoulders when doing chest, etc...

I agree, i generally take a week break or so every couple months and its due alot to my joints etc...when i start feeling run down and my joints start to hurt i take some time off to heal up

[Agnostic007]

I had the flu 2 weeks ago, and it forced a 3 week layoff, because my fever kept lingering.
Thing is, I NEVER get sick.
My 20 rep squats went in the toilet, I had zero stamina and only got 15 repetitions with a weight I cruised with before Christmas, and the last 3 reps were grinders.
I'm pissed.
Interestingly, I lost 7 pounds from the flu, and got leaner.  The Tanita says I lost zero muscle, which I find very hard to believe.

It is hard to believe. The Tanita is a ball park figure and flucuates greatly depending on hydration. Taking 3 readings over the course of a week and averaging them is about the best way to get a body fat reading using it. 

[SilverSpoon]

I think, which I'm sure you will agree, that having to take time off because you were sick is different than taking it when you are healthy.  I mean, your body was just in "get better" mode vs "rest and recupperation" during that time. 

And the flu is a great way to shed some lbs.....

Showstoppa, I couldn't eat a damned thing other than soup for a number of days.  Soup and Gatorade coupled with my fever breaking at night....SUCKED.

[CalvinH]

Showstoppa, I couldn't eat a damned thing other than soup for a number of days.  Soup and Gatorade coupled with my fever breaking at night....SUCKED.

Just got over that.