Muscle soreness during week off of lifting

joleenl

So my trainer recommended I take a week off of lifting last week for rest and repair. Last night was my first day back and it was awesome so the week off did wonders in strength and endurance. The problem is my whole week off my legs were crazy sore which is strange because they are hardly ever sore from exercise so for them to be sore from rest was confusing. I asked my trainer and she said that they are repairing and even possibly growing!? My question is can my muscles actually grow during a break? Also, is there any other possible reason for such soreness during a week off?

joleenl

anyone?

astronomicals

can my muscles actually grow during a break?

Yes.

The only time muscle grows is during recovery... training in and of itself is catabolic... the goal is for training to generate muscle protein synthesis that is greater than, or equal to, the loss caused by said training.

KatrinaWilke

Did you do a really intense leg workout the day before your break?

KatrinaWilke

Also, did you do any sort of activity during this week off? Personally if I don't do some sort of exercising or stretching everyday I get sore and my muscles/joints ache.

joleenl

Also, did you do any sort of activity during this week off? Personally if I don't do some sort of exercising or stretching everyday I get sore and my muscles/joints ache.

All I did is walking.

joleenl

Did you do a really intense leg workout the day before your break?

Not really

sofaking6

I don't do heavy lifting but I do a good bit of light lifting like 20 lb weighted squats etc...I find that 3 - 4 days off gives me that power boost like you're talking about but I will only have @2 days of soreness in there. But it may be different depending on how heavy you lift? Also did you go for awhile without any days off before that? Maybe you hadn't given your muscles time to build/rebuild for some time?

TiberiusClaudis

Out of the 3 phases of weight lifting: Diet, Exercise and Recovery, the last one was the one that I had the hardest time figuring out. But it's very important that you do rest and let your muscle grow during time off. There are various theories out there on how often, but if one is lifting heavy, many trainers recommend a week off every few months. So I think your trainer is following the standard quo.

Getting back into it can cause some unanticipated soreness. My wife took a month off and she was super sore after her first several workouts. I don't think you are doing anything incorrectly. Just keep plugging away...

KatrinaWilke

Well now that you have started working out again, are your muscles sore? I would just count this off as an anomaly. I am sore for a couple days after an intense leg workout. Sometimes it can last a few days. And if I do not stay active and move my joints around I get achy and stiff. But if you said you didn't do an intense leg workout.....hmm, I am really not sure why you were sore the entire week of rest! I would see if it happens again the next time you rest!