Taking a week off mid-stage?

lobo_a_gogo

Hi,

I'm near the end of stage 1 (supposed to start my first 8 rep workout today) and I'm sick as a dog. my lungs are full of mucus and rattle, I could barely drag myself to work this morning, I worked out on Friday when I was first getting sick and I was significantly weaker than normal...

If I take a week off do you think it will be harmful to my progress? When I start back up should I use the weight I did last time or should I still try and increase?


Thanks

PLUMSGRL

The author of New Rules series states he takes his rest weeks on an unscheduled basis, due to his work/lifestyle.
Take care of your body, get rested and better, then start where you left off.
see pg 126-127, Recovery between stages (paperback).

MyOwnSunshine

Now that I've completed NROL for Women and am plugging away at the stages of Supercharged, I have changed the way I think about this program and rest weeks. For me, NROL is a long-term (like years, if not for life) way of working out. I worry less about taking a full rest week between Stages, and am more apt to let them fall where they may as life dictates. For instance, I'm about to finish a stage this week, but I had several unplanned rest days during this past stage, and I will be starting school in a few weeks, which might be challenging at first, so I'll wait and save my rest days and begin my new stage immediately.

Sometimes when I've been pushing really hard, I start to develop muscle or joint pain (not just DOMS) and know that I need to take a day or two off to recover instead of pushing through and making it worse.

I do think you need to take a whole week off sometimes to get the full benefits of muscle/bone/nerve/mind recovery, but don't get too tied up in the whole stages concept.

morkiemama

You need to take the time to let your body rest.

I would try starting where you left off and if you cannot complete a set, you can always unload a bit and pick up there. You may be a bit weakened depending on what havoc this illness wreaks on your body. :P If it helps, I took over a 2 month break and I am almost back to where I left off and I just did workout 4A today.

lhergenr

nothing wrong with that. i've done it out of shear laziness. you might feel a little weaker your first work out back but once you get back on schedule you'll be fine.