any lifters ever take a week off?

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chuck636
chuck636 Posts: 258 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently was going to take a few consecutive days off from the gym, rather than my 3 days on 1 off split. I'm having gym withdrawals lol,but anyways I got to reading various articles and it says taking a week off from heavy lifting will allow your central nervous system and muscles time to fully recover which in turn respark your gains in the gym rather than stalling out.anyone know or have experience with this...is a week off a good idea...I want to be in gym but don't want to plateau. Thank you

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  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    yes- it's fine.

    I don't like it- (gym withdraws are REAL!) but I'll do it- end of program- or when I'm really sick. sometimes you really can and do need the down time.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    Deload
  • chuck636
    chuck636 Posts: 258 Member
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    Ya I always knew you grow while you rest not as you lift and give muscle groups 3-4 days before hitting that group again but this said that over long periods of lifting it takes a toll on CNS and a week off every 12-18 weeks with no lifting and no cardio will respark your gains and your motivation...but ya its killing me not to go, crazy a year ago I couldn't force myself to go now its my 2nd home
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    AJ_G wrote: »
    Deload
    well.

    I think deload weeks are just as important as some actual real down time.

    although- I hate deloading way more than I hate resting. That just seems silly- I hate it. I recognize logically it's use and purpose- but Eff me do I hate doing it.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Deload
    well.

    I think deload weeks are just as important as some actual real down time.

    although- I hate deloading way more than I hate resting. That just seems silly- I hate it. I recognize logically it's use and purpose- but Eff me do I hate doing it.

    I'm right there with you. It's worse than resting because you're there at the gym but you can't push like you're used to. Sucks...
  • chuck636
    chuck636 Posts: 258 Member
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    So just going 50% or light weights focusing on form and movent will allow adequate recovery? And how long do you generally deload?
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
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    I've been lifting hard for the last 3.5 years. Longest I've taken off is two days in a row. Like you, it sounds good on paper, but just seems well anticlimactic. I do know I feel stronger after my day off so it probably is a good thing.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Every 12-18 weeks? Wow. That sounds extremely late. I take every 4th or 7th week off (depending on the situation). As you said, rest is what makes you stronger. I used to go longer between breaks like you and my strength would actually start to go backwards. Not good. Honestly, most of my PRs in the past year or so have come immediately after a rest.

    As far as all-out rest vs deload goes, I never really noticed much a difference strength-wise. However if I just do a deload, I find that DOMS is lessened when I return back to heavy weights. A full rest week will result in worse DOMS when I come back *shrug*. I usually do like 50% weight at 50% reps for my deload. Plus some hypertrophy work in the higher rep range (10-15 typically).

    Anyway, your rest weeks are going to depend on your intensity. Depending on where you are in your career and how old you are and your lifting age and such, 8-12 weeks is probably the very longest I would go. If you're doing a lot of heavy, heavy work then less time between rest weeks is going to be beneficial. If you're just mailing in your workouts, then obviously longer time between rest weeks (if any) will be fine.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    I don't deload, I'll take a week off doing "other" movements. For example, I'll replace my normal upper body session with doing cleans, or a strict endurance based workout.

    As for a full week of rest? Yeah, I've taken a couple since June. I've needed them.
  • chuck636
    chuck636 Posts: 258 Member
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    Well I guess if for nothing else a mental break will be good and light a new fire rather than walking through a routine..my last few workouts felt like I couldn't get motivated and was forcing myself through the workout (horrible feeling) which leads to being dissapointed and crabby for rest of day lol.when usually I go into beast mode and people look at me funny cause the pace and energy I bring in weight room...not many match it at my gym. We'll see what comes of it...not going is more painful than any workout I've had lol. Thanks all for input:)
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
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    herrspoons wrote: »
    I do 531 so deload every six weeks. This has worked well for me in the past.

    I'm doing 531 and deload every 4th week. It does feel a bit silly, but I'm way stronger for the next cycle every time. I just took an entire week off last week due to having strep and it sucked, but I wouldn't have been any good in the gym anyway.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    I have another powerlifting meet at the end of March. I'm not doing anything at all the week before, so that I'm fully rested and at full strength come meet day. Many powerlifters follow this same general plan. I'll probably deload the week after, but I might end up taking the entire week off, too. It all depends on how I feel after the meet.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    AJ_G wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Deload
    well.

    I think deload weeks are just as important as some actual real down time.

    although- I hate deloading way more than I hate resting. That just seems silly- I hate it. I recognize logically it's use and purpose- but Eff me do I hate doing it.

    I'm right there with you. It's worse than resting because you're there at the gym but you can't push like you're used to. Sucks...

    Yeah. It's like a waste of a gym trip lol. (I know it's not bit that's exactly what it feels like)
    Every 12-18 weeks? Wow. That sounds extremely late. I take every 4th or 7th week off (depending on the situation). As you said, rest is what makes you stronger. I used to go longer between breaks like you and my strength would actually start to go backwards. Not good. Honestly, most of my PRs in the past year or so have come immediately after a rest.

    I know the programming I have been running has been 12 weeks'- so it made sense to take a week of down time.

    I have never had much luck with deload/rest weeks and coming back stronger- I feel crunchier and I get so much tighter faster- it's awful. I have to keep moving otherwise I just get stiff and old feeling quickly- like within 3-4 days. I suspect I'd do better with deloads and PRs with the rest- but again- programming- I'm not PRing every time I take time off LOL
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    All the time. Even take months off, then come back stronger.
  • arreviking
    arreviking Posts: 9 Member
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    For me taking a week off every eight week feels good. I'm in the gym 5 days a week, lifting heavy and with all the intense a can give. This gym free week is kind of annoying But I ned the rest...I think...
  • chuck636
    chuck636 Posts: 258 Member
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    Well...I went back 2 days premature...opposite of what I was expecting:( I felt so incredibly weak...dont understand
  • chuck636
    chuck636 Posts: 258 Member
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    If I try anything from now on it'll be deload...hope I didn't set myself back trying to help my body

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