Days off?

[AlbinoRhino]

Do you really need to take days off to completely relax?? I hate taking days off, and the way I have my schedule setup I dont see any reason for me to take a day off, I can just roll back onto day 1's muscle and it will be totally relaxed and ready to go. Can you guys give me a heads up if there is any proven reason for taking a day off. Thanks guys

 

[pee wee]

I take 3 days of a week.

 

[BrandonXJ]

Depends on your situation, I guess.. For most people, you'd want to take some time off to let the muscles rebuild.. it's very easy to overtrain too, and then you'll just get more frustrated because you really won't see any gains.

 

[JKurz1]

Do you really need to take days off to completely relax?? I hate taking days off, and the way I have my schedule setup I dont see any reason for me to take a day off, I can just roll back onto day 1's muscle and it will be totally relaxed and ready to go. Can you guys give me a heads up if there is any proven reason for taking a day off. Thanks guys

probably the number one worst thing you can do, is not give your body ample time to rest........

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Well, I don't see a problem as long as you don't mean 7 days straight of heavy lifting, low reps with extreme weights. In special services and such, I believe calisthenics area daily regimen, as are various forms of cardio. If you want to, on off days, sprint or jog, do some bodyweight exercises, hit the heavy bag, or something else moderately active, then go ahead. I don't see any harm in it. As long as you're getting sleep at night. Your body doesn't need a whole 24 hours off. That's just lazy, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[zxe003]

i agree. the only time i will miss a day of some type of exercise is purely out of necessity. sometimes schedule gets hectic and time will not allow. generally try to lift 4-5 days a week. Jog and play softball on the other days.

the only other time i felt taking some time off really helped me was when i stayed home with my son for a week. i had hit a plateau in my bench. when i came back after a week of no lifting, i upped my weight no problem. didn't actually think that this would work before. but it worked out for me.

 

[JKurz1]

Well, I don't see a problem as long as you don't mean 7 days straight of heavy lifting, low reps with extreme weights. In special services and such, I believe calisthenics area daily regimen, as are various forms of cardio. If you want to, on off days, sprint or jog, do some bodyweight exercises, hit the heavy bag, or something else moderately active, then go ahead. I don't see any harm in it. As long as you're getting sleep at night. Your body doesn't need a whole 24 hours off. That's just lazy, as far as I'm concerned.

very nice, but that's not what he's saying.....he said he wants to roll back onto day 1 of his lifting routine, which will be determental...no ?......personally, I can't even begin to think of the last time I didnt break a sweat in any one day......so, I do agree...but your body needs time away from the iron.........

 

[SFLifter]

It's my understanding that your CNS needs time to recover if you want to maximize your gains. Cardio won't tax your CNS as much as lifting, so you can do it every day if you want with no negative effects -- however, definitely take at least a day or two off from heavy lifting each week to give your muscles and CNS ample time to recuperate.

 

[bran987]

definitely take at least a day or two off from heavy lifting each week to give your muscles and CNS ample time to recuperate.

at LEAST

 

[Omegasox]

I wouldn't lift more than 3 days straight without a day off before you start again. If you're lifting heavy, there's no way you could lift every day without feeling run down.

 

[string_bean00]

I usually go 3 or 4 on, then 3 or 4 off. Gets me well rested.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

I agree, J. You need time away from lifting heavy like that. If you're doing 20 or more reps, or bodyweight type exercises (which usually end up in the higher rep range) then you don't need to break. That's what I was saying.

 

[AlbinoRhino]

I appreciate the information guys. My situation is only like this due to me being deployed overseas right now. I work computers so I sit on my ass for a 12 hour shift, lift for about 2 hours, shower, eat, then sleep about 8 hours then go at it again. So I technically sit on my ass for 22 hours a day and I think it has been giving the this extra energy to want to go and lift 7 days a week. Normally I would get that run down feeling and not lift as much, but out here I can go about 14 days straight without getting that feeling. I usually stick to core exercies I.E. Back Monday, Chest Tuesday, Legs Wednesday, Shoulders and traps Thursday (usually somewhat light on shoulders) then back to Mondays workout. My arms seem to be growing without giving them their own day for now, and this has been giving me completely silly weight gains.

 

[evilsupaman]

As long as you are making "silly" weight gains then i'd continue to do what your doing. If those weight gains slow down or if your joints/ligaments/tendons start to hurt or strength levels start to go the wrong way, you should start to up rest in terms of days away from the lifting. I am in your boat in terms of how much i love to be in the gym. I don't exactly like days off, but results speak for themselves and rest days yeild better results. I currently take 1 day off in week one and 2 days off in week two, then repeat.

 

[psychedout]

I haven't taken a day off in about 12-13 days. I feel great, and i'm cutting, and not getting run down.

Of course a bunch of those days have been cardio only, which for me is like walking on an incline for 30 minutes.

My weight training sessions also are usually only 45 minutes.

I don't care what anyone has to say really. I'll take a day off if I need, but right now I don't.

 

[JKurz1]

I haven't taken a day off in about 12-13 days. I feel great, and i'm cutting, and not getting run down.

Of course a bunch of those days have been cardio only, which for me is like walking on an incline for 30 minutes.

My weight training sessions also are usually only 45 minutes.

I don't care what anyone has to say really. I'll take a day off if I need, but right now I don't.

ask yourself - am I making gains everytime I hit the gym? Am I motivated? Are my sessions intense? Is my appetite still in check? Am I sleepig (not resting) enough? If you answered yes to all, then keep doing it........for me, it's truly impossible.....I find my session intensity decreases the longer I refuse to take a day off.....So, I weight train 4-5 days a week and hit cardio n the others..........pretty simple.

 

[Omegasox]

I haven't taken a day off in about 12-13 days. I feel great, and i'm cutting, and not getting run down.

Of course a bunch of those days have been cardio only, which for me is like walking on an incline for 30 minutes.

My weight training sessions also are usually only 45 minutes.

I don't care what anyone has to say really. I'll take a day off if I need, but right now I don't.

As said before, he's talking about lifting everyday, not having cardio only days. I don't have a day out of the week where I don't lift or do cardio, either.