Resting the body

[stevesmi]

it really sucks to have ailments... i was wondering how often you hardcore lifters on here rest the body just to give the ligaments and tendons a rest. I'm thinking of resting for like 2 weeks just to give my body a break. probably do that a couple times per year. whats your strategy? or do you just never rest?

 

[stevesmi]

my problem is i've got forearm pain in both arms, tennis elbow in my right arm, ankles are achy, shins are tender... I am tempted to rest things all at once and get healthy, then come back strong in a couple weeks and rebuild especially while I am off cycle. I dont want to be dealing with these problems when i start my next cycle New Years.

any exercise I do is painful, even walking at this point. I know I will lose strength but that is okay, I will build it back quick when i come back but atleast I will wont be dealing with these nagging injuries

 

[stevesmi]

ankles shins are from cardio and recurring injuries from my running past, and the hammering away with squats and deadlifts putting pressure on them doesn't help.

I am beat up all around. I feel like Brett Favre with all my injuries.

I think taking 2 weeks off will help but i am debating.

 

[stevesmi]

I am going travelling not this weekend, but next. so i figured i would rest up, then after the trip I will be back healthy and ready to push myself for a month and a half, then new years i can start my cycle healthy.

 

[miked8c]

Do it, you won't lose any stregnth, maybe a little bit of your pump. But if you decide to make sure you are completely out of the gym for two weeks, don't cheat your body out of recovery by still trying to go hard.

 

[stevesmi]

thanks fellers

any other 'older' guys that can lend some of their own experiences?

I remember when i was17/18 i worked out for 2 straight years. only taking sunday's off. never had any injuries. i hate getting old lol

 

[SPEKTOR-AAA]

ankles shins are from cardio and recurring injuries from my running past, and the hammering away with squats and deadlifts putting pressure on them doesn't help.

I am beat up all around. I feel like Brett Favre with all my injuries.

I think taking 2 weeks off will help but i am debating.

Something tells me 2 weeks is nowhere near enough rest time. More like 2 months of rest minimum, which in reality isnt that long. But if you are in fact injured and/or aching in all these places it wouldnt hurt to just take time off. You can gain it back quick. Just my opinion.

 

[Roxy722]

thanks fellers

any other 'older' guys that can lend some of their own experiences?

I remember when i was17/18 i worked out for 2 straight years. only taking sunday's off. never had any injuries. i hate getting old lol

I'm not a guy but I am older...38. I recently took a full 10 days off after my last contest prep. I was going for two weeks but it was hard for me to stay out of the gym so didn't quite make it. You almost get programmed to think you need to be there! The rest was great and I probably could have used more. I went back to the gym stronger then ever and did not notice any declines that way. I'm more in offseason now so am trying to listen to my body and take the rest days when I need it, while still getting all the workouts in during the week. I think it'd be better to take the time now and be stronger for when you're back on cycle. For what it's worth....

 

[stevesmi]

thanks Roxy for that story.

I'm getting some acupuncture treatment on wednesday to work on the forearms and elbow. and am gonna stick with walks and elliptical for 2 weeks. once i return from my trip i am gonna ease back in and then hopefully will be ready to get serious new years when i start my cycle

 

[Roxy722]

thanks Roxy for that story.

I'm getting some acupuncture treatment on wednesday to work on the forearms and elbow. and am gonna stick with walks and elliptical for 2 weeks. once i return from my trip i am gonna ease back in and then hopefully will be ready to get serious new years when i start my cycle

Have a great trip!!

 

[moya]

i workout m,w,f... heavy workouts and plenty of 'off' days because every day is an 'on' day at work...

 

[kx250rider]

I don't work out when I have a bug (cold/flu), but I work around injuries. I had a 6-month battle with a tendon problem in my left wrist from last December until June, and I couldn't bench press. But I was able to do everything else, and I used the pec deck in stead of benching, which seemed to compensate and I didn't fall back.

As far as routine rest; I've found that 1 day on/2 days off is best for me on bulking, although I work my abs 365 days/year without rest. Once in awhile, my work schedule sometimes forces me to stay out of the weight room for up to 10 days, but I still do whatever I can to keep from losing momentum (pushups with my wife sitting on my shoulders, etc) . I commute from Dallas to LA several times a year, and I usually drive, so I try to get in sync so that the 2 days on the road aren't workouts missed. My Dallas weight room is only an Olympic set & bench, and a 25-85-lb hex db set. I can keep up there, but I would join a gym or add to my weight room there, if I were to stay for more than a month or so at a time. Usually it's 3 or 4 weeks there, and 3 months in SoCal.

Charles

 

[stevesmi]

with both forearms in pain, elbow in pain, shins/ankles in pain. not sure if there is anyway to work around these injuries i have. i think 2 weeks off is my only option, will let you guys know how it turns out.

again I'm not worried about losing size or strength... I've always come back stronger when i've taken time off in no time. I actually looked at myself in the mirror and it seems like my muscles are bigger after taking 4 days off so far. go figure.

 

[BigCbear]

i think you should listen to your body man!!
you know the difference between a bad pain and a good pain!!
thats the main thing i suggets..when i was younger in highschool i didnt listen to my body and got a nasty rotator cuff injury..
wrestling for my school i felt a sharp pain in my shoulder and didnt want to lose the match so i kept going... went for another take down and the guy laid his weight into my shoulder and i have had problems with it ever since...thought i was fine a couple days later and tried bench and hurt it even worse it took me 4 to 5 months to finally get it back.. took my bench at 16 years old from 295 to 60 pounds.

i suggest if your in that much pain i would take time off and play it week by week and see how you feel.
i also to alot of warm up sets with my shoulders on shoulder and bench day to lessin the chance of anymore injury

 

[zedhed]

Hey S, have you considered Rolfing? You might give that look on google.
I would also suggest nightly hot bath with Epsom Salts. They actually penetrate into your body, I read that somewhere....theyre cheap anyway.
Also check your PM box.

 

[Roxy722]

Hey S, have you considered Rolfing? You might give that look on google.
I would also suggest nightly hot bath with Epsom Salts. They actually penetrate into your body, I read that somewhere....theyre cheap anyway.
Also check your PM box.

Rolfing sounds amazing!! I'm gonna check that out.

 

[stevesmi]

Hey S, have you considered Rolfing? You might give that look on google.
I would also suggest nightly hot bath with Epsom Salts. They actually penetrate into your body, I read that somewhere....theyre cheap anyway.
Also check your PM box.

check your PM too

I am getting acpuncture tonite and have been resting since friday and i am feeling better. think resting was a brilliant idea.

i will keep u guys and gals updated over the next couple weeks

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

I knew a guy that went through several rolfing sessions. He swears that after like 5 sessions he grew an inch from restricted muscle tissue and super tight fascia. I actually believe him as he was a competitive swimmer and he knew what his actual height was for years before doing the rolfing.

Keep one thing in mind though.

It's VERY painful.

 

[stevesmi]

I have a consultation at a place that does rolfing. i am gonna go see if that is a good thing to try.

I am serious about getting better before I start my cycle! its all clear ahead

 

[Roxy722]

I knew a guy that went through several rolfing sessions. He swears that after like 5 sessions he grew an inch from restricted muscle tissue and super tight fascia. I actually believe him as he was a competitive swimmer and he knew what his actual height was for years before doing the rolfing.

Keep one thing in mind though.

It's VERY painful.

I wondered if it was painful. I went for a deep tissue massage and had more muscle soreness then some of my workouts. Could barely walk the next day.

Kind of on a similar track...have you guys ever heard of biofeedback?? I was talking to a guy in the gym last night who has started getting biofeedback readings and he is doing his diet, training and resting to fall in line with these readings. I know there's a big trainer up here in Canada, Scott Abel, who uses this too but I don't know much about it. Sounds expensive too!

 

[stevesmi]

i did acupuncture last night and also recieved a very good massage.. it went well and my pain has subsided. the guy said to lay off for a little while and thats my plan.

I am meeting with the owner of another place saturday for a consultation and will see what will work best for me. this place does it all .. rolfing, massage etc.

 

[stantonz71]

Hey Steve,
I had tennis elbow in my left forearm and something going on with both biceps. With my elbow...I can lift in a straight pull/push but could barely get a gallon of milk out the fridge. Curling has been eliminated and it started getting painful doing db rows, pendley rows, and pull ups. My biceps...I don't understand wtf happened but it feels as if the ligament is stressed at the base of both arms. I stopped training for two weeks. Bad news for me is it didn't really help that much. Better, but still painful. I started icing and doing grip training...it seems to have help my elbow issues. Biceps are better but still have pain. So I really don't know what to do either other than take off longer. The only good news is I actually came back stronger my bench, squat, and deads. I don't want to take off any longer...I'm gonna keep grip strength training and icing to see what happens the next few weeks. Good luck to you man.