STRONGER with time off?!?

[ebutts]

I can certainly tell when I'm overtraining, however I have noticed that even when I'm not feeling overtrained I often get stronger when I have had a significant break from working out. For example, my father-in-law just died and we went back to the midwest and spent 2 weeks (14 days) tending to business, taking care of mother-in-law etc. etc. During that period I didn't do ANY training at all. (Gained 3 fat pounds as well.....midwest diet!) When I got home most of my exercises increased by roughly 10 % in weight and reps. It's still up.
Anyone ever have an experience like this??

 

[bill39pa]

Yep ! I just started back after 9 months off. My max incline dumbell press was 110x2 when I stopped. I've been back hit'n it now for three months. My weight is up to 242 from 236 and I was able to incline the 120'sx2 and 110's for 6 last week. If you remember when you first started lifting, the gains came quick and you put muscle on like mad, then it stopped ? That was because you were a beginner. After that initial start, it took a lot of work to gain more. After taking a layoff, your a beginner again. Muscle has a great memory. After a long layoff, it comes back quick and overshoots beyond the point where you stopped. You should see not only an increase in you max lifts but also lower body fat and increased mass in a few months providing you diet is right and lots of rest.

 

[The mann]

yea,a break from the gym once in a wgile is always a good thing

 

[gymtime]

There are breaks and there are breaks. I agree you can benefit from say a week off. But that only when it's done after a good two or three months of hard training.

I love these guys who say "I took 6 months off" or "I was off for two years." That's not taking time off at all. That's just quitting.

 

[riskybizz007]

Wsup GT? I agree w/ ya bro. 1 or 2 weeks is a good break, but w/ me at least i always come back weak. I have to start working at it again and i'll get back to prior strength levels fairly quickly then sometimes exceed them. I've never taken over a month off... and i been training for 4 years now. When i did take a month off i got fat and weak. I wish i could have gotten stronger like the other two guys that mentioned this, but in my case... it's the opposite. It goes against me.

 

[gymtime]

Hey little bro!! Just started back after a week off. Feel better. The old bod needed it. Proud to say that in eight years, I've never taken more than a week off. Hell, I was at the gym on Christmas Eve last year. (Hmmm, that sounded a lot better in my head than written down. Now I'm not sure if that's good or bad. )

Anyway, I usually come back stronger. This time has been no different. I feel good, barking with some of the big dogs again.

I don't see how anyone taking more than a week or two off can come back stronger. It doesn't make sense to me. There's a point where your body fully recuperates, then starts losing strength/size. I'm sure that in your case, it's not long before you're right back into it.

So, when do we start addressing you as "Dr. Riskybizz007?"

 

[riskybizz007]

The Dr. part will be a few years from now.. lol. Still got a ways to go. Man you're a dedicated guy. I usually am in there kicking ass in the gym in winter b/c we have a family arm wrestling competition in Dec.24. And my uncle whose a powerlifter keeps kicking my ass lol. Lots of family competition b/c a lot of us lift, and friends do too. So that keeps me going in winter and in summer you know you want to look good so i don't skip when near summer either. I just have to find the motivation and i'm there.

 

[Bigsatan13]

There are breaks and there are breaks. I agree you can benefit from say a week off. But that only when it's done after a good two or three months of hard training.

I love these guys who say "I took 6 months off" or "I was off for two years." That's not taking time off at all. That's just quitting.

I agree, well said!

 

[bill39pa]

Well, I guess I should have said it different...No, I'm not as strong after taking time off, but within a few weeks, I'm back at my orginal max weights. Usually, I take about a month off a year. This last time was a forced layoff for 9 months. I really don't know if it helps or not, but I atarted out at a nautral weight of 170 lbs and I'm currenty at 242. Some can continually gain weight without a break, some can't. If you can, I envy you ! In my case, taking a layoff usaully results in not only a strength gain after a few months, but overall size too. Hey, I'm already back into my 240lb cloths ! If everything goes well, I hope to hit 248-250 by March.
Like everything else, everyone is different. You are not me so you have to do what works for you. Quit ??? Naw ...after 12 years at this, you can't say someone quit.

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

very true. LISTEN to your body. Rest and come back stronger with fire in your eyes!

 

[louden_swain]

Rest time is good, I am glad it worked out for you!

 

[coolcolj]

its called delayed super-compenstation

I'm gonna go all scientific here-

when you train hard and then deload/taper down (take a break/reduce volume) you get fiber conversion. In other words your body begins to super-compenstate and then some converted fast twitch fibers reconvert back to faster and stronger higher threshold type fibers.

If you look at athlete peaking training cycles, you will see many of them take a week off before the big day.

 

[PolishHammer1977]

The Man: you have the best avatar ever bro. i am working on gettin gmy post number up there to get that but you beat me to it.

To respond to your question: I routinely take off a full week every 6 weeks or so. It works well for me and I come back stronger every time. I gain the fat just as you described as well. My body needs the breaks and responds well too. I hope this helped. Maybe your body is the same.

 

[ThePolishHammer]

what the hell

Woah what the hell is this? Sorry bro, there is only one polish hammer. Your gonna have to do something about that name.