[Topic] Do you take a week off to recovery?

**NYCmitch25** · 01-31-2007, 06:11 PM

Do you take time off or a recovery week? If so how often? every 3 months, once a year, etc.?

I was just curious b/c I don't find that many people do.

**Succio** · 01-31-2007, 06:50 PM

in all honesty, i hardly ever take a week off

for one, its really hard for me to stay out of the gym. let alone when my progress is still increasing.

i also dont feel like i need to take a week off. when i come back, my strength doesnt go up much.

its really hard to keep for me to keep my diet and water intake when i dont train.

maybe when im older, but i dont see any difference or much benefit in taking a week off

really good topic btw.

**DJSTARER** · 01-31-2007, 06:56 PM

i'm supposed to "deload" every 4th week, but the fact is, i tend to only do so when i feel my body needs it (generally every 6th week or so). I also tend to deload my upper body and lower body on different weeks, that way I am never taking off completely. My deloads tent to consist of light bodyweight exercises to enhance recovery and stay in shape. I am deloading my lower body this week, and my workouts will consist of band GMs, GHRs, abs, box jumps, calve raises, reverse hypers and BW elevated lunges. An upper body deload would have a ton of pushups and band rowing.

**DarkFalcon** · 01-31-2007, 08:21 PM

Almost never but I did take about 2 weeks off this Christmas to concentrate on building up my fat.

**Peaked_18** · 01-31-2007, 08:43 PM

Every 5 weeks, than I deload intensity (but not volume).

**grim** · 01-31-2007, 10:35 PM

Only if sick/injured

**davtown** · 01-31-2007, 11:04 PM

9-12 weeks on, 1 week off is what I shoot for. Rather than sit around and do nothing, I prefer to do the deload route where I am still working but not very hard.

beavesmx44 · 02-01-2007, 02:45 AM

6-8 on then 1.5 off...... pending on how long my body holds up on dc

**BigZeke** · 02-01-2007, 04:52 AM

Only if I'm sick or out of town. I don't like not going to the gym and if I go I don't want to lift light. I pretty much set PRs every day so it obviously isn't hurting me.

**warriors** · 02-01-2007, 06:51 AM

I very seldom take a week off and if I do it's b/c I'm sick and can't get out of bed. As long as you're making progress in the gym I see no reason to take off for a week.

**NYCmitch25** · 02-01-2007, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beavesmx44

6-8 on then 1 off.

I was doing the this too but I havent been very consistant the last year at it. When I was I was progressing each week and getting strong. I'm kinda wondering if this may be the cause of some of my injuries.

**madman911** · 02-01-2007, 01:08 PM

I take a week off once or twice a year at times when I have multiple tendons or joints telling me they need a break or if I'm on vacation and gymless. Otherwise, if I have a certain joint that is tweaked or some tendonitis, I just work around it for a few weeks to let it heal, rather than stop lifting all together.

**bigDman** · 02-01-2007, 01:35 PM

i deload every 4-8 weeks depending on how my body feels.... I deload the intensity, I keep the volume relatively high, but not as high as normal

**A.FreeRadical** · 02-01-2007, 05:33 PM

I take off every 10-12 weeks. I am at 10 weeks now since my last down time, but I am holding off. I haven't had a cold (a couple of false alarms but not really sick) yet this winter and if I am going to be down for a cold that is the best time to take off.

*

**powerman2000** · 02-02-2007, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peaked_18

Every 5 weeks, than I deload intensity (but not volume).

That is opposite of a typical deload.

I guess since you said in another thread that you have been lifting to failure a lot lately then I can see why you would deload the intensity rather than your volume.

**builtbeast** · 02-07-2007, 11:25 AM

Rarely will I take a week off of training unless I can't get to the gym, for example if I'm traveling or illness.

Usually I'll deload every 3-5 weeks on average depending on the training program and how I feel.

**NYCmitch25** · 02-07-2007, 02:48 PM

can someone give me an example of how they deload or recommend something to read up on.... i think i need to improve in this area.

01-31-2007, 06:11 PM	#1
NYCmitch25 Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,088 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 50	[Topic] Do you take a week off to recovery? Do you take time off or a recovery week? If so how often? every 3 months, once a year, etc.? I was just curious b/c I don't find that many people do. __________________ "I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds." - Rollins

01-31-2007, 06:50 PM	#2
Succio IronMass Sponsor Join Date: May 2006 Location: beastville Posts: 1,935 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 95	in all honesty, i hardly ever take a week off for one, its really hard for me to stay out of the gym. let alone when my progress is still increasing. i also dont feel like i need to take a week off. when i come back, my strength doesnt go up much. its really hard to keep for me to keep my diet and water intake when i dont train. maybe when im older, but i dont see any difference or much benefit in taking a week off really good topic btw. __________________ SUPPLEMENTS.NET REP

01-31-2007, 06:56 PM	#3
DJSTARER eating more folate... Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: State College, PA Posts: 3,996 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 113	i'm supposed to "deload" every 4th week, but the fact is, i tend to only do so when i feel my body needs it (generally every 6th week or so). I also tend to deload my upper body and lower body on different weeks, that way I am never taking off completely. My deloads tent to consist of light bodyweight exercises to enhance recovery and stay in shape. I am deloading my lower body this week, and my workouts will consist of band GMs, GHRs, abs, box jumps, calve raises, reverse hypers and BW elevated lunges. An upper body deload would have a ton of pushups and band rowing. __________________ My philosophies on training: "Extreme training yields extreme results" "Just because you can, does not mean you should" "The best program is the one you are not doing" Penn State Powerlifting-181 lb weightclass PGA Professional of America Current Stats: 474 Squat 601 Deadlift 320 Bench Goals for next training cycle: 500lbs squat and a total over 1400 in competition

01-31-2007, 11:04 PM	#7
davtown OM NOM NOM NOM Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,360 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 128	9-12 weeks on, 1 week off is what I shoot for. Rather than sit around and do nothing, I prefer to do the deload route where I am still working but not very hard. __________________ --Training Journal-- current/goal D: 350/380 S: 280/300 B: 235/260

02-01-2007, 04:52 AM	#9
BigZeke Bringing Lat Flares Back Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hell Raisin' and Girl Chasin' Posts: 2,293 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 70	Only if I'm sick or out of town. I don't like not going to the gym and if I go I don't want to lift light. I pretty much set PRs every day so it obviously isn't hurting me. __________________ Eat like a horse. Lift like a demon. Sleep like the dead. Only cheat on girls, never on your workouts My Workout Journal "I like the color red because it's a fire. And I see myself as always being on fire." -- Arnold Schwarzenegger

01-31-2007, 08:21 PM	#4
DarkFalcon I've got a RAGING clue! Join Date: May 2005 Location: dnyc99's cleaning staff Posts: 11,511 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 299	Almost never but I did take about 2 weeks off this Christmas to concentrate on building up my fat.

01-31-2007, 08:43 PM	#5
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,247 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	Every 5 weeks, than I deload intensity (but not volume).

01-31-2007, 10:35 PM	#6
grim Professional Lurker Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 81 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 8	Only if sick/injured

02-01-2007, 02:45 AM	#8
beavesmx44 New Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 17 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 0	6-8 on then 1.5 off...... pending on how long my body holds up on dc

02-01-2007, 06:51 AM	#10
warriors The world is yours Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,127 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 29	I very seldom take a week off and if I do it's b/c I'm sick and can't get out of bed. As long as you're making progress in the gym I see no reason to take off for a week. __________________ Not Around...

02-01-2007, 01:08 PM	#12
madman911 Metamorphosizing Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Boston Area Posts: 1,526 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 60	I take a week off once or twice a year at times when I have multiple tendons or joints telling me they need a break or if I'm on vacation and gymless. Otherwise, if I have a certain joint that is tweaked or some tendonitis, I just work around it for a few weeks to let it heal, rather than stop lifting all together. __________________ Millennium Sport Technologies Sponsored Athlete http://www.millenniumsport.net IMPC 2006 Novice Division Champ IMPC 2007 Open Division Champ Never underestimate the power of the bandana.

02-01-2007, 01:35 PM	#13
bigDman is missing heavy pulls Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,626 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 186	i deload every 4-8 weeks depending on how my body feels.... I deload the intensity, I keep the volume relatively high, but not as high as normal __________________ COME CHECK OUT MY JOURNAL

02-01-2007, 05:33 PM	#14
A.FreeRadical the Epicurean Bodybuilder Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,245 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 57	I take off every 10-12 weeks. I am at 10 weeks now since my last down time, but I am holding off. I haven't had a cold (a couple of false alarms but not really sick) yet this winter and if I am going to be down for a cold that is the best time to take off. * __________________ "Is it going to be the red pill or the blue pill, Neo? The red pill will answer the question 'What is the Matrix?' Choose carefully. Remember, all I'm offering is the truth. Nothing more." Ron Paul for President, 2008 A.FreeRadical ...the Epicurean bodybuilder Height: 5'9", Age: 62, My last high on 2/1/2006 was 196 lbs. My last low on 8/08/2006 was 167.5 lbs. Cutting until I am lean Starting weight: 190 lbs. bodyfat: 19.7% November 27th: 183 lbs. bodyfat: 18.3% bodyfat Goal Weight: 176 lbs with no more than 10% bodyfat My recipe collection

02-07-2007, 11:25 AM	#16
builtbeast Großer Moderator Join Date: May 2005 Location: In a very red state Posts: 1,430 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 94	Rarely will I take a week off of training unless I can't get to the gym, for example if I'm traveling or illness. Usually I'll deload every 3-5 weeks on average depending on the training program and how I feel. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjjb1u64Kc ********.com

02-07-2007, 02:48 PM	#17
NYCmitch25 Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,088 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 50	can someone give me an example of how they deload or recommend something to read up on.... i think i need to improve in this area. __________________ "I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds." - Rollins

02-07-2007, 02:52 PM	#18
Blap Blaow IronMass Sponsor Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 950 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 31