Reminder: Take a week off

**dyeell0499** · 03-29-2012, 10:00 PM

I didn't have a week off for nearly a year, and now am forced to take time off to deal with tendonitis. Well, I could keep training if I wanted to ruin my joints forever, but thats not my style.

I haven't trained in almost 5 weeks, and am taking another 3 weeks off.

As bodybuilders we all get so caught up in the gym that we forget that we need a break. Words can't describe how good this break has been for me, physically and mentally. Not that I was even remotely burnt out mentally. But its given me a chance to really focus on paying special attention to all areas of life that we don't address on the reg because we can only do so much, and hard training takes a lot of that. Now I want to get in the gym and bang it out more than ever.

And guess what, I haven't really lost a lot at all. Im down 12 pounds since going keto in the last 6 weeks, and cutting my protein from 70 g per meal to 40, with fats around 60 g per day. Thats a huge decrease in calories for me.

Its just so easy to make some gains, and then keep pounding away after the gains stop, only to realize you've been pounding away for months and months and the gains stopped a while ago. I know its happened to all of you.

So just a friendly reminder, take a week off more often, and let your body recharge, especially if you haven't in the last 4 months. You won't lose what you think, in all of my experiences it has always been a "one step back, two steps forward" sort of thing

**floridairon** · 03-29-2012, 10:17 PM

Man I was just about to make a thread just like this! Ive been training and dieting for the past year and made so solid gains and have maybe missed 5 days in the past year off from my normal schedule and now Im stuck with tendinitis in my elbow and a old shoulder injury killing me!

For the first time since 2004 I think there is a show in my home town literally 1/2 mile from my house and its 2 days after my birthday, so since I learned about it a few weeks ago Im so fuckin pumped and just want to train and diet like I never have just to win in front of all my family and friends and I was toying with the idea of taking alil time off or maybe just "lite" week or two but not it looks like Im being forced to take a few weeks off and let my body heal so YES take time off and listen to your body, If your feeling tired and not making any gains take time off before you hurt yourself!!!!

**Young Gotti** · 03-30-2012, 10:06 AM

i also think it's very important to take time off from the gym every so often

i usually try and schedule a massage during the time off to help heal, repair, and just for my own enjoyment during the time off

i highly suggest looking into things like that to help put your body back together while it naturally repairs itself anyway

**Gym God** · 03-30-2012, 10:30 AM

I have a much easier time preaching this time off, instead of actually practising it. I should take time off.

OP... thanks for sharing.

**MikeyMojo36** · 03-30-2012, 05:51 PM

Im natty. I take a week off when gains slow. 1 cycle of bodyparts is usually killer but by the 2nd cycle of bodyparts the gains in strength and mass resume again.

**Hoss06** · 03-30-2012, 06:20 PM

Easier said then done. More than a couple of days I'd go into a breakdown

**The Big Sexy** · 03-30-2012, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by Gym God

I have a much easier time preaching this time off, instead of actually practising it. I should take time off.

OP... thanks for sharing.

Time off???! LOL I hear you

**data4** · 03-30-2012, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Hoss06

Easier said then done. More than a couple of days I'd go into a breakdown

word

**Conrad** · 03-30-2012, 07:10 PM

Practicing what we speech is the hardest things sometimes!!

**ManimalPatB** · 03-30-2012, 07:18 PM

I always say I need to take a week off, and then I'll take a day or so off and then I get antsy to lift again.

Like tonight, I didn't go to the gym and decided to play a pickup basketball game with some of my co workers (I am hitting the gym in the morning)

But one of these days I'll take a week off

**nigster** · 03-31-2012, 03:47 AM

Not a bad thing at all to remind people about this every once in a while. If you just keep on pushing for a long period of time, without any breaks/lay off's, eventually your body will do it for you. Either you are going to tear or pull something or just get sick in general (catch a flue etc). This has happened to me also.

But yeah, it is way easier to say than execute.