Over Training for 35 and Older

vetteman36 · 12-09-2007, 03:38 PM

Hello Everyone:

After reading various boards, I keep seeing people advocate taking 5 days to 1 week off after about 6 months of training. What opinion do you guys have on this???

I am 36 years old and have noticed that my recovery time is not what it used to be. I could go 1yr without taking any time off before. Now I just started working out 3 - 4 months ago and feel like I need about two weeks off!!!!

Old age sucks

EasyEJL · 12-09-2007, 03:52 PM

I like changing routines every 4-8 weeks, and taking a week off after 12 continuous weeks working out.

**Dutchman** · 12-09-2007, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vetteman36

Hello Everyone:

After reading various boards, I keep seeing people advocate taking 5 days to 1 week off after about 6 months of training. What opinion do you guys have on this???

I am 36 years old and have noticed that my recovery time is not what it used to be. I could go 1yr without taking any time off before. Now I just started working out 3 - 4 months ago and feel like I need about two weeks off!!!!

Old age sucks

I find that I need about a week off every 3 months. Unfortunately it then takes about 2 weeks to get back to my former condition. Longer breaks take a comparable 2 to 1 recovery period. What I do to improve my recovery ability is take a cocktail of CEE/L-Arginine/Beta-Alanine. I find I come back as quickly as I want and have to force myself to wait beteween sets.

satyricon · 12-11-2007, 05:14 PM

hey guys just thought i'd chime in here. im turning 39 in jan. i try not to take a week off unless i really feel the need. i used to do that but like dutchman said, you have to ease back into things. i find it much better to just listen to your body. i normally workout 3 X week sometimes ill throw in an arm day so i can flex for the wife and kid. if i feel too tired from work or whatever ill skip that day and go for broke the next day. stick to basic moves and eat properly. if you feel overtrained or want to workout but not your usual routine pick a new exercise and practice it. i like to do grip feats of strength when im out of it or tired.

TSB4me · 12-13-2007, 01:19 AM

Only time I used to take off training was when I got sick.Then I had no choice but to take a break.
But as you get older and wiser as Saty said you need to listen to
what your body is telling you.If your feeling tired take a break.
Sometimes you can get away with just changing your routine.
But if your training really hard out , busting your a*se all the time then your body will welcome a week off.

Paz · 02-21-2008, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vetteman36

Hello Everyone:

After reading various boards, I keep seeing people advocate taking 5 days to 1 week off after about 6 months of training. What opinion do you guys have on this???

I am 36 years old and have noticed that my recovery time is not what it used to be. I could go 1yr without taking any time off before. Now I just started working out 3 - 4 months ago and feel like I need about two weeks off!!!!

Old age sucks

I am 37 years old and have had similar concerns, i find training 3 times a week Mon Wed Fri, seems to suit me and take a week off every 12 weeks, I use stretching of the muscles during the week off and plenty of sleep and this seems to do the trick. I seem to be bigger and stronger when i return to training!!

**DreamWeaver** · 02-22-2008, 12:21 PM

I have a pretty strong opinion on this one. I say if you don't need a rest after 12 weeks then you aren't training hard enough. Remember our sport is about intensity. I find it depends on what type of routines you do. Sometimes I need a week off after 8 weeks.

A couple tricks I use now that help me with age is, a) I rarely go to failure, this way I prevent injuries and I don't notice any difference in results. (they may even be better) b) I don't have hardly any routines that last an hour, but my time in the gym can be unbelievably grueling as I really do go to war. I find that reducing sets and increasing intensity I really get a good bang for my buck. c) I only do a body part once a week, less is more sometimes.

Rest is just as important as work for gains, well placed time off can only improve your performance over the long haul.

big poppa · 02-22-2008, 01:17 PM

I agree with DreamWeaver 100%. I hit one muscle group per day and rest it for a week. It gives you great focus on that muscle and then good recoop time. I stay sore for a few days but by the following week its ready to go again.

Jack of Shadows · 02-22-2008, 03:31 PM

Old age sucks?

Man don't be saying things like that when you are only 36 ;<). Can't avoid getting old (that is accumulating years) unless you die.

I'm 54...I take a week off every six to eight weeks. Ihave been doing that for years and would have been better off as a younger man if I had done so in those days as well.

**DreamWeaver** · 02-23-2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack of Shadows

Old age sucks?

Man don't be saying things like that when you are only 36 ;<). Can't avoid getting old (that is accumulating years) unless you die.

I'm 54...I take a week off every six to eight weeks. Ihave been doing that for years and would have been better off as a younger man if I had done so in those days as well.

Amen I am 50 and you won't see me use age as an excuse, when the goin gets tough ........

I can train harder than I ever could, I just have to be smarter than I ever was.

EasyEJL · 02-23-2008, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamWeaver

Amen I am 50 and you won't see me use age as an excuse, when the goin gets tough ........

I can train harder than I ever could, I just have to be smarter than I ever was.

you have any more pics besides the avatar one? cause thats a great shot

**DreamWeaver** · 02-23-2008, 10:42 AM

Yah I have some contest pics from a few years ago. I was puny there. Lean yes but puny. I was 100 percent natural though, nothing but protein a couple unsuccessful runs at creatine.

**DreamWeaver** · 02-25-2008, 12:46 PM

I put some pics up on my AMSPACE if your interested. Some may recognize me from other boards under a different nicname.

EasyEJL · 02-25-2008, 01:12 PM

Nice!

Ripped1 · 02-25-2008, 07:07 PM

I think the important thing here is to just listen to your body. If you have been stressing your body out it is just telling you it needs more time to recover. We are all differant in that aspect. I will be 35 this year and I can still train like a champ. However some of my close freinds who are just as old cannot.

What kind of training are you doing as far as days on and days off. What are you doing for reps and sets. Are you trying to get lean or get big. There are allot of factors involved. Are you taking anything to help with recovery or for supplemants