[ndawson89]

Is there any sure way to tell that you're muscles are totally recovered between workouts? I am currently trying to change my workouts to the whole Mike Mentzer HIT routine, as I just finished his book. Right now I take six days off, but come back stronger to the gym each time I do so.

[The Batman]

Well, first off your muscles never totally recover, at least not in a period as short as a week.
But as far as telling when you are ready for another workout it jsut comes down to experience. At this point I can tell how fatigued my body is pretty easily and know when I can push my limits and when I need to deload for a bit.

[KLaw666]

like batman said, knowledge comes with experience, and knowing your body and how it reacts to different situations is part of weightlifting. Some people take longer to recover than others, some hardly take long at all. If you are going to the gym and making progress, keep it up. If your lifts are not going so well, and you feel run-down, take a day or two off. IMO, six days off is overkill, the more stimulus the muscles have, the more they grow(w/o overtraining of course).

[lightemup]

yeah usually i wait till there is no longer soreness in my muscle to hit it again. and when i do hit it i hit it hard so its sore for around 3 days. i feel its always best to workout the muscle group when you can do so as its fresh. it makes for a better gym experience IMO.