Break time on PWOs

[CorpKiller]

How often do you take a break from using a PEO? Stim, non-stim.

 

[LeanEngineer]

I'll try and take a week to two week break every 8 weeks when i'm on a stim pre workout. I keep a tub of high volume and i'll use it for 1-2 weeks when I take a break from stims.

 

[john.patterson]

How often do you take a break from using a PEO? Stim, non-stim.

I have a difficult time staying away from stimulants, haha. If I cycle off a pre-workout, I'll still drink coffee or take a caffeine tab to get me going. But I do cycle nitrates and pump products. I typically cycle them off for about 1-2 weeks every 4-6 weeks of use

 

[sespress]

I'll try and take a week to two week break every 8 weeks when i'm on a stim pre workout. I keep a tub of high volume and i'll use it for 1-2 weeks when I take a break from stims.

Randomly I'll just not want them for a while. Probably like I'll use them for a few months then not for a week or two.

 

[R1balla]

How often do you take a break from using a PEO? Stim, non-stim.

I have a unique way of doing it that may not apply to many people. I have to sleep around 9pm and I workout around 5pm so I can't take a stim during the week. I usually take either bcaas, carb loaded drink, stim free pre (or all of the above) during the work week and weekends I dose my stim. This has worked for me for about two years now.

Before I started this job, I would take a stim break after I finish my container of stimulant containing pre workout (for about 2-4 weeks) then get back on.

 

[cheftepesh1]

Personally I don't use many of them. The stims aren't really needed. When I used to I would take a week off after every container.

 

[AntM1564]

Personally I don't use many of them. The stims aren't really needed. When I used to I would take a week off after every container.

This, I think we rely too much on pre workouts. I know for me personally, I get more of a placebo effect from stims. This is how I use my pre workouts and this has allowed me to forgo taking extended stim breaks.

Week 1 - 100mg caffeine 1 day per week
Week 2 and 3- 100-200mg caffeine 3 days per week (week 2 is sometimes the protocol of week one)
Week 4- 200-250mg caffeine 3 days per week
Week 5- 300-350mg caffeine + other stims 3 days per week

Yes, I have a lot that I rotate with this schedule. But guess what? My performance is the same and I do not need to take stim breaks. The more stims are for my heavier lifting weeks and I only take stims on my power days. I lift 6 days per week and only use caffeine 1-3 days out of the six lifting days.

I think what helps too is that I do not consume any type of caffeine, other than a pre workout.

I would following something above or setting your own schedule. Only take stim products when needed. When you do not need a stim boost, take a non stim. This will help alleviate the need for a break and trust me, it works. 100 mg of caffeine feels just fine.

 

[booneman77]

I take full breaks whenever I feel like I need it. Usually this is as simple as evaluating what 300mg of caff or other stims feels like ha.

I do usually add in something stim free tho like focus xt caffiene free or high volume during these but take full time off everything every few months for a week or two just to clear the system.

 

[CorpKiller]

Getting old skewl hematology fruit punch this week and taking a break from some of the stims.

 

[CorpKiller]

Hemavol *

 

[bighulksmash]

3 on 2 off depending on wat scheme I choose.

 

[CorpKiller]

3 on 2 off depending on wat scheme I choose.

 

[bighulksmash]

View attachment 143998

My buddy hits me with that once in awhile haha !!

 

[rodefeeh]

Once a year, I'll take off 2 weeks of all stims. Then a couple times a year, I'll take a week off. I just started 5/3/1 Boring But Big which makes it easier to take stim breaks with its deload weeks. However, I'm finding it harder and harder to take my stim breaks with a growing family and a job that has me looking at a computer most of the day. I used to limit my caffeine to only my PWO but within the last year I've had to workout first thing in the morning causing me to add in an extra cup of coffee to get through the day. So up to around 400mg of caffeine a day.

 

[thebigt]

does a diabetic take a insulin break?

stims are like air water and food, a necessity!!!!

 

[pbandy1]

Personally I don't use many of them. The stims aren't really needed. When I used to I would take a week off after every container.

same here. I metabolize caffeine slowly so it affects me greatly - I've noticed after a few days of pre-workouts usage (caffeine about 250-300 mg) my tolerance creeps up and now I basically need the pre-workout to have an effective workout... and the week that follows when I go stim-free is full of ****ty workouts lacking drive and energy.

These days I just stick to 2 cups of coffee in the morning which is about 200 mg caffeine and keep my levels at that. Tolerance doesn't seem to creep up on me when I drink coffee as opposed to caffeine anhydrous.

 

[Ricky10]

How often do you take a break from using a PEO? Stim, non-stim.

Never. However I do not take the ones that are overly caffeine/stim loaded anyway..

 

[rodefeeh]

I just took a week off of all caffeine and what difference it makes. Yesterday I did my normal workout on a level pwo scoop when I normally take a heaping scoop. I took it at 1:30 and still didn't go right to sleep at 11:15 when I normally could have slept at 9:30 - whoa!

Normally I would feel sluggish after just a few hours after caffeine intake. After just a week stim break, that has totally change. Last week was rough but totally worth it if you can plan it out right.

 

[VO2Maxima]

I pretty much only take time off stims in the week leading up to meets, since I'm not training that week anyway. Plus I end up slightly more resensitized to stims for the meet itself.