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Take a week off from the gym?

SlavicStrong

Member
The last time I took a week off from the gym was around September, and I've been training pretty consistently up until now, usually going, at the least, 3 times a week, and 5-6 at the most. Recently I've noticed if I put my arm at a 90 angle, supinate my forearm, and slowly lower my arm, as if doing a bicep curl, my biceps shake a little, but their is no pain at all. Not sure if this is a sign my biceps are being overworked, but I'm figuring maybe it might be time to take a week off from the gym as a whole, to recuperate my nervous system and all. Any thoughts? The best part about the one week break is after doing it, I always feel like I come out stronger.
 
Biceps are about impossible to over work since they are a tiny muscle, usually 100% recovered in 12 hours or so. But yeah if you train hard and go 5-6 days a week you should pry take 5 days off like every 2 or 3 months
 
Yeah, I'm figuring that it's been 5 months of lifting, maybe a week off won't hurt, I'll be fully recovered, and more than eager to work out. I feel like if I take a week off, I get anxiety from being away, and all I want to do is go back, which I use to fuel my first workout from the break.
 
Eat clean and follow your diet maybe add some push ups and abs just to take away the urge and you come back lifting your max like it's a feather
 
Rather than a week off, maybe rotate your routine a little. do some exercises you've never done before or a completely different weight/rep combo.

IMHO believing that you are over working is normally a sign of stagnation / boredom and is more of a mind set issue.

Saying that a week off shouldn't harm you're longer term progress at all, but not for me
 
gaz7456 said:
Rather than a week off, maybe rotate your routine a little. do some exercises you've never done before or a completely different weight/rep combo.

IMHO believing that you are over working is normally a sign of stagnation / boredom and is more of a mind set issue.

Saying that a week off shouldn't harm you're longer term progress at all, but not for me
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I change my exercises frequently, usually change my routine after a month or so, in-fact I've just recently changed my workout routine, so boredom is not to blame. I'm just thinking that maybe after around 5 months of consistent training, a week off won't hurt just to recuperate the body.
 
SlavicStrong said:
I'm just thinking that maybe after around 5 months of consistent training, a week off won't hurt just to recuperate the body.
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...and mind, as it gets tired of thinking "work" too.
This was/is still a hard issue for me to learn after 30 years in this game. (thinking I will lose ground)
It's funny, people take weeks off their jobs to get away, to see a completely different side of life, but when it comes to working out, we get scared we (myself included) are going to risk losing something, when in fact, when I did take a little time off, came back with a huge hunger to get dirty again.
Variety is still, the spice of life.
 
SlavicStrong said:
I change my exercises frequently, usually change my routine after a month or so, in-fact I've just recently changed my workout routine, so boredom is not to blame. I'm just thinking that maybe after around 5 months of consistent training, a week off won't hurt just to recuperate the body.
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If you feel like taking a week off, then as simple as that, take it off. However, I sometimes will take a week or two off from free weights, but not from training or even resistance training. I'll try just bands and focus on stretching and hitting muscles from new angles. Or I'll do yoga for a week. Something more than just switching up what free weight exercises I'm doing.
 
Aleksandar37 said:
If you feel like taking a week off, then as simple as that, take it off. However, I sometimes will take a week or two off from free weights, but not from training or even resistance training. I'll try just bands and focus on stretching and hitting muscles from new angles. Or I'll do yoga for a week. Something more than just switching up what free weight exercises I'm doing.
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I might return Wednesday or Thursday, so maybe a little less than a week, I last worked out on Friday, and I already miss the gym, lol. Right now, I'm focusing on my diet, and I'm trying to perfect it before I come back to the weights.
 
gaz7456 said:
Rather than a week off, maybe rotate your routine a little. do some exercises you've never done before or a completely different weight/rep combo.

IMHO believing that you are over working is normally a sign of stagnation / boredom and is more of a mind set issue.

Saying that a week off shouldn't harm you're longer term progress at all, but not for me
Click to expand...

Boom!
Hate taking a full week off but would rather take a deload to cover areas I haven't before.
 
I think a good week off every 12 weeks is a great idea. While it sucks mentally, I think you grow in the long run!
 
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