Are backoff weeks good? What have people experienced? I just did a program for 4 weeks and consistently added weight every week until the last two weeks I was practically nauseaus I was pushing so hard - VERY close to failure on many sets.
Now I think probably my body could actually increase more this week, but my mind just is having trouble with it - it is really hard to push SO hard. So this week I have switched things up a bit and cut back the weights - not all the way back to where I started 4 weeks ago, but about to where I was 2 weeks ago. The workouts today were not so hard so I felt guilty. But is this a beneficial practice? Is is okay to backoff when you’ve pushed really hard 2 weeks and restart the process? I added rest time (I had been down to 20 sec rests) and I also decresed weight…
Hell yes, backoff weeks are awesome, especially when you’re completely off. I hate them while I’m actually resting, because I want to be in the gym, but then when you do get back in there, you usually have one of the best workouts of you life. Or at least I do. The drastic drop in volume also allows some of your muscle fibers to revert to fast-twitch characteristics.
The older you get the more you need them. You joints and tendons need the break more than muscles. But just 'cause your backing off doesn’t mean you take it easy. Drop the weight, but push it hard.
Active rest weeks are great. For instance I will throw a football around with my buddy alot running half-assed routes. Playing 1 on 1 basketball at a moderate intensity… this type of stuff is great.
[quote]pat36 wrote:
The older you get the more you need them. You joints and tendons need the break more than muscles. But just 'cause your backing off doesn’t mean you take it easy. Drop the weight, but push it hard.[/quote]
Amen to that. At 45 I need a lot more time off. Of course I still keep pushing until signs of overtraining creep up on me. Those days I just go in and play on the machines using light weight and high reps or spend an hour doing core work and cardio. It always helps me recover and come back stronger.
I don’t think this is Sarah’s problem. Her profile says she’s a student and she looks quite young. She’s in fantastic shape but VERY lean. I suspect she could offset some of her training volume by upping the calories a bit. Seriously girl, you don’t look like you could get fat if you tried. Eating more to help recovery is a win-win situation for your body type. You lucky little thing! 8^)
R&R is always good if your mind is not into it, I always listen to my body if something doesn’t feel right or I am not feeling a workout session.
Usually every 4-8 weeks I’ll take a week off depending on my schedule, life, or how I feel. But I atleast go hard for a month or two before I feel I deserve it. Sometimes I just need to bump down to hitting bodyparts 1 time a week instead of 2x.
Then its great to get back in the groove and SFW.
Good observation Kruiser, you are ripped to shreds girl!! Besides calories, add in some Maltodextrin or Dextrose for a pick me up to your Pre-Workout shakes if you don’t already.
I don’t think this is Sarah’s problem. Her profile says she’s a student and she looks quite young. She’s in fantastic shape but VERY lean. I suspect she could offset some of her training volume by upping the calories a bit. Seriously girl, you don’t look like you could get fat if you tried. Eating more to help recovery is a win-win situation for your body type. You lucky little thing! 8^)
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Oh trust me - I am NOT lucky and blessed with a fast metabolism. The reason I am so lean is INCREDIBLY careful diet and training for the last 2-3 years. However, I’m struggling to put on clean mass since I would like to be stronger and healthier. I’m not struggling to gain that is but rather to put it on cleanly.
I guess I’m not really talking about rest week, but rather training in cycles of about 4-5 weeks where you push harder and harder each week and then finally come back down, not all the way to where you were 4 weeks ago, but somewhere in the middle and ramp up again. Is this valid? I feel like after about 4-5 weeks I just can’t keep up a linear gain and I start to stagnate…but is that just me being a wimp?
If you push hard for 4-5 weeks, I think it’s ok to have an active recovery week. I think most people wait until around 8 weeks or so of training but it’s an individual thing. If you feel your body needs it, take it. Your CNS may not be quite as developed as some others. Just make sure over the long term, weights keep increasing.