I’ve been training hard for about 6 years now (I’m 28) and I’m considering taking an extended break from weightlifting.I’ve taken the odd break over the years but never more than a week.Lately I’ve been feeling very unmotivated due to injuries and a lack of progress.So I’ve decided to take a couple months off to let my body heal and maybe pursue some other interests.
Anyone else try this and if so, how’d it work out?
pauly,
I have done that on a few occasions and it worked out well for me.
However, instead of doing nothing I would just run a few times a week and did some push-ups and sit-ups.
After about a month of this I was ready to lift again. I was back to my old weights by the end of the first month or so.
Great Idea, good luck with it!
I’m with ZEB, stay active, and keep your diet somewhat in check. But a 2-4 week break can actually improve your lifts from what I’ve seen.
I spend this whole summer in Alaska doing wilderness training, and didn’t lift for the better part of three months…
At first it was difficult psychologically, but I eventually got used to it. I was active the whole time, carrying a 90+ lb pack, and i actually found that although my muscles atrophied quite a bit, I did not lose much maximal strength, suprisingly; I did, however, lose muscular endurance, and was only able to lift the same weight for fewer reps.
However, I have been lifting regularly since my return (5 weeks ago), and have easily gotten to where i was before-- i am even stronger in some lifts.
I would definately recommend taking some time off, and as the others suggested, engaging in some ‘active rest’…
Taking a break longer than 2 weeks will detrain you. What do you think will happen when you detrain?
Any benefits related to recovering by taking a break will be there after a 2-week break. Anything longer will not aid you any more.
Take your break, but dont say a several month break will improve your weightlifting in the long run. You will detrain, lose muscle and strength (your body will not hold on to excess muscle it doesnt need), and you will decondition yourself. This is an obscene idea to any serious weightlifter and any serious athlete.
Take a 1 week break, and cut the volume to a purely maintenance phase - do only 4 sets for chest instead of 12, do only 4 sets for back instead of 12, do only 4 sets for quads instead of 12, and do this for a couple months if need be.
Pursue other activities, but dont come back giving advice because you ‘used to’ lift this much, and used to do this and that. Consistency is key, and obviously you dont have it in you to keep researching to improve your game - no, you choose to stop altogether, as if STOPPING an activity would bring about greater improvements.
wow, you just got ripped on by diesel.
It seems that many people take a break from the iron game to pursue other things. I’ve never done it intentionally, but when I get to the point where my body needs a real break, I will do so. Until then, I’m gonna keep pounding away.
And yes, taking extended breaks can allow for old wounds to heal. 2 weeks isn’t long enough for things like tendinitis or bursitis to COMPLETELY subside.
Enjoy your break, man. Get outdoors and go hiking or something.
I’m kinda with diesel on this one. I stopped training at the gym for two months this summer, but I still did maintenance at home with the big three and a few supplemental ex’s. I didn’t grow, but I didn’t backslide either. I also did rowing while fishing instead of using the motor.And I love to fish. Gotta keep busy. Slow down if you must, but never stop.
In faith, Billy
Detraining can occur much more rapidly than 2 weeks. Zatsiorsky says it occurs in as little as three days… although he specifically refers to elite athletes in competition phases for that number.
It’s not like detraining is something that cannot be reversed. Detraining isn’t a major reason to avoid a break from training, unless you’re an elite athlete and make your living off of being in prime condition.
No one knows your body like you. If it’s telling you it needs rest, then by all means listen to it. If not, you’re asking for injury. I usually take a week off every few months. Dunno whether it’s just me getting old or not but I feel like I need the break. Then I come back restd, and motivated. Good idea to stay active though (obviously). Use this as a chance to pursue other athletic intersts you’ve always had but never had time for.
geez, D23, someone touched a nerve!
life doesnt revolve around the gym. i took 6 months off to get back into Water polo and it was great fun, sure i lost something like 30lbs but i was still in good condition and fitter than ever before. after six months i figured i didn’t like the swimming that had to be done so i jumped back into gym work. sure it was a bit demoralising being little and weak, but i think i enjoy the process much more than the end result. im back to were i used to be in strength for most lifts, but about 4 kg lighter, which i figure is pretty good.
i’m with wright… if you have recurring injuries, get them looked at. you don’t want to mess up, say, your tendons for life because you didn’t want to lose your gains after a couple of weeks.
i developed mild tendonitis in the wrist about 9 months ago and took a week off from the bench to “heal”, only to have it recur in a month or so. I took 2 weeks off the next time and the same thing happened.
i took 2.5 months off until i felt NO discomfort, and now i’m very close to my strength levels just prior to taking time off. in my case simple pushups hurt too much so i avoided them as well. that may not be the case for you.
in the end, your gains will come back if you’re healthy; your gains will disappear if you don’t take care of yourself.
Diesel - Who said I wanna start giving advice? 
Anyway, thanks for giving a different point of view.
The problem I have is the injuries and 1 or 2 weeks isn’t enough time to let them heal.If I detrain, so what? Is it not possible to “retrain”? I want to lift well into my 40’s and 50’s (maybe even 60’s) so ignoring injuries would be kinda dumb, no?
I’ll still be playing hockey once a week, swimming, etc.
“This is an obscene idea to any serious weightlifter and any serious athlete.”
I know an elite level powerlifter who takes a month off every year. Has always sworn by it. We’re all different, with different goals, lifestyles etc. You wanna tell him it’s not helpful?
I always heard of it being called the “slingshot” effect. Take a month or more off, and bam, you eventually slingshot past your old PR’s.
“No one knows your body like you. If it’s telling you it needs rest, then by all means listen to it.”
Try telling that to 95% of the population who are growing increasingly obese (many morbidly obese), have increasingly poor health, diabetes, heart problems, smoke to death, and so forth. I mean, nobody knows your body like YOU do right?
Why listen to Berardi, Poliquin, Alessi? We know our bodies BETTER than anyone else on Earth so who the hell do they think they’re preaching to? Well…turns out your body doesnt exactly tell you with clear statements with it needs, and you’re left on your own to figure out what it is it needs and wants - much like trying to figure out what in the hell does your dog want when it starts barking in the middle of the night.
those people have problems beyond what we’re talking about here. Good job on pointing out something irrelevant to taking a month or so off from lifting for RECOVERY, not being a fatass.
deep breaths, go to your happy place, breeeeeathe…
Arnold always took a month off each year after competing to heal the micro tears.