For those of you on TRT how often do you take a break from the gym ? I started TRT in May and completely changed my body. My workouts and intensity were insanely strong until a few weeks ago. I was still making gains but felt bleh… while working out. My joints esp elbows were on fire. I decided this week to take a complete week off. I am just curious how you guys do it ? A set break or just listen to when your motivation and body tell you to take a break.
Without being on TRT I’ve never taken break from gym more than 3-4 days when I go on vacation. And before I started TRT workouts have been very tough, always feeling tired as soon as I enter the gym and zero reward from training(minimal gains)
I’ve been training 4-5 days a week for 20+ years. I only take a break when injured or try to work around the injury. Not saying what works for me works for others but you asked.
I think recovery is vital for the body to continue making progress. So I like taking a week off every 3 months or so … works for me. Been on TRT for about 9 months now … great gains.
I think proper deloading is a part of every decent program but this is not exactly break 
2 Likes
I’ve worked out for 32 years and have never taken a break. At times it’s been tough because life happens but I’ve always been able to fit it in sometimes at the expense of my sleep. I’ve been on trt for 8 years. I am very careful not to overtrain as recovery is key for me. I have a rule of never training more than 3 days in a row and never take off more than two days in a row as I train 4 days a week and sometimes 5. Training while on vacation is fun for me because I love training in different atmospheres. I’ve had small injuries and joint soreness before but I just work around, basically if a movement hurts,I don’t do it.
1 Like
It really depends on your lifting style. If you are pushing for singles monthy, or even triples at 95%, then a deload week is probably in order every 4-6 weeks. But that’s not a week off. And one man’s deload week is another man’s workout so it’s very subjective.
1 Like
I agree completely with @NH_Watts . It’s all relative to your level of intensity and how long those levels are sustained.
If you are working out for gains, and are completely tearing the muscle tissue down every workout, then you’ll need to set a week aside more often (4-6 weeks) for full recovery. If you are not going quite so intense, then you may not need a recovery at all other than your built in few days on the routine.
That being said, if you feel rundown, listen to your body. Take a week off. If body building is not how you earn your money, then why push to the point of negative returns? You’re not doing anything but subjecting yourself to long term injury, and for what? Self image or bragging rights? Not worth it.
1 Like
So you are saying take a week off every 4 - 6 weeks? Just looking for clarification. Even on low doses of test the body feels like a machine and recoveries are so fast. I guess that doesn’t mean you’re growing though.
TRT isn’t a factor in whether or not, or how often, you take breaks from the gym. As you see from the replies, it ranges from “every X weeks like clockwork” to “never ever ever”. Neither approach is more right or wrong than the other.
It’s dependent on your training program, your goals, your current condition, injury history, etc.
2 Likes
If anything TRT improves recovery, so you can return to the gym sooner.
1 Like
It also ramps up the intensity levels to which you can force yourself to, so the affects kind of cancel each other to some extent, in a very general manner of speaking, and IF the OP is taking advantage of the extra intensity.
@Chris_Colucci is dead on!!
2 Likes
I am lifting heavy (for me) much heavier than ever since starting TRT. Prior to TRT I knew when i needed a break i would physically feel it… On TRT I notice my joints are screaming and i felt bleh my last workout. Also sleep has been somewhat disrupted. My workouts are alot of 3-5 reps and usually finish with complete burn outs and partials on whatever body part i am working.
This is so true. Sometimes I’ll walk into the gym and just know that I need to turn around and go home (and I do). I go by how I feel and have become attune to what my body is telling me. Taking time off can be hard but it’s vital. I take a week off about every 6-8 weeks and allow my body to rejuvenate especially since I go hard. Changing up my routine completely every 8-12 weeks has really helped as well. I love being in the gym.
2 Likes
TRT aside, you need to tune your program a little. More is not always more or better. Sometimes you need to go in and pump some light weights. Light relative to what YOU normally push. Sometimes you need to change it up completely for a while to allow something some extra recovery or to work a weakness more specifically. Your limiting factor is your CNS, not necessarily your muscles. Some guys never really gain, because they just plain over do it.
2 Likes
So, yeah, this has nothing to do with TRT. Your general enthusiasm overrode your programming.
If you lay out the details of your weekly routine, we can fine-tune it to better suit your specific goals. In the meantime, if your elbows are hurting and your sleep is interrupted and you’re feeling blah (or bleh, whichever), those are combined signs that you could definitely benefit from a legit deload.
This article explains a few options. Or you could do a very simple “only sets of 10-15” plan for a week or so.
1 Like
You said “training” not exercise. If you are training with the intent for your body to undergo adaptation, then a week or two off every 12-16 weeks has been shown to be the best. The Russians and Bulgarians often used “active rest”. This would involve a period away form the weights but still doing something, games, swimming, running, throwing, etc. As difficult as it may seem to stop training, you’ll lose ground, etc., you will come back stronger.
1 Like
I don’t plan breaks, they just happen. Work trips, vacation, etc.
I will find alternative exercises if I am having issues. Right now I’m squatting with a camber bar because my elbows are sore.
2 Likes
On trt you recover faster. Listen k your body and figure out when you need to skip a few days. You will feel exhausted and tired and weak. You have gone too far into the red. This is hard to do though.
More important is giving each body part enough rest.
Here is what works for me.
1-2 months consistent visits to the gym 4/5 or 6 a week: after this I take almost an entire week off and the following week I reintroduce the wrights slowly. Kinda having fun not pushing hard.
I noticed I feel leaner and more muscular when i take this week off. I eat allot during my week off as well.
They also have allot on periodization: I think it’s 10-12 weeks.
I also recently heard that 2 weeks hard 2 weeks medium is what the body can handle. Check this video out if joe Rogan and how Russian guest.
1 Like
Love Pavel ! I have gone into the red many, many times in my life. Its my personality… When I was in high school I was waking up at 4 am for morning swim practice, rushing to home room with a granola bar, eating whatever lunch the school provided me… Had 2 study halls after lunch and my used them to weight train… went to swim practice after school and then hung around for indoor track workouts. I did not know any better back then and mid way through swim season started regressing. So i worked out harder and harder… Then i got sick… started losing weight… my blood counts were all jacked up. Doctors could not figure out what was going on. I finally collapsed with double pneumonia and spent 2 weeks in the hospital. I have gotten much better and realize when i am pushing the envelope.
1 Like