Week Break

[WantingMuscle7]

I know this was answered before and i've been trying to search for it dismorning. I have had a full week break since like May when I went on vacation and I'm thinking of taking it this week. What are the benefits for taking a week off?

[ChinPieceDave667]

deconditioning, joints healing

[BG5150]

You can let your muscles heal completely. Let the CNS calm down for a while. It can help with the mental part, too.

I would try not to do anything too physical during the week to make sure it is a true week off. That is, no mountain biking, don't play hoops or tennis for 3 hour straight, no cardio, etc.

And, don't worry, you won't look like (and lift like) Screetch Powers in a week.

[hrdgain81]

And, don't worry, you won't look like (and lift like) Screetch Powers in a week.

unless you already did before the break.

[BG5150]

Originally Posted by hrdgain81

unless you already did before the break.

True dat, yo.

[Darkhorse]

Deconditioning isn't a good thing unless it's for a specialized HST program.

However, your CNS, muscles, and joints will all benefit. That's why usually you come back a little stronger than you left.

That's why I do nothing but Dual Factor. It's not the same thing you did, but the result is the same.

[Eric3237]

Not that this is the point here, but, doesn't HST claim that a week off is not really deconditioning, anyway? That you need at leat 9 to 12 days straight to allow the muscle to "lower it's defenses"?

Quote:
"...at 7 days you will still retain most of the repeated bout effects."

So after a week you've just recuperated, and will take up where you left off or add more weight. But at 9 to 12 days you've deconditioned, and can "reuse submaximal poundages to elicit new muscle growth".

If deconditioning is a useful concept at all, then I'm not sure why it cannot be applied to any similar training practice - especially one with frequent loading. Maybe this is just my screwed up way of thinking, but if the underlying concept is a valid one, then it should be valid in at least a somewhat more generalized way.

[Darkhorse]

No, this depends on the person. Some people with less experience usually only need a week to decondition, whereas someone with a lot of experience (and depending on their program) will need the 9-12 days SD for an effective first week of HST. I've been up and down their site, and this is exactly what is prescribed.

I definately won't recommend SD if you aren't in a very structured program. If you are solely going for mass, then I could see it beneficial. Only another linnear periodizational program would be effective using this. I've personally done this, and came back weaker in less than a week for sure. I'm doing the dual factor which I feel is a lot more practical for keeping your strength gains while recovering for a week. I'm more strength orientated, so I'm biased. :(

[WantingMuscle7]

Ok heres where im confused I work out each part 2 times a week but because my arms been hurting i cut it back to one day a week last week. Biceps were monday and if I didnt hit them later that week then wouldnt they have had their one week off this monday then? and wouldnt that be the same for every muscle or do I skip this entire week. If i did that by days it would mean I skipped 2 weeks. I know you hit your biceps while doing your back but last week my back workout was really strong.
lol I wouldnt be asking this but im really bored and feel like lifting and was wondering this stuff.

[Eric3237]

Originally Posted by WantingMuscle7

lol I wouldnt be asking this but im really bored and feel like lifting and was wondering this stuff.

Sounds like you don't need a week off to me.

[

Originally Posted by WantingMuscle7

Biceps were monday and if I didnt hit them later that week then wouldnt they have had their one week off this monday then?

Wasn't it 7 days? Of course you hit them with your back or whatever else, but people who exercise each bodypart once a week are always hitting stuff on other days.

Originally Posted by WantingMuscle7

and wouldnt that be the same for every muscle or do I skip this entire week. If i did that by days it would mean I skipped 2 weeks. I know you hit your biceps while doing your back but last week my back workout was really strong.

I can't really make heads or tails of all this but it sounds like you don't really want to take a week off. Certainly just because your arms hurt didn't mean you had to cut them down to once a week. A muscle does not need to be fully recovered before you hit it again. Research has shown that recovery continues regardless, but after that recovery has happened, and you're waiting around for your week to be up, you could have been stimulating growth.

If you had a strong back workout, and you're itching to get in the gym, then it doesn't seem like you're overtrained (which is a CNS thing, not a muscle thing). Believe me, whatever reasoning you have for taking a week off, if you really needed one, you'd know it.

If you do want a week off, then take one. As was said before, it could have benefits.