Taking Breaks

Sit back and relax

Some inexperienced lifters believe that constant and nonstop lifting will bring them the most progress in the weight room. This is not how muscles work, they need time to repair themselves. I usually take a few days off per week to give myself a mental and physical break. Then after around 6-10 weeks I take an extended break that lasts around one week. These breaks give me time to reevaluate my progress in the weight room but also to get ahead on school work. When I am not worrying about my school work I can concentrate 100% of my energy toward the workout.

During breaks I try not to eat as much as I would if I were working out. I do not burn as many calories during my off weeks and in general it is better to eat healthier food. I am trying to put as much lean muscle on as possible and eating unhealthy foods would hinder me. After a break I always feel refreshed and ready to get after my goals in the weight room. So remember to take breaks because they will help you in the long run both mentally and physically.


Hammock at River Kwai Jungle Rafts by Mark Fischer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.