is it bad not to take rest days? why?

[antm264fish]

Hey guys, I have been goin strong for a while now working out 6-7 days a week, is that too much? why do you think so?
my routine consists of;
Mon- 1/2 hour cardio 5-6 sets back 2-3 sets bi's
tues-1/2 hour cardio 5-6 sets chest 2-3 sets tri's
wed- cardio- 7-8 sets legs and forearms
thurs- cardio then arms 4-5 sets bi's and tri's 2 sets for back and chest
fri 8-10 sets shoulders
sat and sun or one of the days is cardio and curcuit train
abs are done btwn sets 4-5 days of the week
all my weekly workout are in the morning before work and on the weekends some time early or in the afternoons

[ironwill2008]

Are you currently able to progress the weight and/or the reps you lift, week-to-week?

[OZBB]

You may be going strong now, but you could be headed for a crash down the track. IMO rest is just as important as time in the gym. Rest is when your body is repairing and growing, it also give your CNS (Central Nervous System) a chance to recover.... "Over Training" is very real and something I've got first hand experience with....never again. When you find you can hardly get out of bed each day, get colds and flu repeatedly and just sort of lose interest in everything, then you've hit the wall and its time to take a break....it creeps up on you, then you go down like a ton of bricks. To prevent that, schedule a break, or a de-load week every 8-10 weeks. Since I've added that to my routine I havent had a problem.

I'm on an enforced 1 week break at the moment, but for an entirely different reason, an accumulation of small injuries has meant I've got to rest, so there's another reason to take that break, dont wait till your body forces you to rest..... make it part of your overall routine.... your body will thank you in the long run.

OZBB

[mslman71]

Hey guys, I have been goin strong for a while now working out 6-7 days a week, is that too much? why do you think so?

I worked out with similar volume and frequency up until the past year when I found out I had severe arthritis of the shoulder. I was told it was because of a constant inflammatory condition of the shoulder (sort of post traumatic arthritis I guess) that I never let recover properly. I get to have my shoulder buzzed, deburred, and probably resurfaced in the not too distant future. Can't be sure about the cause, but overtraining & 'working through the pain' and some of the form breaks that went along with it seem like pretty likely culprits.

[antm264fish]

thanks guys. so far I have surpassed my recent goals, getting strong, in about a little more than a year and a half I have dropped from 300lb's to about 230 ( I can almost see my abs again) after an 8yrs out of the gym. I know in the back of my head I should take a break, but I feel like **** the days I don't go. about every 4 weeks I have goin real light with the weights but I'm gonna take your advice and maybe take a week off every 8-10 weeks and see how it goes. I think it's time for a vacation!

[JerryB]

is it bad not to take rest days?

It's a bad idea not to take a rest day if your weight training is at maximum effort. Your body adapts to the stress on recovery days. Because of the lack of recovery time, in due time your enthusiastic program will lead you to diminishing returns.

[MermaidWino]

thanks guys. so far I have surpassed my recent goals, getting strong, in about a little more than a year and a half I have dropped from 300lb's to about 230 ( I can almost see my abs again) after an 8yrs out of the gym. I know in the back of my head I should take a break, but I feel like **** the days I don't go. about every 4 weeks I have goin real light with the weights but I'm gonna take your advice and maybe take a week off every 8-10 weeks and see how it goes. I think it's time for a vacation!

you lost that much weight!! congrats on your hard work and dedication. I too tend to go 6x a week, mainly cause i need to do SOMEthing, but the guys here are all right about the rest and recovery, you dont want to pay the piper later with an injusry then be super pissed cause you have to take DAYS off. enjoy your day..you deserve it!

[BrotherWolf]

Like IW said .. if you are progressing
adding weight , reps etc.. then you're good