3 Months of Working out: Essential to take a break?

[UnknownWarrior]

Well ive been working out for 3 months with the current workout plan i have right now...ive been using the 5x5 plan...ive seen great gains in terms of strength n some mass...i just lacked on eating...but still made gains...

now im wondering after 3 months of working out is it time to take a week break off or two? or can i still continue to workout, but with the same workout plan with new exercises?

is there any other type of workout plan that is similar to the 5x5 im using right now that will help me in terms of strength and mass?

thanks

[Howard 6]

Well ive been working out for 3 months with the current workout plan i have right now...ive been using the 5x5 plan...ive seen great gains in terms of strength n some mass...i just lacked on eating...but still made gains...

now im wondering after 3 months of working out is it time to take a week break off or two? or can i still continue to workout, but with the same workout plan with new exercises?

is there any other type of workout plan that is similar to the 5x5 im using right now that will help me in terms of strength and mass?

thanks

I think you answered your own question when ya said your making great gains...I would not take a week off until I do not see gains or feel sluggish in the gym for more than one or two lifting sessions.

[UnknownWarrior]

naww cuz i hear that after workin out for a long time u have to take a break to rest your body..n i was wondering if it was necessary to really take a break...cuz of 3 months of workin out...

[LordHalbert]

I never take a break.

Some recommend taking a week off every 3 months but I simply can't seem to do it.

After 2 days of non activity, I get this strange sensation that my muscles are wasting away and fat is accumulating.

[papi93]

naww cuz i hear that after workin out for a long time u have to take a break to rest your body..n i was wondering if it was necessary to really take a break...cuz of 3 months of workin out...

After 8-12 weeks of intense training, a week off can be taken. You may come back a little weaker but in the long-term it will help you strength gains.

[ExtremistPullup]

After 8-12 weeks of intense training, a week off can be taken. You may come back a little weaker but in the long-term it will help you strength gains.

I start seeing gains a week after a week off

[papi93]

I start seeing gains a week after a week off

For most people, the initial strength loss is psychological. They are addicted to training and think that they will lose everything after some time off. They live to train, not train for results.

[Howard 6]

naww cuz i hear that after workin out for a long time u have to take a break to rest your body..n i was wondering if it was necessary to really take a break...cuz of 3 months of workin out...

Yes I know, but think what your saying. To me you take a week off cause your dragging, life gets in the way, or your not making good gains.

[dieeiervonsatan]

what is your body telling you?

does it feel like it takes a couple of hours to get up in the morning till your fully awake? Are you slowly getting through you workouts? Are your lifts starting to stall?

if not you can keep going, there is no general rule when you should take a break. Your body will let you know when its time.

[Howard 6]

what is your body telling you?

does it feel like it takes a couple of hours to get up in the morning till your fully awake? Are you slowly getting through you workouts? Are your lifts starting to stall?

if not you can keep going, there is no general rule when you should take a break. Your body will let you know when its time.

exactly

[UnknownWarrior]

well most of all my lifts are still increasing such as deadlifts, t-bar rows, squats, front squats, skullcrushers etc...

but i also noticed that i cannot increase anymore on military press[i get stuck at 115lbs], and incline bench press....

^^ only two of the exercises i cannot increase in weight anymore...does that mean i plateau? meaning i need to take a break? or just swtich up the exercises for variation?

[Carmen0857]

I never take a break.

Some recommend taking a week off every 3 months but I simply can't seem to do it.

After 2 days of non activity, I get this strange sensation that my muscles are wasting away and fat is accumulating.

You have a couple weeks before your muscles will start to atrophy, any size loss is just a little "water weight" loss.

To the OP, it's time to take a break when your big lifts start to platue or you just feel tired and sore all the time.

[UnknownWarrior]

You have a couple weeks before your muscles will start to atrophy, any size loss is just a little "water weight" loss.

To the OP, it's time to take a break when your big lifts start to platue or you just feel tired and sore all the time.

im always sore after every workout...so does that mean i have to take a break?

[porcupinetree]

3 months is nothing. Maybe when you are 17, it seems like a lot.
Everyone is different, so nobody here can really tell you if you should take a break.
I don't take breaks. I don't need to and I don't want to.

[Carmen0857]

im always sore after every workout...so does that mean i have to take a break?

I mean like sore all the time, not good sore, bad sore, like joint pains and such.

[Definitelynotme]

taking breaks every few months is a great idea. i personally HATE taking breaks, but i take one week off every 4-5 months. During this time i eat a whole lot of food, and rest up. when i return to the gym, for the first week i feel a loss of strength. and then the second week back in the gym, the gains skyrocket!!!

the hardest part of it all is actually forcing yourself to take a break!

[lachy]

please take a one week break, i worked out for 4 months and beat my bodies immune system to ****, i ended up spending a week in hospital and I had to take a month of the gym, because my immune system had gone down i caught rhimatic fever and it spread to my heart.

serious stuff, take a break

[GoOrange]

Most people will benefit from taking a week off every 6-12 weeks. It will give your body a chance to heal and recover from all the punishment you've been dishing out.

Also, at that time, you should change up your routine. Do different exercises, use different grips, change the order around, use different set and rep ranges.

If you've stopped gaining in some lifts, it's time to change things up.

[krazybartender]

well most of all my lifts are still increasing such as deadlifts, t-bar rows, squats, front squats, skullcrushers etc...

but i also noticed that i cannot increase anymore on military press[i get stuck at 115lbs], and incline bench press....

^^ only two of the exercises i cannot increase in weight anymore...does that mean i plateau? meaning i need to take a break? or just swtich up the exercises for variation?

I'm in the same boat as you man. I'm making gains in every single lift except military press. I'm also stuck at the 115lb mark. I'm switching to Arnold presses and seated db presses. Hopefully in a month or so I can go back to the military press and increase my gains. My best advice is to try a different shoulder exercise.

[basshead444]

I'm in the same boat as you man. I'm making gains in every single lift except military press. I'm also stuck at the 115lb mark. I'm switching to Arnold presses and seated db presses. Hopefully in a month or so I can go back to the military press and increase my gains. My best advice is to try a different shoulder exercise.

What rep range are you guys working with? what worked for me is doing sets of 5, maybe 10lbs under my 5 rep max, and keep going up 5 lbs from there, and keep going up until you start doing triples and singles eventually, I got mine from 120 to 140 then stalled doing that, then I started doing push presses cause I didnt feel like going down in weight lol, yesterday i did 155 twice =D

[Al Swearengen]

Most people will benefit from taking a week off every 6-12 weeks. It will give your body a chance to heal and recover from all the punishment you've been dishing out.

"Also, at that time, you should change up your routine. Do different exercises, use different grips, change the order around, use different set and rep ranges.

If you've stopped gaining in some lifts, it's time to change things up."

I would have to disagree with that in a big way, "this part anyway". I think that would just confuse everyone training for a specific goal, which should be everyone.

[RU4A69]

Take a week off

[King Crush]

Go by instict. This is called "instictive training".

[Duckenheimer]

I never take a break.

Some recommend taking a week off every 3 months but I simply can't seem to do it.

After 2 days of non activity, I get this strange sensation that my muscles are wasting away and fat is accumulating.

This is a terrible attitude. Like a guy said earlier, live for results, not the addiction to training. That strange sensation should be ignored.

Are you willing to compromise your results so you can work out more often, or would you rather compromise how often to want to work out for better results?