Rest and Recovery days

[FJ and G]

My current workout routine calls for 6 days a week over a 4 week period, followed by one week of rest. Then it loops back again.

Is this an OK practice? BTW, it also provides a psychological rest.

your thoughts or comments appreciated (and yes, I realize everyone's routine will vary based in individual characteristics)

[phikappa]

What's your routine for the six days? Does it vary by day? Any cardio in there?

More details please.

[FJ and G]

phikappa,

Running 10 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. Will increase to 20 min.

Here's the weights



FRIDAY

Squat/lung
Stiff deadlft
Calf raise
Rev Toes

SATURDAY

Bench
Incline Bench
Bench Tricepts
Lat Triceps Pull-down
Rope Pulldown
Dips

SUNDAY

Crunch
TwistCrunch

Back Ext
TwistBackExt
Chops
TwistChops

MONDAY

Pullups
Barbell Rows
BB Curls
Hamr Curl

TUESDAY

Deadlifts
GoodMng
Shrugs
AbCrunch

WEDNESDAY

ShoulderPress
Hang, clean, Press
Lateral dumbbell raises
Internal Rotator cuff (dumbbells)
ExtRotator cuff (dumbbells)
Scarecrow
Rev Wrist
Forw Wrist

[A.FreeRadical]

My current workout routine calls for 6 days a week over a 4 week period, followed by one week of rest. Then it loops back again.

Is this an OK practice? BTW, it also provides a psychological rest.

your thoughts or comments appreciated (and yes, I realize everyone's routine will vary based in individual characteristics)

I do a 5 day routine. I am going to do a one week off every 8 weeks. I overtrained last time and probably didn't have the intensity that I could have had had I taken off more often. I wouldn't want to take off every 4 weeks, but sure, rest is very important. I see nothing wrong with it. I made muscle gains the last time I took off.

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A.FreeRadical

[1stindoor]

I'm a 5 on, 2 off kinda guy. That whole Army thing has warped me somewhat. Again with the cardio....running breeds cowardice.

[TrishB]

Weights and cardio- 5 on and 2 off has always worked best for me, with a week off every 12 weeks. I work one muscle group a day. I'll be switching back to that routine next week.

I would suggest to put the legs in the middle somewhere. It would give your upper body a break for a day.

[Hibiscus09]

2 on, 1 off, 2 on, 2 off is what I prefer to do.

[Overload]

My current workout routine calls for 6 days a week over a 4 week period, followed by one week of rest. Then it loops back again.

Is this an OK practice? BTW, it also provides a psychological rest.

As long as you're making progress on it it's ok for you. Would be too much for me and that's why we all need to find what works for us. I'm a 3 day split, brief and intense workout type. My workout never last more than 30 minutes. I need more recovery time and more than 3 days of training a week wouldn't allow for that. In my case.

[Balltoucher]

here's my weird split

Day 1 chest,front delts

Day 2 off

Day 3 back,traps,rear and side delts

Day 4 off

Day 5 biceps,triceps

Day 6 quads,hams,calves

Day 7 off

[Bammy]

I lift 6 days a week, and use that 7th day for cardio, and sometimes abs too. The only true rest day I've had in the last month was Thanksgiving. I don't feel overtrained at all. This is exciting to me because I feel like a can train as much as I want (granted 2x a day WOULD probably be too much for me). I think it has to do with the fact that I get 8 hours of sleep, eat 9 meals a day (when you include pre and post workout), and take the right supplements.

Basically, find out what works for you. Don't shy away from frequent training because some people can't handle it.

[A.FreeRadical]

I lift 6 days a week, and use that 7th day for cardio, and sometimes abs too. The only true rest day I've had in the last month was Thanksgiving. I don't feel overtrained at all. This is exciting to me because I feel like a can train as much as I want (granted 2x a day WOULD probably be too much for me). I think it has to do with the fact that I get 8 hours of sleep, eat 9 meals a day (when you include pre and post workout), and take the right supplements.

Basically, find out what works for you. Don't shy away from frequent training because some people can't handle it.

At age 21, this may work for you. For us over 35s, that probably would be a recipe for overtraining and possible injury. That is one of the reasons we have this group.

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aA.FreeRadical a

[pict]

if i event train 1 day per week i can hand sun,tue,thur weight training. if i do events twice a week i can only lift teu,thur so i guess 4 days per week is about the max i can handle (all my workouts weights/events last about one hour 90 mins max). i start to get a lot of joint aches and tendon probs on any more than this. i take a week off about every 3 months but i think its been about 6 months this time.

[Capt. America]

Six days straight, Sundays off, did that religiously untill around 6 months ago. I recently switched (thanks to this forum) to a 3 day per week push, pull, leg work-out. It's short, sweet, and gains are going well. The rest in between days and the full week-end off is great.

[A.FreeRadical]

if i event train 1 day per week i can hand sun,tue,thur weight training. if i do events twice a week i can only lift teu,thur so i guess 4 days per week is about the max i can handle (all my workouts weights/events last about one hour 90 mins max). i start to get a lot of joint aches and tendon probs on any more than this. i take a week off about every 3 months but i think its been about 6 months this time.

I try to keep my sessions to about 45 minutes 5 times per week. If I am working out with training partners (Tues, Thurs), then it goes longer. (too much BS). I only do 4-8 exercises per session with priority on complex movements. A muscle group warm-up per session. An exercise is done with and a ramp up to max weight, followed by 2-3 working sets of 4-6 reps. All days but leg day, get 20 minutes of brisk walk on a treadmill before going home. Days "off" are Friday and Moday. I do 45 minutes of cardio those days.

I am bad at taking time off too. You really need to take off more. I am now breaking my workout into 8 week segments each designed to work on the weakest muscle group. Then it is one week off to rest and grow.

I take glucousamine and chodroitin for joint and tendons. That takes a month or so to kick in. I was still getting some joint and tendon pain so I took off for 2 weeks and started taking 5 gels of each, flaxseed oil and fish oil per day. That seems to have helped. I am making new gains, and no joint or tendon pains.

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aA.FreeRadical a

[Bammy]

At age 21, this may work for you. For us over 35s, that probably would be a recipe for overtraining and possible injury. That is one of the reasons we have this group.

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aA.FreeRadical a

Sorry, kind of overlooked that. I do however know a guy who is over 60, trains seemingly as much as I do, and still competes in powerlifting meets! He is definitely an inspiration to me.

[A.FreeRadical]

Sorry, kind of overlooked that. I do however know a guy who is over 60, trains seemingly as much as I do, and still competes in powerlifting meets! He is definitely an inspiration to me.

I have a year to go before I hit the magic "6-O". Just guessing, but I bet he trains smarter than you.

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aA.FreeRadical a

[Niroc]

I take glucousamine and chodroitin for joint and tendons. That takes a month or so to kick in. I was still getting some joint and tendon pain so I took off for 2 weeks and started taking 5 gels of each, flaxseed oil and fish oil per day. That seems to have helped. I am making new gains, and no joint or tendon pains.

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aA.FreeRadical a

This is working well for you? I'm just curious, I need something myself but wasn't sure what to use. I know the Knox company that makes jello also makes gelatin joint reliever which is supposed to work wonders. Once you added the flax/fish oils did it make a larger difference? This is one supplement I planned on adding anyway.

[Bammy]

I have a year to go before I hit the magic "6-O". Just guessing, but I bet he trains smarter than you.

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aA.FreeRadical a

I'm sure he does. With that many years of experience, he has his routines perfected for him.

[A.FreeRadical]

This is working well for you? I'm just curious, I need something myself but wasn't sure what to use. I know the Knox company that makes jello also makes gelatin joint reliever which is supposed to work wonders. Once you added the flax/fish oils did it make a larger difference? This is one supplement I planned on adding anyway.

I had been taking the glucosamine and chondroitin for about 5 months. During that time I injured myself (tennis elbow) and later started getting general aches and pains with shoulders and knees. I had been taking 2 gels of fish oil (Omega3) and someone mentioned that fish oil or flax seed oil was good for joints and tendons. So, I was getting sold on the value of EFAs anyway, so I thought, what the heck, lets kick it up to five of each per day. (I read where flaxseed oil had some other health benefit, that is why I decided to do both.) I am painfree so it seems to have helped. My tennis elbow had been nagging me for months and it too is gone. I can't say for certain that this absolutely was the cure, but it all fits together.

Whatever you decide, you should take plenty of omega3s for your health. I am sure salmon would help if you could eat a lot of it. I have tried but it is not something that I can eat very often.

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A.FreeRadical