We all could use a break. There’s no question about it. This can also be especially true for people who regularly lift weights. Most who do realize that you need to give your muscle groups time to heal for a full day before working the same particular muscle group over again. But did you also realize that it is important to periodically take a full week off?

When you get involved in a workout routine, you should approach it as “this is a lifestyle change”, not a “this is something I will be doing for a while.” And with this in mind, it’s important to take a break. Even if you are taking the required break in between working muscle sets, over time your muscles can still become fatigued, making your workouts less effective. This can add to the possibility of the dreaded “plateau”, where it doesn’t seem to matter what you do, regarding diet or exercise, you just don’t progress.

It is recommended to take a full week off every 8-10 weeks. This helps in two ways: it gives your body a chance to fully recover, and it helps ensure that you don’t start feeling burnt out with the lifestyle change. Some people are afraid if they take that much time off, that their muscles will lose strength and start breaking down. Typically this doesn’t happen for two or three weeks, so taking a week off is safe to do. Make sure when you take your week off you are still eating healthy, so your body gets its needed nutrients.

Enjoy the break guilt-free! Set your week off in advance, so you know which day you are working toward. Similar to booking vacation time at work, knowing your date gives you a goal to work toward. You could even take your motivation a step further and set goals to reach before you take your break! Be kind to yourself and give yourself the break. Your mind and body will thank you for it!

Source Url: http://gobelmont.ca/break-it-down/