Week off to grow - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

Vince Hotwig · 23-08-2005, 09:11 PM

After training for my 1st 6 months I took a week of training for recovery only because my training partner went on holiday I read it was good to do this every 3 months or so because we know our body grows outside the gym anyway it worked because after a week off I was able to pull and push more and when my mate got back 2 weeks later he said i was much bigger, well I am due another recovery week and I dont want to take it because I love working out, I have to stop myself coming to the gym on my rest days. Sorry for the long thread but the question is do u guys think if i do cv on the rest week or rest days will this affect my growth? I week without the gym nearly killed me lol

**big** · 23-08-2005, 09:16 PM

You can just deload.

Still go to the gym, but lift a lot lighter, further away from failure. Do this for a couple of weeks and then ramp back up again slowly.

It's called dual factor periodisation.

Vince Hotwig · 23-08-2005, 10:22 PM

Cheers Big, clear and simple. Just reading up on periodization now man I got alot to learn. I found this, it might help some newbies like me.

Heavy period - 4-6 weeks
Transfer period - 1-2 weeks
Light period - 4-6 weeks
Transfer period - 1-2 weeks

Heavy = 4-8 reps, 2 min rest
Transfer = 6-10 reps, 1 min rest
Light = 10-15 reps, 40 sec rest

I have found if we want to keep gaining we got to keep changing how we train

maxxxx · 24-08-2005, 12:53 AM

if we want to keep gaining we have to keep increasing intensity be that lift heavier more reps etc my chest and arms were bigger when i benched over 200lbs to when i could bench 150 they grew bigger when i could bench 300 and they are bigger now i can bench over 360 and i suspect through experience they will be even bigger when i bench 400 consistant increased intensity not changing how we train is the key to increased muscle growth changing to a few cable crossovers and flys every other week really wont do it for most unless on juice i find if i am not breaking pbs a few extra days rest works and upping quality of protein intake works just fine

Timmy Smooth · 24-08-2005, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxxxx

if we want to keep gaining we have to......

Ouch! That guy's only got 12 posts and he's got a negative red rep square! What the poor guy do?

ONE SMART COOKIE · 24-08-2005, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince Hotwig

After training for my 1st 6 months I took a week of training for recovery only because my training partner went on holiday I read it was good to do this every 3 months or so because we know our body grows outside the gym anyway it worked because after a week off I was able to pull and push more and when my mate got back 2 weeks later he said i was much bigger, well I am due another recovery week and I dont want to take it because I love working out, I have to stop myself coming to the gym on my rest days. Sorry for the long thread but the question is do u guys think if i do cv on the rest week or rest days will this affect my growth? I week without the gym nearly killed me lol

See the break as part off the overall picture and game plan...a week is nothing,plus if your constantly thinking about training you`ll find that you`ll burnout mentally,plus thinking about training all the time you`ll find that this has an effect on your nervous sytem and some of the glands which also leads to decreased gains,so just learn to chill...

I once took 6 weeks off aftet dieting for a show...got bigger and leaner for the first 4-5 weeks,so a rest does us good.

Lauren · 24-08-2005, 01:10 PM

How long should you leave it before you have a week off totally???

ONE SMART COOKIE · 24-08-2005, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauren

How long should you leave it before you have a week off totally???

I usually have 1 week off in 4 but thats because I like to train everyday if poss..most would do 8-12 weeks then have a week off...

Lauren · 24-08-2005, 01:22 PM

Well I have been training consistently 3-4 times a week and Im in my 10th week so might have next week off. Thanks mate!

Vince Hotwig · 24-08-2005, 05:25 PM

Cheers good advise Smart cookie. It worked for me and u too and I guess it will work for lauren let as know how u get on lauren.

Vince Hotwig · 24-08-2005, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxxxx

if we want to keep gaining we have to keep increasing intensity be that lift heavier more reps etc my chest and arms were bigger when i benched over 200lbs to when i could bench 150 they grew bigger when i could bench 300 and they are bigger now i can bench over 360 and i suspect through experience they will be even bigger when i bench 400 consistant increased intensity not changing how we train is the key to increased muscle growth changing to a few cable crossovers and flys every other week really wont do it for most unless on juice i find if i am not breaking pbs a few extra days rest works and upping quality of protein intake works just fine

Ok Maxxxx you have made great gains doing what you are doing but one day you may hit plateau if u do than you will have to look in to how you are training to make more gains. Good luck with your bench you are doing well.

maxxxx · 26-08-2005, 01:44 AM

most body builders are over training to many reps to many sets the first sign that this could be occuring is when we step back from that volume training and yet still experience some progress this is a sign a of the disease weight over load you know the cure. on a scale of 1 to 10 high rep training would rate a 5 out of 10 for producing strength gains where as weight lifting rep range 1 to 4 reps would scale 9 out of 10. static contration and partial reps 10 out of 10 there far more efficient so what if we brought the high reps of body building for slightly more hypertrophy and align that with the faster strength increases of lower rep work and what would happen if we could add 40 or 50 more pounds onto our bench press in say 10 weeks would that give us extra growth?tweak the system for better results. me and three other guys have used this system and were all lifting from 320 to 360 starting from a typical approx 220 struggle for several reps using standard methods i thought id maxed out. on the standard system i had so now i move up through the weight in singles and doubles with out taxing my self and then aim for a pb then keep the weight as close as poss for a few more single double reps which is not that taxing drop the weight to say 320 bang out 8 reps drop to 300 10 reps or so may squeeze in another set all finished the singles take 20 mins maybe a little more for the singles .id never go back . an 8 stone weight 5 ft runt weight lifter can wipe the floor with 98 percent of all body builders even on juice in squat dead lift trap and deltoid strength there strength is great i know because i once saw it done and it was embarassing the size of that guys legs and traps are still in my mind today good luck

23-08-2005, 09:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Vince Hotwig Newbie Trainer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Daventry,northants Posts: 53	Week off to grow After training for my 1st 6 months I took a week of training for recovery only because my training partner went on holiday I read it was good to do this every 3 months or so because we know our body grows outside the gym anyway it worked because after a week off I was able to pull and push more and when my mate got back 2 weeks later he said i was much bigger, well I am due another recovery week and I dont want to take it because I love working out, I have to stop myself coming to the gym on my rest days. Sorry for the long thread but the question is do u guys think if i do cv on the rest week or rest days will this affect my growth? I week without the gym nearly killed me lol

23-08-2005, 09:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
big UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: The only side effect of steroids is GREATNESS Posts: 5,511	You can just deload. Still go to the gym, but lift a lot lighter, further away from failure. Do this for a couple of weeks and then ramp back up again slowly. It's called dual factor periodisation.

23-08-2005, 10:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
Vince Hotwig Newbie Trainer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Daventry,northants Posts: 53	Cheers Big, clear and simple. Just reading up on periodization now man I got alot to learn. I found this, it might help some newbies like me. Heavy period - 4-6 weeks Transfer period - 1-2 weeks Light period - 4-6 weeks Transfer period - 1-2 weeks Heavy = 4-8 reps, 2 min rest Transfer = 6-10 reps, 1 min rest Light = 10-15 reps, 40 sec rest I have found if we want to keep gaining we got to keep changing how we train

24-08-2005, 12:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
maxxxx Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 22	if we want to keep gaining we have to keep increasing intensity be that lift heavier more reps etc my chest and arms were bigger when i benched over 200lbs to when i could bench 150 they grew bigger when i could bench 300 and they are bigger now i can bench over 360 and i suspect through experience they will be even bigger when i bench 400 consistant increased intensity not changing how we train is the key to increased muscle growth changing to a few cable crossovers and flys every other week really wont do it for most unless on juice i find if i am not breaking pbs a few extra days rest works and upping quality of protein intake works just fine

24-08-2005, 01:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
Lauren The Lady Of The Manor Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bedfordshire, UK Posts: 2,291	How long should you leave it before you have a week off totally???

24-08-2005, 01:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
Lauren The Lady Of The Manor Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bedfordshire, UK Posts: 2,291	Well I have been training consistently 3-4 times a week and Im in my 10th week so might have next week off. Thanks mate!

24-08-2005, 05:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
Vince Hotwig Newbie Trainer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Daventry,northants Posts: 53	Cheers good advise Smart cookie. It worked for me and u too and I guess it will work for lauren let as know how u get on lauren.

26-08-2005, 01:44 AM	#12 (permalink)
maxxxx Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 22	most body builders are over training to many reps to many sets the first sign that this could be occuring is when we step back from that volume training and yet still experience some progress this is a sign a of the disease weight over load you know the cure. on a scale of 1 to 10 high rep training would rate a 5 out of 10 for producing strength gains where as weight lifting rep range 1 to 4 reps would scale 9 out of 10. static contration and partial reps 10 out of 10 there far more efficient so what if we brought the high reps of body building for slightly more hypertrophy and align that with the faster strength increases of lower rep work and what would happen if we could add 40 or 50 more pounds onto our bench press in say 10 weeks would that give us extra growth?tweak the system for better results. me and three other guys have used this system and were all lifting from 320 to 360 starting from a typical approx 220 struggle for several reps using standard methods i thought id maxed out. on the standard system i had so now i move up through the weight in singles and doubles with out taxing my self and then aim for a pb then keep the weight as close as poss for a few more single double reps which is not that taxing drop the weight to say 320 bang out 8 reps drop to 300 10 reps or so may squeeze in another set all finished the singles take 20 mins maybe a little more for the singles .id never go back . an 8 stone weight 5 ft runt weight lifter can wipe the floor with 98 percent of all body builders even on juice in squat dead lift trap and deltoid strength there strength is great i know because i once saw it done and it was embarassing the size of that guys legs and traps are still in my mind today good luck