You ever take an extended break?

[NAIR]

For the first time in perhaps about 3-4 years I've totally taken a break from training. I'm giving myself about 6 weeks of doing nothing. I hit a plateau and after doing much reading and trying different things over the years I just felt like taking time off.

I hear many pros do this as well. Not that we can use him as a relative measure, but Levrone would take 4-6 moths off every single year after his pec tear. Anyone else ever try taking an extended break?

 

[big in vegas]

Well, not because I wanted to, but I did when I broke my arm and I'm hoping that by taking an extended time off when I really start growing again I gain like I did when I first started training again. I've heard a lot of people do this around here locally and they've had success as far as gains coming back

 

[The Dude]

I've been forced to b/c of a bicep tear and my pec tear, but unfortunately I don't have the mental fortitude to completely take time off from training. I have to be in the gym.

 

[Pharm_Fed]

I haven't really taken a full extended break, but I'll tell you lately my motivation has been a little lacking. I haven't been in the gym more than twice a week for the last 5-6 weeks. I don't really know why, just felt burnt out. So instead, for the last month and a half I have been doing more things with my wife, and just enjoying life not really worrying about training/calories/etc. It has been nice. I feel like I came to the realization that I might have been taking it too seriously. For someone like me, who will never be pro and most likely never even compete, it's just a hobby. I don't want to be 40 and look back and feel like I missed out on a lot of things because I was too wrapped up in bodybuilding to enjoy myself. I don't worry about missing a meal, or eating dessert, or any of that as much anymore. I try and eat well, train hard, and rest, but if there are more important things that come up, I don't lose sight of my priorities. That's probably not quite what you were talking about. I guess I went on a rant. lol. Anyway, taking an extended break is probably good if you feel you need it/want it.

 

[irish2003]

i competed as a batamweight and trained regularly since sophomore year in 1990 till 2001.....then 2001 till sometime late 2007 i had a substance abuse problem and it was more important to put shit up my nose than eat or train......i've been back strong since and the muscle memory is amazing.....i naturally blew past previous weights for the first year and then the last two on gear i've been able to refine it........late august though after 10 weeks of contest dieting and 10 weeks out from my show i've taken another break since (due to work fulltime plus school fulltime....i simply couldn't sustain training and dieting for a show on top of that) and started training again last week.......i think the older you get and the more you learn about your body, you can make great improvements in both physique and the mental aspect of doing what we do by taking planned or unplanned extended breaks......beside levrone, i've heard that flavio baccianni did the same thing and only trained 6 months a year

 

[Plang]

In the last 10 yrs (since I was 17) the longest time I took off was about a week....appendicitis...I was back 3 days later...did a show Saturday so I stopped training weds...I was back on Monday...I can't stay out..I'm like the dude...it's mainly because my brain always wants to progress...time off seems like degressing (even though it's a good idea)

 

[BiggerStronger]

I trained seriously from 18 until 26...and since then have been sporadic with my workouts. Trying to get serious again. It's been hard to get back into that routine and have the old mentality of getting huge. I guess my goals have changed a bit over the years and now I would rather be a good mix of cut/muscular then just straight up huge.

 

[dreww]

never taken more than 2 weeks off.

 

[MrMeat]

I got blind sided by a beer bottle a month ago, due to the strange headaches that no one can figure out the Dr.'s told me not to be hitting the gym for a while. I am so bored now after work it sucks. Before that I used to take a week off every E months.

 

[deeznuutz]

Just recently took close to a year off... First time I felt excited (really excited) about training in a long time... Sometimes i feel that without a break (and i've always taken at least a week or so off) its hard to stay truly excited and you end up just goin through the motions... I love that feeling of the first two years back when i loved every meal and every ounce of protein I took in...

 

[Shaptown]

took about 6 weeks off due to shoulder surgery, but now I am back on and ~6 weeks into a new cycle, and am absolutely loving it. I will tell you that, without a doubt, my CNS was OVERLOADED to the point where I was constantly sore and lethargic. Now, I am always pumped up to lift and my recovery down-time is nearly nonexistant...

 

[bigheinz]

Just took 8 weeks off to clean my system, fix my hip and shoulder and relax.. just started training 2 weeks a go, it sucks at the beginning but i already gain 8 pounds with my new diet and everything is coming back to normal.
It is good to take a break, dont be afraid

 

[Presser]

I take off a week here and there every couple months, but havent taken an extended break for more then a week in a long while,