1 full week recovery

[skully]

So I've been reading more about recovery and I read after 8-12 weeks, you would need 1 whole week recovery. Does that mean plain no weights, plain no cardio. If so, what is important aspect of it? What happens if someone keeps workings out 3-6 months in a row w/o that one week recovery?

I've been exercising since Nov 25th or within that period. I started having 2 days off workout, and the other are pretty intense: Weights and cardio intense. I am not sure I am ready to take 1 week recovery period, because I just worked out muscles with heavier weights on Sunday (30kgs for a deadlift, 20kgs for a bench press, I was even able to pull off 1 full rep with 7.5kgs for biceps. Sadly, we don't have 6,7 kgs dumbells at uni.)

I want to increase deadlift weight next week or the week after with 35kgs. I want to push myself even harder in the next two weeks than I have in the past 4 weeks.

Then maybe I should take a break? One week seems too long!

[daveb]

Try it. I went from working out six days a week to three days a week and i could tell the difference in one week of resting in between workouts. go ahead and take a week off of your normal routine, and if you get a little anxious just do some moderate exercises. on the weekends i just do some push ups, chin up, and some ab work if i feel like im resting too much. that way im not over working them and i dont feel like im over resting. i took two weeks off of cardio one time and came back and i could push myself harder for longer. the body needs rest, if you dont like the results from it then you will know how long to let your muscles rest.

[swanso5]

i don;t think so...if your training as heavy as you can within the 1 - 3 rep zone 3 - 4/week then yes but you don't need too...it'll do you more harm then good

[skully]

Swanso I don't understand

1 - 3 rep zone 3 - 4/week

what that means. do you mean like literally only 1-3 reps of a certain weight, 3 times a week? then yes I would need 1 week full recovery after 8-12 weeks or exercising?

I believe I train as hard I can. I am ditching the old weights I used, and using more weights. It's still hard for me to do a barbell curl with 20kgs, but I can pull of a few reps...1-4 for example, as opposed to doing 10kgs, which I can pull off much easier.

So Is doing 4 sets of 4 reps of 20 KGs better? and that will result a need of MORE recovery time after a period of time?

I am starting to feel very worn out due to lack of sleep (insomnia....), so should I take a few days rest, not a week, but say 3-4 days straight?

[swanso5]

well the problem isn't too much training, it's too little sleep

unless you your sleeping probelms, you'll always be tired

[boesmith]

Swanso I don't understand

1 - 3 rep zone 3 - 4/week

what that means. do you mean like literally only 1-3 reps of a certain weight, 3 times a week? then yes I would need 1 week full recovery after 8-12 weeks or exercising?

I believe I train as hard I can. I am ditching the old weights I used, and using more weights. It's still hard for me to do a barbell curl with 20kgs, but I can pull of a few reps...1-4 for example, as opposed to doing 10kgs, which I can pull off much easier.

So Is doing 4 sets of 4 reps of 20 KGs better? and that will result a need of MORE recovery time after a period of time?

I am starting to feel very worn out due to lack of sleep (insomnia....), so should I take a few days rest, not a week, but say 3-4 days straight?

I know this sounds dumb but I too can't sleep very good until I started drinking green tea, and yes, the one with caffeine. I use to drink coffee but it was taking its toll on sleep.

Give it a shot.