Just wondering.

[pat86323]

I have been workin out for about 3 months this time around and have finally been getting some results. Im down about 3-4 inches in midsection and arms/shoulders are getting bigger. I have been using the stronglifts 5x5 weight training program and it has been working very well with some cleaner eating and cardio ( cardio has moved out of the gym and onto the basketball court for the most part). However i have noticed over the last couple weeks i have been not recovering from workouts, ie just bad sore all the time. I do not want to take a break from doing what i am doing so i was wondering if it would be too hurtful to back the weight down by 1/3 to 1/2 for a couple weeks or something like that? Try to get body a while to recover from the hard work.

[pat86323]

eh i just cut the workouts way back instead of doing 5 sets of 5 reps i lowered it to 3x5 at about 1/3 the weight. Im afraid that if i dont keep on it ill get lazy again and have trouble getting myself back to the gym after the week off. I hope this isnt detrimental to results.

[cassiegose]

What if you took 3-5 days in a row off from the weights but still went to the gym for those days for light cardio? That way you give your muscles a rest but don't get out of your routine of going to the gym everyday?

[pat86323]

i could do that, im just nervous about getting complacent and falling off the wagon.

[cassiegose]

i could do that, im just nervous about getting complacent and falling off the wagon.

I know what you mean. However, YOU'RE in control of that. Just don't let yourself becoem complacent. Use the break to rest and recover and come back stronger. Whenever I take time away from the gym I miss it so much that i can't wait to get back. I'm a little crazy though too so it might not be like that for everyone.

[pat86323]

it would just seem that as far as working out goes i need a routine.....if i stray from that routine i have a hard time getting back into it.

[cassiegose]

Hmmm... well you could also switch up your routine and see if that helps. You could move to a lower body upper body split. What about something like this:
Monday: Upper body
Tuesday: lower body
Wednesday: cardio
Thursday: off
Friday: upper body
Saturday: lower body
Sunday: cardio
Monday: off
Tuesday: upper body
Wednesday: lower body
Thursday: cardio
Friday: off
Saturday: upper body
Sunday: lower body
Monday: cardio
Tuesday: off

That would give you more time to recover between workouts.

[pat86323]

im just going to take a couple of cardio weeks, i really think i might have pushed it too far last time i worked out was 4 days ago and im still one hurt unit.

[cassiegose]

im just going to take a couple of cardio weeks, i really think i might have pushed it too far last time i worked out was 4 days ago and im still one hurt unit.

Good call.

[swanso5]

no good

decreasing wt and decreasing volume = backwards

cut out something else, increase diet, abbreviate your exercises (cut the shit one's out), cut cardio...

[pat86323]

I understand your logic there Swanso but the only muscles that are giving me problems are the ones that i use when i squat like quads. Other then that everything seems fine. back is a little sore but nothing i cant deal with. But legs hurt so bad i can barely get upstairs to bedroom. I have been sleeping on the couch alot lately.

[swanso5]

cut back b'ball then, don't cut back the leg wts, they'll be doing the most for you...try doing legs on b'ball days