Going to take my first week off from lifting weights next week since ...
early January. I have been lifting (35-50 minutes) religiously 4 days per week. I alternate muscle groups and I only take about 45 seconds between sets so I can hit things pretty hard in under an hour. But my (almost) 56 year-old body is sending me loud messages that it needs a break and I am going to listen. Have several tendons/ligaments that are not well and my energy level has plummeted. So after my Saturday morning workout, I will skip the gym until the following Saturday and focus on stretching and more cardio during the week off. The key will be getting back in with the same commitment I have had since last August but I actually enjoy going so hopefully that won't be a problem.
34 Replies
3y
The lap pool at my gym really helps me with inflammation from playing basketball, hockey, and weightlifting. I swim laps once a week. Even if you don't swim laps it can help a lot. I am in my low 50's and my right shoulder gives me problems. I have pretty much dropped the weight I lift by about 20 pounds on all my arm exercises. My legs can still handle heavy weights but not my arms.
(In response to this post by vt90)
3y
De-loads, or even full rest weeks (an active rest week like you have planned is pretty close to ideal), are absolutely critical. Really tough to keep going as fatigue accumulates and you just feel super beat up.
Better news: one week really won't do diddly in terms of muscle/strength loss. You may even find yourself a bit stronger next week having taken a week off - muscle growth from a specific workout takes a few days, so that process will continue as your joints heal and overall fatigue comes down.
(In response to this post by vt90)
3y
(In response to this post by TechHokie13)
Yep, I'll be taking a little over two weeks off soon.
I actually think it will be good for me. Give the body a rest. I'll just keep taking creatine while I'm gone, but no lifting.
(In response to this post by vt90)
3y
...is that just a "maintenance dose" so your levels will still be high when you resume lifting? I have never done that but it makes sense.
(In response to this post by Chris Coleman)
Yeah, I've found that if I go awhile without taking it...
There's a noticeable difference when I start working out again.
(In response to this post by HokieJay)
3y
I wasn't ever considerably out of shape but definitely needed to lose some weight. I was lifting but not on a regular schedule. Same with cardio. I also fell into some bad eating and social habits and late last July I decided I had to make a change. I joined the old gym that I went to until COVID hit and have been going religiously - lost 23 lbs of fat since then and gained 8 lbs of muscle.
I am sure my 'T' levels are below what they were 15-20 years ago but let's just say I haven't noticed a difference in any aspect of my life.
(In response to this post by vthokieq)
3y
This post by VT Pops removed by Tech Sideline admin
3y
(In response to this post by vt90)
J
J-Dub
3y
"Deloading is a planned reduction in training stress to allow the body to recover and be ready for a subsequent bout of hard training. Several variables make up training stress."
"It's been postulated that deloading works mostly via surcompensation. That's a process in which the body "rebounds" in its storage of nutrients like glucose/carbs as muscle glycogen, and protein as muscle tissue.
This is based on the initial research done on endurance athletes. They found if you deplete an athlete (high volume of work, lower carb intake) and then follow that with a period of reduced training volume and increased carbohydrates, you'll store glycogen to a greater extent than what you normally would. This provided an advantage in endurance activities."
(In response to this post by vt90)
3y
or sleeping habits changed. Those two things can also be the case for what you are experiencing.
And for ligaments/tendons(and joints), consider looking into collagen supplementation. Our family and extended family, even my parents in their 70s, have added it to our diets daily, and all feel great. Joints healing and smoother. Pain gone. We started with collagen peptide powders, but now make our own beef bone broths.
(In response to this post by vt90)
3y
maybe I should listen to her now and then.
Diet and sleeping habits haven't changed. About two weeks ago I noticed that I wasn't able to do as many reps of a few lifts as I could before. Not a major difference but noticeable to me. Also noticed that my entire body just feels really drained so I think I just need to take a week and recover. Based on my reading, it may require up to two weeks so I will see how I feel after a week and then decide.
(In response to this post by HokieSignGuy)
E
EDGEMAN
3y
I did well, but looking at my times, they really dropped off towards the end of the week. I started reducing the number of days I ran each week from 6, to 5, to finally 4 a few weeks before my race.
I think I was just getting "worn down," and cutting back on the frequency definitely helped.
(In response to this post by vt90)
3y
You can do PT 7x week. Just alternate cardio, focused body parts, and types of anaerobic workouts.
M- HIIT w light weights - swim
T- Pecs / Abs - run or bike
W- HIIT w light weights - swim
TH- Bis / lower back / Abs - run or bike
F- HIIT w light weights - swim
S- Tris / Abs - hike (or snowboarding, etc.)
S- Lats - bike
The HIIT classes are lightweight arms, chest, back, squats, lunges, ropes, shuttle, jumps, dips, leg raises, assorted abs, over an hour class.
* I don’t do a heavy leg workouts bc I do a lot of hike / bike / swim, with a little running (vs. old Army knees / back)
NO2, BCAAs, Glutamine, multivitamins
I have to go away a week at a time sometimes, where I don’t have access to weights, so then it’s all core / body weight exercises. Always ready to get back to gym.
** Edited by reconhokie at 4/25/2023, 1:47:17 PM
(In response to this post by vt90)
3y
overtraining some of the same muscle groups. It was fine when I was in my 30's and 40's but in my mid-50's I probably need to make adjustments. I lift M-W-F and either Saturday or Sunday. M-W-F I alternate Bi's/Shoulders and Chest/Tri's. I do abs once or twice during the week. My weekend workout is full core (back, lats, abs, traps, etc). At every workout I do 20-30 minutes of cardio (walk/run) after the lift. On non-gym days I take a 3-4 mile walk at a sub-15 minute mile pace. But this means every other week I am doing either Chest/Tri's twice or Bi's/Shoulders twice and that is where I am noticing pain and fatigue.
I'll switch things up after the break and will be able to add swimming into the routine when the pool opens. I could swim at my gym but could only do that on weekends due to time constraints.
(In response to this post by reconhokie)
3y
the post below.
(In response to this post by vt90)
3y
(In response to this post by vt90)
3y
Still gets tired easily but is able to work full time. She has a brain angiogram next month which will determine a lot of things, including our summer vacation plans. However, her pain levels are decreasing, her headaches are gone, and aside from disagreeing with me frequently, her brain seems fine. :)
Thanks for asking!
(In response to this post by RhinoVT)
E
EDGEMAN
3y
Your body will tell you when to take a break, and it sounds like you are getting that feedback now.
(In response to this post by vt90)