Rest

[meat12]

Hey guys, question here.

Since I've been working out the past few years I've noticed that when I don't get enough sleep one or two nights a week it has a dramatic effect on the way I feel. I will feel totally drained the next day...almost hung over even without a drop of alcohol. I know your muscles need adequete rest for growth. So is it maybe that now with more muscle I need more rest than I used too. A while ago I thought I was overtraing so I cut my routine back to about 4 days a week for about 20-25 min. a day. My friends all go out almost every night and I'm always passing cause I really don't drink anymore....but sometimes I go out with them just to go out and then the next day at work I can hardly function. It's like if I stay up past 12:30 I know I will feel like this. As for my diet it's actually pretty descent as of late so I don't think thats the problem. So you guys think it's just that my body is needing much more rest it use too do to muscular growth or what? Thanks Guys

[Timma]

Yeah I just did that last night. Never got in till like 3am and now I feel like shit, and I didn't drink. I'm going home early to catch up on my sleep. Fuck sitting here.

[Stonecold54]

Re: Rest

Originally posted by meat12
Hey guys, question here.

Since I've been working out the past few years I've noticed that when I don't get enough sleep one or two nights a week it has a dramatic effect on the way I feel. I will feel totally drained the next day...almost hung over even without a drop of alcohol. I know your muscles need adequete rest for growth. So is it maybe that now with more muscle I need more rest than I used too. A while ago I thought I was overtraing so I cut my routine back to about 4 days a week for about 20-25 min. a day. My friends all go out almost every night and I'm always passing cause I really don't drink anymore....but sometimes I go out with them just to go out and then the next day at work I can hardly function. It's like if I stay up past 12:30 I know I will feel like this. As for my diet it's actually pretty descent as of late so I don't think thats the problem. So you guys think it's just that my body is needing much more rest it use too do to muscular growth or what? Thanks Guys

here is the problem with your scenario (and yes you have perfect symptoms of over-stressing your body). Most people will start training at 4-6 days a week. Since they are new they will make great gains and never feel fatigued. eventually gains slow down they start having less energenic workouts. So somewhere along the way someone might tell them to maybe back off on their workouts. However this WILL NOT fix the problem. your body is leaning toward a catabolic state and your endocrine as well as your nervous system is taxed beyond its means. What you need is a complete break from training at least two weeks and THEN start back up with a reduced program. If you just back off on your workouts while you are still in the depepleted state then your body can't play catchup with itself since any amount of stress will continue to dig a hole in your recovery. here is an analogy. If you break your wrist playing tennis which would you do. Reduce the amount of time per day and number of days you play tennis or actually stop playing tennis until your wrist heals. Obviously people will stop playing because of the pain they would endure but in a sense your body is broken when it is in an over-stressed state. Just because some function is possible people think that they are functioning normally.

[meat12]

Yup, kinda what I was thinkin I was gonna hear. You know I preach it to others, but I never take my own advice.

Yeah I have had some damn good gains in the past couple years and thats what kinda scares me about taking time off...but yeah I know sc I've in the past told trainee's near the same. I guess it's a mental thing I just gotta get past. I keep thinkin I will loose some of my gains when I know I won't. I just have dedicated myself so much that I feel like I can't stop now. I used to be so self confident about my body before I started working out and now I am much more confident and don't want to go back to how I was. Right there shows it's all mental. So yeah I'll take some time off..I' know it will definately help. You think I should cut the cardio also? Thanks SC

[Stonecold54]

Originally posted by meat12
Yup, kinda what I was thinkin I was gonna hear. You know I preach it to others, but I never take my own advice.

Yeah I have had some damn good gains in the past couple years and thats what kinda scares me about taking time off...but yeah I know sc I've in the past told trainee's near the same. I guess it's a mental thing I just gotta get past. I keep thinkin I will loose some of my gains when I know I won't. I just have dedicated myself so much that I feel like I can't stop now. I used to be so self confident about my body before I started working out and now I am much more confident and don't want to go back to how I was. Right there shows it's all mental. So yeah I'll take some time off..I' know it will definately help. You think I should cut the cardio also? Thanks SC

I would stop everything except recreational stuff. like going for a walk or stuff like that, you don't have to stop moving around just break from anything that is organized. I had to prove to myself that I wouldn't lose gains if I stopped working out. I now can stop for a month and not lose any size or strength. so it cracks me up when people say that you MUST workout more than 3 days a week to continue to grow. If I can take a month off then there is no reason I need to workout more than twice a week and need to worry about losing size or strength.

[meat12]

Originally posted by stonecold54
I would stop everything except recreational stuff. like going for a walk or stuff like that, you don't have to stop moving around just break from anything that is organized. I had to prove to myself that I wouldn't lose gains if I stopped working out. I now can stop for a month and not lose any size or strength. so it cracks me up when people say that you MUST workout more than 3 days a week to continue to grow. If I can take a month off then there is no reason I need to workout more than twice a week and need to worry about losing size or strength.

Yeah sounds good , I guess I'll have to prove it to myself also.
Thanks bro

[Stonecold54]

Originally posted by meat12
Yeah sounds good , I guess I'll have to prove it to myself also.
Thanks bro

yeah its a process, a lot of guys problem is that if you ARE in an overtrained state than most likely you will lose some strength or size as your body normalizes, so they get frustrated and say reason incorrectly that it was the time off that made them lose the size and strength instead of their training. so be prepared for that.

[meat12]

Originally posted by stonecold54
yeah its a process, a lot of guys problem is that if you ARE in an overtrained state than most likely you will lose some strength or size as your body normalizes, so they get frustrated and say reason incorrectly that it was the time off that made them lose the size and strength instead of their training. so be prepared for that.

Ok man thanks for everything I'll keep you guys updated on how it goes ;)

[Stonecold54]

Originally posted by meat12
Ok man thanks for everything I'll keep you guys updated on how it goes ;)

good luck to you. :)

[Juka865]

it has been known. The more cardio you get. the less sleep you require... By an hour or so im thinking thats how it works. I read a few articles on it ill try to get a link later...

[Stonecold54]

Originally posted by Juka865
it has been known. The more cardio you get. the less sleep you require... By an hour or so im thinking thats how it works. I read a few articles on it ill try to get a link later...

there is always a diminishing value for most things in this world. and I have never heard that before. I have heard that steady state activity will help you achieve deeper sleep by increasing cranial temperature (which leads the body into deeper sleep). but I don't see how applying a stressor to your body could require less sleep when that is where the majority of recovery and normalizing is done.

[lordikon]

Originally posted by stonecold54
I would stop everything except recreational stuff. like going for a walk or stuff like that, you don't have to stop moving around just break from anything that is organized. I had to prove to myself that I wouldn't lose gains if I stopped working out. I now can stop for a month and not lose any size or strength. so it cracks me up when people say that you MUST workout more than 3 days a week to continue to grow. If I can take a month off then there is no reason I need to workout more than twice a week and need to worry about losing size or strength.

I hurt my back doing squats a little while back, and I was pissed because I had to stop my workout for about 9 days, I was afraid I'd lose some muscle. But it didn't effect me much, my first workout was a little less than normal, after that it was fine. I wonder how long it would take before you'd lose muscle. Guess it would depend on your normal activities and diet. Probably a couple months.

[Viral]

Re: Re: Rest

" What you need is a complete break from training at least two weeks and THEN start back up with a reduced program. If you just back off on your workouts while you are still in the depepleted state then your body can't play catchup with itself since any amount of stress will continue to dig a hole in your recovery. here is an analogy. If you break your wrist playing tennis which would you do. Reduce the amount of time per day and number of days you play tennis or actually stop playing tennis until your wrist heals. "

Well said, plus every few months or so, Ill take a week or 2 break from working out. I dont splurge and go totally off my diet ect, but its always nice. When u come back, not only are rdy to swithc things up and get going, but hand in hand with letting ur body rest and "regenerate" so to speak, ull most likely come back stronger than u were right before ur break. Dont get me wrong, taking to much time off can eventually lead to getting weaker =P

[ECKARDT]

I did drink last night with some friends and now I feel awful. If my sleep is not restful it can take me awhile to recover. You need adequate rest so much when you are working out. When I am done with this current assignment (7 months) I will be able to have more of a regimented schedule. Regular sleep, workout, and eating times. The way I like it.

[redneck99]

Sleep is key for me as well. I go for 7 to 8 hrs a night... If i get six or less, I feel like complete shit the next morning. Just this past week I took a day off from working out in the middle of the week. One of the first times I have ever done that. I swear that night , no workout, I felt jacked... like I was growing from taking one day off... Just my 2¢