When to Take Time off Training
Posted on 11 September 2008
Sometimes we just need some time off training, stepping things down a level and giving our body and mind some relaxation….
“Sometimes it’s important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it’s essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.” - Douglas Pagels
The problem comes when we don’t know when our body is telling us to take a few days off or step the training down a notch. I really think this depends on how you are training as several different different factors should be taken into account.
Type of Training
- Are you training in the gym doing high volume training a few times a week?
- Are you doing Intense short Workouts like CrossFit almost daily?
- Are you doing a lot of running or cardiovascular work daily?
- Or Only Training 2-4 times a week with sensible sessions?
All these should be taken into account as each creates a different strain on our body and will cause need for rest at different rates… Doing intense and long exercise sessions daily will call for a break every few weeks;
If for instance you are doing High Volume training in the gym 4-6 times a week, you should take some time off once a month and tone down your training, maybe doing some body weight exercises and Low Intensity Cardio like Walking or Light Running and stretching. This is because each of the gym sessions you are doing give your Central Nervous System a hit, taking a week off will allow your body to recover, grow and leave you fresh for when you hit the weights again.
Make your Training Work for You
On the other hand if you are doing what I like to call Broad Based Fitness which would consist of a possibly 4-6 days training a week in which you did a mix of the following for instance;
- High Intensity CrossFit Style Workout
- Playful Runs
- Yoga
- Muscle Building Workout - In the Gym
A mix of these could easily cover 4-6 days and If you did some walking a kept active on other days, playing sports with friends etc. You have a Fitness Program that will not burn you out and allow you to go without needing to take time off your training as the training does not involve long hours and already involves stress relieving activities like Playful Runs and Yoga which will allow your muscles to de-stress and your mind to quiet down achieving a constant state of recovery…..
“We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we’ve established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep.” - Earl Nightingale
Signs of Overtraining
This is very important as your body usually does a good job of telling you when you need some time off or add more variety to your lifestyle, some tell tale signs are:
- Constant feeling of heaviness in your legs, it may feel hard to walk up stairs and your legs will have lost their bounce when trying to sprint…..
- Nagging Tension headaches which are light headaches which radiate around your head, as if its being crushed.
- Less Enthusiasm about sport, training, eating….
- Possibly start getting colds and infections frequently due to lowered immunity…
- Constantly Tired and taking naps, sleeping long hours….
Our bodies are great at telling us what to do, we just need to listen and react. So keep an eye out for how your feeling and react accordingly.
What to do?
First determine how hard you are training and how your body feels from the training. If you are constantly sore, or your muscles and joints feel beat up from too much running and cardio then it would be a good idea to take a few days off training all together doing some:
- Walking
- Light Stretching
- Taking Naps and Meditating
- Going out with friends and family more
- Have a beer with dinner (helps me relax anyway)
- Get to Bed Early
- Eat Plenty of Healthy, Natural fats. They will nourish your body.
Alternatively I feel that if your training has enough variety and puts a positive stress on your body its pretty easy to go as long as you like without taking time off. Life will always throw you periods when training will become hard due to time constraints or social occasions cropping up; this will give you natural, unplanned time off training.
Its important to listen to your body, it will usually tell you when you need to give your body a break, but if you train smart your fitness programs should be a lifestyle enhancer which allows you to feel good all the time!
Comment by Lance
11 September 2008
I usually try to take a week or so off every couple of months. But especially so when I’ve been doing strength training at a very high intensity. I find it renewing for me to have some time off, and then I come back refreshed and ready to tackle whatever routine I’ll be doing next. Nice post!
Comment by Chris
11 September 2008
@ Lance: Thats the best thing about a week off or going a while without a proper training session. Once I get an opportunity to train again I am raring to go and have great workouts. Thanks for commenting!
Comment by Dan
11 September 2008
Thanks for this post Chris…perfect timing
I used to have a lot of trouble with this when I was doing competitive sports, as I got into a routine of running every morning. It was an addiction to the endorphins that I couldn’t shake…no matter how bad my legs hurt or how tired I was. I’ve learned to back off when something is nagging at me, although I still sometimes over do it!
One of the athletes that has had a huge impact on me is Dean Karnazes. I think it’s unbelievable him running 300+ miles, and especially his latest 50/50 feat (after which he ran home from NY to California!). On top of all those miles, he isn’t emaciated like most long distance runners, but has an incredibly balanced physique. Obviously genes play a huge role and he is a unique case and was just born to run!
Comment by Chris
11 September 2008
@ Dan: Dean Karnazes is pretty amazing I first read about him a while back in a Magazine called “wired” you can check the article here: http://tinyurl.com/ybr65z
Running every morning really is going to take its toll on your system I did the same thing a few summers back and it really burns me out especially if I have a busy day ahead….I try to keep runs down to 2-3 times a week now and do more High Intensity 15-20 minute weights/resistance sessions instead.
Comment by Tom Parker
11 September 2008
Hi Chris,
I very rarely feel completely wiped out after training. However, like Lance I always make myself take a week off after about 8 weeks of training. Even if I don’t feel like taking a break I feel it’s alway important to have a recovery period.
A lot of people worry that they will lose strength or fitness by having a week off but I find that’s not the case. Generally, I come back with more enthusiasm.
Comment by Yegin
12 September 2008
Hello Chris,
Nice post. I generally give myself a break when I started having a hard time waking up in the morning. And to me a break consists of one or two sessions skipped. But from what I read here, it sounds like a better idea to elongate the period.