Skipping Gym for 1 Week?

[NikolaeVarius]

After getting into a good routine at the gym and getting a good increase in bench able weight and other weight based exercises I've been forced to stop because of Spring break.

How much decrease in muscle mass and benching ability should I expect if I just went one week without hitting the gym?

 

[RKS]

you actually need a break once in a while. you won't see any dramatic drop in muscle mass.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I skipped the gym for like 6 months so I could do work on my new house then went back, and I was able to start back up where I left off, with only minimum difficulty.

 

[Zargon]

you might see gains on the lifts with a nice recovery

 

[brikis98]

You won't see much impact from one week off. In fact, as many people train at the brink of their recovery abilities, taking time off every few months is recommended. You might even come back a little stronger from the extra recovery time.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I skipped the gym for like 6 months so I could do work on my new house then went back, and I was able to start back up where I left off, with only minimum difficulty.

You were not training correctly to begin with or you continued quite the activity level while working on your house. Typically, one week will help with recovery and CNS fatigue while more than that will result in atrophy of muscle to some extent. One week will be fine.

 

[iluvdeal]

One week off will actually be good for you if you've been training continuously for months on end. People who don't take such breaks usually find themselves with little injuries that force them to the sidelines anyways.

I personally don't notice any dropoff in the amount of weight I can lift if I take a week off, for two weeks off though I do notice my lifts go down 1 or 2 reps. Who cares though really, they're just numbers. Enjoy your spring break!

 

[alkemyst]

I skipped the gym for like 6 months so I could do work on my new house then went back, and I was able to start back up where I left off, with only minimum difficulty.

After 6 months your lifts should have been down across the board.

 

[Whisper]

One week off will actually be good for you if you've been training continuously for months on end. People who don't take such breaks usually find themselves with little injuries that force them to the sidelines anyways.

I personally don't notice any dropoff in the amount of weight I can lift if I take a week off, for two weeks off though I do notice my lifts go down 1 or 2 reps. Who cares though really, they're just numbers. Enjoy your spring break!

This is what I've always noticed as well. I haven't taken more than a week off for probably six or seven years now, but the times I did, it always resulted in strength loss.

My magic number seems to be about 10 days, give or take.

 

[Lamont Burns]

I took 8 days off on a vacation past summer, came back at the same lifts. It did help me feel refreshed there for a while.

 

[mchammer187]

No impact except when you do come back though you will be sore as hell after that first day.

 

[Pantlegz]

I skipped the gym for like 6 months so I could do work on my new house then went back, and I was able to start back up where I left off, with only minimum difficulty.

3 months off left me with about 15% strength loss, granted I have only been back in the gym twice and the first time I was just feeling it out to see how much strength I lost. And the second I was pretty sore from the first day. I imagine it will come back quickly however.

 

[MJinZ]

I skipped the gym for like 6 months so I could do work on my new house then went back, and I was able to start back up where I left off, with only minimum difficulty.

Same. I get flabbier but that's about it.

 

[MJinZ]

You were not training correctly to begin with or you continued quite the activity level while working on your house. Typically, one week will help with recovery and CNS fatigue while more than that will result in atrophy of muscle to some extent. One week will be fine.

It depends on who you are... some of the pros lift twice a month, or even less.

 

[Whisper]

It depends on who you are... some of the pros lift twice a month, or even less.

Twice a month for a professional body builder? Never heard that before. The most infrequent numbers I've come across (granted, I haven't ever put forth a concerted effort to look) would be maybe 3-4 times/week.

Unless the individuals you're talking about only went heavy a couple times a month. That I could believe.

 

[MJinZ]

Twice a month for a professional body builder? Never heard that before. The most infrequent numbers I've come across (granted, I haven't ever put forth a concerted effort to look) would be maybe 3-4 times/week.

Unless the individuals you're talking about only went heavy a couple times a month. That I could believe.

Nope, they are so big the rest/recovery is more important to them than the lift. 2 weeks rest or even longer.

 

[Hecubus28]

Nope, they are so big the rest/recovery is more important to them than the lift. 2 weeks rest or even longer.

Which pros are you talking about?

 

[brikis98]

Nope, they are so big the rest/recovery is more important to them than the lift. 2 weeks rest or even longer.

[citation needed]

 

[alkemyst]

It depends on who you are... some of the pros lift twice a month, or even less.

/thread fail

 

[MJinZ]

Dunno, I've stopped reading sites like Bodybuilding.com years ago. There's tons of stuff there that people should read and ask.

 

[Lamont Burns]

You won't find once a month lifting information at BB.com, or anywhere else.

 

[ZOOYUKA]

Do calisthenics for a week.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

Exercise is the last thing that would be on my mind during spring break. A week off isn't going to hurt too much. Might help if you haven't taken time off in a while. If anything you might want to watch what you eat while you're on break.

 

[MJinZ]

You won't find once a month lifting information at BB.com, or anywhere else.

You should not be doing what pros do anyway. That's their day job.

 

[alkemyst]

You should not be doing what pros do anyway. That's their day job.

you trolling H&F?

You seem to be trying hard to be ambiguous.