The rigors of a bodybuilding lifestyle are all too consuming for many to really understand or appreciate. It is a sport, unlike others, that has no parameters of time to follow and the measure of your success comes in the subjective form of another’s opinion. While many other sports allow for the players to have down time, enjoy all the delicious foods that are out there and take a break from competing, bodybuilding is a 24 hour, 7 days a week commitment. Should you decide to let up even a little, the competitors going for the same titles as you are may not be, therefore theoretically taking the upper hand on you and gaining even the slightest edge.
Therein lies one of the biggest mind games bodybuilders can play with themselves. Am I training hard enough? Am I dieting strict enough? What else can I do to be better? And so on and so on. This type of mentality is needed to become a champion, but for how long can any individual keep up this pace before burning out? Bodybuilding should be looked at as a marathon rather than a sprint to the finish, and an often overlooked component in a proper bodybuilding regime is rest. I’m not talking about the rest you take in between sets, or how many rest days you throw into your regular training cycle. I’m talking about pure, uninterrupted rest from everything you have become fanatically accustomed to doing. You may just think I’m talking crazy here, but read on a little further and hopefully you’ll understand my reasoning for stating the importance of rest.
Reason #1: Avoid Overtraining
Overtraining occurs when the body simply cannot carry on with the current demands being put upon it and any stimulus given to it is met with undesirable results. It is something that usually sneaks up on the trainer and is only noticed when motivation to train is at a low point, or gains are no longer in sight. Most will disregard this message and try to train through it thinking it’s only an off day. But what happens is you end up stringing a few of these bad days together in a row and become extremely frustrated. Should you find yourself in a situation such as this, it’s time to step away from the gym for the time being. You simply need a break. Your body is tired and telling you to ease up. For many, the thought of not training is equated to muscle loss, but the fact of the matter is you do not lose muscle as fast as what you think you do and time away from the gym may actually give deflated muscles a new look.
Reason #2: Reduce Joint Inflammation
That nagging pain in your elbow or knee that has been bothering you for weeks or maybe months is there for a reason. Unless you have experienced a true injury, constant dull aches and pains is a sure sign that the particular joint is inflamed and needs time to calm down. The constant strain and pounding from rep after rep will eventually catch up with you. Sure you can make use of NSAID’s but the more intelligent way to approach this situation is to take time off. Now I’m not suggesting every time you experience any type of pain in a joint you should head for the door, just the pain that never seems to subside and gets worse with each workout.
Reason #3: Tactical Approach to Recharge
If you have spoken with any serious competitors and even the ones who have been at the top of the bodybuilding food chain, most if not all have taken a significant amount of time off after a big show. The stress, energy, focus and physical output required to get ready for a show takes its toll. “Drained” is a word often associated with their current state post competition and a little down time is just what the guru ordered. Bodybuilding is so consuming that it literally takes over your life and everything else is put on the back burner while you are heading for your goal at full steam ahead. Whether or not you won or lost the show, some time away from the bodybuilding lifestyle will allow you to rest, relax and then refocus on the new goals you have set for yourself.
Reason #4: Longevity
I referred to this at the beginning of the article when I stated bodybuilding should be run as a marathon and not a sprint. It takes years and years of dedication to reach your potential and many refer to the mid to late thirties as being the best time for bodybuilding success. In that respect, if you’ve been at it for a long time, such as I have, taking time out every once in a while is not going to hurt you in the least. If anything, it will make you appreciate what you do even more and keep you in the game longer. I still thoroughly enjoy my bodybuilding lifestyle; I’ve been at it for 18 years, have taken breaks from time to time and believe those breaks have contributed to my longevity in the sport.
Reason #5: Life Timing and Stress
Sometimes life gets in the way of a perfect daily routine for training. Whether it’s family, work or other commitments, trying to fit in your meals and workouts can be stressful. We all know this type of stress is counterproductive for bodybuilders so if you know ahead of time you are going to be swamped for a set amount of time taking care of all your other obligations, rather than trying to fit everything in and eating and training less than you know you are capable of, take some time off. You are probably going to be overwhelmed by everything else that is going on in your life so why add to it when you don’t have to. Unless bodybuilding is your career and that’s how you put food on the table for your family, missing a day or two here and there will do you no harm.
If you are anything like me, you love going to the gym and training hard. Sometimes I find I have to make myself leave because I’m having such a great workout. When I do decide to take a break, for any of the reasons above, it always feels like something is missing and I don’t feel right. The urge to train is strong but logic must take precedence and knowing that time off will equal more time in the gym in the long run is a comforting feeling. And don’t think for one second, time spent out of the gym has to equal time spent away from all that has to do with bodybuilding. VP2 Whey Isolate and VyoPro Protein Bars are a mainstay in the diet, because they are the best protein products available and are delicious. As well, a serving of GABA prior to bed for a growth hormone inducing deep sleep for that much-needed and deserved rest.
In our game you have to be smart and make the right moves to stay ahead of the competition. Taking time to rest is one of those right moves. Use rest as one of your strategies, think of it as time well spent and enjoy being “normal” every once in a while.
