Question for those who do recovery weeks

[L Sass]

I know some of you do recovery weeks. I'm taking this week away from weights, circuits, and step. Going to do yoga, fluidity, and an occasional incline walk on the treadmill. For those who do recovery weeks, do you find your muscles actually respond better after a week away, that your mentally itching to get back into it, or a little of both? Thanks in advance for your input.

Lorrie

Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6

 

[deanie]

Lorrie,
I do recovery weeks, usually only 2 a year. I'm actually doing one this week. I'm not sure about my muscles responding better, but my entire body thanks me for giving it a break!!! Its a chance for my body to have down time (much needed after heavy lifting) and mentally for next week I am in a much better place. Actually, mentally, this recovery week is good too, I'm not stressing about lifting. For my recovery week I am doing yoga and core work, so I am still doing something, but no weight work.

Hope this helped.

Deanie

 

[taprice]

Hi,

I think that it is a little of both and physical recovery. I never did recovery weeks until p90x, but always knew that my workouts cycled from hard, hard, to easier. With p90x, and working so hard, after the 3rd week, I needed the recovery week to heal up and recouperate after putting out so much effort, even though I didn't have any major injuries. That's how I can tell I'm really giving it my all.


Tracy

 

[teddy16410]

Lorrie-
After years of few recovery weeks i did P90X and know for a fact that I am stronger, have more definition and am mentally better able to push myself. I always come back lifting heavier or able to do more reps until fatigue. I now have them planned in every 6 weeks. I will never go without them again.... Just the extra definition because of the muscle repairing itself is enough motivation for me.

 

[kathryn]

>After years of few recovery weeks i did P90X and know for a
>fact that I am stronger, have more definition and am mentally
>better able to push myself. I always come back lifting heavier
>or able to do more reps until fatigue. I now have them planned
>in every 6 weeks. I will never go without them again.... Just
>the extra definition because of the muscle repairing itself is
>enough motivation for me.

I'll just cut and paste this, because it's pretty much what I would say.;-)

I will add, though, that I also consider 'recovery' weeks as rehab/prehab weeks. Working core muscles and stabilizing muscles with workouts like TLT's so that they can better support the superficial muscles that are worked with most regular weight work.

 

[lorajc]

For those of you who take them, do you only do recovery weeks when you've been lifitng heavy? I've been doing a total body workout once a week like Muscle Max and then 2 high rep total bodies like Jari Love.......so I wouldn't need a recovery week, right? Only when doing heavier lifting? Never was quite sure about this.

 

[LauraMax]

Absolutely. Recovery weeks are one of the hardest things I have to do mentally, but I'm always glad after b/c your muscle fibers really do need to heal & I feel much stronger when I get back.