Rest weeks

allwildgirl

allwildgirl

Cathlete
I am on a rest week right now. I've never done this before, but am doing it at the urging of a friend who tells me that it will make me feel so much better and my workouts will be more effective when I start back up again.

I hate it. I feel purposeless. I am snarky and bitchy and I'm eating everything in sight.

Does anyone else do this and do okay with it? Is it going to make a difference that's big enough to offset the misery of not working out? Sorry, I'm not being dramatic, but my workouts are what keep me sane.

Any input would be welcome!
 
I hear ya. I've never done a full week off, but I have done 3-5 days off. I guess I feel like I should take a week to recover, but then the exact same thing happens as you just mentioned, and I get back to it.
 
Shelly, I myself have never made it through a rest week. Like you, I get very despondent, sluggish and my appetite gets both depressed and weird.

I've let go of the notion that I need a rest week. If I need to take things lighter in terms of intensity and/or duration I'll do that, but I can only stay sane by staying on my normal weekly sked.

BTW, that's where being skilled at a lot of different water training formats comes in very, very handy - there's nothing like a good aqua week to take the load off the joints while still getting in some good cardio and muscle endurance / flexibility.

A-Jock
 
Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't enjoy the whole concept! I think I'll try one more day and then do some working out on the weekend.

Thanks for the input!
 
Hi Shelley-

Good for you for taking off a week... I took my very first entire week off in about 3 years this past fall.

I found that the first 3 days were awful... the best way to describe was to say that I had to go through some sort of withdrawal. I was foggy headed, ate a ton of junk, and pretty cranky. By day 4, I started to feel better.. I slept better, my appetite went back to normal and I lost that perpetual stiffness in my legs.

When I went back after the full week, my workouts were fabulous! My focus was 100% better than it had been and my workout efficiency really increased.

I've decided that because of this experience that I am going to try and take 2 full weeks off/year. Once in the spring and once in the fall. I think though that I am going to plan my next rest week during a time where I am out of town for part of it, or something that gets me out of my usual routine. I was on a work/pleasure trip when I took my first rest week and I think that helped alot.

Hang in there.. it does feel yucky at first, but your body will love you for it afterwards.

Take care, Lynn M.
 
I am a psycho when I am on a rest week. It is scary. I think it is normal to "feel" this way when you are off if you are really into working out, but the benefits are quite good for you to take off sometimes.
But let me just say here that I am hypocrite - take yesterday for example. I had the freaking FLU, people, but my husband didn't (and we are VERY competitive). Well he went downstairs to run on the treadmill... Oh hell no. He can't burn more calories than me (LOL!)

So while he is down there he thought I was resting - but no way. I couldn't be "off" if he was not (sad, yes I am well aware). So I secretly worked out some just to feel "good". He came upstairs and said "did you enjoy your rest?" I am like "oh yeah honey. thanks..".

I really dont' think it did me any good though...

Anyhoo, my point is that us workout aholics will feel this way sometimes. Have a good off-week!

Clarissa
 
I've been very unmotivated to work out this week - the holidays, the cold, the dark, whatever excuse I can find.

So I've just been calling this my rest week to try and make myself feel better (I don't).

I'm going to start the Jan 08 rotation on Saturday.

I have been riding my horse, so I haven't been a complete slug.

Susan L.G.
 
I could never take a complete rest week on purpose! I give you lots of credit for even TRYING it Shelley!:eek:

I do, however, love the Recovery Week idea that the X uses. I will use that idea every so often even when not doing the X to give the old bod a break from time to time. Perhaps that is a better idea for you. :)
 
Rest weeks don't work for me, Shelley. I need to bathe my brain in all those feel-good chemicals; like serotonin and dopamine. My children can attest; No exercise makes mom into a fire breathing, Dragon-mommy.

}( Sarah
 
>My children can attest; No exercise makes mom into
>a fire breathing, Dragon-mommy.

LOL, I got a good chuckle from that! Thanks!:)

Oh and btw...ITA!}(
 
Me too!! I couldn't handle a whole week off! 2 days off is enough and I'm already climbing the walls by that point! I agree w/ Wendy, I like the recovery weeks for P90X, at least you're getting in Core Synergistics! (and I usually keep up my running schedule too!)

My dh would be ready to throw me out if I took a week off from exercise!! }(
 
I have learned to take things day by day (if not minute by minute!!!). If I feel good one day, I workout, if I feel badly another, I don't. I have to much anxiety about things to look as far into the future as an entire week! ;)

Shelley--if you feel ok, then by all mean, (IMHO) work out. It doesn't have to mean doing Imax 2 for heavens sake, but you could do yoga or stretching or go for a walk, etc. Do what feels right at that minute. If working out makes you feel better, than do it. No need to force yourself to rest if you don't feel you absolutely need to. Same goes for working out--no need to exert additional energy if you don't feel well or are tired. Working out should make you feel better, not worse.

This is another reason why rotations don't work for me. Don't tell me I need to workout on Tuesday if I feel sick and would rather work out Wednesday. Cathe's Nov. rotation worked beautifully for me because there were so many rest days. If the rotation called for a specific workout on Friday and a rest on Sat. then I would just switch them (depending on how I felt on Saturday! hehe). Do what you want and what feels right.

Allison

http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90
 
i dont take "rest weeks" but i do take RECOVERY WEEKS!! i've been doing Slim Series for about 8 weeks and have gotten AMAZING results.. the first time i did a recovery week, i was doing Drillmax and other intense workouts... so i stopped and did Turbo Jam, some cathe and Hip Hop Abs... i actually saw good resluts on recovery week..i truly believe our bodies need a break from the regualr exercise, so try a run, walk something you dont normally do and when you resume your rotations, you will be happy you took that week

Ange
 
>I am on a rest week right now. I've never done this before,
>but am doing it at the urging of a friend who tells me that it
>will make me feel so much better and my workouts will be more
>effective when I start back up again.
>
>I hate it. I feel purposeless. I am snarky and bitchy and
>I'm eating everything in sight.
>
>Does anyone else do this and do okay with it? Is it going to
>make a difference that's big enough to offset the misery of
>not working out? Sorry, I'm not being dramatic, but my
>workouts are what keep me sane.
>
>Any input would be welcome!
>


Tell me about it! I have nevery taken a week off! I have never taken a week of even when I gave birth I would start working out 2 days after being home from the hospital. I get up extremely early to get my workouts in. I have five children and run a daycare from home. I think I'm getting burn out! I need to start sleeping in a bit longer. I always feel like if I don't get in at least 2 1/2 -3 hours of workout time it does me no good. Anyways, I'm 8 minutes late. Have a great day!

Lourdes
 
I just returned from a ski trip out West and planned a rest/recovery/whatever week for myself. So far, I've only done yoga. I don't feel guilty. I don't feel stir-crazy. I don't feel like an elephant. I'm feeling...refreshed. I like it. To each her own, I guess. Some folks may not need or want it, but I do see the value in it for myself personally.

[font face="heather" font color=black size=+2]~Cathy[/font]

http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee296/runninteach/exercise/th_skiing.gif
 
I love taking a rest week about 3 times a year.....I usually do it when I'm on vacation and going somewhere where I can't do my workouts. But, I don't think you HAVE to take one unless you're showing signs of overtraining.
 
My dear shellabella, we talked, but I'll write you again for good measure ;) You know I was off nine days while in MI (with travel time & getting back in gear at home). I honestly needed that rest. I felt a bit like a slug towards the end, but I was excited to get back to my workouts & the burnout was gone. I would think at least once a year, maybe even every 6 months, it is a good idea. Even if it is just the work week. I think everyone owes it to their bodies to give it a well deserved rest. After all, it is during rest that the body repairs and even, GASP, grows. Go figure ;)



Debbie


Google THIS.
 
Shelley - you know what I've been like with all my rest time! I hate it. And before all this other stuff hit, I did try a rest week and didn't like it either. I prefer to take a rest day, or even a couple of them, on an as-needed basis. Or if my mood doesn't fit the workout on my schedule, I change it up.

Obviously lots of us here really benefit from a rest week. But we're all different. So... you know the old saying: listen to your body!
 
I don't take dedicated rest weeks. They are usually tied into vacations so I take a couple of those each year. I figure as long as I feel good, I'm going to workout. Seriously if I had to take a rest week it would be pure torture.
 
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