By Skip La Cour
Six-Time National Champion Bodybuilder
Success and Leadership Coach

Many bodybuilders don’'t take the scheduled breaks off from weight training that they must have to grow— and mistakenly believe they are helping the muscle-building process.

Some bodybuilders want to train for months on end without taking an extended weeklong break from lifting weights. I certainly appreciate their enthusiasm to train. Training intensity, which is the cornerstone to productivity in the gym, inevitably drops when you go on marathon runs without a break—even if you don’t realize it.

Take Action and Do This NOW!

You absolutely must schedule enough time out of the gym so your body can fully recover.

You will need to take a week off from training every eight to ten weeks. This time out of the gym and off of training will allow your body to rest and recuperate adequately. When you return to the gym after these breaks, you'’ll be fortified with renewed physical intensity and mental energy.

You must understand that the seemingly step backwards you experience when you return after taking a week off will go away soon enough. I understand how that uncoordinated feeling breaks your momentum. You don'’t perform as well the first week back in the gym. You are not always as strong. You must fight through this discomfort. You'’ll be back up to speed during your second week back—and your body will respond better to training in the weeks ahead.

Trust me. Enjoy your weeklong break. If you’'ve trained hard, effectively and efficiently, you deserve the break.

Train Hard! Think BIG!