I have not taken more than a day off in a very long time. I feel like I have cumulative fatigue and am considering taking a week off from any training. How often do people generally take time off? If I do take time off will my body still recover if I continue to do strength training? Or if I’m taking a week off should it be from everything?
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Hi @jaredstrauss ,
Taking a break is an important aspect of an athlete’s annual plan. Each year, you should allow yourself a period, typically 2 to 4 weeks, where you only engage in unstructured training. This means training when you feel like it, with the sole purpose of feeling good.
The idea of a “break” from structured training can be a bit tricky because you don’t want to become completely sedentary—we’re meant to move regularly. However, if you’re feeling burnt out from life and the demands of structured training, it’s important to prioritize rest and recovery. As with most things, it depends on your individual needs.
From what I can gather, it sounds like you would benefit from taking a break from structured training. Focus on cycling and running for fun, and gym work can also be beneficial. The key is to keep the stress lower than usual, but still enough to feel like you’ve accomplished something. The goal is to feel energized, not exhausted, from your activities.
Also when you take your break, and have more time, do something with that time that you might not otherwise do when you regularly work and train. This brings balance and joy to your life.
Hope that helps a bit.
Paul
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