This week I decided to do something that would earn me insults, belittlement and some serious caps lock answers in fitness forums around the internet. I decided to take an unscheduled week off. Wednesday came, and I decided that I wasn’t up to it (yes, that’s the desition, I felt worn out, so I decided that I wasn’t up to it. I could’ve decided to push through or to reschedule). I am now enjoying my week of rest. And maybe you should to. Why should you take an unscheduled break?
Why take a break
To recharge batteries
call it whatever you like, just take a rest! Photo by Jim Bauer
This is one’s a given. You rest, you recharge. Sometimes more than a week to deload you need a week off. A week completely off to rest may reignite the passion for fitness (many people I know would be climbing up a wall after a week without working out).
Not feeling up to it at all
Not feeling up to it at all can really be a sign of other things and may mean you should take a break. The important part here is to be honest with yourself. Are you really (emotionally or physically) not feeling up to it? Or are you simply lazy and want to couch it and watch tv? The difference is important.
Come back with a vengeance
As I stated in the first point, a complete week of rest may become a great motivator. You may start missing your workouts, missing the constant effort and missing the feeling of accomplishment and advancement that a successful workout (and competition) bring. So, imagine this as taking two step back to come back with a full charge.
Stop and smell the roses
You’ve probably worked out more than not in the past year or so. What for? Are you really enjoying what you’ve gained? Take a week of to enjoy the benefits you worked so hard in achieving (go for a run, a race, a fight, go trekking, go show off your new body, whatever you like). Start enjoying the benefits of the process and show off!
But, probably more important than understanding why you may want to take an unscheduled week off, you may want to know how to know if you’re needing it.
When to take a break
You lack the physical energy
Sometimes your best bet is to take the day off. Photo by bark
You’re a human being and not a machine. Sometimes your body just won’t go. You’re having shitty after shitty workouts, you can’t complete a good set and no matter how many deloads you take you just can’t do it. It may be a good idea to take a step back and rest for a week or two. Take this time to rethink your goals and how you’re approaching them.
You lack the emotional energy
Usually both physical and emotional energies are tied. As people we process things differently. Problems at work, in our social and family lives affect us in different ways, and it’s even hard to keep them really separated. Some (and sometimes) will throw themselves to the weights with fury, or go for a really long run; while others (and sometimes as well) will want to curl in a ball and hide, and everything in between. Don’t ignore this. If you’re feeling drained, rest and restore your energy wells.
Wednesday in my case, I was feeling emotionally drained (I was feeling like shit actually). So there, I decided to take it off and, you know what? I can’t wait to, start Monday, attack my workouts again with a renewed vigor.
How about you? Have you ever needed an uscheduled break?