Thread: Taking a week off training, I have a couple Q's.

Originally posted by SKINSFAN:

It's been a while since I took some time off lifting and wanted to know if I should keep up my protein intake and also should I continue to take creatine?
<FONT COLOR="blue">No real need for the creatine, and you could lower your protein intake a little.</FONT c>

Also I was thinking of reducing my calories this week and do some intense cardio's probably 5 days of it followed by some ab work...
<FONT COLOR="blue">If you're taking a week off, why do cardio? When I take a week off I stay away from the gym.</FONT c>

I'm thinking that I can use this week to burn some excess body fat.
<FONT COLOR="blue">Hmmm...not sure you can lose much fat in one week. Losing fat should be a plan that takes around 12 weeks, not one week.</FONT c>

Is my thinking all screwed up?
<FONT COLOR="blue">Not really. </FONT c>

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Just because the majority believes it, does not make it true!

If you are taking a week off from the gym in order to give your body a break, you should steer clear of the intense cardio idea.Try some other activity that you enjoy that isn't too strenuous.Hiking,volleyball,swimming,etc.It will keep your muscles active but won't burn you out and when you come back to the weights, you should be well rested.As far as the diet,like Prince said, the creatine isn't really necessary.And if your activity levels are being reduced, it probably wouldn't hurt to reduce your caloric intake a bit.Just a suggestion.

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"I figure,f*ck it.While I'm at it why not just shoot my buddy,take his job,give it to his sworn enemy,hike up gas prices,bomb a village,club a baby seal,hit the hash pipe and join the national guard....I could be elected president."

Love your new signature ballast.

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GO SKINS !!!

Agree with the no Creatine, no need, so save your money.

Agree with the no cardio. Why take a break if you're going to exercise anyway?

Agree with the lower total caloric intake, BUT you need to adjust what you do take in. You won't lose much muscle in a week, but you can/will lose some if you don't take steps to prevent it. You need to UP your protein intake to avoid a catabolic state and spare the muscle tissue. Also, you're giving your body/muscles time to heal, right? Protein is what allows that to happen. You'll probably notice they look bigger than ever after the week, IF you play your cards right. Lower carbs; since you won't be working out intensly, you don't need all the carbs. The extra would just turn to fat.

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Life is hard so quit whining and go out there and be alive.

Keep protein up, keep taking creatine, don't do cardio, don't drop cals, don't think you're gonna burn any significant amount of fat is a week.

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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

Why should he keep the protein and creatine up?


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Just because the majority believes it, does not make it true!

Thanks everyone !!!!!!!!

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GO SKINS !!!

Well because often the cause of a plateau is a state called "irrartional hypertrophy". This occurs when the energy supplying tissue of the muscle cell is "outgrown" my the actual muscle itself which causes an ATP debt in the muscle cell.

By adding creatine you cause more ATP to be formed because some of the ADP will be converted back to ATP after it is metabolized.

Well, in short by adding creatine you will speed and enhance this recovery assuming the culprit of the lack of progress is irrational hypertrophy (if youve been training for a while in the low rep ranges it prolly is).

Protein is always needed because muscle cells are constantly tearing themselves down and re-bulding as a process of maintenance..and this process requires protein.



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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

You are going to get protein and creatine from your diet. If you're not lifting weights I don't see the need for "extra" protein and creatine.

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Just because the majority believes it, does not make it true!