Should You Take Time Off from Training?

   Absolutely YES! When it comes to working out, some people do not work out with enough intensity but few individuals do the opposite - they push themselves to the limit too hard and too fast. Even if you take couple of days off from training each week, you are still stressing your body with exercise. Your body can endure only so much stress before it needs to rest. Training, day in and day out, for extended periods of time is very hard on your body and can cause overtraining. The stress of excessive training can exceed the body's ability to recover and adapt, which results in more catabolism (breakdown) than anabolism (buildup).
As a result, training with too high of a volume or intensity  produces no additional improvement in conditioning or performance and can lead to a chronic state of fatigue that is associated with muscle glycogen depletion. If you are constantly in the catabolic state of metabolism through repeated training, your body cannot produce the chemical substance and parts needed for repair, remodeling and ultimately growth of the body. The best advise is to take day or two off every week and  schedule an entire week off from training every two to three months. Your joints need a break, and your body needs to heal any persistent soreness and allow nagging injuries to recover.
   Many people refuse to take time off because they are afraid that it will set them back. It is absolutely wrong. A week off from training every couple of months or so is not long enough to lose any fitness conditioning. As the matter of fact, you will be stronger after the break because you will allow your recovery system to fully recharge.
  There are two ways to cope with overtraining - you can avoid it or you can treat it. If you have to treat it, it is too late! To treat overtraining can take months. On the other hand, you avoid overtraining not by avoiding training but instead by not letting overtraining to happen. Here are couple tips how you can avoid overtraining.
 1. Incorporate sensible weight training and light resistance systems of training. As a general rule, 1 or 2 days of intense training should be followed by an equal number of easy aerobic or weight training days.
2. Vary your training methods. You can not lift heavy all the time; vary your weights, reps, etc
3. Follow sensible nutrition and supplementation.
4. Use good lifting techniqques.
5. Get proper sleep and rest.
6. Avoid all other stressors in your life that can become problematic to your training efforts (environmental, psychological, sociological, biochemical, physiological or anatomical in nature).
  You can also implement "active rest" during your recovery time. If you choose active rest, you can go for a walk or play some pick up basketball. Try to enjoy things you have been meaning to do during your "active rest." Do not do strenuous physical activity during the recovery time. Listen to your body, and remember, you need adequate rest in order to achieve your fitness goals.