What is the Optimal Recovery Time?

I feel like a bit of moron.

No one had commented on this blog for a long time. Then today I notice that the comment notification emails were being sent to an invalid email address [sigh]. Thanks to those who have commented on past postings over the last month or two - I only just got them now!

Now to the subject of this post. What is the best recovery time for you as an individual? I've come to believe this is a very personal thing. By recovery time I mean the length of time that you are not working out.

In a typical bodybuilder routine they talk about 3, 4, or 5 day splits. On a 3 day routine you are working out on 3 days and resting for 4.

A Crossfit routine (workout of the day) is 3 days on followed by 1 day rest.

Recently I've started taking bigger breaks between workouts. Maybe it's lazyness. Maybe it's because I'm actually chopping and hauling firewood instead of having planned workouts.

Either way I noticed an interesting thing. When it comes to bodyweight dips (no added weights) I can generally only get out about 20 in one hit.

The other day - after not working my chest for well over 10 days - I got on the dip bars and banged out 28 dips - the most ever.

Obviously it depends on your workout load - and I've discovered that - for me - workouts with deadlifts need the longest recovery time. Then there are a myriad of other variables - including nutrition and quality sleep.

How in tune with your body are you? Can you identify your optimal recovery and rest time?

Link to this item | Thursday, February 15, 2007

21 Comments:

  • Being a beginner (only started lifting weights about 2 months ago) my recovery time is all over the place. Sometimes I am not sore the next day but I am dang sore 2 days later. Last week I did squats with a barbell for the first time ever in my life and I was dang sore for 5 days. I wasn't even using heavy enough weight to struggle, just a bar with no plates so I could get a feel for the form and such. did them again today with some very small plates so we'll see what happens, but I hope that I am only sore for a day or two. Would hate only getting to work lower body once a week.

    By Anonymous virg at 4:25 PM  

  • It took me a long time to get to the point of actually engaging in rest! I ran seven days a week, rarely lifted (and it showed).

    Now, I still do little weights, but I benefit much more by resting longer. When I would attempt to lift, I would do about 5 days a week (then soon burn out, but...) and would see little to no muscle formation.

    I now do SuperSlow Method and within a *very* short time am seeing cut arms.
    I do it two times a week, sometimes once. And even then, it's only minutes per time. :)

    By Anonymous Lp at 8:21 AM  

  • @lp:

    That's fascinating. Ironically today I'm feeling really sore from some high-rep sets of squats.

    I'm finding myself thinking "why am I doing this?"

    So tell me -- what the sets, reps, exercises you do in the SuperSlow method?

    By Blogger Jim at 1:01 PM  

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    By Anonymous Anonymous at 8:47 AM  

  • I do a leg circuit workout and man, I've been so sore I've barely been able to walk for 3 days!

    By Anonymous Kev at 6:15 AM  

  • I actually recover best from workouts if I train 2-3 days per week, any more than that I need to go light. If I don't get enough sleep that can really extend the amount of time I need to rest between hard workouts. I find cardio workouts help me recover quicker too if I don't go all out.

    Call me a light weight!!!

    Chris M.

    By Anonymous Anonymous at 12:50 AM  

  • During my first weeks of working out, I thought that rest isn't that important. However, I've learned that a person who's working out will not grow enough if he does not allow it to recover.

    By Anonymous Joedel at 9:58 AM  

  • I think recovery time deserves at least as much attention as what you're actually doing when you work out. After all, it's in recovery that our bodies are built, not during the workout.

    I've found that my body needs somewhere between 4-7 days to recover, so that means if I work chest on Monday, the soonest I need to work chest again should be at least Friday, but preferably the next Monday.

    Here's my take: If you don't get stronger every other workout for a specific muscle group (for example, every 2nd chest workout), you are working that muscle group too often.

    Over training is a serious issue that I feel is overlooked far too often.

    - Brian
    http://bodyforlifebybrian.com

    By Blogger Brian Wahl at 9:47 AM  

  • i tend to rest depending on how i feel after a workout. i never really measured it as much, but i do recall one time when took off a week and was then able to put up about 10 more reps than normal.

    By Anonymous Israel at 10:28 PM  

  • Knowing when NOT to train is just as important as knowing all the best routines and techniques. I learned this from my brother who is a personal trainer. You can read his articles here: www.syfit.co.uk

    By Anonymous Shaz Yousaf at 1:36 PM  

  • I agree that this happens. I believe that many people overtrain themselves over time without realizing it. So lets say that you do pecs twice a week for a year but it ends up that oyu really need to have a bit more healing. You find near then end of that year that you are sore a little more so you take a week or two off and finally the muscles heal.

    I think the best way to do this is to make sure that you take extended rests of muscle groups and have periods of a couple of weeks at a time that you do light weights with higher reps as a way to stimulate your muscles differently.

    Hope this helps give everyone some ideas

    Bill N
    fitness tips

    By Blogger Billy at 8:31 AM  

  • I have been weight lifting and doing cardio for a little over a month now. For the first week I could only do each body part once a week. My body did not recover fast enough to increase the frequency. I am now to the point where my body is recovering faster and I can train each body part twice per week.

    http://fatjoelive.blogspot.com/

    By Blogger fatjoelive at 2:40 PM  

  • Recovery time is so important to an effective weightlifting program. Without it, your program will have little affect on your muscle mass.

    I've only been working out for a few months now, but I'm seeing great results.

    http://healthyover40.blogspot.com

    By Blogger Thad Johnson at 8:05 PM  

  • When I have few days recovery time I couldn't seem to lift more weight even after few work out sessions. So I work with my personal trainer to determine the recovery time and now I have at least one week of recovery. With this, I see better result. I've seen many people over training themselves without any significant improvement.

    By Anonymous One Big Health Nut at 5:27 AM  

  • "Recently I've started taking bigger breaks between workouts."

    I went form workout out every three days to every five days with awesome results...

    http://totaltransformation.wordpress.com/2007/11/26/the-difference-a-week-makes/

    By Blogger John J. Kaiser at 2:48 PM  

  • I try to give myself 4-5 days between workouts of the same muscle groups. This can be quite difficult if you're like me and try to do compound lifts like deadlifts and squats. Obviously these lifts use more muscles and stress the body more so they require more recovery.
    If I do a very heavy leg workout with new exercises it can take up to 8 days before the soreness is completely gone.
    Slow lifting has it's benefits but also it's disadvantages. I prefer explosive lifts with opposing muscle groups worked in the 'rest' periods if possible. This helps the muscle building hormones to do their thing.
    Listen to your own body and see how much rest you need. I used to train guys in the gym who didn't experience much DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) but if I did the same workout I would definitely have soreness for several days.
    Make sure recovery includes rest, optimal nutrition and active recovery exercises. These are often neglected.

    http://fitnessview.blogspot.com

    By Anonymous fitblogadmin at 5:00 PM  

  • Good to know all that! Recovery time is one of the most important things i think.

    By Anonymous Gym Hounslow at 8:20 AM  

  • I enjoyed reading through your articles. Thanks for the excellent site.

    By Anonymous Steve at 2:36 PM  

  • I use the 3 day routine and it seems good for me!

    Good to have you back!! :)

    Mark

    By Anonymous Mark at 5:00 PM  

  • Right now I am resting three days after doing three days of weights and cardio and one day of all cardio.

    By Anonymous Clinton Walker at 5:27 AM  

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