From Chris in Florida, a 41 year old who wants to gain muscle and minimize fat.  He wants to know if weight training should be done year round.  His question is: 

Dear Mike:

Your web site is really great and has been very informative to me and I thank you.  My question to you is the following:  When do you include layoffs from weight training or do you train year round without taking time off?  Thanks again, Chris.  

Dear Chris:

First, thank you for the compliments about my web site.  Since I can't possibly respond to each person that e-mails me with questions, I have really tried to make my site informative.  It is my hope that they will find some useful information on my site and hopefully get many of their questions answered.

Second, thanks for your great question.  You have brought up a very important factor in gaining muscle and avoiding burn-out.  I will have to admit, I probably didn't take enough time off during my career.  If I had it all to do over again, I would have incorporated more scheduled time off.

Even though you may feel like you don't need to, you should take at least one week off every four to five months.  If you compete, don't take your week off immediately after a contest.  I recommend training for four to six weeks after the contest and then take the week off.  Many bodybuilders tend to take time off immediately after a contest, which I feel is a mistake.  Your body is 'primed' for growth after a contest - I made many of my biggest gains immediately after a contest.  If you don't compete, it doesn't really matter when you take your week off.

Taking time off not only helps you physically, but it also helps you mentally.  Be careful not to take too much time off, though.  You don't want that one week to turn into four weeks!

Thanks again for your question, Chris.  Good luck and keep training hard.

Mike Francois

Note: Before embarking on any nutrition, supplementation, and/or training program, consult with your physician or other licensed health-care professional.