Those who pursue bodybuilding have different views on vacations, with some believing that several weeks of regular bodybuilding workout sessions should be followed with a vacation from training of at least one week.

While others fearing the very idea of time off from bodybuilding, to the point that they try to find a workout facility even when they are on a cruise with family or friends. The true answer to how a fitness enthusiast must deal with time off in order to avoid any significant adverse impact to muscle building or fat reduction is somewhere between these two extremes.

It’s very easy to become obsessive about weight training, to the point where skipping a workout brings about worry of significant muscle loss or fat gain in a brief period, and this can cause those who pursue weight lifting to actually try and avoid time off so that they can remain consistent with their weight training workouts at all times. This to the individual who does not live a bodybuilding lifestyle seems excessive, and there is no doubt that, mentally, following such a one track bodybuilding lifestyle can bring about depression and alienation from family and friends, so avoiding breaks from bodybuilding training completely is never a reasonable response.

Others aim for breaks from weight training workouts every few weeks, performing their weight lifting and cardiovascular sessions for a month, and then taking a 1-2 week sabbatical from weight lifting before beginning another 4-6 week weight lifting and cardiovascular routine. This technique can delay muscle building progress significantly, so I recommend, instead, planning breaks from muscle building around special occasions (Easter, trips to the beach), and saving unexpected time off for times when illness surfaces (viruses, injuries, etc), so that you can comfortably move away from weight lifting workout sessions for a couple of weeks during times of the year when you have places to visit and people to spend time with, or when you are sidelined with an unexpected illness or injury.

The amount of muscle mass lost during a vacation from weight lifting can be significant if the time away from such workouts is considerable, so a reasonable period to vacation from weight training workouts is seven days, and preferably, time off from weight lifting should never exceed a two week period, as the body begins to reduce the amount of muscle after 1-2 weeks (dependent upon genetics). If you are taking a trip that requires a significant time away from your normal weight lifting workout routine, consider following an abbreviated schedule, where each body part is trained once per week with low volume, at least to encourage muscle maintenance during an extended period away from weight lifting. This technique can be used for a vacation that lasts any length, but is vital if your time away from weight training will exceed two weeks. Such an approach allows for quick weight training workout sessions that stimulate the muscle sufficiently to delay muscle loss.

Frequently bodybuilders believe that since muscle growth occurs during rest, long periods away from weight lifting will cause the body to produce superior results compared with rare breaks from weight training, and rest will assist in muscle gains if in fact enough stimulation has occurred through weight lifting, but this also means that extensive breaks from weight training will not only remove the overload necessary for continued muscle growth, but also eventually begin to burn muscle tissue, as the body constantly adapts to the most recent level of stress, and will begin the muscle reduction process during extended vacation breaks from weight training workouts.

In regards to the frequency of breaks from weight training workout sessions, this will depend on your individual schedule. Generally, the less extended breaks you take, the more muscle mass you will gain, yet a one week vacation several times per year is helpful for the mind and body, but only if such periods away from weight lifting occur at extended intervals, with at least two months (preferably three) of consistency prior to a break from weight training.

Also, do not forget the importance of proper eating during time off from bodybuilding, as abandoning ample carbohydrates or protein during time spent away from weight training will cause your body to quickly reduce muscle mass, where otherwise only minor negative change will occur. Most are excited about eating during vacations away from weight training, but just make sure to ingest sufficient protein, and aim for carbohydrates at a sufficient level to sustain daily activities in order to prevent muscle loss.

Resource Box: Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a diet and weight training program teaching the exact techniques for muscle building without supplements or drugs. He also owns FatVanish.com, where you will find his natural fat loss program.