Recharge to Get Large

Bodybuilders often don’t plan days off properly. The balance between intense workouts and rest can dictate whether you gain or waste muscle mass. Muscle gain is a process that involves more protein synthesis than protein breakdown. Protein synthesis involves a cascade of cellular events, from the initial synthesis of mRNA protein sequence to the later stages in which new proteins are folded, bonded, configured and finally matured in certain cellular organelles to be mobilized to their target sites.

Some muscle proteins may be damaged or fail to reach maturation due to high oxidative stress. Immature or damaged proteins must be destroyed and recycled before any actual growth can occur. That mechanism is regulated by a family of enzymes called the ubiquitin system, which also regulates the destruction of old tissue and sick cells.

The problem with doing too many intense workouts per week is that it increases overall oxidative stress. That may overload the muscle with damaged proteins and rob the body of the crucial time needed for protein recycling, protein synthesis and overall growth. Threshold rest time between workouts could last from several hours to several days, and the right amount depends on variables such as nutritional state, exercise intensity, number of sets (volume) and genetics. In practical terms, you might try the following advice:

‘Monitor the number of rest days you take per week and how they affect your progress. For instance, if your weekly routine is two days on/one day off, three days on/one day off, try one day on/two days off, two days on/two days off.

‘Adjust your weekly program every couple of months.

‘Take a week off every 12 weeks.

‘Monitor the balance between intensity and volume in your workout. If you do too many intense sets or use split routines, you may require additional recuperation. You may also try increasing exercise intensity while decreasing the volume.

‘Be a weekend warrior for one or two weeks’do two superintense weekend-workout days followed by five rest days.

Editor’s note: Ori Hofmekler is the author of the books The Warrior Diet and Maximum Muscle & Minimum Fat, published by Dragon Door Publications (www.dragondoor.com). For more information or for a consultations, contact him at [email protected], www.warriordiet.com or by phone at 1-866-WAR-DIET.