Maintaining muscle while giving myself a break????

[boardn10]

Since I am going through a tough time with some serious infections and immune system problems....I might start to back off from the heavy training for a while and just do a light to medium weight circuit type program staying in the 12-15 rep range and never going to failure or near exhaustion. My immunologist and nutritionist are urging me to take a break. I have really been pushing it and made nice gains but I might need to back of for several months and concentrate on strengthening my immune system.

 

Does anyone think I can maintain what I have built by following a light to moderate circuit, maybe even a three day a week full body program? If not this I could do a 3 day split or something like that.

 

Today may be my last heavy, all out workout for some time.

 

Thoughts? Ideas?

[katz]

If you are in a compromised immune system situation, nothing boosts healing faster than juicing. Since the digestive system is not called into play (or not very much) during juicing, the nutrients are directly available for rebuilding the body.

 

Freshly made juices, BTW...not canned or bottled (sterile) ones.

 

As far as the lifting goes, I feel you will recover faster if you give the body a complete break. Light to moderate stretching will stimulate the lymphatic system which in turn will act to move toxins out of the body, that is a good thing.

 

Drinking juices and water during this time can be very beneficial. I hope that your dr.'s do not have you on any type of drugs...

 

After you are healed, get back to the gym & hit those weights w/ a vengeance; What little you may lose will return in a short amount of time (hopefully, right?)

 

But there is no way around it...your body must put all its' recovery energies towards healing at this point...

[VeganEssentials]

I don't think you'll lose much of your gains by sticking with a moderately heavy program that's lighter than what you've been doing. Things that helped me out a lot to not lose all my gains when I took a year to diet down:

 

1. Don't skimp on the eating, especially making sure to keep protein intake high. I'd suggest keeping with the good old "1g protein per lb. of bodyweight" during your lighter training period.

 

2. BCAAs - everyone seems to swear by their mass-retaining properties, so it wouldn't hurt to pick some up. Optimum Nutrition makes some reasonably priced vegan BCAA powder, might want to check that out.

 

3. Keep the training volume pretty high, even if you're not going to failure or that close to it. So, if you could do, say, 5x8 barbell rows with 185 normally for your heavy sets now, drop to something like 105 for sets of 20 reps or something along those lines, keeping with lots of sets and higher rep stuff. Most of my work during my dieting phase was sets of 15-20 reps (sometimes 50-100 rep sets for fun), not always going that close to failure, and it worked for sparing a good amount of lean mass.

 

Best of luck with the change up in training - take the time off that you need, and come back better than ever when you're ready!

[boardn10]

Thanks for the support and ideas! Yep, my nutritionist says juicing should really help! I am going to get a Hurom slow juicer and start soon.

 

I don't want to over do it either during this period. I am hoping I don't notice much muscle soreness as I normally notice that during heavy periods, then I get the DOMS. I have to decide if I want to do a split or just do maybe three light full body workouts a week.

[katz]

Thanks for the support and ideas! Yep, my nutritionist says juicing should really help! I am going to get a Hurom slow juicer and start soon.

 

I don't want to over do it either during this period. I am hoping I don't notice much muscle soreness as I normally notice that during heavy periods, then I get the DOMS. I have to decide if I want to do a split or just do maybe three light full body workouts a week.

 

 

The Hurom is a beautiful juicer - I have several different juicers * one id the slow juicer - The Omega Vert, basically the same model as the Hurom, just a few dollars cheaper. You will most likely want to strain the juice a bit, as the single auger juicers impart a bit of pulp into the juice, a bit more than I really like.

 

With that juicer, you can also make your own almond milk, nut butters, & lots of other stuff. Check out John Kohler's youtube vids on this juicer.

 

I personally feel a split workout will be less taxing to the body than a full body workout will. Let us know how you make out with the situation.

[boardn10]

Is the Omega vert also single auger?

 

My nutritionist urged me to stay with the slow juicers.

 

I bought the Hurom on the Black Friday sale at $299 with free shipping.

 

I am fighting Candida right now due to taking antibiotics and I am told to not juice for another two weeks. till I get it under control.

[katz]

Is the Omega vert also single auger?

 

My nutritionist urged me to stay with the slow juicers.

 

I bought the Hurom on the Black Friday sale at $299 with free shipping.

 

I am fighting Candida right now due to taking antibiotics and I am told to not juice for another two weeks. till I get it under control.

 

Omega vert is identical to the Hurom, yes, a slow juicer. - I believe there is a cosmetic difference. The Hurom has a handle, the Omega does not. As far as I know, the parts all interchange.

 

That's a great deal you got on Black Friday , I've never seen it for that low a price!