Those of you who follow the Max-OT principles know it is recommended to take a week off of training after every 8-10 weeks. This scheduled week off serves an important role in cyclical recovery. It is very helpful for long term results to have this physical and mental break.
I often get asked whether or not one should do cardio during the week off. It’s a good question and I think the answer depends on your primary goals at the time.
If your primary goal is fat loss I think it is good to continue cardio during the week off training. This will help keep your metabolism and caloric expenditure elevated thus fueling the fat loss process. If you are in a maximum muscle building phase I would recommend a week off of cardio exercise too.
The way I handled it was if I was more than 16 weeks away from a contest I would take a week off everything. Once inside of 16 weeks I would continue to do cardio.
Either way, don’t forget to execute smart nutrition during the week off. Even though you are not working out, your body is recovering from the past 8-10 weeks of intense training and needs good nutrition to fully maximize this important recovery opportunity.
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Contest prep, 16 weeks out, you would still take a week off from training?
Yes I would take the week off training because it is important for recovery but I would still continue cardio at that point. I make sure the last week off fell somewhere around the 16 week point and then I would train straight through to the contest.
Hi Jeff,
Firstly, Thanx for all the help over the past 10 yrs. I have only realized now how long I have been Following your advice and career!
My q’s is about post workout carbs and the amount and effect on fat storage. I have put on, over the past 10 yrs +-25kgs, on max-ot but can not seem to get rid of the fat on the lower abs. Yes, most people are convinced i’m on roids which I take as a compliment.
Is 45grams of dextrose in post w/o drink too much for a person of 95kgs? My veggies consist of peas/carrots …. how much is too much for fat loss?
My aim is to get lean without too much muscle loss!
I think it has to do more with total calories consumed than there being a “perfect” amount of carbohydrates for post workout.
My advice would be if you want to focus on getting leaner do progressive caloric skims while maintaining the same basic nutrient ratios (% Protein, % Carbs, % Fat).
Also maintain the smart nutrient timing with the majority of your calories/carbohydrates in the 3 hour post workout window.
I have the dvd video of I want to look like that guy, it is great and inspiring. I look forward to abtaining your other videos for more help and inspiration. Seeing your hard work and dedication through helping others and knowlegde also your experiences makes me push myself beyond my capabilities. My wife and I are looking forward to our first competition entries this October in Queens, NY. I always like to go back and read all your feedback it pushes me. It will be a great challenge but we are ready for it. Thank you, your friend Efrain.