Who needs rest days?

[Just a Shot Away]

So I stumbled upon some article talking about Shia LaBeouf getting in shape for some movie and discovered that he took 0 rest days, and worked out 2-3 hours at a time.

Now this is contrary to everything I've ever read. "Your body needs time to regenerate..." "Your muscles can't build themselves back up without a break.." etc., etc. Also, I've heard people saying that working out longer than 45 minutes to an hour is counterproductive, as cortisol production begins and you are now overtraining yourself and therefore going in reverse with progress.

But then I see that he gained 15 pounds of muscle for Indiana Jones...not sure the time period, but I'm guessing less than a few months. Very respectable. Sure he likely had top-notch nutritionists and trainers...but the fact remains that this guy worked out 2-3 hours a day, 7 days a week. So. Would someone please tell me why this is NOT the way to go? Because as of right now, this is my workout split.

 

[J. Darko]

There are some reasons I can think of. The first is testosteron and creatine. Enough said.

The secod reason is that she's a total beginner. If you never trained before, or never managed to squat 100 Kg, chances are you can adapt to everything and you will gain huge amounts of mass. Even so, that 15 punds of muscle won't make you look like a model. The reason why movie actors look good is because of their low bodyfat, not because of their huge progress in training. They are not athletes and they don't have athletic bodies.

Third reason is that hard workers tolerate more stress. If you're a couch potatoe and start working out 7 days a week, you will die. However, if you're having a physical demading job for 10 years you can handle a lot of training.


So what this means is that for long term progress, health and awesome body, you need a lot of rest, while slowly building more tolerace to stress, so you can do some light workout on your off days You can't, however, train brutally hard 7 days a week without drugs. You won't progress.

 

[CaptainJ]

He's taking PEDs

 

[Kerpal]

Genetics are the biggest factor in determining what works for different people. People with superior genetics need less rest, can progress much faster and rarely get injured (and recover quickly when they do).

People with inferior genetics need much more rest, make much slower progress, and get injured frequently (and take much longer to recover, if they recover at all).

Try cutting down your rest days and see how it works for you. If you have good genetics you might get away with it.

 

[WC2]

Everybody needs recovery. Some people need more than others.

Personally I can only hit the gym hard 4 days a week, 5 max if I'm lifting heavy.

Splits also help.

0 Days rest is a load of crap unless you're not lifting heavy or if you're on AAS.

I wouldn't be surprised if he took steroids to get bigger.. he doesn't look like he has the balls to put on 10-15lbs solid muscle naturally.

 

[Don Israel]

whatever the case may be, if he didn't rest at all during previous weeks, he's in pain right now as we speak (or write).

 

[Jitterbug]

These articles are often BS. They just use a celebrity's name to sell their workout & diet plan, and gym memberships.

 

[Just a Shot Away]

These articles are often BS. They just use a celebrity's name to sell their workout & diet plan, and gym memberships.

Nah, this is from entertainment sites like Rotten Tomatoes. There's also a feature on it on bodybuilding.com using generic supplements/diet.

Maybe the guy did take a little Vitamin S, who knows. Either way, he accomplished 15 pounds of muscle with 0 rest days.

 

[Colossus]

You should totally let every bit of training wisdom you've ever heard from experienced lifters go out the window because you read some article claiming shia lebeouf trained 7 days a week.

 

[blinkwatt101]

Now this is contrary to everything I've ever read. "Your body needs time to regenerate..." "Your muscles can't build themselves back up without a break.." etc., etc.

Yes that is true. Even the greatest bodybuilders of all time,take 1 day off a week.

Also, I've heard people saying that working out longer than 45 minutes to an hour is counterproductive, as cortisol production begins and you are now over training yourself and therefore going in reverse with progress.

Anything over 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes of intense workout at a time will start to become mute. If you really really really know your nutrition and get your sleep you can pull off two a days at this rate.

But then I see that he gained 15 pounds of muscle for Indiana Jones...not sure the time period, but I'm guessing less than a few months. Very respectable. Sure he likely had top-notch nutritionists and trainers...but the fact remains that this guy worked out 2-3 hours a day, 7 days a week. So. Would someone please tell me why this is NOT the way to go? Because as of right now, this is my workout split.

I would double check your sources and him. Just googling his name you will not see a muscular young male,rather just an average fellow. 15 pounds? The source is fibbing to you.

 

[Throttle]

IF what bodybuilding.com posted is at all accurate, three of the seven days a week were plyometrics, and at least an hour per day of his working out was running.

so he stuffed plyometrics in between a 4-day split, and ran enough to inhibit real muscle gain (look at any picture of him, he's rail-thin, like brad pitt-in-fight-club, which of course guys are always coming on here trying to look like).

if you lift weights 7 days a week, you deserve all the effects of putting that much stress on your CNS. good luck!

notice they don't tell you how long he was at this. sure, he may have gained 15 pounds, newbie gains. but how long did it take? how long did he keep it? how long could his body have gone with zero rest days week after week without it all becoming counter-productive? the articles don't address any of that...

 

[Jitterbug]

Nah, this is from entertainment sites like Rotten Tomatoes. There's also a feature on it on bodybuilding.com using generic supplements/diet.

Sure, if you want to look like Shia Lebouf, go ahead and try the Rotten Tomatoes diet & training plan, money back guaranteed.

 

[jocca]

Not everyone Needs or wants to be a hulking muscle man. Much more healthy in reality to be lean and muscular which a lot of people here seem to forget.

Sorry for the rant but there seems to be a very narrow minded perception here of what ideal shape guys should be striving for body wise.