Dear DumBell Fitness: Why do you take a week off?

We get this question all the time, and it's always followed by "But how will I progress if we just start all over again?" 

Author's note: for those of you totally new to the DumBell Fitness program, we work out on a 4-week schedule, and we take one week off between each session. During the first week, we do reps of 10. The second week is 12 reps, the third week is 14 reps, and the final week is 16 reps. 

We take a week off because our bodies need time to heal after week four. During the last week of training we always focus more on muscle strength and muscle endurance than any other element of fitness. In the process of breaking down muscle fibers, our bodies may become overused, or slightly injured if we do not take a break. Basically, we need the week off to heal. All training cycles have peaks and valleys, and we want our recruits to learn to take advantage of all seasons. 

However, our definition of a week off may be slightly different than yours. We believe the week should be filled with cardio. Do something different! Get out and run, swim, bike, Zumba, for the entire week. Let your muscles heal while your heart stays in condition with cardiovascular work.

When we come back to our Week 1 training cycle, our bodies are healed and ready to go. We are stronger than the previous month, so we use extra weight to get progressive results. While I’m teaching the beginners proper form, the experienced participants are preparing themselves to use more weight than before. Some of our experienced participants use two bands for every strength exercise during the first two weeks, while the counts are still low (10 count and 12 count).  Others bring their own set of 10-12 pound dumbbells. While beginners are learning proper technique, our experienced Boot Campers are pushing their muscles to the limit with extra weight.

At DumBell Fitness we always want to institute a well-balanced program with the four pillars of fitness: muscle endurance, muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility.  There is a place for all levels of fitness in our 4-week course. Beginners walk while conditioned participants sprint during the agility course. Beginners use light weights, while veteran participants use heavy resistance. And beginners catch the fitness bug while long-time participants encourage their fellow recruits to be better than before.

This work out format works. You can see the proof when you read our Success Stories and our Wednesday Winner profiles. There is NO easy week at DumBell Fitness! If you're not already a part of the DumBell Fitness family, consider joining us for a month. We promise to change your life and your body!