Always remember rest is equally important as training. Here is an expert who will explain why.

Three months ago, bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates appeared on Andrew Huberman's podcast to share some gems of knowledge. Among many topics, Yates shared his approach to balancing training and recovery. He emphasized that strategic rest is crucial for long-term progress in the gym.

"I tell people train real hard for like five or six weeks and then come down for two weeks, maybe sub-maximal. So you'll sort of sawtooth it like that, hard for five, six weeks, then back off."

According to the six-time Mr. Olympia, the “sawtooth” approach means pushing hard on training sessions for a certain period of time and then relaxing for roughly two weeks with lighter, submaximal sessions.

Instead of avoiding the gym entirely, Yates suggested the goal should be to continue training with lighter sessions to maintain blood flow and movement without reaching muscular failure.

 "If you want to take a week off, I think it's a good couple of times a year. A lot of guys, when I had a gym, you know, the guys, I'm stuck on this and that. I said, 'Okay, take a week off.' Wow, no, what do you mean? I said, 'Man, just take a week off, yeah? Come back in a week and tell me how you feel.'"

He noted that many initially resisted his advice but were astonished at the immediate results once they returned to training refreshed. “They came back and said, ‘Wow, I was stronger,’” he said. “Yeah, no s***, man. You let your body rest and rebuild.”

According to research, Yates' approach influences intensity, volume, and rest over a certain period of time, and it results in maximized performance without facing the risk of overtraining in the long run. This approach also keeps a person motivated to keep training and reduces the risk of injury.

Rest and Recovery Help Maintain Muscle Mass

In 2024, the 64-year-old took to Instagram to share how rest and recovery help you build muscle mass.

“So really, you’re growing outside the gym. So that’s what you should be thinking about. You’re growing when you’re resting, you’re growing when you’re eating, you’re growing when you’re sleeping.

He added, “Here [the gym] is to send a message. And to send a message that I need more strength and muscle mass is to make the muscles work very intensely, but you can’t do that for a long period of time.” 

Yates explained that intense training allows the body to grow, but it will only happen when paired with rest and recovery. And just like a wound needs time to heal, so do muscles after an intense training period.

For more such tips and tricks, follow Bodybuilding Bros.

Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil