recovery time and back at it

[Pike1210]

So i've been going through a lot lately and as a result I've been out of the gym for over a week. Last night I couldn't take it anymore. I don't know how many pushups I did on the bars last night doing the 300 workout because once I started I couldn't stop. Chest is roaring today, not going to have time tonight to workout but tommorrow if i'm not in bed all day depressed I'll be in the gym after my haircut. So, this brings into question recovery times. What do some of you think is ample time for recovery so you constantly get the burn? I don't know about you but I love that feeling, I guess I compare it to playing in the NFL and making a TD or sacking a QB and the guys start beating their chests like apes. Now obviously it's not too good to take more than a week off after every workout if you plan on keeping up or making gains so my question is, what do you do to keep getting the burn without lifting heavier weights? I'm not taking GHB or anything for recovery aside from 100% whey shakes. I've hit the point where I don't need to go any heavier because I don't want to risk injury....not to mention when i do cardio i feel like my pecs are bouncing like some big titty whoe's, i can just feel them bouncing from left to right on the treadmill....problem is, I still crave the burn and it's like I only seem to get it when I take a considerable amount of time off or if I lift really heavy and a few days later I'm burning.

I'm open for suggestions, comments, whatever.