Is a rest day imperative?

grace173
grace173 Posts: 180 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm doing a 6 week challenge at the moment but it is quite intense and it is hard to fit in a rest day. Is a rest day really important?

Replies

  • Kristinemomof3
    Kristinemomof3 Posts: 636 Member
    Yes!
  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
    Vital for me. I have 2 rest days a week. I see my biggest weight loss the day after a rest day too.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Yes because its important for your body to operate efficiently and let it repair.
  • rejectuf
    rejectuf Posts: 487 Member
    There's a reason most strength training programs start you at 3x a week and no more. Rest days are huge.

    Now, there's such a thing as active recovery. Doing stuff like yoga, light cardio, mobility work, etc. on your non training days are a great way to stay active and benefit your training.
  • slideaway1
    slideaway1 Posts: 1,006 Member
    Rest days are vital to help recharge the batteries etc if you are doing more cardio based exercise. With strength training it is probably even more important because it is during rest period that the muscles grow and repair so that you can come back stronger next time. Growth and development happens during rest and not in the gym. I found this hard to accept when I first started lifting.
  • DesertGunR
    DesertGunR Posts: 187 Member
    ABSOLUTELY YES!

    Your body needs rest days to repair and recharge. Even the world's most Elite Athletes have mandatory rest days scheduled into their training. Without them you are actually doing more damage than you are good. You open yourself up first to fatigue which then leads to injury. Take your rest days seriously.

    Good Luck and Good Resting!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Yep. I would collapse if I didn't have a rest day. Or mess someone up.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    I think it would be more appropriate to call it a recovery day or a rebuilding day.
  • mummypops
    mummypops Posts: 6 Member
    I have questioned this as well, but I too have my biggest weight loss after a rest day.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    grace173 wrote: »
    I'm doing a 6 week challenge at the moment but it is quite intense and it is hard to fit in a rest day. Is a rest day really important?

    Can you be more specific as to what is involved with the challenge?
  • grace173
    grace173 Posts: 180 Member
    Thanks guys. Well, I do gym classes twice a week and then I have a challenge program to fit in twice a week (2 different programs) and then there is a group class once a week and a PT day too, but then I need to fit in my running because I don't want to give that up while doing the challenge.
    Don't get me wrong I'm able to do what I'm doing and not overly exerting myself in the process but I was curious if it was really important to rest.
    Thanks again for your help.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    Karen_libert wrote: »
    Vital for me.

    Cosigned.

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited May 2015
    Generally speaking, yes...rest days are where you actually recover and make fitness gains. It depends a lot on what you're doing though...someone who walks a few miles per day is likely to be fine without taking an actual rest day; I for one am generally lightly active on rest days anyway because I have kids and a dog and there's no such thing as just sitting my *kitten* on the couch.

    If you're doing moderate to vigorous exercise regularly, yes...you need rest...you need recovery. It is just as important an element of your fitness regimen as the actual work. As I stated before, this is where you actually make improvements to your fitness. Additionally, a lack of proper rest will ultimately lead to recovery issues and likely injury.

    I take 1 - 2 rest days per week depending. I also generally take a week off from anything more intense than walking or a recreational bike ride with my kids every couple months or so. Usually when I get back to things the following week, I set a whole bunch of PRs (Personal Records)...those are GAINZ....

    ETA: taking a regularly scheduled rest day is a hell of a lot better than taking rest weeks...or months...ask me how I know.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    grace173 wrote: »
    Thanks guys. Well, I do gym classes twice a week and then I have a challenge program to fit in twice a week (2 different programs) and then there is a group class once a week and a PT day too, but then I need to fit in my running because I don't want to give that up while doing the challenge.
    Don't get me wrong I'm able to do what I'm doing and not overly exerting myself in the process but I was curious if it was really important to rest.
    Thanks again for your help.

    It sounds like you are mixing things up, which can help, but too much strain on joints and muscles, without any recovery time, will eventually lead to injury. Don't wait that long to decide you need a day off.

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