how many days per week do you workout? do you take 100% rest days?

JamesScapes

I alternate every other morning running and lifting. Additionally, I also take bike rides when I can fit the time into the afternoons or weekends, (weekend hikes in the mountains during the warm weather months as well). Intellectually I realize that I should take a day off now and then, but whenever I do the day just doesn't feel right, so I rarely do.

PeachyCarol

I have health issues, so it's variable for me.

tracie_minus100

I have a bad knee and sometimes have to rake a day off when my knee needs it. But usually only 1-2 days a week off. I lift heavy every other day, and do cardio 5 days a week.

jovalis59

It's okay to rest and give yourself time to recover. It also depends on the intensity and type workouts you do. As long as you still watch what you consume (that's really important no matter what your goal is) and consider the light activity you do on the rest days then it should be fine. You don't want to overtrain or injure yourself. Listen to your body and try to stay accountable.

kcjchang

Rest is an important element! Think as a triangle with stress, adaptation, and rest as the three corners. Without rest you are asking for trouble as well as hampering your adaptation to the stress which will make you stronger, faster, etc. If you are at status quo, not pushing yourself to next level, it's really maintenance and regular rest should do it. But, if you are striving then take rest seriously. Some can augment with light activities while still have a good rest but other can't; it really depends on you and field of endeavor. It's back by good scientific research and not a thing dreamed up by the industry (like drinking electrolytes during exercise which is more or less a money grab unless you have a health reason for doing do). Just do a search for Science of Sports, on PubMed, and on Wikipedia and you'll find MANY published papers. Your intensity will dictate whether rest is needed so listen to your body first and foremost.

lucyholdcroft363

I usually do 5-6 days of exercise ranging from a few hours to 30-60 minutes but honestly, I just listen to my body! I'm usually up and rearing to go, super excited and energised. If I'm not, or I'm seriously sore, or I'm ill etc, I take a day off. It's really whatever works for you.

feisty_bucket

I do a full-body lifting routine every other day. On the off-days, I go for a walk. Or sprint. That's it. Growth happens during resting periods. So not having them would be foolish; there's nothing to "feel guilty" about.

professionalHobbyist

I only have 2 hard lifting days and two intense cardio days (HIIT).

And then two days of what I call normally active cardio glide days where I do an hour just to burn calories... They are easy and have no cardio challenge or value. Just burning calories for my calorie deficit

I think it is important not to confuse lower intensity calorie burning cardio that does not challenge you to complete, as outright cardio exercise. It is maintenance.

Do you ever have friends on plateaus ? Or find yourself on one?

We need to challenge ourselves to really call it cardio exercise. If it isn't a challenge, it is like normal active playing to a kid, just life, not exercise

So I only exercise 4 days a week. I play actively 2-3 depending on how i feel

Chieflrg

I utilize a complete 3 days or 4 days a week of rest. My main goal is strength with a touch of hypertrophy and if if I don't rest, I'm wasting my investment of time and hard work towards that goal. I don't want to spin my wheels, I need all the traction to move forward.

GreenIceFloes

I work out 3 days a week. The other 4 are rest (recovery) days as I follow a progressive overload routine.

pumpkinpocalypse

I take a day or two per week, the lesser the better haha. I workout 4-5 times per week (2 polefitness classes, 1 badminton classes, and 1 to 2 bike rides), but sometimes there are days where I'm either very busy, or the weather won't let me do my biking, etc, and I have to take the day off.
I walk a lot everyday anyway, 30 min minimum at a fast pace, and usually will schedule grocery shopping or whatever on my rest days, so even then I still end up being somewhat active. I can't stand sitting on my butt for a long period of time lol, blame it on my hyperactivity problem back when i was a kiddo. (like today, I ended up ditching my bike ride and felt sad about it since I didn't actually workout yesterday, but still ended up joining a dance mob on the street and danced zumba like crazy for a hour haha!)
so yeah, I try to fit in exercice in every day of the week as much as I can as a personal preference, but if your training is much more demanding I'd suggest you give your body a break every 3-4 days to ensure you and your muscles can heal/recover properly and you don't get strained permanently etc.