How much does one workout and how?

ZeXea

I hope I can make this as clear as possible !
I normally work out maybe 4-6 times a week (usually 5-6). I usually do about 1 hour of hard working out running stairs. A friend of mine said that I was doing too much, it should be I take a rest day after working out one day. But that leaves me feeling like I wont work out enough. I am not sure if its because I do too hard a work out that I should get a rest day, or if everyone should in general.

Is there a sort of understood or standard workout routine to follow for the week in terms of how often to work out to rest days?
For example, if someone does HIIT, should they then have more rest days than someone who does simply cardio, like jogging?
Should people in general rest the next day after a workout?

I'm just a bit confused because I sort of feel like taking a rest day after each day of stairs is 4 days working out at best, otherwise 3. Should I maybe work out harder and longer on days I work out to offset the day of rest?

eugenia94102

Do you think it's too much? Are you too sore afterwards to keep up with your normal daily activities? If the answer to these questions is no, then it's not too much. You need to decide what exactly you are trying to accomplish through exercise to be able to tailor it to your needs. Once you have the answer, if you need help with a general routine post or PM and I'll help you.

The question of rest days only comes into play for people trying to build muscle. If what you are trying to do is to build muscle you need a different type of exercise routine.

The one rule I've always seen followed by people who train (training and exercise are not exactly the same) be it by NFL players or ballerinas is take one day off. That's mental rest, not body rest.

CoffeeNCardio

You know, rest days are a very personal thing. It's really about you and your comfort level. If you can go 7 days a week busting butt, and it makes you feel great and happy and you would be unhappy to do something else, then do that. If you are hating the very thought of exercise after 4 days, take a rest. As @eugenia94102 said, unless you have a body recomp goal or you're actively trying to build big muscles (as opposed to maintaining Lean Body Mass for example), it's really a matter of personal preference.

That being said, you need to know yourself well. Ask questions like "Am I the kind of person who usually pushes to hard and ends up injured?" or "Am I the kind of person who will use a rest day as an excuse to extend the 'rest' as long as possible and never get back to the gym?". Know thyself, and act accordingly.

And obviously if you are injured, you need to rest and heal or you could end up with a chronic problem in your knee or whatever. You could work out something else in the meantime if ti's important to you. I've been walking lately nursing a minor leg injury until I can heal up and get back to my C25K:) It sucks, but not as bad as never running again. Bicycles are expensive.

PinkPixiexox

I think this is going to be personal preference :]
Try not to listen to what your friends are telling you. Your mind and body will let you know when you need a 'rest day. I work out 4 times a week and for me, this is the right amount for ME. Any more than that and I'll mentally burn-out. Sure my body could probably manage 5-6 work-out's a week, but I have other things going on in my life beside exercise and it's important you make time for OTHER things too.

Generally, if you're happy working out the amount you do - keep going. But know that a rest day is totally, totally okay. (Also, it IS good to let your muscles 'chill out' sometimes)

eeede

I thought a rest day a week was very important for the musle safety?

yesimpson

I take 2 rest days a week, usually after my long run and after my lower-body weights day. I tend to feel quite sore after these workouts. They are important for me as I feel they help prevent injury and also stop me feeling mentally worn out. I see greater improvements in my ability to run faster, for longer, and more 'comfortably' (what used to tire me out no longer does) when I rest properly. I use these days for walking, stretching and foam rolling.

Others might not feel they need 2 days a week, or they may feel they need more. You could always alternate stair running (high intensity, high impact stuff) with a long walk, a gentle swim, yoga/Pilates etc.? Then you are still active, but moving in a different way rather than continually stressing the same muscles/body systems in the same style day in day out.

ki4eld

I'm not a personal trainer and @ninerbuff and a couple of others can speak to it professionally.

My personal preference is... I workout when I want and I rest when I want. My last true rest day was 3? weeks ago. It was a Sunday, that much I remember. It doesn't matter. I haven't had a day off since and I don't think I need one. When I do need one, my body will tell me. It won't be "I don't want to get up" but more like "I can't get up." When I get to "can't" is when I rest. Sometimes, especially if I'm adding exercises or trying something new, that might be 2 days within the same week. Or not. I listen to my body and push it as hard and as far as I can. And when I can't, I rest.

Larissa_NY

I lift weights and take rest days religiously, but that's because my workout involves creating microtears in muscle tissue that take a day or so to heal, and the healing process is when muscle growth occurs. So it's important for my type of workout, but that doesn't mean it's important for all types of workouts. Your friend might just be overgeneralizing something she heard or read.

Francl27

I think for cardio, as long as your muscles are fine, you definitely don't need a rest every other day. But you have to listen to your body. I didn't use to need rest days, now what I do is more intense, so I do, because my legs are just way too sore after 5/6 days of it.

Unknown

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bwogilvie

Stair running is aerobic (cardio) exercise. You don't need to take a day off after a cardio workout. If you're doing beginning or intermediate strength training, you should not work the same muscle group two days in a row.

However, when you're doing endurance exercise, most of your training should be relatively easy—at a conversational pace. I do running and cycling, and I try to ensure that at least 50% of my training is easy enough that I can talk in complete sentences, often more. 10-15%, at most, is intense, and the rest is moderate.

You should definitely recover the day after an intense workout, but your recovery might be an easy workout. So if you push yourself hard one day, ease off on the intensity the next day. Stair running can be hard for some people to do at a moderate intensity. If you're one of them, you might alternate stair workouts with running, cycling, or something else that you can do conversationally.

robertw486

Do whatever works for you. Really unless you kill it on cardio stuff there is usually no need for recovery days. But when you reach a point of working some muscles hard, regardless if done with cardio or lifting type workouts, a day of rest can be a good thing.

If you are hitting it hard on stairs, it's probably tougher on certain muscles than you think. Similar to biking hard, the quads get hit hard. If that is the case a day of rest or switching it up to elliptical, running, other cardio that uses more muscles might not be a bad idea.

Merkavar

I don't work out often enough to worry about rest days.

But I don't think anyone can tell you how often or how many rest days to have.

I think if you can't exercise or can't exercise at a similar level due to soreness etc it is likely a sign you need a rest.

If you think a rest day is a waste maybe try something different or less straining on the muscles.

daniwilford

When I was recovering from an injury, I took a total rest day and a modified rest day, on the advice of my physical therapist. On my modified rest day I did a different activity, like cycling as opposed to walk/running. Now that I have recovered I am back to walking/running 6 days a week. I do strength training three days a week with at least one day in between for recovery. It is a personal preference unless you need to heal or recover.

brb2008

eeede wrote: »

I thought a rest day a week was very important for the musle safety?

This really depends on how hard you work. I can do my "normal" pilates routine daily. I judge this based on how my body feels. Yesterday I added one extra "workout" to the routine and today I cant do one single reverse leg lift without terrible form. I need a rest day! But only a rest from THAT activity. I'll probably still take a long walk at some point

Also rest days can be important for mental strength too. I cant push myself 100% all days so I dont try to!

FabianRodriguez94

It's all preference really. I work hard 5 days a week (Mon-Fri, rest Saturday and Sunday) and sometimes (usually when I've gone up in weight for a lift) I need a day off in between.

Kalikel

Take rest days when you want them. If you feel like doing it every day, do it every day. My day never feels right unless it begins in the pool. Rest day, schmest day.