Rest days question

kdtesoriero

So I try to hit the gym six days a week. I do cardio only one day a week and the other days I alternate strength training between arms and legs. I worked out Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday so far this week. I want to go again tonight. Tomorrow, I am going to have a very stressful day and I know going to the gym will help with that. Saturday I might be able to skip but I am hoping to get there then too. So my question is... Can I keep going until Sunday and take my rest day Sunday or is this too long not to take a rest day?

hill8570

Unless you're feeling physically beat up before then, I doubt a couple of extra days would matter. Could always just do a lighter workout, too...physically, a deload is often just as good as a full day off.

BrianSharpe

^^^ This, depending on what and how much cardio you're doing you may or may not even need a rest day from that (you can cycle & row etc - no impact - pretty much 7 days a week as long as you vary time & intensity) and you've already got recovery built into your strength.

Personally I don't take a full day off unless I'm feeling beat up (like after a race or a really rough week at work) Like you I find working out helps with stress management.

jessef593

Arms and legs? What about back, lower back, chest, abs, and shoulders?

NaturalNancy

I say only rest if you feel really tired!
If you want to go to the gym and it helps you to feel better, then go for it!
If you are seriously tired then take a rest, you could go 7 days a week depending how you feel, I think it's up to you.

mjwarbeck

Over the last few months I have only missed maybe 6 days...usually due to a statutory holiday, illness...or hangover (twice). Never had an issue. I cycle through a four day cycle of arms, legs, chest/back, shoulders. Abs and cardio I do every day.

kdtesoriero

jessef593 wrote: »

Arms and legs? What about back, lower back, chest, abs, and shoulders?

I do those every workout... I vary the machine I use, but shoulders, chest everyday (I always loose weight from my chest first and I am trying to avoid that), back every day, abs everyday then I do legs Tuesday's, Wednesday arms biceps, etc.

kdtesoriero

BrianSharpe wrote: »

^^^ This, depending on what and how much cardio you're doing you may or may not even need a rest day from that (you can cycle & row etc - no impact - pretty much 7 days a week as long as you vary time & intensity) and you've already got recovery built into your strength.

Personally I don't take a full day off unless I'm feeling beat up (like after a race or a really rough week at work) Like you I find working out helps with stress management.

I do an hour of cardio (actually 65 minutes). I was doing 30 on treadmill and the 35 on elliptical with the cool down. Recently I do 30 on the elliptical and 30 on the arc trainer. I also walk almost everyday on top of that for about a mile of so.

jessef593

kdtesoriero wrote: »

jessef593 wrote: »

Arms and legs? What about back, lower back, chest, abs, and shoulders?

I do those every workout... I vary the machine I use, but shoulders, chest everyday (I always loose weight from my chest first and I am trying to avoid that), back every day, abs everyday then I do legs Tuesday's, Wednesday arms biceps, etc.

If you're trying to avoid muscle loss from those areas you should consider spreading out the days you work them on. There's a reason body builders don't work their chest everyday of the week. It actually causes the muscles to break down and prevent repair if you're working them everyday. They need rest in order to recover. 48 hours being the minimum.