Rest days?

strange29mfp

How important are rest days?
Or do you just push through when your sore for best results?

questionfear

Muscles regenerate and your body heals up during rest days. It's during recovery that you actually heal from your workout and build strength, as a way for your body to adapt to the next workout.

Everyone has their own breakdown of how much rest they need, but I wouldn't work out at the same intensity each day unless it was specifically designed to be a minimal exertion routine that could be done daily. I wouldn't take a routine designed around 3-5 days per week and do it daily, for example.

MFPUser42354

1 to 2 rest days a week are normal. But when you train, please don't train the same muscle groups every day. Instead exercise your entire body over 3-4 days. For example, on day 1, focus on legs and glutes. Day 2 Back and biceps... etc. That will keep you from over training and continually rest specific muscle groups.

RoseTheWarrior

I agree with 1 to 2 rest days a week. However, rest days can incorporate light exercise, like walks. I would not do anything taxing though. As @questionfear above said, I would vary intensity if exercising daily.

SueInAz

Rest days are at least as important as the workouts themselves. But a rest day from one activity can be a workout day for another if you plan things right! I have one rest day per week, usually, but I alternate what I do each day. I use a two week cycle and run every other day and then do strength training on the weekdays between running days. So my schedule looks like:

Monday-Run
Tuesday-Lift
Wednesday-Run
Thursday-Lift
Friday-Run
Saturday-Rest
Sunday-Run
Monday-Lift
Tuesday-Run
Wednesday-Lift
Thursday-Run
Friday-Lift
Saturday-Run
Sunday-Rest

I'm resting from running on my lifting days and resting from lifting on my running days. My "rest" days usually consist of at least 10,000 steps of walking, too.

Dali032484

Nothing...I do nothing. I simply rest :-) usually get up at 5:30 am to work out before going to work. I only rest one day a week. Six days on, one day off. I feel like if I don't take that day off my body will not perform at the level I expect it to no matter how much or what I eat. I do need a day off from cardio and weight lifting and just sleep in and be merry :-) the next day I go at it full speed, strong, no mercy lol. That's what works for me anyway!

Neanbean13

I have 1 day off too. I have another day of rest but I do pilates for core with light bike. Or concebrrate on mobility. Rest is various strength training and conditioning. It's important for your body to repair. Unless you competing in a strict short term goal I'd add them in. Listen to your body. Be flexible. I normally have my rest day sat but if I'm particularly sore or tired during week I'll change it up. Have rest day then instead. Every about 6 weeks I'll have like 3 or 4 days off in a row for complete rest and life style Gainz. . Play the long game and don't think a day two or even week won't have you losing Gainz