Do you have a rest day?

YaMon22072

I have read, and been told, this so many times how important it is to give your body a rest day when working out. This allows your muscles to heal which causes them to build. I have heard of some people who exercise 3 days and then rest 1, others work out 4 and then rest one.

What do you do?

TIA (Thanks In Advance)

gmallan

I always have at least one rest day a week sometimes up to three. I do exercise that is very intense and often have a lot of niggles and sore spots. I basically just listen to my body and take rest days when needed.

More generally, I find that it is possible to go without a rest day if the exercise you are doing is varied enough and/or of a lower intensity. As a rule, at least one day a week is a good start. For me a rest day could include something light like a walk, bike ride or pilates.

browneyes97

I do alternate muscle groups. One day do legs, next day do arms, then back to legs the following day, etc. Generally, I do take a day off from exercising- either Friday or Sunday.

whierd

I take 2-3 rest days per week.

ritchiedrama

When cutting I train 3x a week, rest 4

when bulking I train 4x a week, rest 3

HPB2

Fridays are my rest day. If I'm tired beyond just being lazy and unmotivated I will take a day off too but usually just stick with Fridays

32sami

I listen to my body. When I'm tired I take a break. Don't have a set day.

CyberEd312

I take a Rest day once a week normally on Sundays.... Best of Luck

justwanderful

Mon, Wed, Fri: Calisthenics and dumbbell workout.
Sun, Tue, Thu: 45 min - 1 hour, brisk walking.
Saturday: Rest

goldninja

I take a rest day once per week and add an extra rest day if I've had a lot of long shifts during the week. I work on my feet waiting tables so sometimes I can count that as exercise if I work a 12 hour shift.

iara333

Last summer I went 6 weeks without a rest day but I've got absolutely no idea how and wouldn't advise it either! I hate taking rests but week I'm going to have 2 days where I just do a body balance/easy yoga class to give myself a break. But I'm a student on my summer holidays so I don't need energy for work etc

hml_rachel

No I don't take a rest day unless my body feels sore or I'm sick. I do strength training 3x a week but I use light weights. I do hiit cardio 3x a week and a more low impact cardio on the other day. There have been times though that I just feel really tired the next day and decide to take a break. I don't plan my rest days just take them when I think I need them.

By the way I'm a student and currently it's summer so I'll probably exercise less once I go back to school. I plan on doing strength training 3x a week and hiit 2x a week with lower impact cardio on the other days.

Kittyvicious1

Today is my rest day. I wkout six days rotating cardio and weights and rest one day.

choijanro

Yes,, my rest day is 1 to 2days


and some people exercise everyday like doing cardio

but lifting everyday is not good ,,

MamaMaryC

Normally I will workout Mon through Fri, rest Sat, then workout Sunday.

I am following the Les Mills Pump schedule so I have been taking an extra rest day when it tells me to. However, for the workout schedules that offer only 1 rest day... that is how I do it. :bigsmile:

Ariberri9

YES! Rest days are super important. You need to give your body time to heal and grow.

When I was doing Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred, I use Saturday and Sunday as my rest days. When I worked out independently, I only worked out three times per week (and every other Saturday).

Use your rest days to either relax or do light workouts...some stretching and yoga. Best of luck!

fppalmer

"true noobies", who just got off the couch after 6 years, can pretty much do ANYTHING for the first 6 months, and get better endurance, strength, weight loss and looks.

"beginners" (which can last for years) don't work out enough or hard / intense enough. They workout, for hours and hours over the course of a year, and don't ever really tax themselves enough to see or make gains. The weights they use today are not much more than what they used 2 years ago.

"intermediate" (which can last for years) are very very often in a state of overtraining. They're more fit, and stronger than the stuck beginners, but, they also are most often stuck, not seeing their weights go up or times improve for months on end, and, they often will have small injuries here or there that interrupt their training, or that they try to train through but the injury keeps them from making progress. MOST OFTEN THEY ARE OVERTRAINED working out too often, without enough rest.

ADVANCED athletes have learned how to push themselves hard enough to make gains beyond the beginners, but, also, have learned how NOT to over train, how to workout "the right amount".

You're body needs to recover. If you are in a positive calorie state (eating a ton) trying to gain weight, you may need less rest (given same volume of workouts) and may need MORE rest if you are in a calorie deficit.


Frequency of working out each bodypart also is a factor. IF ALL YOU DO is benchpress heavy every workout, I'm pretty sure benching 4 times a week (every other day) is too much, you'll overtrain, and likely get injured. And that's with 3 or 4 rest days a week.

If you are doing 2 hour marathon high intensity sessions, you likely will need more rest days than smaller, 45 minute to an hour sessions.

A few people here have described some different "splits", e.g. Monday = back, Tuesday = legs, Wednesday = chest, Thursday = Rest, then repeat, Friday = back, Sat = legs, Sun = Chest, Monday = Rest, and so on. These types of splits allow you to workout more often, and still get in enough recovery time.

What do I do? Varies on my "real life", Fall of 2012 I was doing 3 hour sessions just Sat and Sun ... but that's not optimal. I try to lift heavy weights 3 times a week, and do "calesthenics" (similar to crossfit type stuff, I guess) 2 days a week, and rest 2 days a week.

I also try to take AT LEAST 4 weeks off a year, usually one week a quarter. I find that 5 days a week workouts, with two rest days a week, I, personally, still overtrain and can come back stronger after a week off.

This is totally an individual thing. I have trained with guys that can lift heavy 6 days a week for weeks on end. I can't, I need more rest.

GOOD LUCK!

TheEffort

My rest day is usually on Sundays...I work out 6-days a week alternating between strength and cardio.

dawnoverb

I haven't taken a rest day yet. I am afraid if I take a day off, my routine will be disrupted and I will fall off the wagon.. So, for now, I will just keep doing what I do:)

hunnichow

Im absolutely dying to know what cutting & bulking is!

riginthering

I have a low-impact day, but when I get into the groove of working out, I feel like a jerk if I completely take the day off. Usually low-impact day involves biking with my dog (she pulls me most of the way) or taking long walks with my family and dogs.

CopperB73

hunnichow asked "What are 'curtting' and 'bulking'?"
Cutting = losing weight, in the form of unwanted body fat
bulking = gaining weight, in the form of muscle

It's difficult to do both at once: to lose weight you basically eat less, whereas to gain muscle you eat more (and exercise, especially strength training, so that the extra food doesn't become fat). So it's usual to do first one, and then the other.

That's probably an over-simplification, but I hope it answers the question without being a long answer!

LisaGirlfriend

I love to work out every day but generally I take 1-2 rest days a week because of busy life. I'd work out every day if I could but I really vary my workouts so I don't overdo it. My body totally craves it and I notice I'm much more agitated and impatient on days I don't work out. All that being said, I do listen to my body. My Personal Trainer worked my legs so hard last week I HAD to take a rest day. LOL!!

randomtai

Depends on my current goals.... usually 3-4 rest days

Jemellc

One or two days.... usually one weekday/sat and or sun.

Serah87

I have 2(Sat. and Sun.) rest days for weight lifting and 1(Sun.) rest day of cardio.

CopperB73

If you are wondering how many rest days you ought to have, this article seems helpful: http://www.acefitness.org/blog/3565/recovery-redefined-how-much-rest-you-actually-need

PlumpKitten

fppalmer is right.
You need a rest day if you are already in very good shape and doing some serious weights.
For the grand majority of us normal slobs just getting into shape, you are probably fine exercising as much as you want.

If you are really concerned, then alternate weight-bearing exercises and cardio, which is what I try to do.
If I can, I do circuits with free weights three times a week. And the other days I jog or do yoga.

That said, the weights I do are so light -- and I am such an amateur -- that I could probably do them every day with no harm, except for being a little sore.

Unknown

This content has been removed.