Rest days? How many?

RunnerGirl238

How many rest days do you take a week? Also, what do you count as "rest"? Like, yoga, for me, isn't a strenuous activity so I will do it on a rest day. However, is that rest? As training and mileage ramps up, I'm really trying t ok avoid injury, but I HATE stillness. My Type A neuroses need a way get out and that seems to be through movement.

I know officially guidelines, but what works for you?

TavistockToad

i would count walking or Yoga as rest days.

how many running days does your training plan have?

My current plan for my next half marathon is 4 x runs, 2 x strength training (on run days) 1 x cross training and 2 rest days.

hypocacculus

I generally have one day a week of doing absolutely nothing more than a casual stroll, even if I feel like doing something. I don't do Yoga so I can't comment but I find the (arguably) similar Pilates certainly isn't rest, as the idea is to work muscles until they fatigue.

You might feel you don't need it at the time but that's the point; if you wait until you are tired and strung out, it's too late and much harder to recover from. You'll also be susceptible to every bug and virus going. Now that really puts a hole in your routine.

Phirrgus

My rest days vary, but I only take a full, do absolutely nothing day maybe 3 or 4 times a month, maybe. I've found some sort of active recovery leaves me feeling more refreshed.

BrianSharpe

It's rare that I'll take a rest day and do nothing I do, however, aim for at least one recovery day per week which will be low volume, low intensity (which sounds like what you're doing with yoga and/or walking). It really comes down to fitness levels, adaptation and learning to know your body's signs of fatigue.

lporter229

I walk my dog and stretch every day so I don't count those as exercise. I run (or occasionally cross train) 4-5 days per week and strength train/plyometrics 2-3 days per week. I organize my schedule so that I have one total rest day, usually Fridays, where the dog walk and stretching is my only activity and double up on some activities other days. Sundays are usually just an easy paced recovery run.

sijomial

I make a distinction between rest and recovery, a lot of my exercise needs recovery but for me it's only normally a heavy cumulative training load over an extended period of time that requires rest.

For example my legs are recovering from a long (4hr) cycle ride yesterday but that doesn't stop me doing upper body strength training this evening.

In answer to your question, I very rarely take rest days. After an exceptionally long mileage (or exceptional intensity) event or after several weeks of a hard training block or if I'm showing signs of impaired recovery such as general fatigue or elevated RHR.

Silentpadna

RunnerGirl238 wrote: »

How many rest days do you take a week? Also, what do you count as "rest"? Like, yoga, for me, isn't a strenuous activity so I will do it on a rest day. However, is that rest? As training and mileage ramps up, I'm really trying t ok avoid injury, but I HATE stillness. My Type A neuroses need a way get out and that seems to be through movement.

I know officially guidelines, but what works for you?

Usually 2-3, but I strength train with other conditioning. When I did run, I had 2 rest days (where yoga and walking didn't count). Like you, I like to busy. What I try to remember about rest is that it has a specific purpose: to allow recovery, dissipate accumulated fatigue and allow for adaptation. That concept is at least somewhat true in just about everything.

So I look at rest as just as important a part of training as the stress. Could be a shift in perspective is all you need.

Silent_Soliloquy

I run every other day. I do: long slow run, shorter race-tempo run, short slow run ... repeat.

So one week its 3 runs, one week it's four.

So for my legs, every other day is a rest day. On those days I try to stay active but do not do any specific workouts. Maybe chop firewood, or haul lumber, stuff like that.

sardelsa

I consider a true rest day where I am not doing any lifting or high impact cardio. Walking, light yoga, stretching is all part of my normal daily activity, which is about 1-2x per week.

mburgess458

I take a couple of rest days a month. That doesn't mean I go all out every single day, I mix in harder and easier runs.

I monitor my resting heart rate and use that as a warning for when I need a rest day. RHR > 50 for me means it's time for a day off. RHR in the high 40's means I should probably have a somewhat easier run. RHR in the low 40's means I'm fine to push it that day. It seems to work for me, YMMV.

garystrickland357

I just finished 24 weeks of structured training for a 1/2 marathon (I did the plan twice - long story, doesn't matter). In the plan I had Mondays and Fridays as rest days. That just means I didn't run or cycle. I may still walk a lot, do yard work, or be active - I just don't stress the muscle groups I am training.
I did the event this past Sunday. I decided to take this week off for mental reasons as much as rest. I did ride 20 miles on Wed, and I made a short 3 mile run, but I haven't worried about exercise. I'm getting "itchy" to get back on the road so I'll start a new period of training next week.

granitepeak1981

When training for a specific even like a marathon or a half marathon/ trail run I use a pre-planned training schedule and do my best to stick to it. Most call for 1-2 rest days a week. And many that I’ve used suggest nice mellow walks or stretching as part of that rest day. Sitting your *kitten* down on the couch for a full day of “rest” can lead to tightness that could lead to injury down the road.

JBanx256

I have 2 programmed rest days per week. But the extent of the "rest" depends largely on how I'm feeling - energy levels, etc. If I'm feeling good, plenty of energy, etc, I may take one of those days to do some GPP/conditioning stuff; if I'm feeling a little more slacker I may just do a little light cardio. If I'm feeling really beat-up and left for dead, I will sit on my butt and not do anything.

lx1x

"rest are for the weak" j/k

Everyone needs rest once awhile. pick a day or two..

For me.."rest" is a rest.. no stretching, walking, excercises etc.

RunnerGrl1982

I have two rest days per week. Usually, there is one day I do absolutely nothing but rest, the other I typically do something non-impact (swimming, etc..)

cwolfman13

RunnerGirl238 wrote: »

How many rest days do you take a week? Also, what do you count as "rest"? Like, yoga, for me, isn't a strenuous activity so I will do it on a rest day. However, is that rest? As training and mileage ramps up, I'm really trying t ok avoid injury, but I HATE stillness. My Type A neuroses need a way get out and that seems to be through movement.

I know officially guidelines, but what works for you?

How many depends on what you're doing and what kind of intensity you're working at. I really prefer to call them recovery days...as in recovery from more aggressive or intense workouts. I would consider any lite activity like walking, yoga, easy swimming, recreational cycling, etc to be proper recovery activities. I try to be active 7 days per week most of the year, but a couple of those days will be lighter than others to make sure I'm recovering from harder workouts. I'm not as active in the winter and I'm lucky to get 3-4 days of exercise...so plenty of rest there.

Right now I'm not training for anything in particular and just lifting a couple days per week and cycling 4-5 days per week for fitness. When I was training for endurance cycling events I followed my programming as much as possible to get in the proper miles and proper rest...but that was a lot more time in the saddle than 45-60 minutes and having hill repeats and interval sessions programmed in there.

reesegrace1

I am just getting back on track of working out. I plan to do 2 rest days of doing nothing, and that will be Fridays - grocery day. And Sundays - cleaning day.

RunnerGirl238

Thanks y'all. Good to hear so many perspectives. I take one official day currently, but am still active. Using RHR as a guide is smart. Science always wins.

firef1y72

I don't exactly have a rest day, but I do have a 24hour period each week from after Saturday morning bootcamp until I set off for my long run on Sunday morning, where all I'll do is stretch and roll.
But I have a pretty structured workout week, where my trainer focuses on different things throughout the week. So different body parts are being used everyday

RunnerGirl238

firef1y72 wrote: »

I don't exactly have a rest day, but I do have a 24hour period each week from after Saturday morning bootcamp until I set off for my long run on Sunday morning, where all I'll do is stretch and roll.
But I have a pretty structured workout week, where my trainer focuses on different things throughout the week. So different body parts are being used everyday

I like this! This feels right. I'm not running daily and ok...i alternate upper and lower on days I dont run so i feel like nothing is being overworked. If I'm sleeping enough and feeling well, a "rest day" isn't totally mandatory....

pierinifitness

To answer the OP question, whatever my body tells me it needs but generally 1-3 days depending on intensity of my workouts. I’m 64 so likely in a different training world than you. I do have intense workouts though.

Djproulx

RunnerGirl238 wrote: »

firef1y72 wrote: »

I don't exactly have a rest day, but I do have a 24hour period each week from after Saturday morning bootcamp until I set off for my long run on Sunday morning, where all I'll do is stretch and roll.
But I have a pretty structured workout week, where my trainer focuses on different things throughout the week. So different body parts are being used everyday

I like this! This feels right. I'm not running daily and ok...i alternate upper and lower on days I dont run so i feel like nothing is being overworked. If I'm sleeping enough and feeling well, a "rest day" isn't totally mandatory....

My coach generally has her athletes on a full 7 day schedule. During our "in season" training blocks, we do several sessions in each discipline each week, with supplemental strength(weights) and flexibility sessions(yoga) in addition to the swim, bike and run work. As far as rest days, we have one "recovery day", usually on Mondays following long work on the weekends. The Monday workout is typically an easy bike session to "spin out" fatigue in the legs. This is optional and occasionally I'll take that day as pure rest.

Finally, my coach monitors sleep, nutrition and fatigue, and adjusts or eliminates workouts if athletes are not recovering properly. From your post, it sounds like you are generally doing this and its working for you, so I'd guess that you're getting enough recovery.