How important are rest days?

meechster20001

Hi, I'm following a programme similar to couch to 5k and every other day is meant to be a rest day but I'm kind of hyped up, the workouts are going well and I'm not experiencing any excessive aches or pains. Am I ok to skip rest days?

Llamapants86

I would suggest taking a rest day from running, this doesn't mean you have to sit on your butt all day. Go for a walk, or find another crosstraining thing to do (strength training would be my best suggestion).

Rest is important, and it is important before you start feeling excessive pains, much easier to not get injured than to recover from injury.

MeanderingMammal

Am I ok to skip rest days?

Generally it's not recommended. The running is causing stresses on your joints and muscles, and the rest days help your recovery.

As you develop your capacity, after you finish the programme, you can work out what you want to do with running; lots of short distance or increasing your distance. Then you can increase the number of sessions that you do.

A frequent cause of injury in new runners is doing too much, too soon, and once you're injured it's too late.

When I was doing C25K I swam or rowed on off days.

hilts1969

Hi, I'm following a programme similar to couch to 5k and every other day is meant to be a rest day but I'm kind of hyped up, the workouts are going well and I'm not experiencing any excessive aches or pains. Am I ok to skip rest days?

i run mon tues rest thurs fri then rest weekend, nothing wrong running two days on the bounce, just listen to your body