Exercises : rest day, am I doin this right?

nomorearmflab

Alright, so I am sort of taking a rest day. but I am kind of worried that I haven't gotten enough exercise for the last week to do this. I've done 20-40 minutes of biking for the last 5-6 days, and I've been doing some small weight training steps ( a lot of push ups, situps and lunges) though I am not making my body really sore like I used to , it is getting to the point that my legs are heavy and a little bit sore and my shoulders and back need to be stretched out in the mornings.

Are my workouts doing any good if I am not getting so stiff it hurts the next morning?

awkwwward

The whole saying "No pain, no gain" (err....loss) isn't accurate. Just because you're not hurting the next day doesn't mean it isn't working. Working out is working out and getting your body stronger. The more you do it, the more your body is used to it. Not necessarily a bad thing (though you may want to mix things up a bit) - you're still burning cals all the more.

jdoggie

It just means you are in better shape.. but if you want you could push it to the next level.. good job:)

JRMcCaghren

Absolutely, the whole "no pain, no gain" thing is for juicers. You can get a great workout without hurting yourself.

EDIT: I swear I didn't copy from the second post. I didn't see it until after writing my reply.

carolinedb

I don't think we're supposed to be crazy stiff and sore every morning we wake up! I like to feel some muscle tenderness 3-4 days a week, particularly on days I lift.

Elzecat

It is recommended by many that you take at least 1 rest day a week, if not more. I like to run, and most beginning runners are advised to have one rest day between run days. I don't know if the same would apply to biking, but I don't think you should not be in pain every morning after a workout. You might be overdoing it, which can lead to injuries and could derail your progress. Most people are really sore when they initially start working out because you're using your body in ways that you haven't before. Once your body gets used to regular exercise routines you won't have sore muscles as often, you might try different workouts or intensities in your workouts to change things up.

Sugarchef

I agree that you're just in better shape and getting more fit. Good for you!

snowfox92

As an avid mountain biker, you really can bike every day, but you should have one rest day in between. Biking works your whole body, not just your legs. It's one of the best workouts you can get.

chivalryder

You're on the right track! Now you just need to pick up your game a bit to keep your body from getting "bored."

If you've only just started exercising, then the body soreness does go away to a certain degree. After a good workout, you should still feel a bit sore, but not so much that you can't function.

In actuality, the best thing you can do to get the best results is to alternate between workout days and rest days.

That is, by "workout," I mean "push yourself to your limits, and then some" days and by "rest" I mean "Don't do a damned thing, but if you feel you must, keep it as light and easy as possible."

The biggest universal problem there is when it comes to working out is people who are adamant about working out (i.e. professionals) and people who do it for whatever reason (amateur - or us) is that "professionals" work too hard and the amateurs don't work hard enough.

In order to get the most effective workout, you need to allow your body a good 36-48 hours of proper rest to recover from your last workout. Remember, when you're working out, you're actually creating microscopic tears in your muscles and/or you're burning glycogen stores in your muscles (your body's primary source of fuel). You need to heal those "wounds" and "refill the tank" before starting the cycle over again. If you don't let your body recover, you won't be able to push as hard, or as long on your next workout(s), resulting in more time spent with fewer results.

This all being said, if you feel like you must do something, the most effective workout is a LIGHT workout. An easy jog, or super light weights. If you're creating more than a very light sweat, you're working too hard. A light workout will loosen up your muscles and get some blood circulating through your system, helping with the flushing of waste and bringing food and oxygen to where it's needed.

Now that you've got your rests sorted out, you need to give your body a good reason to rest!

Workouts should NEVER be easy. You need to push yourself as hard as you can. IMO, it's more of a mental game than it is physical. When your body starts to give up, you have to tell yourself to keep pushing, until you've got every last ounce out of your muscles/heart. If you're doing resistance training (weights, etc.), then keep going until you literally can't do any more. If you managed to complete what feels like your last push-up, do another one. If you're on your bike, then do interval riding. Ride harder than you normally would for some time, then take it real easy. Lather, rinse, repeat. When you've improved your cardio, then you con consider getting into high intensity interval training. That's where you do a very short ride, and you book it as hard as you can for a few seconds, with quick rests in between. I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner, but if you've got a few months under your belt, it'll have the biggest effect of any type of workout you can do.

As for the absolute most important part of your exercises: Warm up before you start, and stretch when you've finished. You can message me for more info on those, or for more insight into what I've mentioned. This post is getting long-winded enough as it is. I've also got a collection of sources if you'd like to do your own research.

If you don't feel like you're quite up to this level of working out, that's alright. You're started, and you've set a goal. That's better than 90% of the people in this continent. Do what you're comfortable with, but do try to do a bit more than you did the last time.

Keep up the good work, and never give up!

Edit: Before you push yourself beyond what feel like your limit, get a full check-up by your doctor. You never know what menace might be hiding in your body (even if you're totally healthy otherwise)! The last thing you'll want is something to rear it's ugly head, setting you back miles from where you are now.

LaComadreja14

I work in a clinic so I get full access to my doc pretty often. When I first started working out I did 2 days in a row of pretty intense working out, the next day at work I could barely move around. Of course the doc (and the PA, physicians assistant) were wanting to know why. I told them and got informed/lectured about rest days. (Bare in mind this advice was for me, I am 23 and I haven't done much in the way of physical activity/exercise since high school, i take adderall for adhd and have to keep in mind that it keeps my sitting heart rate elevated, let alone while working out) so they recommended I work out a day, take a rest day, work out a day, take a rest day, work out a day, take a rest day, work out a day, take a rest day, etc. etc.... you get the picture, lol. They told me that working out too often could be counter productive because I could hurt myself, strain a muscle or put myself into physical exhaustion and then not be able to work out for a good long while ooor I could tear a muscle and really mess things up.
Taking a rest day isn't going to put you behind, however hurting yourself or putting yourself in physical exhaustion will- I'm not saying you should do as I do but don't beat yourself up over taking a day to let your body recoop. Listen to what your body tells you and remember that you and your body are on the same team. You have to work with it (and within its bounderies), not against it to get to your goal

smketchum

I have been working out on a consistent basis, increasing my intensity since the end of November and I work out Tues, Thurs, Sat and Sun and take Mon, Wed, and Fri as rest days. My body has completely transformed (hello muscles!) and my stamina has increased tremendously. Those rest days are partly because my schedule will simply not permit 7 day/week workouts, partly to let my body rest, and partly to prevent burnout. I am no expert, I just know what has worked for me and I have no found those rest days to hinder my progress at all. That is just my personal experience, but I hope it helps!

idcatiej22

ejean86, you have by far given the best work out advice i have ever seen on mfp!!! and i really wish this post were around last year when i was in college dealing with the dance team coach from hell. she'd push and push and push and push us through one practice, and then do the same thing again the very next night. and then again. then we'd have to fit in two or more cardio work outs a week, plus two or more strength trainings in during that week. needless to say, we were all burnt out and over half of us were injured (and i'm not talking sore muscles; i'm talking pulled groins, back injuries, and even stress fractures).

ANYWAYS, i agree with you - especially from my experience from intensely working out all the time. it's not good for you. your body does need a rest. if you absolutely feel the need to go do something on your rest day, i highly suggest walking. and i'm not talking power walking. i mean casually, "stop and smell the roses" walk. don't even think about putting on your gym clothes except for your sneakers. i've had my best results when i worked out hard three days a week, walked/lightly exercised for two, and then completely relaxed on the weekends.

don't be afraid to switch things up either. if you're looking for new ideas, try women's health magazine's website. i've gotten a TON of great ideas off of there. plus they also have really great nutrition tips and meal ideas that are all diet friendly (my personal favorite being the article where they show you how to make the most out of your salad).

good luck