Are rest days really necessary?

LauraMarie37

...especially when your weekly exercise total is already pretty far under the usual?

I'm a professional dancer, and also take cross-training pretty seriously. My normal routine involves about 2-6 hours of working out each day at the point where I'm pushing myself to my limit (class, rehearsal, running, Insanity DVDs, etc), and probably another 1-3 hours each day of being "active" (walking somewhere, teaching dance, etc). When I am in that routine I try my best to always have one rest day a week.

Last week, all my active stuff was still in there, but I had much less of the hard, pushing myself kinds of workouts - probably 1-3 hours each day, and one day without it completely (though I walked 3 miles and taught for 2 hours that day).

Do I still need a rest day? How about your workouts - in general, do you take a rest day only when you've pushed yourself the other 6? When you are really sore? One day a week, no matter what?

deathstarclock

YES

sc1572

I never take rest days unless absolutely needed...so sore I can't move, sick, etc.

iwantniceabs

Yes ma'am.

I love being active, so I find it hard to take a day off, but if I don't, I can tell the difference after a couple days - your body needs that rest, even if you aren't working out as crazy as your 'normal' or as much as you know you can.

KMSForLife

I don't take rest days - I alternate running one day / walking the next.

JamesonsMommy

YES!! if you must doing something take a very slow walk

GymRatRaceRunner

I take rest days when my body tells me I should. Sometimes that means once a week, sometimes twice.

PlanetVelma

I have found when I don't take rest days I get burned out faster, plus when you take rest days you're giving your body a chance to recover from working out. You have a greater chance of injury if you don't take a rest day...

koosdel

Diet, excersize, AND rest.

CoachNYLA

...especially when your weekly exercise total is already pretty far under the usual?

I'm a professional dancer, and also take cross-training pretty seriously. My normal routine involves about 2-6 hours of working out each day at the point where I'm pushing myself to my limit (class, rehearsal, running, Insanity DVDs, etc), and probably another 1-3 hours each day of being "active" (walking somewhere, teaching dance, etc). When I am in that routine I try my best to always have one rest day a week.

Last week, all my active stuff was still in there, but I had much less of the hard, pushing myself kinds of workouts - probably 1-3 hours each day, and one day without it completely (though I walked 3 miles and taught for 2 hours that day).

Do I still need a rest day? How about your workouts - in general, do you take a rest day only when you've pushed yourself the other 6? When you are really sore? One day a week, no matter what?

Recovery is totally important for you. Otherwise you are overtraining and burning out your adrenals glands. I have been there done that with 3-4 hour training days 6 days a week with triple cardios a day at 45 min. a clip. I learned the hard way and as a trainer, I knew better but was just stubborn for the sport (figure competitor). I also was a ballet dancer when I was very young for many years and as a result I have over developed calves from being on toe, especially during my developmental years, so a flexibility routine (which I am sure is part of your beginning and ending of your training) is vital in your profession.

Mega water and recovery formulas are also important, otherwise you can get into muscle wasting and breakdown in the body.

Azdak

Recovery days/periods are necessary. That doesn't always mean absolute rest.

LauraMarie37

Recovery days/periods are necessary. That doesn't always mean absolute rest.

Azdak, I'm honored to get a reply from you - I'm a big fan of your blog.

But I'm trying to figure out just that - what counts as recovery? Especially because I usually feel that if I'm going to do something, I may as well do it as fast/hard as possible (while not sacrificing good form, obviously).

Also, Coach NYLA, yes, stretching is crucial for me, as well as some good quality time with my foam roller and a tennis ball! I do try to keep my protein pretty high to help muscle recovery, and my fats high to help joint/faschia recovery (I'm at around 45% carbs / 25% protein / 30% fat).

wolfchild59

Short answer is yes.

I went for awhile without giving myself a true rest day and ended up with constant, plaguing, injuries and an overall feeling of burnout. Since I've been giving myself one true rest day (absolutely no workout of any kind) I've been feeling remarkably better. My speed and strength are improving week over week, I've been injury free and I feel more motivated to get to my workout on all of my non-rest nights. Knowing that I have a scheduled rest day helps me push through each of the other nights much easier because I know that day is coming. And my scheduled rest day is Friday, so I can enjoy plans with friends without worry of interruption of my workout schedule.

atsteele

I take rest days when my body tells me I should. Sometimes that means once a week, sometimes twice.

^^^ This. My rest day is Friday. Worst day of my whole week. LOL And if I feel like I haven't taken a rest day in a while and need one, sometimes I'll take another one. 99% of the time I stick to my routine. After a rest day, I almost always feel refreshed and invigorated. I think rest days are absolutely necessary for a body to rebuild itself.

Enforcer25

I usually take Sundays off, I figure six days is plenty, but others may be different, I think it depends on the person, your body will let you know.

Kilter

There have been months where I haven't taken a rest day, a true rest day, and things feel fine. At first. Eventually though I just start to burn out. 1 day a week rest though and I feel more able to go out and go hard on the other days.

It's more than just doing light exercise, it's the absence of exercise that gives you mental recovery as well as physical.

Your body is the best judge. If you want to work through one rest day because you think the rest of the week has been light.. go for it. But I wouldn't make a habit of it.

Just my .02

S