What's your take on having rest days?

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ktina08
ktina08 Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Do you think rest days are important? If so how often should you take them?

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  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
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    YES that''s very important because our body needs time to recover from the workouts. The rest day depends on you. As for me I make sure to have 1 rest day (usually every Monday). However just because it is your rest day doesn't give you a license to be completely sedentary for the entire 24 hours. What it only means is that you take a break from your usual workout routines but still do something that will keep you moving such as housework, running after the kids or grocery chopping.
  • Cr357
    Cr357 Posts: 238
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    YES that''s very important because our body needs time to recover from the workouts. The rest day depends on you. As for me I make sure to have 1 rest day (usually every Monday). However just because it is your rest day doesn't give you a license to be completely sedentary for the entire 24 hours. What it only means is that you take a break from your usual workout routines but still do something that will keep you moving such as housework, running after the kids or grocery chopping.
    ^^^ rest and recovery are often overlooked and underrated.
  • aveeno1987
    aveeno1987 Posts: 1
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    a rest is always important.... I personally dont take a full rest day.. 5 days of the week I do intense cardio while 2 of the days , which I consider my rest days, I do beginners yoga and stretching routines...
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
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    YES that''s very important because our body needs time to recover from the workouts. The rest day depends on you. As for me I make sure to have 1 rest day (usually every Monday). However just because it is your rest day doesn't give you a license to be completely sedentary for the entire 24 hours. What it only means is that you take a break from your usual workout routines but still do something that will keep you moving such as housework, running after the kids or grocery chopping.

    ^This
  • wish21
    wish21 Posts: 602 Member
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    I take them when I feel its necessary. I feel that if I miss a workout -- only 35 min -- I get lazy and next workout is sluggish. But I do take them every now and then
  • dancingincircles84
    dancingincircles84 Posts: 53
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    I take rest days on Tuesday and Wednesday because I have class from 8-5 and tons of homework so if I want to sleep I can't work out. They're really good for recovery.
  • hbunting86
    hbunting86 Posts: 952 Member
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    Yep - I have one allotted rest day per week (usually Saturday), but if I'm feeling really tired or unwell I'll take another or switch it up to do something light.

    Happy resting! :-)
  • nwhitley
    nwhitley Posts: 619
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    They are important. As everyone already said, you need them for recovery. Plus, you don't want to burn yourself out. I generally rest on Wed. and Sun from running which I do everyday. I rest on Sundays b/c I am preparing to go back to work the next day and have lesson plans, papers to grade, etc. And, Wed. I sometimes rest or do some type of strength training.
  • hsmithway
    hsmithway Posts: 191
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    Generally I work out 5 days a week.

    I don't know if it's because I have Fibromyalgia or what, but after several days in a row, I start to really feel run down, and a day or two of rest really perks me back up.
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
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    Everyone is different, so listen to YOUR body.

    For me, I need one a week, but a typical week for me is 3 miles swimming, 50 miles bike, 10 miles running and 2 weight sessions. That's 9 workouts a week (assuming I don't miss any). If I don't rest at least one FULL day, I'll start to get tendon pain somewhere. There is a fine line between 'good' pain and 'bad' pain. Muscle soreness is, for the most part, 'good' pain. Tendon pain for me is a 'bad' pain. Rest days will go a long way to keep you from having 'bad' pain.

    If I were only doing 30-45 minutes a day of low-impact (swimming, elliptical, stationary bike at moderate pace), then I wouldn't ever need one.

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