How important is it to take a "rest"day?

wgn4166

I love working out. The only time I will take a rest day, is after I have done my infusion in my legs, which makes them very sore.
Is it necessary to have a rest day if I dont need one?
I feel like a slacker if I don't work out every day!
I even feel guilty if the soreness in my legs keep me from doing my exercise.

Kalynx

very important.

working out shouldnt cause so much pain you cause permanent damage.

peachyxoxoxo

Yeah it's definitely important. Your muscles need time to recover and repair themselves

wgn4166

very important.

working out shouldnt cause so much pain you cause permanent damage.

the pain I have is from my infusions. Not from working out.
Sorry I didn't explain that very well.

TravisBurns

It is essential. Nearly just as important as working out itself.

missym357

Very important! I hate taking rest days, but there is a piont where I will just be spinning my wheels and getting nowhere if I don't take a break. It gives your body a chance to recover and get even stronger.

Mountainbiker2015

Yeah it's definitely important. Your muscles need time to recover and repair themselves

I agree 100% with this statement.

chefsmash

Rest is when the muscles grow/repair... adequate sleep, alternating muscle groups worked or leaving a day between each full-body strength routine. It's essential to progress. It's fine to do active rest though; such as light cardio, stretching, foam rolling, yoga, etc

NavyKnightAh13

I have to constantly remind myself to take a "rest day" because I get to where i feel guilty for not working out. but usually on the days i do rest, i go for a light walk or do yoga

innocenceportrayed

I workout 5 days a week so I have 2 rest days(normally tuesdays and fridays) because your body needs to rest---your muscles need a break--just like you need sleep, your muscles need a break.

kateowp

Looks like your exercise is mostly cardio. If you don’t want a day off, maybe you could do some strength work instead of cardio on your "rest" day.

DawnieB1977

As someone else said, you need to give your body chance to repair, especially if you're working out with weights and doing resistance training. You could always go for a walk on your day off?

I work out about 4 times a week, but I have 2 young children, and going out with them and chasing round after them burns up loads of calories, so i guess I don't really have any rest days!

wgn4166

I feel like working out has become an addiction !!

sosino

I do Insanity 6 days a week and do P90X X Stretch on the 7th day.

sosino

I feel like working out has become an addiction !!

+1 for the above. never thought I would feel like that.

RawVeganFlirt

definitely need rest days, i don't like sitting around and doing nothing on rest days either, so i do light exercises at home (moving furniture, yoga, stretching, going for a walk)

recovery is important! especially if you want to build muscle

storyluv

I feel the same way about "rest" days. But I go really hard during the week and I get pretty spent by the time Friday rolls around. I take a rest day for my mood, usually Fridays and Sundays. Mentally I need to regroup and I feel much better on Monday and I go hard all over again. I love working out, but I am super busy and I need to think heavily for my job. I can't do that if my muscles are taking up all the energy to recover. I also find myself hungry all the time, so I need to give my body a break or else I'm going to eat everything. But even on a rest day I'll go for a bike ride or take a walk, it's cathartic no less. I also go to bed early now, say 10:30-11:00ish. Rest well, balance is key for your healthy sustainable lifestyle. Cheers:drinker:

runnerchick69

I rarely take a rest day. The exceptions are the day before and after a marathon, the day before a half marathon (no need for the day after) and if we are traveling I tend to take the day off. I won't be working out next Sunday however I am helping to put on a full distance triathlon and will be there from 4 am until about 2 am the next day...I think that constitutes a work out It is up to each person and how they feel but I don't find it necessary. What I do is mix up my work outs with running, cycling, the Arc at the gym and weight training. My body is well adjusted to working out daily but if I do feel sore I do something that is a bit easier on my body such as the Arc. It is a method that works well for me.

mangohead100

I am likewise concerned that I may be becoming addicted to exercise (in an unhealthy way), so I'm taking a rest day today.
My 'alarm bell' that I may be addicted is that I am concerned that one day off will negatively impact my weight loss; logically, one day off is fine and healthy for me!

My sore legs are my more tangible alarm bell that I need to rest and recover.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/500792-how-to-take-a-rest-day-from-exercise/

ninerbuff

Let's define "rest day" here. A "rest day" is a day where one isn't training the same exact muscles as the day before with resistance. You can do cardio EVERYDAY, but you shouldn't do resistance training on the same muscle on consecutive days. You CAN train say arms today if you did legs yesterday.
So you don't have to rest between workouts, just don't train the same muscle consecutive days. You should try to allow for at least ONE full day of rest and no exercise a week though.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

DopeItUp

Let's define "rest day" here. A "rest day" is a day where one isn't training the same exact muscles as the day before with resistance. You can do cardio EVERYDAY, but you shouldn't do resistance training on the same muscle on consecutive days. You CAN train say arms today if you did legs yesterday.
So you don't have to rest between workouts, just don't train the same muscle consecutive days. You should try to allow for at least ONE full day of rest and no exercise a week though.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Well said, good answer.

heybales

very important.

working out shouldnt cause so much pain you cause permanent damage.

the pain I have is from my infusions. Not from working out.
Sorry I didn't explain that very well.

Then you aren't able to workout hard enough to put a load on your body so it must improve physically.

You might as well just walk every day. now, if that's what you are doing, great and easy fat burning workout - great.

You are having changes cardiovascularly of course, but even there, not as great as could be had if the body had a chance to recover. And that will stop eventually.

Don't worry though, if you don't give it rest, it'll usually find a means of making you give it a rest. From being sick more often because your immune system is shot, to getting injured for a couple weeks.

And all these negative effects are made worse by eating at deficit, which is another stress on the body, beyond exercise.

So it's really up to you, do you want your time and effort and energy to get the most return for what you put into it (most folks being limited on time), or reach a work plateau where you really aren't getting much benefit from what you put into it?

ValentineMomma

So this begs the question....if you work out without resting, will you be able to keep it up to maintain the new body, you'll create? I imagine that inadequate rest may cause injury to your body. So even if you may be able to pull it off for a while, out may start to take a toll on your body. Good luck.