Are rest days really neccessary?

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HS2305
HS2305 Posts: 422 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hoping that any fitness gurus on here can give me a little bit of advice.

Is it really necessary to have a rest day or can I just alternate my workouts?

I''m also wondering if it is best to do pilates every day or should I only be doing it a few times a week? The only reason I ask is because my body is aching after yesterday's session and I'm obviously conscious of not wanting to overdo it.

I'm doing Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 workout 3-4 times a week and I go to zumba class twice a week. I also have an elliptical that I use at home a couple of times a week.

Any help would be much appreciated :) Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • Annerk1
    Annerk1 Posts: 372 Member
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    I'm taking the first one in over two months. My body told me it needed it with a lightly pulled groin muscle.

    I will do strength training in my arms, abs, and back tomorrow, and an easy yoga class with modifications on Tuesday. I'm hoping to resume cardio by the end of the week.

    Typically I do cardio every day. Strength train M, W, F and yoga Su, Tu, Th, F.
  • sunshinestater
    sunshinestater Posts: 596 Member
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    I mix c25k with strength and started out without a rest day (doing JMBR on my non running days) but my body told me that it needs rest most weeks so I go by how I feel.
  • greenmonstergirl
    greenmonstergirl Posts: 619 Member
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    I have no rest days "scheduled" in, however it seems once every two weeks I just need a break! It usually ends up the day after I have LOST weight as well so it's not been a bad thing to have a rest day at all! Listen to your body, it will tell you when it needs a day off.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    I take one day a week, but am not totally inactive on a rest day as I will walk, hit the mall or do housework.

    Rest days are important as you need to give your body a break to repair itself.

    As for doing the same exercise every day, it wont damage your progress, but variety will help.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
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    rest days are extremely important for your body, and your mind.

    edit : also - if you don't take breaks, and end up pulling/injuring something, you'll have to not exercise for a longer period of time than if you were just taking a break.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    Yes, rest is essential. How much rest you need varies. If you're only exercising lightly, you might be able to do it everyday. If you're working hard, doing intense cardio or HIIT, doing strength training with all your strength, you might need more than one rest day a week, or at least easy days between those intense workouts.

    The sucky thing about not allowing enough recovery time is that sometimes, rather than feeling tired and sore, you get socked with an injury that takes weeks to heal, forcing you to rest.
  • epie2098
    epie2098 Posts: 224 Member
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    Yes, you do need a rest day. They're very important so your body can rebuild muscle, and so you don't risk overtraining. A rest day will allow you to notice if you have soreness or stiffness in order to take care of it. They're also important for your mind. Too much of anything is not good for us. In yoga, the last pose is shavasana (sp), where you lie still and give your body and mind a chance to integrate and enjoy stillness. It's as important as any other strength or flexibility pose. Rest days give us the same thing.
  • zachherda
    zachherda Posts: 47
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    Anyone saying they don't do a rest day, or that it is not
    Important has no idea about training or
    Physical health. Rest days repair and rebuild muscles, which is essential to growth. If you do not rest you will not repair and not grow your muscles because they will be in a constant state of shock. Also, rest days are very important for weight loss, your body is essentially in shock for what you are putting it through, it retains water to help repair you and it gets a bit imbalanced as it is trying to figure out what you are doing. Remember you know you are exercising, your body feels and thinks it is under attack. When you rest your body has a chance to even itself out again, and that is where you will see a lot of weight loss. If you do not take a rest day you are going to be imbalanced and may not see weight loss. So YES take a day of entirely, rest, and eat clean.
  • mewtwo500
    mewtwo500 Posts: 29 Member
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    Yes! The achy feeling you have is your body trying to tell you that it needs a little time to recover. Even if you pushed yourself to work out today, chances are that you're not going to do your best anyway. Might as well take a day off so that you can put in your full effort the next day and get more out of your workout.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
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    Depends. "Rest day" doesn't always have to translate to a "do-nothing day".

    When I first get into a training regime, I do take at least one day (most of the time, it's at least 2) to do nothing and give my muscles a chance to recover. But once I get going a few months into the training, I'll sometimes turn one rest day into something like a yoga day, because while it's not exactly "resting", it's a break for my muscles, and helps them to loosen up without impact.

    But overall, you need days of low-impact, like stretching, or days of absolutely nothing, to allow your muscles the chance to recoup and re-build. You wouldn't let your brain and body go without sleeping at night, and you shouldn't allow your muscles to go days without a break, either.
  • worldsbestauntie
    worldsbestauntie Posts: 280 Member
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    I take Sunday as my rest day as with church services, I just have a hard time fitting it in. I've switched back to do it in the morning (I was doing it in the evening for awhile) but overslept today and barely had time to get ready before I had to get out the door! (And this is after calling for a ride as I missed my bus to church!) I do feel like a day of rest is needed. Though, I find it harder to get back into it the next day if I do take a day of rest.
  • Ohnoes
    Ohnoes Posts: 98 Member
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    i take a rest day when my body says, "NOOOOOoooooOOOOoooooooooOOOoooo!!!"

    it took me a while to be able to tell the difference between my lazy internal voice, the one that says things like, "you dont have to workout today, stay in bed, sleeep, you can do it tomorrow, its fine, its good, just stay in bed." (that voice sounds like garfield the cat, btw)

    and my real internal voice, that tells me im legit tired and my muscles need a rest. but i think ive got it figured out now, lol.
  • fuzzball01
    fuzzball01 Posts: 105 Member
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    I don't like or believing in taking rest days. But I do listen to my body somewhat. Today my body is saying "Do not run". At this point, I am listening. I may get a walk in later. I will do my squats etc. I tend to ignore what my body tells me at times, but today its saying no running. I will push it harder tomorrow tho if I take todayoff.

    Listen to your body. Its better then getting an injury or burning yourself out.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    Rest days provide a time when muscles can repair and cardiovascular adaptions can take place. The same is true of sleep; you may be able to get by without it, but there are things that are not happening in your body while it waits for a break. One day a week is a minimum, and if people are newer it's best to take 4. Over-training can cause injuries, and at the very least cause sleepless nights.
  • eowynmn
    eowynmn Posts: 165 Member
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    I only "rest" when my body says rest. That being said, I don't lift every day, and I do let my upper body recover. A couple days a week, I just do cardio, and one of those days I only do zumba and so that's kinda rest. That being said, I listen to my body and every 3-4 weeks I take one day off of work because my body is telling me to take a day off.
  • ttippie2000
    ttippie2000 Posts: 412 Member
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    Rest is one of those things that gets neglected. I tend to break down rest into three categories: 1) Sleep, 2) waking rest, and 3) active recovery. You need to take all three seriously, and the higher your workout load is the more important they become.
  • darwinwoodka
    darwinwoodka Posts: 322 Member
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    Well they are for me. YMMV.
  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
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    Rest days aren't as important as people like to believe. The idea of rest days has filtered down from top level bodybuilding down to the average Joe who now thinks these days are essential for them. I can guarantee that 99.9% of the people worried about over-training are actually under-training. Its difficult to over-train your muscles. Your CNS will most likely give out before that.

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