Do you have a rest day?

I do alternate muscle groups. One day do legs, next day do arms, then back to legs the following day, etc. Generally, I do take a day off from exercising- either Friday or Sunday.

When cutting I train 3x a week, rest 4

when bulking I train 4x a week, rest 3

I listen to my body. When I'm tired I take a break. Don't have a set day.

Mon, Wed, Fri: Calisthenics and dumbbell workout.
Sun, Tue, Thu: 45 min - 1 hour, brisk walking.
Saturday: Rest

Last summer I went 6 weeks without a rest day but I've got absolutely no idea how and wouldn't advise it either! I hate taking rests but week I'm going to have 2 days where I just do a body balance/easy yoga class to give myself a break. But I'm a student on my summer holidays so I don't need energy for work etc

Today is my rest day. I wkout six days rotating cardio and weights and rest one day.

Normally I will workout Mon through Fri, rest Sat, then workout Sunday.

I am following the Les Mills Pump schedule so I have been taking an extra rest day when it tells me to. However, for the workout schedules that offer only 1 rest day... that is how I do it. :bigsmile:

"true noobies", who just got off the couch after 6 years, can pretty much do ANYTHING for the first 6 months, and get better endurance, strength, weight loss and looks.

"beginners" (which can last for years) don't work out enough or hard / intense enough. They workout, for hours and hours over the course of a year, and don't ever really tax themselves enough to see or make gains. The weights they use today are not much more than what they used 2 years ago.

"intermediate" (which can last for years) are very very often in a state of overtraining. They're more fit, and stronger than the stuck beginners, but, they also are most often stuck, not seeing their weights go up or times improve for months on end, and, they often will have small injuries here or there that interrupt their training, or that they try to train through but the injury keeps them from making progress. MOST OFTEN THEY ARE OVERTRAINED working out too often, without enough rest.

ADVANCED athletes have learned how to push themselves hard enough to make gains beyond the beginners, but, also, have learned how NOT to over train, how to workout "the right amount".

You're body needs to recover. If you are in a positive calorie state (eating a ton) trying to gain weight, you may need less rest (given same volume of workouts) and may need MORE rest if you are in a calorie deficit.


Frequency of working out each bodypart also is a factor. IF ALL YOU DO is benchpress heavy every workout, I'm pretty sure benching 4 times a week (every other day) is too much, you'll overtrain, and likely get injured. And that's with 3 or 4 rest days a week.

If you are doing 2 hour marathon high intensity sessions, you likely will need more rest days than smaller, 45 minute to an hour sessions.

A few people here have described some different "splits", e.g. Monday = back, Tuesday = legs, Wednesday = chest, Thursday = Rest, then repeat, Friday = back, Sat = legs, Sun = Chest, Monday = Rest, and so on. These types of splits allow you to workout more often, and still get in enough recovery time.

What do I do? Varies on my "real life", Fall of 2012 I was doing 3 hour sessions just Sat and Sun ... but that's not optimal. I try to lift heavy weights 3 times a week, and do "calesthenics" (similar to crossfit type stuff, I guess) 2 days a week, and rest 2 days a week.

I also try to take AT LEAST 4 weeks off a year, usually one week a quarter. I find that 5 days a week workouts, with two rest days a week, I, personally, still overtrain and can come back stronger after a week off.

This is totally an individual thing. I have trained with guys that can lift heavy 6 days a week for weeks on end. I can't, I need more rest.

GOOD LUCK!

I haven't taken a rest day yet. I am afraid if I take a day off, my routine will be disrupted and I will fall off the wagon.. So, for now, I will just keep doing what I do:)

I have a low-impact day, but when I get into the groove of working out, I feel like a jerk if I completely take the day off. Usually low-impact day involves biking with my dog (she pulls me most of the way) or taking long walks with my family and dogs.