an actual real question about working out

emibmas
emibmas Posts: 1,058 Member
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I have been working out everyday since July 6. And I keep reading/hearing about how it is important to have a "rest day" - well, I took my rest day yesterday and today I felt like complete poo until I did the treadmill. I usually do not have that feeling, but I felt heavy, and just off. How important is a rest day? Should I really "rest" or should I do a lighter than normal excersise routine?

These may sound like stupid questions. But to be 100% honest with you, I have never worked this hard in my life at something and I want to do everything RIGHT this time. I do not want anything to hinder my success either.
Thanks for listening.:smile:

Replies

  • emibmas
    emibmas Posts: 1,058 Member
    So, I have been working out everyday since July 6. And I keep reading/hearing about how it is important to have a "rest day" - well, I took my rest day yesterday and today I felt like complete poo until I did the treadmill. I usually do not have that feeling, but I felt heavy, and just off. How important is a rest day? Should I really "rest" or should I do a lighter than normal excersise routine?

    These may sound like stupid questions. But to be 100% honest with you, I have never worked this hard in my life at something and I want to do everything RIGHT this time. I do not want anything to hinder my success either.
    Thanks for listening.:smile:
  • neha_duvvuri
    neha_duvvuri Posts: 186 Member
    I believe on rest days you should do 30 minutes of interval training morning n evening. Not very vigorous though.
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    rest days are more for weight training then cardio. I mean, if you're cardio is super extremely hard on your body then ya, you should rest a day here and there, but if you're just working out for an hour or so at about 80% max heart rate, then I don't see any reason why you need to take a day off unless your body feels in pain or tired.
  • kleimola
    kleimola Posts: 210 Member
    So, I have been working out everyday since July 6. And I keep reading/hearing about how it is important to have a "rest day" - well, I took my rest day yesterday and today I felt like complete poo until I did the treadmill. I usually do not have that feeling, but I felt heavy, and just off. How important is a rest day? Should I really "rest" or should I do a lighter than normal excersise routine?

    These may sound like stupid questions. But to be 100% honest with you, I have never worked this hard in my life at something and I want to do everything RIGHT this time. I do not want anything to hinder my success either.
    Thanks for listening.:smile:

    My understanding of rest days is every couple of days but if you have working out everyday since July and not taken a rest yet then you probably would feel icky. I think as long as you work out different parts of your body everyday you are okay. That gives the muscles you worked out the day before time to recover.
  • emibmas
    emibmas Posts: 1,058 Member
    rest days are more for weight training then cardio. I mean, if you're cardio is super extremely hard on your body then ya, you should rest a day here and there, but if you're just working out for an hour or so at about 80% max heart rate, then I don't see any reason why you need to take a day off unless your body feels in pain or tired.

    Thanks for the advice, that is what I was hoping to hear!
    (and I giggle everytime I see the O on your "costume")
  • kleimola
    kleimola Posts: 210 Member
    rest days are more for weight training then cardio. I mean, if you're cardio is super extremely hard on your body then ya, you should rest a day here and there, but if you're just working out for an hour or so at about 80% max heart rate, then I don't see any reason why you need to take a day off unless your body feels in pain or tired.

    Thanks for the advice, that is what I was hoping to hear!
    (and I giggle everytime I see the O on your "costume")

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • neha_duvvuri
    neha_duvvuri Posts: 186 Member
    Thx! That enlightened me as well. :smile:
  • JennyGetsFitness
    JennyGetsFitness Posts: 40
    oh, god, If I did not have reast days, I'd die!

    I guess it depends how hard you work out and what kind of w/o you do.
    If you w/lift, you must give your mooskles a break, so the microtrauma induced by lifting has a chance to heal. If you feel bad the day after ur day off, on your day-off try to do lots of stretching, that should help.

    Also, read up on overtraining - lots of info out there...working intensely w/o reast can lead to that.
    Good luck!
  • RachVR6
    RachVR6 Posts: 3,688 Member
    On my rest day I do just a little bit of yoga or stretching, just to keep my muscles loosened up. :smile:
  • paulamma1
    paulamma1 Posts: 544 Member
    So, I have been working out everyday since July 6. And I keep reading/hearing about how it is important to have a "rest day" - well, I took my rest day yesterday and today I felt like complete poo until I did the treadmill. I usually do not have that feeling, but I felt heavy, and just off. How important is a rest day? Should I really "rest" or should I do a lighter than normal excersise routine?

    These may sound like stupid questions. But to be 100% honest with you, I have never worked this hard in my life at something and I want to do everything RIGHT this time. I do not want anything to hinder my success either.
    Thanks for listening.:smile:

    It's all relative. Without knowing what you're workout routine is, I couldn't give any examples.

    But let's talk about me as an example. :bigsmile: I'm training for a half marathon. I'll do a long run of 8 or 9 miles on Sunday and not run on Monday, but I'll do weights at lunch time on Monday. I do weights Mon, Wed and Fri as I do the same routine and you're supposed to leave a day off between weight lifting days. (I use 25lb hand weights.)

    I'm not sure I answered your question as much as questioned your answer :huh: :bigsmile:
  • michelli
    michelli Posts: 5
    I think you should pay attention to how your body feels, I think that's the most important. If you feel good than exercise, there may be a day when you just feel really run down or sore and that may be the day to rest. Also, you should try to do different exercises every day or every other day. This way different muscles in your body are being used and other muscles are getting rest. Hope this helps. :smile:
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    I do find it interesting that you felt bad the day you DIDN'T work out though. I wonder if maybe you should try taking a day off anyway here and there. I can think of no reason why your body should feel bad after not working out.
  • emibmas
    emibmas Posts: 1,058 Member
    I am a cardio queen. I do zero strength training, I know I should, but blah blah blah, I hate it. I have danced my whole life, between teaching and taking, it has always been a part of my day. When I stopped teaching, and had babies my weight sky rocketed. Right now I do about 2 hours of cardio a day, 1 hour in the morning and 1 in the evening. Maybe its mental why I felt so yucky yesterday with trying to "rest" . Now I am questioning my mental health too!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH:sad:
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    I am a cardio queen. I do zero strength training, I know I should, but blah blah blah, I hate it. I have danced my whole life, between teaching and taking, it has always been a part of my day. When I stopped teaching, and had babies my weight sky rocketed. Right now I do about 2 hours of cardio a day, 1 hour in the morning and 1 in the evening. Maybe its mental why I felt so yucky yesterday with trying to "rest" . Now I am questioning my mental health too!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH:sad:

    LOL! aren't we all.
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