Rest days?

strange29mfp
strange29mfp Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How important are rest days?
Or do you just push through when your sore for best results?

Replies

  • questionfear
    questionfear Posts: 527 Member
    Muscles regenerate and your body heals up during rest days. It's during recovery that you actually heal from your workout and build strength, as a way for your body to adapt to the next workout.

    Everyone has their own breakdown of how much rest they need, but I wouldn't work out at the same intensity each day unless it was specifically designed to be a minimal exertion routine that could be done daily. I wouldn't take a routine designed around 3-5 days per week and do it daily, for example.
  • MFPUser42354
    MFPUser42354 Posts: 6 Member
    1 to 2 rest days a week are normal. But when you train, please don't train the same muscle groups every day. Instead exercise your entire body over 3-4 days. For example, on day 1, focus on legs and glutes. Day 2 Back and biceps... etc. That will keep you from over training and continually rest specific muscle groups.
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
    I agree with 1 to 2 rest days a week. However, rest days can incorporate light exercise, like walks. I would not do anything taxing though. As @questionfear above said, I would vary intensity if exercising daily.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Rest days are at least as important as the workouts themselves. But a rest day from one activity can be a workout day for another if you plan things right! I have one rest day per week, usually, but I alternate what I do each day. I use a two week cycle and run every other day and then do strength training on the weekdays between running days. So my schedule looks like:

    Monday-Run
    Tuesday-Lift
    Wednesday-Run
    Thursday-Lift
    Friday-Run
    Saturday-Rest
    Sunday-Run
    Monday-Lift
    Tuesday-Run
    Wednesday-Lift
    Thursday-Run
    Friday-Lift
    Saturday-Run
    Sunday-Rest

    I'm resting from running on my lifting days and resting from lifting on my running days. My "rest" days usually consist of at least 10,000 steps of walking, too.
  • Dali032484
    Dali032484 Posts: 35 Member
    Nothing...I do nothing. I simply rest :-) usually get up at 5:30 am to work out before going to work. I only rest one day a week. Six days on, one day off. I feel like if I don't take that day off my body will not perform at the level I expect it to no matter how much or what I eat. I do need a day off from cardio and weight lifting and just sleep in and be merry :-) the next day I go at it full speed, strong, no mercy lol. That's what works for me anyway!
  • Neanbean13
    Neanbean13 Posts: 211 Member
    I have 1 day off too. I have another day of rest but I do pilates for core with light bike. Or concebrrate on mobility. Rest is various strength training and conditioning. It's important for your body to repair. Unless you competing in a strict short term goal I'd add them in. Listen to your body. Be flexible. I normally have my rest day sat but if I'm particularly sore or tired during week I'll change it up. Have rest day then instead. Every about 6 weeks I'll have like 3 or 4 days off in a row for complete rest and life style Gainz. . Play the long game and don't think a day two or even week won't have you losing Gainz

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