What do you do on your rest days?

Options
2

Replies

  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    Options
    I typically walk/hike, take a yoga class, or just spend the day cooking and getting caught up on Netflix.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    Options
    I run two three day programs, lifting and running, which I alternate, so I end up with one full day off from everything every week. I do whatever I feel like doing. Watch a Netflix marathon, clean the house, go hiking, whatever. I don't really think about it. The point of rest days is to not do the activity you are resting from. I typically eat the same as the rest of the week, since I have a bad habit of undereating on very active days. A day without a high number of exercise calories is usually a catch up day for me.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,910 Member
    Options
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    I only sit around and hardly move when I'm sick - I'm recovering from a cold right now and being up and moving is exhausting.

    When I'm in good health, I make sure I get up and move around at least every hour on the weekends and usually go for a long walk or two or go downstairs and ride my bike. I usually do some yoga also.

    ~Lyssa

    Yep ... and even when I'm sick, I have trouble staying still unless I'm sleeping. I have never been the sort of person who can sit on a sofa and just watch TV. Within about 5 min of doing that, I start to feel restless. I have the TV on during the evenings, but I'm usually wandering about doing housework or working on other projects.

    It kind of helps that I know I need to be up and moving at least once and hour because of blood clot issues.

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,910 Member
    Options
    Friday was a rest day for me.

    I had cycled a century (100 miles) on the Thursday (Australia Day), and my legs were feeling a bit heavy so I opted not to climb my usual 25 flights of stairs. However, I did walk 5 km. :)
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    Options
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I have a 4 & 6 year old at home...there's no such thing as sitting on my *kitten* watching t.v. all day.

    A rest day (i.e. recovery day) allows you to recover from more vigorous training...it's just rest from more vigorous/strenuous training. It doesn't mean do nothing or that you can't do anything.

    I don't usually reserve weekend days for rest days because weekends are when I actually have time to go for longer rides, etc. Weekends are prime time training time. As of now, I'm taking my rest days on Thursdays...I usually go for a 3 mile walk at lunch...if I'm not too pressed for time, I do some yoga when I get home, but that's tough sometimes because Thursdays are also my days to cook dinner.

    ETA: fitness performance is enhanced with rest...rest is part of the equation...rest is where recovery happens which is where fitness development happens. The work is only one side of the equation...by not resting, you're ignoring and equally important part of the equation.

    Most of this. Except mine are 5 and 6. And weekends are my rest days. Rest day simply means that I'm not in the gym training. I'm still running around, chasing my girls, dancing. The couple days a year I get to actually do nothing are very much enjoyed.
  • sarko15
    sarko15 Posts: 330 Member
    edited January 2017
    Options
    I actually find my performance suffers if I don't take rest days, instead of if I do. I rest, heal up, and go back at it full force, whereas if I never allowed myself to heal I'd end up just half assing my workout or not being excited to go. I actually burn more calories per week with rest days than without. I spend those days doing things I love to do--hanging out with my family, reading, cooking, other things that deserve my whole self without hating myself for not spending that time in the gym. Life's too short for self punishment.

    And don't feel guilty for eating and then not working out--we all have to eat, here's no point in guilting yourself for something you have to do to live. Do you count your calories via the MFP recommendations? Eat that level on your rest days, and then eat back exercise calories.
  • trudie_b
    trudie_b Posts: 230 Member
    Options
    I'm not good at taking rest days, I tend to take them only if I feel unwell or really exhausted. I used to compromise by doing Pilates, but I haven't done that for a while (don't enjoy it any more, and I don't see the point in doing exercise you don't enjoy). I get anxious if I have to take a day off.

    I was reading Jessie Hilgenberg's training schedule yesterday, she does it in an eight day cycle: 5 lifting days, 2 yoga/golf, and 1 complete rest. That sounds pretty good. My schedule is currently 4 lifting days, 3 cardio (high intensity), so I really really should learn to take rest days......
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Options
    At the least I'd take a long walk. I might still run but low key.
  • Cylphin60
    Cylphin60 Posts: 863 Member
    Options
    Always something, usually walking or even really light " deload " kinds of lifts. Once or twice a month I do have a "it's ok if I do absolutely nothing kind of day".

    Then again, my kids are all grown, so I can do that :)
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
    Options
    It depends. If I'm lifting towards a goal as a primary focus then light run/walk/elliptical might be on the agenda.

    If I'm working towards a speed/distance run goal, then it may be a couch rest day.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    Options
    I don't have planned rest days. I keep going until my body tells me to rest and when that day comes I usually just do a dance class vs. double/triples.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    Options
    singletrackmtbr wrote: »
    I train!

    Exactly! What are these rest days you speak of? :)

    "Rest days" for me are usually cardio or ab workout days.
  • ashorey87
    ashorey87 Posts: 173 Member
    Options
    Pout and think about the gym.
  • maranarasauce93
    maranarasauce93 Posts: 293 Member
    Options
    As of late my rest days consist of studying for my board exams. Blegh. Sometimes I'll do laundry though because I go through gym clothes like it's my job.
  • mengqiz86
    mengqiz86 Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    My rest day is on Friday so I can do some happy hours. Otherwise I get on the rower or bike and go at a medium pace. To me the rest day is more "mental" than physical because my training routine (running) is brutal and requires a lot of mental push. On rest days, when I get on the rower, I slow down whenever I wanted, pick it up when I felt like it. So I'm not pushing for a certain speed/distance. That helps me SO MUCH.
  • Tania_181
    Tania_181 Posts: 100 Member
    Options
    I alternate gym and rest days. On my rest days I just get on with my normal routine - work, household chores, socialising, tv. As I work from home some days that might mean I don't walk very far and other days we could be going for a hike on a weekend! I don't find resting affects my performance at the gym unless I've taken more than a few days off, at which point everything seems much harder.
  • anothermop
    anothermop Posts: 187 Member
    Options
    I always do something. I make Sunday's my rest day. I'll do P90X Stretch and/or go for a hike before I sit on my can all day watching football.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,841 Member
    Options
    miratps wrote: »
    What do you all do on rest days?

    I still do light walks and stretching, but nothing heavy. If the body needs it I'll even take a few days off in a row. I have found including better/more recovery time has been helpful overall physically and mentally.

  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    Options
    I follow the cyclist's golden rule on rest: why stand when you can sit and why sit when you can lay down. On light weeks (under 8 hours), I'll do one day of active recovery (within 4-24 hours of previous activity) and I'm good to go but I found that I need a full day of rest if I'm doing over 10 hours a week. I also insert a light week every three weeks. (Please also note, intensity plays a bigger factor than just the number of hours per week). I eat normal on rest days but have changed tack recently by eating less carbs. I plan my workout based on my historic performance (and to some extend on how I feel) relying heavily on Coggen's alternative (Performance Manager) to the Banister's impulse-response model to plan, track, and evaluate my fitness/fatigue. I have a power meter but one should be able to track using TRIMP (with HRM) or TriScore (running & swimming lap time) model without it.
  • BeeerRunner
    BeeerRunner Posts: 728 Member
    Options
    miratps wrote: »
    So I do a lot of cardio but want/need a rest day (not had for a long long time as I eat and then feel guilty) but am forcing myself to today. Question is, as I don't have one and its a weekend so I'm not even 'walking around doing normal stuff' not sure what I should do. Can I sit all day in front of a TV?

    What do you all do on rest days? Do you take complete rest days where you are lucky to move 5 inches or do you still deliberately try and be active? Also do you not fear your cardio/exercise performance etc. will suffer the following day or whenever you workout next?

    Edit: In addition, do you eat less on rest days? Does it make your appetite seem manageable?

    Fridays are usually my rest days. Sometimes I go for an easy walk, sometimes I might do a bit of yoga before bed, and sometimes I do no exercise at all. I run 5 days a week, do non running cardio once a week, and do weight training 2x. Therefore I have 2 days with cardio and weights on the same day. A rest day is definitely in order, and I find I have my best runs on Saturdays after that bit of rest.

    I don't think I could do a rest day on the weekend. I'd go bonkers. Lol! So, I work during the day, and either hang out with family/friends at night or veg, usually by reading or watching a movie.

    I typically stay within my calorie limits on my rest days. I'm at maintenance so I'm not trying to lose weight. If I go to dinner on my rest day (not common) I'll make it up throughout the week. Calories burned on a long run usually does the trick. ;)

Categories