Rest Days?

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megomerrett
megomerrett Posts: 442 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My standard week of exercise includes an aerobics style class, a street dance class, dog walks/jogs and gym time. At the gym I'll do cardio, use the weight machines and toning (plank, stretches etc).

Anyway, my question is: how necessary are rest days to build muscle?

I'm mainly looking to slim down and tone up so a combination of cardio and the more stretchy/toning sort of stuff is what I'm doing. The enjoy the classes but they're on consecutive days - I figured that this was better than only doing one class a week.

I'm no expert, just want to make the most of the time I find to work out. Cheers.

Replies

  • jcpolk1856
    jcpolk1856 Posts: 20 Member
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    Rest days, and rest aka sleep, are very important in building muscle. You need the rest to promote muscle growth. Btw how's your protein intake? If you eat more whole foods thst naturally have protein you'll add muscle and tone up. Don't overdue the cardio and neglect the strength training for the fear of looking "too manly".
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    jcpolk1856 wrote: »
    Rest days, and rest aka sleep, are very important in building muscle. You need the rest to promote muscle growth. Btw how's your protein intake? If you eat more whole foods thst naturally have protein you'll add muscle and tone up. Don't overdue the cardio and neglect the strength training for the fear of looking "too manly".

    She won't be gaining any muscle with her plan.
  • megomerrett
    megomerrett Posts: 442 Member
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    I'm not eating any more protein than I would be in my normal diet, just meat, fish, eggs etc in meals. But as one of you said, I'm not really doing much to build muscle, just firm up what's already there.
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
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    I think it's important to listen to your body. If you feel like you can keep going then go for it, but if your body is beginning to feel fatigued and run down then it's time to give your body a break. Also, a rest doesn't mean doing absolutely nothing, just nothing as strenuous as you normally do. A rest day could mean that that day is a light stretch or restoration yoga day or it could be a light walk.

    I generally take 2-3 rest day b/c my body needs the rest to repair from lifting and poling. Tonight is a rest day, but I'll be doing a stretch exercise to help with back flexibility. So I'm still exercising my body, just nothing as strenuous as lifting or pole dancing.
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
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    jdhcm2006 wrote: »
    I think it's important to listen to your body. If you feel like you can keep going then go for it, but if your body is beginning to feel fatigued and run down then it's time to give your body a break. Also, a rest doesn't mean doing absolutely nothing, just nothing as strenuous as you normally do. A rest day could mean that that day is a light stretch or restoration yoga day or it could be a light walk.

    I generally take 2-3 rest day b/c my body needs the rest to repair from lifting and poling. Tonight is a rest day, but I'll be doing a stretch exercise to help with back flexibility. So I'm still exercising my body, just nothing as strenuous as lifting or pole dancing.

    I decided yesterday to do a trampoline session working on handsprings and handstands... then a pole class in the eve. I am dead today haha my shoulders, neck and back are in pieces. So yeah.. rest day. But if you don't feel like you need to rest, I question if you are pushing hard enough! "Toning" won't do much unless you force your body to change through really challenging your limits. I'm not saying you don't of course, just saying :)
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
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    ARGriffy wrote: »
    jdhcm2006 wrote: »
    I think it's important to listen to your body. If you feel like you can keep going then go for it, but if your body is beginning to feel fatigued and run down then it's time to give your body a break. Also, a rest doesn't mean doing absolutely nothing, just nothing as strenuous as you normally do. A rest day could mean that that day is a light stretch or restoration yoga day or it could be a light walk.

    I generally take 2-3 rest day b/c my body needs the rest to repair from lifting and poling. Tonight is a rest day, but I'll be doing a stretch exercise to help with back flexibility. So I'm still exercising my body, just nothing as strenuous as lifting or pole dancing.

    I decided yesterday to do a trampoline session working on handsprings and handstands... then a pole class in the eve. I am dead today haha my shoulders, neck and back are in pieces. So yeah.. rest day. But if you don't feel like you need to rest, I question if you are pushing hard enough! "Toning" won't do much unless you force your body to change through really challenging your limits. I'm not saying you don't of course, just saying :)

    Yesterday was a fun day for me as well, lol. I had a private pole session, then I immediately went lifting, and then I took a break to eat, and did a back flexibility stretching session, and then that evening I went back to pole for the choreo class, and I meant to do another full body stretching session after dinner, but I was completely pooped, so I just rolled my back out with my yoga wheel. My shoulders are not happy with me, lol.

    I've been slacking on my handstands which I need to get back to, but it seems like there's never enough time to train everything you want to improve on.
  • ronocnikral
    ronocnikral Posts: 176 Member
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    Basic principle of training - train, break down to sub performance, rest, supercompensation. Without the proper rest, there is no supercompensation and then no growth. Rest is equally important to the training itself.

    Contrary to what many are saying above, one's goals doesn't always dictate that "they feel the burn," "push harder" and "need to feel it the next day."

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