Rest day??

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chadfite67
chadfite67 Posts: 7 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is it smart to give your body a rest day?

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  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Yes, very
  • BigNate17
    BigNate17 Posts: 65 Member
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    If you don't want to get injured, then yeah
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    You should rest from your normal activity but that doesn't mean you need to do nothing.

    I run 4 days a week, so I cycle 2 days a week then walk 5 miles the last day.
  • ISweat4This
    ISweat4This Posts: 653 Member
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    It's a good idea
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    my rest days are stretching and walking days, so there's "rest", and then there's "rest".
  • christys03
    christys03 Posts: 22,784 Member
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    I don't technically have a rest day.....I have "do less" days...where I only do cardio, and its light. I have found if I don't I have anxiety that I haven't done anything...or moved if that makes sense.
  • PokernuttAR
    PokernuttAR Posts: 74 Member
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    Yes, especially if your goal is building muscle (hypertrophy). Your muscles grow during rest, not while exercising.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Yes...but also it depends on what you're doing.
  • Okiludy
    Okiludy Posts: 558 Member
    edited August 2017
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    Typically I run a 4 day split with 3 days off during the week. I tried a 5 day split but it was just too much volume for my old body. Intensity isn't that bad but volume really drains reserves. It could also be from eating in a deficit. Those rest days are not only nice but pretty much necessary if I am going to keep making strength gains.

    Edit: Rest can mean active recovery. Going for a walk on a "rest" day can be wonderful after a heavy leg day. It starts off painful but really helps the healing process for me.
  • solovino1
    solovino1 Posts: 29 Member
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    Yeah and every 3 to 6 weeks, stop for a week and you'll get a big bump in performance.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited August 2017
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    Depends on what you want rest from and what is your programming.
  • stickersticker
    stickersticker Posts: 140 Member
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    I'm bad at rest days. Rest days give me more free time to play basketball
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,677 Member
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    It depends on what activity you are doing. You can usually walk every day. But even there you probably don't want to be walking 20 miles a day without a break. You wear out mentally as well as physically. If you are doing weights you will need to rest the muscles you are working so they can heal and grow stronger. As a runner, it took me some time to build to the point where I am comfortable running 5-6 days a week and don't get injured. I also learned to listen to my body, and know when I need more rest than I've been doing. I never have a complete rest day, as we have a dog who needs to be walked, but I do have days where I don't do anything besides the 2-3 mile walks and others where I'll do something besides running just to provide a change.
  • susanp57
    susanp57 Posts: 409 Member
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    I use Sundays to rest, get things done at home and meal prep. If I have a yen to get out, it is a more leisurely hike.
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    I think your body is the best indicator. The program I'm on now is three training days a week. Do to the workouts being very taxing, I take my rest days as prescribed. Other times I may train six days a week.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited August 2017
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    solovino1 wrote: »
    Yeah and every 3 to 6 weeks, stop for a week and you'll get a big bump in performance.

    If you truly need a break that often, you are overtraining. Performance might go up, but surely it isn't optimal training.

    Proper programming will allow you to go several months without a need to deload in most cases.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    solovino1 wrote: »
    Yeah and every 3 to 6 weeks, stop for a week and you'll get a big bump in performance.

    Stop? No.
    Deload? Sure, depending on how hard you are pushing & your individual ability to recover.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Chieflrg wrote: »
    Depends on what you want rest from and what is your programming.

    Totally this. I lift 3 days per week with full body compound lifts. I need to rest from those on the off days. I walk and or walk / run intervals on the rest days and it helps with active recovery. So, for me, yes. As Cheiflrg said, all depends on your programming.

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