What are your thoughts on Rest days?

lifeskittles
lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
edited October 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
So I've been trying very hard not to take a rest day for the next 11 days (kind of a goal before I leave Iraq) but I am starting to get really sore and tired....I have heard some advice to push through it and working through it will actually make the soreness go away, and I have heard that I need to stop and take a break....However, I have noticed in the past if I take a rest day when I am sore I end up feeling WAY more sore the next day.. What are your thoughts? My workout schedule is as follows....Long Run (45-50 min) every other day and alternating between upper body and lower body strength training on non-cardio days. Will it subside and I should keep at it or should I just take a break? I'm really trying to push myself to see what I'm made of these last few days but I don't want to come out of it with an injury or anything.... thoughts?

Replies

  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    You need them! Your body only repairs and recovers when you're at rest. Going that long without rest won't improve your performance at all.
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
    Even though I am resting certain parts of my body that I trained the day before? I used to work out every day when I could...But I had to take a 2 week time away from working out and have worked out the past week straight. Too much?
  • healthyliving_girl
    healthyliving_girl Posts: 290 Member
    I think it's important not to overtrain your body. That's how injuries occur...imho.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    my rest day is also usually a calorie spike day. i consume about an extra 800-1000 calories, and i usually have a great work out the next day. rest is just as important as a work out.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Even though I am resting certain parts of my body that I trained the day before? I used to work out every day when I could...But I had to take a 2 week time away from working out and have worked out the past week straight. Too much?

    Exercise stimulates the fight or flight parts of your nervous system, so even if your musculoskeletal system can handle it, you run the risk of suppressing your immune system and experiencing symptoms of over-training like insomnia and appetite loss.
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
    Would doing an incline walk for about an hour be okay or should I just skip the gym entirely?
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Would doing an incline walk for about an hour be okay or should I just skip the gym entirely?

    I'd say take one day off in the middle of your 11.
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
    Well I think that if I'm going to take a day off I'm going to make it tomorrow then since I'm pretty darn sore. But what if the next day comes and I'm just as sore? Do I go or skip it again?
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Well I think that if I'm going to take a day off I'm going to make it tomorrow then since I'm pretty darn sore. But what if the next day comes and I'm just as sore? Do I go or skip it again?

    You can take 2 days off without any de-training effect. I'm not sure what your soreness is from or how intense it is so you have to be the judge of that.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    I'm against them! You can rest when you're dead...
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
    I'm against them! You can rest when you're dead...

    Haha even when you're sore huh?
  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
    Rest days are important. Your body needs a day or two of rest. You want to give your body a day or two to rest or it will force you to take it.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    I'm against them! You can rest when you're dead...

    Haha even when you're sore huh?

    I'm a big fan of listen your body, so I rest as needed. But I don't like it...
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
    Yeah..I hate it. makes me feel like a weenie.
  • debgcook
    debgcook Posts: 64
    You only need rest day 1 or 2 day depending on your workout and how are you worked out.
  • MrsRadder
    MrsRadder Posts: 207 Member
    It's simple:
    If you don't think you need them, then you don't workout hard enough.
  • Manysongs
    Manysongs Posts: 137
    Well for me personally. I workout everyday...some days harder than others but if I need to rest I will. Basically I just listen to my body and pay attention to what it needs.

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  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    Rest days are essential. You body doesn't burn fat or build muscle while you work out, it does it during recovery, sometimes 24 hours later. If you don't take a break now and then, your body will not be able to keep up and you can get symptoms of overtraining.

    I've been working out 6 days a week with one rest day for the last few months, and even now I'm feeling I may need to add another into my schedule, because my body is telling me to stop. Rest days are just as important as workout days in terms of working towards a better body.
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
    Thank you guys for the input! I will take a rest day :)
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    TRAINING = WORK+REST
  • crux
    crux Posts: 454 Member
    My thoughts on rest days?

    By the time I take one, I damn well need one! :D

    Actually, I NEED one every week, but that's just me..

    Your body tells you everything you need to know, if you listen!
  • Cooriander
    Cooriander Posts: 2,848 Member
    I think it is fine to have an easy day (e.g., cross training, easy run) rather than a complete rest day.

    I think it is more risky to build too fast rather than having a rest day.
  • lnorwood81
    lnorwood81 Posts: 14
    On my rest days are actually my yoga/flexiblilty training days. I CAN NOT take a day off, if I do I have a really hard time getting back into my exercise routine.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    Instead of a total rest day, maybe do some easy cardio and lots of stretching .
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Necessary evil pretty much sums it up...
  • ginareejoy
    ginareejoy Posts: 54 Member
    I agree with others...stretching and maybe some light activity...but your body will tell you when you need one! listen! :)
  • iKristine
    iKristine Posts: 288 Member
    Well pain is there to tell you something. It's discouraging for that very reason.

    Having said that. There is a very different line between overtraining and just sore from workout.

    If your only sore, but not to the point your the pilsbury dough boy when someone touches you, then you can test this rather easily by eating 150+ g protein, drinking a ton of water and getting a good 8 hours. If your not sore no more, then you know it was simply DOMS.

    If your experiencing cramping, exhaustion, headaches, trouble sleeping, elevated resting heart rate, general malaise. Then this is due to overtraining. No amount of push through it will make it better only worse.

    I make it a point to rest at least 2 days a week. No matter what. No order per se, just as long as they are there. And I always make sure I get my protein above 75-100g. I NEVER am sore as a result, I also never experience overtraining.
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