Resting Days Question

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Alexstrasza
Alexstrasza Posts: 619 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I know you're supposed to have resting days while doing excercise. Does this mean no excercise at all or does it mean just do some light excercise?
I do cardio and weights on mon-wed-fri and Zumba Cardio on Tues-Thurs.

However I kind of want to do stuff on the weekends as well. It just feel so good.
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Replies

  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
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    I usually take a day off, but sometimes I can't stand it and have to do "something." Walking bores me, so I'll do some kind of dance workout, but nothing too strenuous since you need a day for your muscles to repair themselves.
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    I do not strenous stuff, no heart rate over 120, that way my body can repair the damage from the gym, lol.
  • NatalieBrooke88
    NatalieBrooke88 Posts: 240 Member
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    Then do it.. There is no rule- Let your body guide you! Symptoms of overtraining: Fatigue, not being able to push as hard in your standard workouts. If you feel tired, Rest- If not, go conquer the world!
  • shellyt1
    shellyt1 Posts: 119
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    Weekends were my days off from walking but since I started this week on here and have lost, I think I will give up lazy morning Sundays to get a quick walk or run in before church. It is nice to see results. Do what works for you and maybe try something different on those off days.
  • FireMama_24
    FireMama_24 Posts: 169 Member
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    I sometimes do Yoga so I can give all my muscles a good stretch.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
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    Rest days are just as important or even more important for the body to heal itself and make improvements... so, take your rest day.
  • NicoWoodruff
    NicoWoodruff Posts: 369 Member
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    It's rare anymore that I go a whole day without exercise.

    These days, "rest days" are the days when I only do a half hour or so of milder exercise instead of an hour and a half of exercises that include more strenuous work.
  • marpeters
    marpeters Posts: 205 Member
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    I've been working with a trainer and she advises that you need one day between a hard workout with weights or machines. Cardio can be done everyday...just listen to your body. Extra fatigue means you need to rest. Also you are at greater risk for injury...a pull or tear...so be smart. Anyways congratulations....exercise is so fun when you get hooked and you REALLY sound hooked. Pounds just roll off with this kind of exercise and smart eating!!!
  • OSC_ESD
    OSC_ESD Posts: 752 Member
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    Being active everyday is great for your mind, body and soul. You don't have to be super active ... But I get some type of exercise in daily ... It's all about feeling your best ! :)
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
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    I'm an avid believer in rest days. It's not only good for your body, it's good for your soul.

    I always take a rest day before my long run days. Sometimes I take two rest days depending on my situation.

    However, with all that being said, listening to your body is what's most important. Luckily there are no Rest Day Police. What's in my best interest may not be in yours. My goals may not be your goals, so you have to do what's right for you.

    If you decide to go gun-ho, I'd suggest cross training.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    You should rest. But rest needs to be proportional to your workout. For example. Saturday, my rest day, I may go out on a hill walk, or just do a Jillian Michaels DVD; on workout days I'll run 12km/crosstrain 15km /cycle50km (one of those) Plus some kettlebells, so a saunter in the hills or in the countryside is nothing in comparison. Sometimes, if I've been working my legs especially hard, I'll do an upper body weights sesh, with light cross training bursts to get my HR up. It's not your muscles per se that need rest, but the connective tissue that gets small microtears through impact and use. (This is what causes the DOMS pain which is entirely normal and NOT a sign of injury). If you want to workout everyday, you can. You just make a program suitable for it, so cross training and using different muscle groups on different days.Or just choose to have more strenuous and easier workouts on alternate days.

    Or...don't clean your house all week and do it all on your rest day for a cheeky small burn!
  • Alexstrasza
    Alexstrasza Posts: 619 Member
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    I've been working with a trainer and she advises that you need one day between a hard workout with weights or machines. Cardio can be done everyday...just listen to your body. Extra fatigue means you need to rest. Also you are at greater risk for injury...a pull or tear...so be smart. Anyways congratulations....exercise is so fun when you get hooked and you REALLY sound hooked. Pounds just roll off with this kind of exercise and smart eating!!!

    I feel like I'm hooked! I'm doing as much research as possible because I want to do it right. I just feel so freaking amazing. I have so much energy now and I don't feel like crap.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    I do not strenous stuff, no heart rate over 120, that way my body can repair the damage from the gym, lol.

    There is no reason to not take your HR over 120 and HR is very subjective on what you normally train at, your age, your VO2max and your MHR. For example, a low intensity workout for me would be a HR betwen about 125 and 140. Moderate 140-155 and intense i would look at as about 156-MHR.

    Once you get to a certain stage with a workout your repeat, your body becomes used to it so aside calorie burn, doesn't get much real benefit. So keep changing up your workout.
  • mrschappet
    mrschappet Posts: 488 Member
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    Rest days are just as important or even more important for the body to heal itself and make improvements... so, take your rest day.

    ^^^^^^^THIS.... also I usually have one day that is just cardio so no weights ..maybe a run or zumba or something and then one day of complete sit my @$$ on the couch rest LMAO :-) Sundays are usually my rest days since those are the only days I can fully devote to being lazy :-)
  • stewsh
    stewsh Posts: 18 Member
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    I worked out solid for a month, then took yesterday off, I feel SO much better today and ready to tackle the world! I'm doing what my body tells me, rather than having a plan, seems to work well for me :smile:
  • healthyfitandskinny
    healthyfitandskinny Posts: 16
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    I think it's a little bit like eating so you just have to let your body guide you.
  • Jessie8520
    Jessie8520 Posts: 4
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    Rest days are important. You want your muscles and body to recover from the stress of working out. However this does not mean you aren't allowed to be active and must sit on the couch all day resting. Go for a walk, a bike ride, hike, something leisurely, just nothing too strenuous. Go for a nice restorative yoga class.
  • Jessie8520
    Jessie8520 Posts: 4
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    Agreed
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    So I know you're supposed to have resting days while doing excercise. Does this mean no excercise at all or does it mean just do some light excercise?
    I do cardio and weights on mon-wed-fri and Zumba Cardio on Tues-Thurs.

    However I kind of want to do stuff on the weekends as well. It just feel so good.
    This sounds PERFECT - keep punching!
    You are doing great.

    As for weekends, just do not do any resistance or hard, intense cardio.
    Again, great work!
  • kag1526
    kag1526 Posts: 210 Member
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    I also will sometimes do a bit on my rest days. Like I'll play kinect for a dance game or something like that, but nothing hard.

    I did take a full rest day yesterday though because my knees have been bothering me a bit lately, they are getting a bit sore when I do squats or if I jump, so i wanted to really rest.

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