Rest Days
In the pursuit of fitness, health, and physical excellence, many people focus intently on workouts, training plans, and nutrition. While these elements are undoubtedly important, one aspect that is often overlooked but crucial is the concept of rest days. Rest days are not merely breaks from training; they are essential components of a well-rounded fitness regimen, playing a critical role in recovery, injury prevention, mental well-being, and overall performance improvement.
It's also important for your body to received the correct amount of nutrients. Do you know how to estimate your macros? Click on the image below for a quick tutorial on calculating your macros.
Listen to Your Body
The amount of rest your body needs is going to depend on the type of workout, and the intensity of your workout. Did you lift weights? Did you run? Was it high intensity? There are some specific recommendations based on science, but most importantly, listen to your body.
Weight Training
During exercise, especially strength training, your muscles undergo small tears. Rest days allow your body to repair these tears, leading to muscle growth and increased strength. Without adequate rest, your muscles don't have enough time to recover, which can lead to overtraining and injury.
If you're still not lifting weights, you may want to start soon. Many studies including Westcott et al. (2009) have shown that walking alone is not enough for optimum health. The participants in his study lost more fat and less muscle when they added weight training to their exercise program.
If you need help designing an exercise plan, or a meal plan, click on the image below to get more info on personal training.
On the other hand, if you are already lifting weights, just make sure your muscles are getting enough rest. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends working out with weights 2 to 3 times per week. But, ACSM also recommends at least 48 hours of rest for each muscle group. For example, if you had a hard LEG workout on Monday, you should work out legs no earlier than Wednesday. Forty-eight to 72 hours is usually enough rest for most muscles. You may want more rest if you are still very sore. Again, listen to your body.
Speaking of leg workouts, have you seen our video on Hip Extension? Click the image below to watch exercise demonstrations for your glutes and hamstrings.
Full Body Workouts
If you work all your muscles on the same day, then a good strategy would be to rest every other day. I've seen many personal training clients performing total body workouts, 2 to 3 times per week, with great results. A beginner can easily work out out all of their muscles on Tuesdays and Thursdays and give their muscles plenty of rest the other 5 days. Once a person becomes more advanced, they can switch their total body workouts to three days per week, possibly Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Body Part Training
On the other hand, more advanced lifters will work out 5-6 times per week, targeting different body parts each day. If that's you, make sure you give each muscle at least 48 hours to recover. If you need more help on designing your weekly workouts, make sure to contact a PFTA certified personal trainer.
And if you want to learn more about joint actions, muscles, exercises, etc., click the image below to read more about our personal trainer classes.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Cardiovascular workouts are treated a little bit differently. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 3 to 5 days of cardiovascular exercise per week. Just by looking at those recommendations, you can see that you won't be able to rest every other day.
Further research will show that you can run on consecutive days if the second day is a less intense day. For example, if today you run 40 minutes at 80 to 90% of your VO2 max, then tomorrow you can jog 30 minutes at an intensity level of 60 to 70% of your VO2 max. You can follow two run days with a rest day. Experts call the second run an easy day or a recovery day.
Just make sure you are getting some rest and you are stretching after every workout. Flexibility training will improve performance and/or reduce the risk of injury. Click the image below to read about all the benefits.
High Intensity Interval Training
Furthermore,some athletes like to engage in high intensity interval training (HIIT) such as sprints. Sprints require more rest than a casual run. If your legs are sore the next day, take 1 or 2 rest days before resuming your exercise program.
If HIIT is so hard, why do athletes engage in it? Because studies have confirmed that HIIT does burn more fat in the long run. HIIT also increases your cardiovascular endurance as effectively as long runs. Athletes will tell you that you get more bang for your buck. It's hard...but worth it! Click the image below to read more on HIIT Training.
Active Rest
There are several things you can do on your rest days. If your muscles are tight and if you can feel knots, maybe schedule yourself a massage. If you want to improve flexibility, join a yoga class on your rest days. If you just need to relax your mind and your muscles, a nice long walk may be all you need. Walking can definitely relieve some stress and/or anxiety. In fact, click on the image below to read about all the stress relieving benefits of walking.
Knowledge is Power
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Summary
Rest days are a critical, yet often undervalued, component of a successful fitness regimen. They are essential for allowing the body to repair and rebuild itself, preventing injuries, enhancing mental well-being, and optimizing performance. Incorporating regular rest days into a fitness routine ensures that the body and mind are given the necessary time to recover, adapt, and grow stronger. By recognizing the importance of rest, individuals can achieve their fitness goals more effectively, maintain long-term health, and enjoy a more fulfilling and sustainable approach to exercise.
The most important thing to remember is to listen to your body. Your body will let you know if you need 48 hours, 72 hours, or 96 hours of rest. If you have more questions on recovery, make sure to contact a PFTA certified personal trainer. Happy health and happy training!
Written By
RA Escobar, PFTA instructor and personal trainer
Sources:
American College of Sports Medicine
National Strength and Conditioning Association
Westcott, Wayne L., et al. “Prescribing Physical Activity: Applying the ACSM Protocols for Exercise Type, Intensity, and Duration across 3 Training Frequencies.” The Physician And Sportsmedicine, vol. 37, no. 2, June 2009, pp. 51–58
