Rest Days Are Important
Muscles aren’t built in the gym, they are built while you recover.
Giving yourself plenty of rest after a hard workout is essential to maximizing the benefits of your hard work in the gym and avoiding negative effects from overtraining such as diminishing returns or even injury.
When we work out, microscopic tears occur in our muscle tissue -- perfectly normal. The size and severity of the tear depends on exercise intensity - the greater the tear, the better chance you'll have of developing sore muscles after your exercise.
The tears in the muscle tissue from exercise disrupt the muscle cell organelles. This disruption activates satellite cells called fibroblasts from outside the muscle fibers, which rush to the area of damage. These cells replicate, mature into grown cells, and fuse to your muscle fibers. This process forms new muscle protein strands, which increases the strength and visible size of the muscle to better cope with similar physical activity in the future.
How to do rest days right
Contrary to popular belief, a rest day isn’t necessarily about being lazy on the couch, the ideal rest day looks different for each person. It depends on the intensity and frequency of your normal routine, along with your lifestyle outside of exercise.
However, there are general guidelines for incorporating rest days in various workouts.
WEIGHT TRAINING
Bodybuilding, or weight training, incorporates rest days by rotating the muscles worked.
After exercising a specific muscle group, let it rest for one to two days. This gives your muscles a chance to repair and heal.
On the other days, train different muscles. Be sure to work opposing muscles to keep your body balanced.
One way to do rest days is to assign a day for each body part. For instance, Monday can be leg day, Tuesday can be chest day, Wednesday can be back day, and so on. It is beneficial in all cases to take at least 1 day a week completely off.
Cardio
Typically, rest days aren’t necessary for light cardio. This includes activities like leisurely walking or slow dancing. It’s safe enough to do every day, unless your doctor says otherwise.
But if you’re doing moderate or vigorous aerobic activity, rest days are essential. It’s recommended to take a rest day every three to five days. If you do vigorous cardio, you’ll want to take more frequent rest days.
You can also have an active rest day by doing a light workout, like gentle stretching.
To determine when you should rest, consider the recommendations for aerobic activity. Each week, adults should get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity. You can also do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.
These guidelines can help you plan your rest days. For example, if you’d like to do three days of 50-minute vigorous cardio sessions, you can plan rest days and other workouts around them.
Running
While running is a form of cardio, it usually requires a different approach to rest days.
If you’re a beginner, start running three days a week. Running too much too soon can lead to fatigue and overuse injuries.
On the other days, let yourself rest or do different activities. Your other workouts should involve muscles you don’t use while running.
Rest days are even more important if you’re training for a marathon. In the last three weeks before the event, it’s best to rest more often. A personal trainer or running coach can explain how to rest based on your goals.
For weight loss
If you’re trying to lose weight, you should still have regular rest days.
Rest allows your muscles to rebuild and grow. And when you have more muscle, you’ll burn more calories at rest. That’s because muscle burns more energy than fat.
Additionally, when you feel refreshed, you’ll be more likely to stick to your exercise routine.
What to do on your rest day
Diet and protein
On rest days, your body generally needs less calories because you’re not as active. But instead of trying to omit a specific number of calories, simply listen to your body. It will naturally “ask” for less food through satiety and hunger cues.
It’s also important to eat enough protein, even on rest days. Adequate protein intake supports the muscle repair that happens during rest.
Active people need 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. This should be evenly spaced throughout the day.
On rest days, you should also focus on:
Carbohydrates. Eat complex carbs to restore your glycogen levels. Depending on your level of activity, you’ll need 3 to 10 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.
Water. It’s essential to drink enough water, even when you’re not working out. Staying hydrated prevents muscle cramps and delivers nutrients throughout your body.
Fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies offer healthy carbs and nutrients that support recovery.
Yoga
Yoga is one of the best things you can do on a rest day. It’s excellent for improving body awareness, breathing, and flexibility. It also helps you build strength while loosening your muscles.
Plus, yoga promotes calmness, leaving you refreshed and ready for the next workout. You don’t need a lot of time to enjoy the benefits of yoga. Just 10 to 15 minutes will help exercise recovery.
Low-impact workout
Like yoga, low-impact exercise is a great rest day activity. Low-impact workouts help you stay active without overstressing your body. They also let you enjoy exercise in a more relaxing way.
Examples of low-impact workouts include:
Signs you need a rest day
If you notice any of the following signs, it might be time to take a break:
Pain: Muscle or joint pain that doesn’t go away might be a sign of an overuse injury.
Reduced performance: If your normal routine feels difficult, or if you stop seeing progress, take a rest day.
Sore muscles: While it’s normal to feel sore after exercise, persistent soreness is a red flag. It means your muscles haven’t recovered from past workouts.
Fatigue: Pay attention to extreme exhaustion. If you feel spent, let your body rest.
Emotional changes: When you’re physically burnt out, hormones like serotonin and cortisol become imbalanced. This can cause changes like irritability, crankiness, and mood swings.
Sleeping issues: High levels of cortisol and adrenaline can make it hard to get quality sleep.
The bottom line
Whether you’re a novice or seasoned athlete, regular rest is crucial. It’s necessary for muscle repair, preventing fatigue, and overall performance.
To make the most out of your rest days, do low-impact workouts like yoga and walking. These activities will help you stay active while letting your body recover.
Remember, without enough breaks, you’re less likely to achieve the goals you made in the first place. Letting your body rest is the best thing you can do for fitness success.
