A rest day is where you take a day off from exercise. It’s an important part of a fitness routine, but one a lot of people struggle with. Questions I get asked about rest days include: Why do I need a rest day? What am I allowed to do on a rest day? How many should I have? Isn’t having a rest day a waste of time when I could be exercising? Here are the answers:
Why do I need a rest day?
To put it simply: So you can keep going and not burn out. Exercise – although good for stress long-term – is a stress on our body. When we exercise, we are creating micro-tears in our muscle fibres. When we rest, that’s when they repair, and grow. If we never rest, we will never repair, or grow. We’ll also feel like crap! Have you ever had to work 7 days in a row without a day off? Feels pretty awful, right? It’s the same for our bodies with exercise. We need that day off, so we can keep going, make progress, and not feel terrible.
What am I allowed to do on a rest day?
You could simply not do anything. The word is ‘rest’! However, you don’t have to be completely sedentary. In fact, light movement is encouraged on a rest day. You could go for a gentle walk; a light swim; do some stretching, mobility, or foam rolling. Basically, stay active… but don’t do any structured exercise.
How many rest days should I have per week?
Everybody should have at least one, but you might take more than one. It depends on your body, goals, and schedule. Signs you need more rest & recovery time from exercise include: Constant muscle tension/soreness; increased appetite; bad/low mood; fatigue; workouts feel harder than usual; little to no progress; and getting injured frequently. Look out for these signs.
Isn’t having a rest day a waste of time when I could be exercising?!
This is a common struggle amongst people who view exercise as therapeutic, or who think the more exercise, the better. But it’s worse if you don’t take a day off, for the reasons listed above. If you really struggle with the mindset aspect of taking a rest day, try planning it into your week as if it’s a workout. You could still go to the gym for your rest day activities (eg. walking on the treadmill; swimming; stretching on the mats for 10 minutes etc.). Try to give it as much importance as you would your lifting sessions – because it is just as important.
What does your rest day look like? Is it the same every week, or does it differ? Make sure when planning your workouts each week, that you know when your rest day is going to be!
Conni
Conni Arnold Fitness 