THE IMPORTANCE OF OFF DAYS IN YOUR WORKOUT WEEK

By Kevin Jones

Personally, I found it tough to take rest days for a long time. I’m a runner, and I know there are tons of benefits to running regularly that I enjoy, from enjoying better sleep to a greater ability to focus. However, it is just as important to take rest days during your workout week.

Rest Days Are Critical For Recovery

First and foremost, you need rest days to help your body recover. You can practice all the breathing techniques you want during your workouts, but they will never replace a solid day off. Some of the key ways that taking a rest day can help your body are:

“In Ayurveda, summer is known as Pitta season. Those people whose primary constitution is Pitta will be the ones who will most strongly experience the effects of the season…”

•   Allows your body to heal – Working out, whether you are doing yoga or heavy weight lifting, creates micro-tears in your muscles and forces your body to work harder than it normally does. When you don’t take a day off from working out, these minor hurts can develop into a serious problem. But when you do take the time to rest, your body can finally start the healing process uninterrupted.

•   Prevents future injuries – More serious injuries can come from not taking appropriate rest days. Instead of micro-tears, you may struggle with strained or torn muscles and ligaments. Joint injuries from overuse are also a possibility for those who push themselves too hard. With the right amount of rest, you can be more aware of how your body feels and move forward with your workouts more mindfully.

•   Assist with mental health – Your mental health can also take a toll when it comes to skipping your rest days. By wearing out your body repeatedly, your brain has to work harder to keep you moving and thinking in a straight line. But even just one rest day a week can help with keeping you focused and improve your outlook.

•   Helps prevent burnout – It is possible to push your body to the point where you suffer from overtraining syndrome. When you are struggling with overtraining syndrome, you can keep working out hard, but you will not turn out very impressive results, which can be discouraging and lead to burnout. Instead, by giving yourself permission to rest, you can both revitalize your love of exercising and improve your performance.

Keep Your Off Days Planned For And Structured

“Improve your athletic performance, extend your athletic career, treat stiffness and achy joints, and prevent and rehabilitate injuries—all without having to seek out a coach…”

Okay, if you are convinced that rest days are an important part of your workout schedule, here is the one caveat—your rest days need to be planned.

Taking rest days sporadically or just when you feel like it can seriously throw your workouts off course. Also, since many of us have an all-or-nothing mindset, it can be tough to get back on track with our exercise routine if we have allowed ourselves to skip workouts willy-nilly.

As you incorporate rest days into your workout schedule, it will become easier to learn how to balance your active days with your recovery days, and your fitness will improve as a result.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kevin Jones is a health and fitness blogger and a regular contributor to a number of fitness websites. He writes for NordicTrack. During his free time, he likes to be very active and spend time with his wife and two children shredding the slopes of Park City, Utah or chasing down the Salt Lake City Korean food trucks. Connect with him online; LinkedIn– Twitter

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