- Rest is an essential part of the training plan: it helps the body and mind recover, preventing injuries and drops in performance.
- Listening to the body is key: the need for rest varies from person to person; it is not the same for everyone.
- Working out every day is possible, without overdoing it, maintaining variety and respecting signs of fatigue.
Everyone talks about it but (almost) no one does it. Resting is an activity that is often snubbed. It is perceived somewhat as a waste of time. And yet, taking a day off, or a few more if necessary, can only do you good. But how do you figure out how many days you need to come back stronger? And how to deal with them?
It is part of the process
Start with the assumption that a rest day is still a training day, different from how we usually think of it. Our body is far from stationary; it is working to restore expended energy and repair muscles after training. Without this step, you run the risk of pushing your body to its limits, with the risk that, one way or another, it will be exhausted in the long run or at worst break down. Rest days are also for this, to allow the body, but also the mind, to recover from fatigue.
Not all rest is the same
For those who are always super active, moving and exercising every day, it can be difficult to pause and do nothing. But you don’t necessarily have to do that. The need to rest is different for everyone, and must be addressed according to one’s characteristics and needs. Whether and how much to rest is a subjective need, which you must also learn to understand based on the signals your body sends you.
Best practices that apply to almost everyone
While it is a subjective choice there are best practices to follow in certain circumstances:
- if you did not sleep well and woke up already tired, consider postponing your workout and rest;
- if you have flu symptoms and feel debilitated postpone training until you feel better;
- avoid doing two very intense workouts on consecutive days;
- if you have a string of workouts gone wrong behind you, take some time to recharge, because that may be just what you need to be able to get back to seeing progress.
So is it wrong to train every day?
Again, there is no universal answer that applies to everyone. It depends. Working out every day is possible, as long as you differentiate your workouts by type and intensity. Variety is always the best choice. Mix and match multiple disciplines to try to get the best out of each. By doing so you will keep your body moving by giving it ever-changing stimulation. It will come out stronger and fitter than ever!