Rest Days

[crazyqueet]

How many rest days do you take a week from exercise?? 

[Dominique]

I do resistance training 5 days a week (so 2 days rest), but my sessions are relatively short (usually 45-50 minutes). For cardio, I walk & run 3 days a week, and walk only the remaining 4 days. I feel walking is the kind of activity I don’t need to rest from. My average step count at the moment is 15-20k per day.

[crazyqueet]

Yeah I mostly do cardio and try to do at least 3 to 4 days of resistance training along with that. So I was thinking of maybe 2 rest days a week?? Maybe one of those rest days not really being a rest day but more of a "stretch" day

[bcalvanese]

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@crazyqueet wrote:

How many rest days do you take a week from exercise?? 

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None. I do recovery workouts between intense workouts.

for example, if I run 5 miles one day I power walk that same 5 miles the next day to help in recovery. Once in a while I do take a lazy day where I will just do a casual walk.

[SunsetRunner · Accepted solution]

One or two. I have three strict /planned training days in the week (Mon, Wed and Thurs), and for the other two weekdays I will just get in the gym or go to a class to make sure something is still working out and moving. Weekends are for rest (or catching up on missed workouts), although lately I've found myself going for long walks or ending up in the gym on Sundays anyway - In that case I just take it easier on the next weeks Tuesdays or Friday if I've ended up working extra.

[emili]

I straight forward walk over six miles for two of the seven days- which I don't count as exercise days. So I guess two. The rest of the time is cardio with one day of lifting to prevent cardio skinny. there are weeks where I will skip one day if I have a commitment- a complete rest day. I try to avoid them as much as possible.

[Malme84]

I work out Monday - Friday and take Saturday and Sunday off. Saturday is also my make-up day, in case I missed a workout during the week.

[PastaLuver14]

I suppose I should take rest days,but I don't. Only 2 days  I don't run out of the week,but am walking constantly on those days still. So....zero for me

[Dominique]

If you are in normal health and shape, walking is not an activity you should need to recover from (unless we are talking about a 10-hour hike with a heavy backpack). And recovery doesn’t mean you should be lying on your couch all day. OTOH, if you are carrying a lot of extra weight and have health issues, walking in itself can be a workout and taxing.

[trishe]

I've always tended to avoid rest days or feel guilty if I do take them. It feels like a failing to  stop, although I know that it isn't. Like svasana at the end of yoga, rest days are supposed to give the body time to process and learn.

I've been on a great streak of walking or working out with "aerobics plus strength training" workouts. I've been meeting or exceeding my step goals. I've been reluctant to rest, afraid I'll fall out of the habit again.

Then yesterday, a familiar pain returned, an old soft tissue injury acting up again. This time, I decided to NOT hurt myself further over an arbitrary number of steps. I dialed back the eating to keep calories in line with activity. 

Now, the rest of this is rather detailed and personal, so be forewarned.

Since I've gotten back on the movement wagon, and have been eating more consciously, something unexpected has happened. I guess my metabolism went into shock. I had become become mildly, um, "backed up" as a result. Very rare for me. The more I was working out, the less my body seemed to be doing its job in the background. Frustrating!

It seems my enforced resting day yesterday was much needed in more ways than one. Let's just say that all is as it should be now. And I can't wait to weigh in tomorrow. (I forgot this morning.)

I'm sure that if I keep up the activity and eating regimen, this old body will adjust and know how to handle it. And I plan to be more aware of when I need to rest. It was an important lesson for me. I can't expect my body to behave like it's still 20 when it is looking 60 in the eye. So there.

[Esya]

I am trying to have a kind of rest day today, but exercise wise I don't really need them as I don't believe I do intense work outs. The most intense would be my yoga class twice a week, so there are 2-3 days with lesser intensity between those (biking to and from work, getting my steps in and 20 mins of yoga at home). But I do need resting days for my mental health. I always struggle with it though, like there are things to do and I want to be active but my mind really needs the rest and relaxation at times. In reality it means the cleaning of the house does not get done that week. I seem to be needing them less and less though as I am so much more in control of my anxiety. But today I felt I hit the limit again and I have learned to respect it.