Vote in This Week's Poll: How many rest days do you take each week?
Monday September 1, 2008
Taking a rest day from exercise, or several rest days, is something all of us should do from time to time but a lot of us wonder: How much rest do we need? If we rest too long, don't we risk losing muscle mass or endurance? That's certainly a possibility if you're taking a break that lasts longer than a couple of weeks but, taking a day or two off each week shouldn't hurt your progress and may even help. You may find you have more energy for your workouts if you take a break now and then.
All of us are different when it comes to rest days. Some people don't take any at all and seem to do fine. Others, like me, take a day or two off each week depending on how we feel and how the workouts are going. And then there are people who take a week off every 3 or so months before starting back to their programs. What about you? Do you have set rest days you take each week? Vote in this week's poll and tell us about it.
Poll: How many rest days do you take each week?
1. I don't take any rest days
2. 1 day a week
3. 2 days a week
4. 3 or more days a week
5. I take a full week of rest every so often
6. I rest every day of the week
7. Other-please explain in comments
Comments
I reward myself with a day off every Friday. After 6 straight days of working out, my body does feel a little “taxed” so one day is good for me to re-energize. Plus, it’s nice to sleep in on the last day of a long work week too!
Rest comes in a lot of different ways…I usually take two full days off per week, but occassionaly I just do a shorter run or swim, lighter weights if I’m tired but still feel the need for the excercise boost. Twice a year I take a full week off from all exercise except for walking the dog!
I usually “rest” once every week
By rest I mean doing sports that I enjoyed more but dont have time to do every day
Say I love swimming but I had to travel a long way to a decent pool in my community
So I usually ran 5K everyday instead
Then on Weekends, I travel all the way to the pool for a awim
This helps to keep my muscles toned and feel refreshed from the “routine” run
I try to let my body tell me; if my schedule is in-synch with my body’s capacity and the all-important sleep schedule, I can do a long, hard cardio one day, an equally taxing weight-lifting session the next and then take a day off, occasionally one more, but my body “misses” the exercise if any more rest time is involved.
Another good discussion topic, Paige, thanks, I learn a lot from you and the participants.
I like to work out and run 20 miles Mon., wed.,and fri., I might switch fri., and sat., at the age of 59 I think anymore then that would do more harm than good.
I like to take a week off every few months. I find that while my body needs the workout every day. I need to take a week off because I get so bored. Unfortunately with my busy schedule I am only able to get to the gym in the early 4-5 am hours. So I need a week off to put together a new workout that gets me excited.
No one needs “rest days.” That is an old (fitness) wives’ tale. It’s also used as an excuse not to get to the gym. If one works a different muscle group each day, and mixes up different routines throughout the week, then there is no need to “rest.”
OF YOU TAKE A REST TAKE A NAP IT IS GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN AND YES I DO THAT TO AND THEN TAKE A SHOWER WITH COLD WATER AND YOU WILL WAKE UP NICE AND FRESH OR DRINK CAFFINE OF YOU WANT TO THANK YOU
I like to eat VERY carefully all week, take my supplements and exercise. On the weekends, I treat myself to something that I would not eat during the week, such as (frozen, pan-browned) french fries w/ketchup, and I don’t exercise. I am a 61-year-old female, 5′-8-1/2″, 125# (not so easy to maintain as when I was younger!), and a vegetarian since 16, with no health problems (yet!).
I usually take one day a week where I don’t do any strenuous work out. But I do find that after about four to six weeks of this, I need to take two to three days off to ‘recalibrate’ everything. Then I can attack my workouts with more enthusiasm and vigor!