There are all types of people in the gym. Some people push as hard as possible every day. Others barely do anything difficult. Some mix it up, doing intense workouts one day and taking it easy on others. People who do the rest days get the maximum benefits. That might surprise some people, but it’s true. You can’t push hard continuously. Your muscles need time to recover. Recovery is where the magic takes place.
Pushing ahead continuously never gives your muscles time to heal and build.
When you work at maximum intensity, your muscles develop micro-tears. For at least the next 48 hours, those tears heal to create scar tissue that strengthens and builds the muscle. If you’re working that same muscle group, it can’t heal. It may even cause your muscle tissue to diminish. Taking a rest day doesn’t mean you sit idly. You do mild activities like walking, leisurely swimming, moderate biking, or stretching.
Besides affecting muscle growth, you can also experience burnout without rest days.
What is burnout? It occurs when you’ve pushed your body too far for too long. You might be working hard but not seeing results or losing strength or endurance. It might appear as mood swings, making you far more emotional than normal. You cry easier, get angry faster, and are more sensitive to what people say. You may experience more bouts with colds or influenza. It’s a sign your immune system isn’t functioning as well. Burnout also causes sleep disturbances.
Your body recovers during rest days.
Intense exercise stresses the body and requires time for muscles to heal. Mild exercise helps increase circulation without adding to the stress. If you want to push hard and not take rest days, you can alternate the muscle groups you work on. If you work your upper body one day, you can still work your lower body intensely the next. Taking a rest day or two is still a good idea. Doing flexibility training or stretching on those days is extremely beneficial.
- Rest days can help you improve your performance and avoid muscle strain and injury. If you work at peak intensity too much, it leads to a higher heart rate and decreased performance. It reduces agility, reaction time, and endurance.
- You don’t need rest days if you don’t do intense workouts. If your exercise is walking, moderate biking, or other light workout, you don’t require rest days. But if the exercise is vigorous enough to increase your heart rate significantly, you do.
- On rest days, do something active and fun. You exercise so you have the energy to enjoy life more, so do it. Go dancing, play with the kids, or hike in a natural setting.
- Rest days let you build glycogen stores in the muscles. Glycogen fuels your muscles and provides energy while you work out. Adequate glycogen prevents fatigue and muscle soreness.
For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training