It may seem counterintuitive to take a break when you are doing a lot of work to achieve your fitness goals, but taking time to rest will allow you to recover and become more flexible, making it easier for you to achieve your fitness goals. The long-term. During a challenging fitness routine, your muscles are shredded. When you rest, you give your muscles a much-needed opportunity to rebuild. Muscle fatigue and mental fatigue are two factors that can hinder your progress in your exercise, and taking some time to reset can help you return to your regular routine stronger and more focused. You can take an active recovery day, which includes some moderate movement, or if you do a lot of high-intensity workouts, a full rest day with little or no movement may be just what your body needs.
What is active recovery?
Active recovery includes low-intensity movements such as walking, stretching, and body weight exercises that increase blood flow to sore or tense muscles, helping them recover more quickly while improving breathing quality and reducing mental stress. Strength training aims to maximize muscle contractions, and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) exercises increase heart rate, increasing fitness. Active recovery slightly increases heart rate, blood flow, and central nervous system activity, allowing nutrients to reach muscles in need of repair and effectively remove waste products such as lactic acid.
Stay Active: Options for Recovery Day
On active recovery days, there are many different ways you can move your body. It’s a good opportunity to do some cross-training and try a different form of exercise that you’re used to. If you’re a runner, you can switch it up and take advantage of VASA’s indoor pool and sauna, or take a yoga class. If you focus more on bodybuilding, then going for a moderate walk is a great way to get out and enjoy the scenery while still getting some movement and activating different muscles. It can be helpful to schedule active recovery days in advance, or you can set aside some active recovery time at the end of your workouts. Even just 5-10 minutes of stretching and cooling down at the end of a workout can help reduce post-workout soreness and speed up recovery time. Foam rolling is another great way to relieve muscle tension and improve range of motion. When rolling and stretching the foam, focus on the quads, hamstrings, calves, and upper back.
What is rest day?
Taking a full day of rest with little or no physical activity can be critical, especially if you do a lot of high-intensity workouts. Think of it as a reset for your mind and body. Overtraining can harm your health and fitness goals and can lead to burnout. When your body is tired and sore, it’s a warning sign that you’ve been stressed out too much and not taking the time to take care of yourself.
Rest day activities away from the gym
A full rest day is a chance to check in on yourself and listen to what your body needs. It is important to take some time to rest completely, but if you still want to do some gentle movement, you can do some gentle stretching or walk at an easy pace while focusing on your breath. Full rest days can be a good opportunity to try a different type of class, such as meditation or restorative yoga, which includes gentle poses and focus on deep breathing and deeper stretching. Whatever activity you choose for your rest day, just make sure you give your mind and body a much-needed break.
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