Maintaining physical fitness necessitates persistency, enthusiasm, and self-discipline – instilling a regimen and adhering to it. Nonetheless, cultivating stamina equally means intermittently deviating from this regimen and securing adequate rest. Opting not to exercise at times can be as significant as the activity itself.
“Rest forms an integral part of the scheme,” says Justin Santos, the chief coach at the Academy of Lions in Toronto. He emphasises that shunning rest can be as disastrous as ignoring a month’s worth of sessions.
Achieving fitness is a cycle of depletion and restoration, and as we conform, our bodies evolve to be sturdier, faster, and more potent. For a typical fitness enthusiast, discerning the precise amount of rest can be challenging. What defines a proper day of rest? Are you reposing too less or too much?
Physical activity causes minute ruptures in our muscle fibres, and whilst we rest, these fibres are mended and adapt to become larger and stronger. This adaptation process, referred to as super-compensation, helps us run quicker, jump higher, or lift more weight.
Giles Warrington, professor of human performance and innovation at the University of Limerick, says, “During the fatigue phase, as the body recuperates, we conform to the training.”
Insufficient rest halts progress and hampers improvement as it does not allow the muscles enough time to adapt. However, not all weariness or recovery is identical. Warrington suggests that adaptations following aerobic exercise like running or jump rope, are reasonably rapid and could transpire overnight. After a gentle jog, your body would likely be prepared for another run the next morning.
In contrast, for high-intensity or explosive strength training, recovery prolongs, normally taking a day or two. Consecutive days of strength training are discouraged, he adds.
Nevertheless, Justin Santos maintains that there is no need to be fully recovered before commencing another workout, specifically if you are working towards a goal like running a marathon. Wearable smartwatches that track sleep quality can provide a readiness score, although the precision differs.
For those exercising simply to maintain pace with their kids or age with finesse, a physical exertion level equivalent to 80 per cent of their capacity, where one can feel the traces of the former workout but not disrupt the performance, is advised. Those aiming for specific goals like running in a competition or mountaineering might need to endure some discomfort to enhance improvement speed, particularly for ambitious goals such as improving a 10km run time – the shorter the recovery span, the better.
When your activity frequency doesn’t exceed thrice a week, additional rest days might be unnecessary. A higher frequency of workouts might be more beneficial. Incorporating diverse forms of exercises like a brisk hike or frisbee might be a good way, as suggested by former CrossFit Games participant, Scott Panchik, now a gym owner. He asserts that to excel at something, at least four or five sessions a week are mandatory.
Rest days should not be entirely void of activities. As noted by Warrington, “Recovery doesn’t signify absolute inaction”. Active recovery methods, including mild cardio like a leisurely jog, pickleball, or extensive walks, have proven beneficial for effective recovery.
Similarly, Panchik recommends a routine of three straight workout days followed by a rest day, then two workout days and another rest day, which is then repeated. Fielding his rest days with long walks or low-impact cardio, he affirms that minimal rest invites over-exertion and potential injuries.
It’s also important to consider one’s general mood in order to gauge the necessity of rest days.
“Mood turns out to be the most accurate indicator of overworking” as per Christie Aschwanden, author of the book Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery.
He adds that if waking up leads to grumpiness or sudden reluctance is observed for a beloved exercise, it’s probably time to take a break.
For those who relish the rigours of exercise, finding the resolve to pause can be challenging. Professional CrossFit competitor, Arielle Loewen, observes that many find rest difficult and struggle with the feeling of doing enough, requiring considerable forbearance.
Taking a day to unwind, however, is fundamental to maintaining a lifelong commitment to exercise. Loewen advises that failing to rest will cause the body to compel you to do so.
Lastly, it’s crucial to ensure adequate sleep before and after workout sessions. Warrington states that sleep is arguably the most potent resource available for physical recovery. This summary is based upon an article previously published in the New York Times.