How many rest days between workouts?

When you’re laser-focused on your fitness goals, it’s not uncommon for “rest days” to be at the bottom of your priority list. But recovery is as comprehensive as training for physical health; they help develop strength, improve performance and reduce the risk of injury.

So how many rest days are needed between workouts to realize these benefits?

Ideally, you will have between 48 and 72 hours of rest between training days. If you love high-intensity workouts, the American Council on Exercise recommends at least one very passive rest day every 7-10 days.

Below, we explain how rest days work to fuel future workouts and what you can do to help your body bounce back (and build) even better.

Why rest days help boost future training

Whether you’re in shape or a five-star athlete, rest days and recovery periods can make or break your instant. and long-term physical health. While you’re resting, your body is hard at work, on a molecular level, making the necessary repairs for your next workout.

Specifically, they promote rest days:

• Muscle repair and growth – During periods of exertion, your muscle fibers experience “micro-tears” due to physical stress. When you take time to rest after your workout, these tears have time to heal and grow, creating even stronger muscle tissue. In sports science, this process is known as muscular hypertrophy.
• Glycogen replenishment – Glycogen is the main substance your body uses to fuel your workouts. Intense training sessions deplete your reserves, which are located in your muscles and liver. Rest days—accompanied by a carbohydrate-rich post-workout meal—allow your body to replenish its stores. This facilitates muscle repair and growth and helps you avoid muscle fatigue.
• Hormonal balance – Physically speaking, your body perceives exercise as a form of stress. As a result, cortisol (the stress hormone) tends to rise during training sessions. If you do intense or frequent workouts, rest days help you avoid getting a catabolic state: when your body may begin to break down muscle instead of repairing it. Rest also allows your endocrine system to balance, reducing the risk of developing hormonal imbalances.

On a macro level, rest days help prevent overtraining, which can cause you to feel mentally and physically burnt out after the gym. By treating rest days as a critical component of your regimen, rather than the enemy, you’re more likely to see stronger and more lasting results from your efforts while active.

Understanding active and passive recovery

Different types of workouts may require different types of recovery periods. For example, you may not need a full rest day if your preferred exercise is gentle yoga.

Rest days are most essential for those involved in high-intensity or resistance training, where muscle hypertrophy can occur. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between “active” and “passive” recovery time:

• Active recovery It can include low-stress exercises to maintain circulation and tone muscles. Active recovery days may include the following exercises:
  • A quick walk
  • swimming
  • yoga
  • Stretching
• Passive recovery includes no exercise: complete physical rest. This is ideal if you participate in high-intensity workouts, especially on a regular basis. On these days, feel free to read, do your favorite hobby, or just relax on the couch as a workout for the day. Enjoy it!

Don’t forget post-workout recovery

Rest days are important, but you can help your recovery even more by taking a few simple steps after your training sessions.

Here’s what you can do to help your body recover during this transition:

• cool down – Before leaving the gym, make sure you get in at least 10 minutes of wind movement. Low-intensity exercise helps bring your heart rate and blood pressure back to baseline.
• stretch out – Stretching helps limit muscle soreness and promote flexibility. It’s thought that stretching along with cool-down periods can help prevent your muscles from becoming stiff and sore.
• Hydrate – If you do it right, you may lose a lot of moisture while exercising. Some people can lose up to 2 liters of fluid (and salt) for every hour of high-intensity exercise. Ideally, adults will drink 16 to 24 oz. water or sports drinks after training.
• the fuel – Post-workout snacks help replenish glycogen stores and promote muscle repair and growth. The ideal post-workout meal can depend on the type of workout you’ve done, as well as your needs. To simplify things, carbohydrates are ideal for recovery, while proteins help with muscle repair and growth.

Build holistic health at Chuze Fitness

After some time off your feet, rededicate yourself to your workouts at Chuze Fitness. With one of the best value memberships you’ll find, you’ll enjoy access to clean, premium gym equipment, a variety of group classes, and even a movie theater to work out while you’re entertained. Do you need babysitting? Chuze Fitness has that too. Please note that this service is not available at all Chuze Fitness locations, be sure to check your local Chuze location page.

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Sources:

Healthline. Are rest days important for exercise?

https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/rest-day#benefits

NCBI. Effects of intertrial rest intervals on repeatability of the 10-repetition maximal exercise test: A pilot study in recreational resistance-trained men. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6719818/

Healthline. Muscle hypertrophy and your training.

World of Runners. Cortisol and exercise: what you need to know.

https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/mental-health/a60125903/cortisol-and-exercise/

Fit very well. Why you need rest and recovery after exercise.

Mayo Clinic. Aerobic exercise: how to warm up and cool down. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20045517

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Athletes and hydration: questions and answers with a dietitian.

Reviewed by:

Ani is Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the group’s fitness and group training departments. He has a 25-year career in club management, personal training, group exercise and teacher training. Ani lives with her husband and son in San Diego, CA and enjoys hot yoga, snowboarding, and wellness.