How many rest days between training sessions?
When you’re focused on your fitness goals, it’s not uncommon for “rest days” to fall to the bottom of your priority list. But rest is just as important to physical health as the workouts themselves – they help build strength, improve performance and reduce the risk of injury.
So how many rest days between workouts are required to reap these benefits?
Ideally there should be between 48 and 72 hours of rest between training days. If you love high-intensity exercise, the American Council on Exercise recommends at least one full, passive rest day every 7 to 10 days.
Below, we’ll explain how rest days serve as a source of energy for future workouts and what you can do to help your body recover (and rebuild) even better.
Why rest days help fuel future workouts
Whether you’re a fitness newbie or a five-star athlete, rest days and recovery periods can make or break your workout And long-term physical health. While you take it easy, your body is working hard on a molecular level to make the necessary repairs to be ready for your next workout.
Rest days particularly promote:
- Muscle repair and growth – When you exert yourself, the physical strain causes “micro-tears” in your muscle fibers. Taking the time to rest after your workout gives these tears time to heal and grow, creating even stronger muscle tissue. In sports science this process is called Muscle hypertrophy.
- Glycogen replenishment – Glycogen is the main substance your body uses for energy during exercise. Intense workouts deplete your reserves, which are located in your muscles and liver. Rest days – supported by a carbohydrate-rich meal after training – allow your body to replenish its stores. This facilitates muscle repair and growth and helps you avoid muscle fatigue.
- Hormonal balance – Physically, your body views exercise as a type of stress. As a result, cortisol (the stress hormone) tends to rise during exercise sessions. If you exercise intensely or frequently, rest days will help prevent you from getting into a state catabolic state: When your body can start breaking down muscles instead of repairing them. Rest also helps your endocrine system balance, potentially reducing the risk of hormonal imbalance.
On a macro level, rest days help you avoid overtraining, which can leave you feeling mentally and physically burnt out after a workout in the gym. If you view rest days as a critical component – rather than the enemy – of your diet, you’re likely to see stronger and more sustainable results from the effort you put in while you’re active.
Understanding active vs. passive recovery
Different types of training may require different recovery periods. For example, you may not need a full day of rest if your preferred exercise is gentle yoga.
Rest days are especially important for those who engage in high-intensity or endurance training, where muscle hypertrophy is most likely to occur. For this reason, it is important to differentiate between “active” and “passive” recovery time:
- Active recreation This may include low-impact exercises to maintain blood flow and strengthen your muscles. Active recovery days could include exercises like:
- Brisk walking
- Bathe
- yoga
- Stretch
- Passive recovery contains NO Exercise – a complete state of physical rest. This is ideal if you train regularly and particularly intensively. On these days, you can consider reading, your favorite hobby, or just lounging on the couch as your daily workout. Enjoy it!
Don’t forget about recovery after training
Rest days are important, but you can help your recovery even more by taking a few simple steps right after your workouts.
Here’s what you can do to help your body transition into the recovery phase:
- Cool – Before you leave the gym, be sure to do at least 10 minutes of relaxing exercise. Low-intensity exercise helps bring your heart rate and blood pressure back to baseline.
- Stretch – Stretching exercises help relieve muscle soreness and promote flexibility. It is believed that stretching exercises combined with cool down periods can help prevent your muscles from becoming stiff and sore later.
- hydrate – If you do it right, you will probably lose a lot of moisture during exercise. Some people can lose up to 2 liters of fluid (and salt) per hour of high-intensity exercise. Ideally, adults drink 16 to 24 ounces. Water or sports drinks after exercise.
- Refuel – Post-workout snacks help replenish glycogen stores and promote muscle repair and growth. The ideal post-workout meal may depend on the type of workout you did and your individual needs. Simply put, carbohydrates are ideal for recovery, while protein supports muscle repair and growth.
Build holistic health at Chuze Fitness
Once you’ve taken some time off your feet, you can get back to your training at Chuze Fitness. With one of the highest quality memberships you can find, you’ll have access to top-notch, clean fitness equipment, tons of group classes, and even a movie theater where you can work out while being entertained. Do you need child care? Chuze Fitness has that too. Please note that this service is not available at every Chuze Fitness. So be sure to check your local Chuze Fitness’s location page.
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Sources:
HealthyLine. Are rest days important for training?
https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/rest-day#benefits
NCBI. Effects of different inter-test rest intervals on the reproducibility of the 10-repetition maximal exercise test: A pilot study of men doing recreational resistance training. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6719818/
HealthyLine. Muscle hypertrophy and your training.
https://www.healthline.com/health/muscular-hypertrophy#definition
Runner’s world. Cortisol and exercise: What you need to know.
https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/mental-health/a60125903/cortisol-and-exercise/
Very good fit. Why you need rest and recovery after training. https://www.verywellfit.com/the-benefits-of-rest-and-recovery-after-exercise-3120575
Mayo Clinic. Aerobic exercises: warm up and cool down. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-Depth/exercise/art-20045517
Johns Hopkins Medicine. Exercise and Hydration for Athletes: Questions and Answers with a Nutritionist.
Reviewed by:
Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and leads the group fitness and team training departments. She has a career spanning more than 25 years in club management, personal training, group exercise and coach education. Ani lives in San Diego, California with her husband and son and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.
