Rest days are an important part of any exercise routine. They give your muscles time to recover and repair themselves after strenuous workouts. Many people wonder if it’s okay to be completely inactive on rest days or if some activity is still recommended. There are pros and cons to both options. Ultimately, it depends on your specific goals and body’s needs.
What are rest days?
Rest days are days when you take a break from structured workouts and give your body time to recover. They are just as important as your intense workout days for making progress.
Some common reasons rest days are important include:
- Allow your muscles to repair – Hard training causes small tears and damage to muscle fibers. Rest allows them to heal stronger.
- Give your body time to adapt – Exercise creates stress. Rest gives your body time to adapt and get stronger.
- Prevent overtraining – Overtraining can occur if you don’t take enough rest days. This can lead to decreased performance, fatigue, and potential injury.
- Improve mental recovery – Physical recovery is important, but mental recovery is too. Rest lets your brain recharge.
Most experts recommend taking at least 1-2 rest days per week, depending on how intense and frequent your workouts are. The harder you train, the more rest days your body needs.
Is complete inactivity recommended on rest days?
There are different schools of thought on what you should do on rest days:
Complete rest – Some believe you should be completely inactive on rest days. This gives your muscles maximum time to fully recover without any additional strain. It allows all physiological systems to reset.
Light activity – Others believe some light activity is fine and even beneficial on rest days. This can help increase blood flow to promote recovery without overtaxing the body. Things like walking, gentle yoga or swimming are often recommended.
There are pros and cons to both approaches:
Benefits of complete rest
- Allows maximum muscle recovery – No muscle use prevents further damage.
- Gives your nervous system a break – No physical stimulation lets your CNS fully recover.
- Reduces injury risk from overuse – No activity eliminates injury risk on rest days.
- Enforces mental relaxation – Physically resting often leads to mental rest as well.
Cons of complete rest
- Reduced blood flow – Lack of movement reduces blood circulation which could slow recovery.
- Potential for stiff, sore muscles – Staying completely immobile could make your muscles tighter.
- Increased stress and anxiety – Some people feel restless and stressed if they are inactive.
- Lack of routine – Going from intense training to complete inactivity may feel disruptive.
Benefits of light activity
- Increased blood flow – Gentle movement pumps nutrient-rich blood through your muscles.
- Prevents soreness – Light activity keeps muscles loose, preventing DOMS.
- Promotes active recovery – Low-intensity training aids the recovery process.
- Maintains routine – Keeps your body accustomed to regular activity.
Cons of light activity
- Potential overexertion – Fatigued muscles may be overworked if activity is too intense.
- Delayed recovery – Any muscle demands could slow the recovery process.
- Increased injury risk – Exercising when fatigued raises injury vulnerability.
- Prevents complete mental rest – Being active can make it harder to mentally recharge.
As you can see, there are benefits to both approaches. You may find that your ideal rest day involves a combination of complete rest and light activity depending on how your body is feeling.
Factors that determine appropriate rest day activity
Several factors determine whether complete inactivity or some light activity is preferable for you on rest days:
Your training program and goals
If your workouts are very intense with high volume, taking complete rest days may be best. This allows for sufficient muscular recovery to meet your program demands.
But if your training isn’t overly taxing, doing light activity may be fine and even help you meet goals like maintaining baseline fitness or losing fat.
Your current fatigue levels
The more fatigued you are, the more inactive you may need to be on rest days. Listen to your body – if you are exhausted and have high muscle soreness, rest is likely beneficial.
If your energy is higher and you aren’t overly sore, then gentle activity could aid your recovery instead of hindering it.
Your recovery rate
Everyone recovers at different rates. Faster recovery may allow for more activity on rest days, while slower recovery may warrant complete rest.
As you learn your body’s recovery abilities, you can adjust your rest day activity accordingly. Those newer to training likely need more inactive recovery time.
Injury status
If you are currently injured, inactive rest is usually best on rest days to allow the injury to properly heal.
When healthy and free of injuries, light activity is less risky and may help prevent future injuries by maintaining mobility.
Your training experience
In general, novice trainees need more rest whereas experienced trainees can tolerate more activity on rest days once adapted.
Advanced athletes may even benefit from “active recovery” strategies like light cardio or yoga on rest days. Beginners need stricter rest.
Your age
As we age, our bodies need longer recovery periods. Older adults may benefit from complete rest days while younger adults can engage in light activity.
However, inactivity can accelerate muscle loss as we age. So light activity may help older adults maintain fitness on rest days.
Examples of appropriate light activity for rest days
If you choose to be lightly active on rest days, here are some examples of appropriate activities:
- Walking – Especially at a leisurely pace. Aim for 30-60 minutes max.
- Hiking – Choose easy terrain with lower exertion levels.
- Yoga or stretching – Gentle classes focused on mobility rather than intensity.
- Swimming – Easy laps or pool exercises. Avoid high effort levels.
- Cycling – Leisurely riding with little resistance or hills.
- Tai Chi – Smooth, flowing movements with a meditative focus.
The key is choosing activities that don’t cause high exertion or muscle strain. Keep intensity below 50% of your maximal heart rate to stay in the low-intensity active recovery zone.
Avoid exercises that use the same muscles as your regular training days. For example, if you lift weights often, choose non-strength-based activities for rest day variety. Mixing things up allows specific muscles to rest.
Sample rest day routines
Here are two sample routines showing different rest day approaches:
Complete rest day
- Sleep in
- Stretch lightly upon waking
- Engage in relaxation like massage, meditation, or reading
- Take relaxing bath or use foam roller/lacrosse ball for sore muscles
- Focus on hydration and nutrition
- Get a full night’s sleep
Light activity rest day
- 30 minute morning yoga session
- Healthy, energizing breakfast
- 60 minute brisk walk outside
- Relaxing nap/quiet time midday
- Light swim session or cycling in the evening
- Stretch major muscle groups at end of day
Customize your own routine based on the guidelines above. Just be sure to avoid intense training and listen to your body’s needs.
Recommended rest day duration
Most experts recommend 1-2 full rest days per week for adequate muscular recovery. Here are some general rest day duration guidelines:
- Beginners – 2 rest days per week
- Intermediate exercisers – 1-2 rest days per week
- Advanced exercisers – 5-7 rest days per month
- Athletes in intense training – 1 rest day every 5-7 training days
Take extra rest days during periods of increased life stress or when feeling excessively fatigued. You may also need to increase rest days when recovering from an injury.
Listen to your body and allow sufficient time for it to adapt and overcome training stress. But also balance enough activity to prevent detraining.
Rest day dos and don’ts
Follow these general dos and don’ts on your rest days:
Do
- Sleep at least 7-9 hours
- Hydrate well and eat a nutritious diet
- Focus on mobility if doing light activity
- Engage in relaxing, low-stress activities
- Use foam rolling, massage, ice/heat therapy if needed
Don’t
- Perform intense workouts or strength training
- Do excessive high-impact cardio exercise
- Neglect proper nutrition and hydration
- Sit for extremely long periods
- Consume alcohol, drugs, or otherwise impede recovery
Prioritize rejuvenation activities over draining activities. Save high exertion for your workout days and allow muscles to rebuild on rest days.
Signs you need more rest days
Watch for these signs indicating you should take more rest days:
- Excessive muscle soreness lasting several days
- Decreased performance during workouts
- Inability to complete your normal number of reps or workload
- Elevated resting heart rate in the morning
- Disrupted sleep and constant fatigue
- Lack of motivation and mental burnout
- Increased perceived effort during exercise
- Illness, constant nagging injuries or frequent headaches
These are clear signals your body needs more recovery time. Increase rest days or lighten training intensity if experiencing these issues.
Frequently asked questions
Should I avoid all exercise on rest days?
Not necessarily. While complete rest is sometimes warranted, gentle exercise may aid the recovery process for many people. Listen to your body and avoid anything overly taxing.
Can I do cardio on rest days?
Yes, provided it is low-intensity cardiovascular exercise. Take a leisurely bike ride or do some easy laps in the pool. Keep your heart rate below ~60-70% of maximum.
What if I feel good on rest days, can I still train?
No. Even if you feel good subjectively, your body needs recovery. Fatigue masks itself and training when you should rest can lead to overtiring. Stick to the plan.
Should I skip rest days if trying to lose weight?
No, rest is still important for fat loss. Training without proper rest won’t produce better results. Manage your diet and training intensity, don’t skip rest days.
If I’m sore, should I skip activity completely?
If very sore, yes. But light activity can help relieve soreness once the worst passes after 1-2 days. Gentle movement boosts blood flow to help muscles heal.
The bottom line
Whether you choose to be completely inactive or engage in light activity, rest days are vital. Listen to your body, allow adequate recovery for your situation, and avoid intense training.
Aim to maintain general fitness on rest days without impeding your body’s recuperation. Rest and recovery is just as crucial as training for fitness progress and injury prevention.