Determining whether or not to workout on a rest day is a common dilemma for many fitness enthusiasts. While rest days are an important component of an exercise routine, light activity on these days may provide benefits without compromising recovery. Here is a look at some of the pros and cons of exercising on a rest day to help you decide if it is OK for your routine.
What is a rest day?
A rest day, or recovery day, is a scheduled day off from intense training and exercise. The purpose of a rest day is to allow the body time to repair muscle damage and replenish energy stores after intense workouts. During exercise, microscopic tears occur in muscle fibers. The body then repairs these tears on rest days, resulting in stronger muscles. Rest days also allow the body to clear out metabolic waste products that accumulate during exercise.
Most exercise experts recommend having 1-2 rest days per week. Athletes involved in high intensity or endurance training may have up to 3 rest days per week. Scheduling regular rest allows the body to adapt to training and prevents overtraining, burnout and injury.
Benefits of light exercise on a rest day
While the focus of a rest day should be recovery, there are some potential benefits to incorporating light activity as well:
- Increased blood flow – Light exercise increases blood flow to the muscles, which helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to aid repair.
- Reduced muscle soreness – Gentle movement helps flush out metabolic waste products that cause muscle soreness.
- Stress relief – Light activity can provide mental benefits and help manage stress.
- Maintenance of active habits – Exercising every day reinforces it as a regular habit.
Some examples of light exercise that may be appropriate on a rest day include:
- Walking
- Yoga or stretching
- Leisurely swimming
- Easy cycling
- Light aerobic exercise
The key is that the activity is low intensity, does not involve heavy weights, and focuses on mobility and active recovery.
Potential drawbacks of exercising on a rest day
While light activity may be beneficial, more intense exercise on a rest day could be detrimental:
- Insufficient recovery – If exercise is too intense, it can interfere with the body’s ability to fully recover between training sessions.
- Overtraining – Exercising 7 days a week increases the risk of overtraining, fatigue, and burnout.
- Injury – Fatigued muscles are more prone to injury during intense exercise.
- Slower progress – Chronic fatigue from inadequate rest can impair performance improvements.
Signs that exercise intensity or duration on a rest day is too high include:
- Ongoing muscle soreness
- Inability to complete workouts
- Elevated resting heart rate
- Disturbed sleep
- Mood disturbances
How to determine appropriate rest day exercise
Here are some factors to help determine if exercise on a rest day would be appropriate:
- Your fitness level and capacity for recovery
- The intensity and duration of your normal workouts
- How you are feeling – energy levels, soreness, motivation
- Your goals, sport demands, and schedule
For example, a beginner doing lower intensity workouts 2-3 times a week would likely tolerate some light exercise daily. An athlete doing high intensity workouts 6 times a week likely needs complete rest on their day off.
It can take some trial and error to find the optimal balance. Pay close attention to your body and adjust your rest day routine if you feel excessively fatigued.
Examples of appropriate rest day exercise
Here are some examples of exercise that would likely be fine on a rest day for most people:
| Exercise | Intensity | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Leisurely pace | 30-60 minutes |
| Yoga | Gentle, relaxing flow | 30-60 minutes |
| Stationary cycling | Light effort | 30 minutes |
| Swimming | Easy effort | 30 minutes or less |
| Light kettlebell circuit | 12-15 reps per set | 3 rounds |
The key factors are low intensity, avoiding high impact activities, and limiting duration to 30-60 minutes. Additionally, these activities should focus on mobility and muscle recovery rather than strength building or intense cardio.
Examples of inappropriate rest day exercise
Here are some examples of exercise that would likely be too intense for a rest day for most people:
| Exercise | Intensity | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Running | Tempo or interval training | 60+ minutes |
| Cycling | Hill repeats | 60+ minutes |
| Swimming | All-out sprints | 60+ minutes |
| Heavy strength training | High weight, low reps | 45+ minutes |
| High intensity circuit | Max effort | 30+ minutes |
The key factors that make these inappropriate are their high intensity, engaging the same muscle groups as normal training, and longer duration without mobility focus. One or two of these may be acceptable, but the combination typically exceeds rest day needs.
Conclusion
Deciding whether to workout on a rest day comes down to listening to your body and determining the optimal balance between activity and rest. For many people, light exercise for 30-60 minutes is perfectly fine and even beneficial during recovery days. However, higher intensity, longer duration sessions may hinder the recuperation process. Get to know your body’s signals and adjust your rest day routine accordingly to find a sustainable long-term fitness approach.