Day off from exercise?

I hardly ever miss a day. Since Monday of this week I've spent over 9 hours exercising. Should I take a day off to rest or just keep chugging along? Just want some opinions on days of rest!

Sat. Jan 14, 10:25am

I always make sure I take one day off to let my body rest. Especially if you are working out really hard. Or make it a fun workout, go dancing, walking around a down town area for awhile, something easier on the body, but still moving.

Saturday, January 14, 2006, 11:05 AM

I did 11 days straight working out 2-3 hours a day, and the only reason I took a day off (last Wednesday, I think) is because my knee was feeling a bit squishy and weird - I don't have any chronic joint problems, and want to keep it that way. That day off made a huge difference, and I felt stronger the following day when I went back to the gym -- increased levels on the cardio machines, stuff like that. So between fear of overuse injuries and the concrete benefits of that day off, I intend to take off one day a week completely, except for maybe some walking.

Oh, and my personal trainers yelled at me for being so stupid about not taking a day off sooner.

KatieMc80
(Spotlight Rome)

Saturday, January 14, 2006, 11:47 AM

Your body needs to rest!

It is really good to take a day off every now and then. And when you have been exercising regularly for a long time, it is a good idea to take an extended break - even as much as 1-2 weeks.

Muscles need time to recover, and if you don't give them the rest they need they won't have time to grow and strengthen. Your body will benefit more from a day off every few days, than if you try to exercise every single day.

Saturday, January 14, 2006, 6:59 PM

Always at least 1 day per week

that is the usual advice you will here. Your muscles need time to recover - it's like a good night's sleep, you're better for it.

I echo what the above poster said about sometimes taking 1-2 weeks off. A one week break is good for you and you won't lose your aerobic base in that amount of time.

Saturday, January 14, 2006, 7:43 PM

You don't mention what you do for exercise every day. If you don't want to take a complete rest from exercise, at least work different muscles than you normally do. If you always run, for example, do some lifting or jump rope or swim. Or do some gentle yoga and stretch those tired joints!

Saturday, January 14, 2006, 7:50 PM

30 pounds ago, I played college soccer (Div III). NCAA rules prohibit teams from practicing or playing more than 6 days in a row. e.g., if we were playing in a tournament with a game on saturday and a game on sunday, we needed to take a day off from practice the week before the tournament and a day off the week after. I figure if the NCAA, which usually promotes the sport at the expense of the athlete, says take 1 day off per week, then it's good advice for the rest of us.

Saturday, January 14, 2006, 11:35 PM

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