Six Benefits of Rest

When embarking on a new workout regime and you start seeing great results.  There is often the tendency to overdo it.  I have fallen foul of this myself, and often fail to get adequate rest.  This is often cited:

"If I work out more frequently, or for longer than the results will surely be better?" - anon.

One thing is for sure.  High intensity workouts performed for 6-7 days a week, will definitely result in burnout, a lack of motivation, illness and injury.

Six benefits of rest:

1. Aids Recovery:  a day or two off per week is required to allow bone, muscle, tendons and ligaments the time to recover and repair themselves.  Muscle growth occurs during rest periods, not during exercise;
2. Keeps you healthy:  avoids the risk of the immune response being compromised due to over-training;
3. Helps you sleep:  adequate sleep allows the mind to repair itself and develop new connections (useful when learning new skills, adaptations);
4. Lowers stress: decreases abnormal levels of cortisol (stress hormone): This will allow alertness, productivity and general health to be maintained;
5. More energy throughout the day:   adequate rest helps you avoid energy slumps during the day, ensuring workouts are more effective and efficient;
6. Boosts brain function:  allows for better concentration and focus.

I often repeat the mantra: 

"There is no such thing as over-training, but under-resting."  

This is certainly true, and needs to be factored into your training regime - whatever it may be.

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Comments

[Mitch]

I have to remind myself this so many times.

[Darryl Edwards]

Mitch, I agree. Sometimes we often feel that 'rest' is for wimps. But a part of the holistic approach to activity is knowing when to rest. Not just by set rest periods, but by reading our bodies and being in tune with it.

You can definitely see lots of casualties of this no-rest approach. Especially in those that do lots of endurance work or those who constantly workout to failure. They look and always complain about being tired, are often sick (getting colds often, etc) and don't seem to benefit from their punishing regime.

Adequate rest will lead to reaching our goals sooner rather than later - which is ultimately what we want.

-Darryl.