When you get revved up to get in shape, it can be tempting to skip rest days and hurry right back to that rush of endorphins. Plenty of people do that, but it's actually healthier and more effective to put in some hard work and then let your muscles relax. Continuing to push yourself with no break on the horizon only leads to trouble, and it could sabotage your fitness goals in the end.
Getting the Most Out of Exercise
While a light jog around the neighborhood won't hurt you, it won't help you reach your fitness goals as quickly as higher-intensity exercises. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a common way to maximize the quality and efficiency of your exercise. Assuming you're going into them fully restored, you can get more fat loss and muscle gain in much less time than "steady-state" exercises. In addition to HIIT's benefits of allowing you autonomy and variety, you'll also continue to receive dividends even after you stop working out. According to Precor, afterburn, or excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), keeps your body's metabolism at a higher level for hours afterward, burning far more calories than you normally would.
Relaxing Your Muscles
On your rest days, you'll need to take care of your body. After all, heavy workouts wear on your muscles, and time off is critical to allow your muscles to rebuild. According to Tilt Smarterhome, taking a bath can help reduce stress and soothe muscles. Yoga and massages are also great ways to help yourself. At the very least, you will want to consider doing some deep stretches in order to relieve your aching muscles.
Consequences of Overtraining
The body is the only machine that improves with use. That being said, too much use can lead to an issue documented by the National Institutes for Health known as “overtraining syndrome” or OTS. This means your nervous system gets overwhelmed because it's overworked without a break. The polar opposite of what most athletes desire, OTS can make it impossible to train. Your gains will fade, and years of hard work will unravel. Your emotional health will suffer and MyFitnessPal says that your immune system may even become weakened. That's why recovery is so important and you need to be using this amazing Rollerball massager to help your recovery.
With HIIT or similar exercises, less is more. It's important to maintain a holistic perspective on your health. Your body will let you know when it's time for a break, so make sure to listen to it; however, you should always strive for a rest day at least once a week. Taking a balanced approach will lead to consistent, positive results.
Ready to kill it in the gym? Don’t forget to bring your recovery and performance-enhancing accessories with you!