ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Cardio, abs, and lifting: all these exercises are great but to reach your goals, rest is essential too. Doctors advise at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity. Some exceed those expectations, but are you getting the rest you need as well? We have some ways on how you can take full advantage of your rest day and work out hard.
Arms, legs, cardio, weights, stretching…you have your routine, but are you forgetting one important part? A rest day or recovery day is just as important as working out. “Recovery is the proactive balance to the reactive physical therapy,” said Gina Pongetti, a Physical Therapist Master at Achieve Orthopedic Rehab Institute of Sports Medicine.
Some tell-tale signs you need a recovery day: you’re tired all day long or have an abnormal heart rate. Experts recommend taking 24 hours between workouts. This will give your body the chance to replenish energy used. Rest days also prevent injury such as overuse or muscle fatigue. It can also keep your form together. But that doesn’t mean just sit on the couch. Make it active by doing some light stretching, playing with your dog or kids or even taking a hike. On your off days, don’t overdo it. It takes some time out of the gym to get the most out of the gym.
“The next day, when you work out, you will actually be able to put more energy into the workout as opposed to the body still residually recovering from the day before,” said Pongetti. Trainers suggest you plan your recovery day, just like you plan your workouts. Figure out what light activity you are going to do and stick to the schedule.
Sources:
https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/rest-periods
https://www.insider.com/build-your-own-at-home-gym-2019-1
https://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/when-to-take-rest-day-time-off/
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-tell-you-need-a-rest-day-and-when-to-keep-going/
https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/rest-day#benefits
https://www.12minuteathlete.com/how-to-take-an-active-rest-day/
https://www.self.com/gallery/build-an-affordable-home-gym
Contributor(s) to this news report include: Keon Broadnax, Producer; Bob Walko, Videographer and Editor.
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