Best Fitness Blog

... By Karli Taylor

One of the most important, yet overlooked, aspects of any exercise or training program is the recovery phase, or time spent resting. It is all too common a thought that rest time is a period of doing no work which will result in no result or even worse, a negative result. The truth is quite the opposite.

Though it is true that while you are resting you are not actually doing any physical work, your body is working on the inside to repair itself to become stronger in preparation for the next exercise stress placed upon it during the next workout. Believe it or not, you do not get stronger or more fit while you are lifting weights or running on a treadmill, it is during your rest that the body actually changes!

How many days off do you take each week? I mean completely free of organized exercise- no group exercise classes, no miles logged and no weights lifted? If you are trying to workout out 6 or 7 days a week you are doing your fitness level and your body a big disservice. You’re not alone. I’ve even been there, trying to train 7 days a week and wondering why I was burnt out, tired all the time, not performing well, and gaining bodyfat.

Learn from my mistakes and take a look at your current training schedule, how many days are you training, how many days do you have off? I recommend that everyone, and this is true from the beginning exerciser to the elite athlete have at least one day completely off from training. That’s the minimum.

I know that those of you who don’t already do that are starting to block me out right now. I’m sure that you don’t believe me, but try it for the next 2 weeks. Cut back your training days and increasing how many days you rest and recover. I am willing to bet that the days you do train will be stronger, your motivation and attitude will be better, and more importantly, your results will be easier to achieve! Iif you don’t freshen up and start to get more enthusiastic about the days you are in the gym