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Rest Days

I would like to ask everyones opinion on the benfits and importance of rest days. are they utterly vital?? I like training on weekedays just to have some time to myself and not trianing on both the weekend days just seems like such a waste of all that time. today is sunday and i am supposed to be using it as a rest day but its so love;y and sunn outside i really fancy a run.



what do people think??

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Comments

  • garyrobertsgaryroberts Posts: 869
    I think recovery time is vital in order to make the most of your training, you need to give your 'worked' muscles time to heal and strengthen - if you don't get this part of your training right then you will inevitably not reach you potential.



    That said, i know what you mean about rest days, i just don't like them! And i am probably over-training sometimes. I think the answer is to take it v.easy on the day that is supposed to be the rest day.



    See ya, i'm off on a run (gentle)!
  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    Hi



    Its the resat days when the magic happens. I take 2 days off during a 7 day week. Not one after another but dotted through the week.

    If you dont stop at some point your muscles will never get to repair themselves properly. Exercise and weights damage the muscles and its the repair that increases size or strength depending on what you have done (big weights increase size and low weight but many reps increase strenght/stamina.



    So to conclude I really think rest days are vital. (for me anyway)



    Hope this helps and am sorry if I have told you how to suck eggs.
  • no thats good advice!!! I had always taken plenty of rest days before (probably a few too many!) but am just finding i get restless and am gutted to miss out on training on a weekend day. i might change to make my rest day mid week...
  • jacjac Posts: 452
    As mentioned by others rest days are vital..it's when the adaption to exercise occurs.

    I always make sure my diet is full of fresh fruit, veg and protein on rest days and lessen the carbs a bit. Plenty of water too.

    That said there are some rest days where I'm just sat around itching to do something - even if it's a short run, bike etc..

    Yesterday I had to go for a walk around the block - it was doing me in not doing anything!

    But I was glad I took it easy - meant I had a good bike session today. Pretty knackered now though!
  • i think thats the main poin. today was such a lovely sunny day i couldnt bear the thought of not trianing in it!! confession - i did go for a short and gentle run, 3 miles was it and 10 minute mile pace so not strenuous. but i think im goig to dedicate myself to one rest day a week now and do your idea if its nice i.e. go for a walk!!!



    i hate missing a day in the pool too because i find it relaxing if im not doing a hard session. i do swim most days but only really train on three, the others are a few lengths and a steam or sauna!! aaahh.. i guess restlessness is just another tribulation of the triathlete.



    x
  • husslerhussler Posts: 237
    Rest is vital and is just as important as any aspect of training itself.

    Your muscles repair themselves on rest days so if you dont have one then you can very easy overtrain.



    I have a full day off every 14th day (monday) and every 7th day inbetween (monday) is an easy day where I will run for an hour nice and easy about 8:30 min miling for me.



    Then during the week I do have easier days sandwiching the harder days, Ill never do more than 2 consecutive hard days.



    here is my training plan for the week ahead:



    Monday: 60min easy run L1/2

    Tuesday: Weights, 3.2k Extensive swim set, 45min L3/4 run, 30min easy spin on turbo after the run

    Wednesday: Sprint Interval Session on Turbo (90mins in total)

    Thursday:3k Speed Swim Set, 6x3min intervals 3min recoveries run.

    Friday:Weights, Spin set on the Turbo, 1500m interval swim set

    Saturday: 25mile TT bike (cheshire points series champs), 10mile run after the TT

    Sunday: 3hr ride L2



    My easy days are Monday & Friday this week, with Sunday being a fairly easy day. Then Next Monday is a full rest day.



    I eat more carbs on rest/easy days (Mon, Fri) so my body is prepared for the hard day the following day and more protein on the harder days (Thurs,Sat,Sun)so on the easier days my body has enough protein to repair and recover.



  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    What do people see as rest day???

    Is it a complete day in the sofa or not? Or isit just a day without training??



    I try to make my rest days a monday, not in weekends, for reasons pointed out above by others.
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    I just do P***all on Thursdays, except my 5.5 k cycle to & from work....oh & eat.

    Last week Friday felt weary so did not run/swim/run as scheduled, ran well on Sat & agreat hill session on the bike today, despite missing skin (see 'madness' thread), I am sure if I had pressed on & done Fri sess I would have been tired today.
  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    benny wrote:


    What do people see as rest day???

    Is it a complete day in the sofa or not? Or isit just a day without training??



    I try to make my rest days a monday, not in weekends, for reasons pointed out above by others.



    I tend to to just leave out any training. I have heard of people who just ease off for a rest day!



    I find that a day with out training or two is what works for me. I would be interested in anyones thoughts on rest days just being an easier day of training.





    Good thought Benny!
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    For me, it's a day without stressing the body/physiological system. I might have a walk on a rest day. I might even have a little run, or a meandering cycle to the shops, a game of tennis or squash (with the Mrs, otherwise it is training). I might conceivably have a swim - but as I have to pay £3.60 for a session in the local pool, I wouldn't be getting my monies worth, unless it was training.



    But more often than not, I don't plan rest days: They occur because of work (e.g. up at 5am for travelling, working from 9 to 5, then traveling home for 11pm) will leave no time for training. Or because I am injured.



    I know I've had a rest day when I don't ache the day after [:)]
  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    My rest days are normally on monday, or on other occasions it can be another weekday, but practically never in the weekend. So,that means I have rest days on working days, which for me is at least 8 hours of roof work. Some people would be broke for 4 days after that type of work.

    Question is: does this count as a rest day??

    Is there anybody who is doing a 24 hour liedown workout on R days?

    Boy this is a hard subject, great thread!!
  • I keep totally failing to have rest dys!! once again i was supposed to have a rest day today to make up for no weekend rest day. i did 40 lengths in the morning then came home and had a four mile run. i think thats probably not a rest day.



    tomorrow is the day!! im going to only walk and that's my way to work. then i will coe home and sit on the sofa, as hard as that may be!!! x
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    Other things being equal, Monday is the natural rest day - because the weekend is the only time when you can devote all day to training! I'm normally unable to move on a Monday, and probably ready to fall asleep by about 2pm.



    I have one Saturday a month rest when I do a blood platelet donation, and you're not supposed to do hard physical stuff afterwards.



    Of course, Monday is swimming lessons now. And after playing tennis for 2 hours yesterday (rest!) I didn't have time to have a nice bike ride and go to the gym, so I had a quick session in the gym at lunchtime today. So I am really tired now. But tomorrow, I might be able to finish a bit earlier, and hopefully get to go out in the bike if the weather is nice (well, if the weather is nice, I won't be able to resist). Then there is a tri training session in the local pool at 6:30. This basically gives you a whole lane to yourself for an hour - great for doing drills, so I will try to go to that to practice the swimming a bit more.



    @benny: If you don't stress your body in anyway when making your roofs, i.e. you are within your comfort zone, then it's rest!
  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    I hate rest days too, but recovery weeks where the hours drop off are even worse! But unfortunately they are a necessary evil and I see all my training pick up following the days and weeks.



    Not adverse to chucking in the odd additional day too especially if my body is not feeling up to the task. I've read some top athletes sometimes do 10-12 days straight have a day off and then go again.



    I think it's all down to experience and understanding your body. Also, it has to be completely dependant on what you are training for. The longer you go and more hours you do the more important rest is in my opinion.
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