It is often difficult to shift down a gear and take the necessary break from the sport. A regular rest day is significant – not only for regeneration but also for muscle building. Here are five tips for making the most of your time off.
The goal is set, the motivation is there, the daily training plan is set – but what about regular breaks from sports?
If you exercise intensely seven times a week without allowing yourself the necessary regeneration, it can be counterproductive for muscle building.
So a rest day is essential – but how do you use it optimally?
That’s Why A Rest Day Is So Important
Even if you are full of motivation, you should still make sure to include rest days in your training plan once or twice a week.Â
Muscles, tendons, joints, and bones are under enormous strain by intensive strength training or extensive cardio sessions. Giving them the rest they need strengthens them and the entire body. This can subsequently contribute to better performance during the next training session.
But it’s not just the body that has to recover sufficiently to give everything again in the next training session; the mind also needs relaxation – sport always means a lot of stress.
Anyone who has viewed the rest of the day as a waste of time should give their body the chance to recover from the strain – overtraining prevents training success.Â
With These Tips, The Rest Of The Day Makes Sense AgainÂ
Many sports enthusiasts find it difficult to allow themselves a day of rest because they assume that their goal will be a long way off during this time.Â
But a rest day doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything anymore.Â
On the contrary: With these tips, you give your body the necessary recovery while strengthening your mobility, your mindset, and you are fitter for the next training session.
Blackroll
Fascia training can be excruciating – the Blackroll is a popular rehabilitation tool and often friend and foe in one.Â
However, when done correctly, it helps to potentially improve exercise performance, loosens, and relax stuck muscles – and you’ll feel fitter afterward.Â
The facial roller can, among other things, prevent injuries, relieve pain and tension and improve mobility, blood circulation, and muscle regeneration.Â
In addition, it is suitable for every training level and can be used ideally for the rest of the day so that you can give 100 percent again the following day.
YogaÂ
When you can’t sit still on a non-training day and find it increasingly difficult to relax, yoga can help.
In general, intensive strength training should include yoga sessions in their training plan to avoid possible muscle injuries and shortening.
Yoga relaxes not only the body but also the mind. However, you should make sure that the exercises are not too demanding – they should be relaxing and ideally stretching, but never overloading.Â
Yin Yoga is a form of yoga that focuses on relaxation and finding inner peace.
Go for a walk
A long walk in the fresh air can relax the body and soul.Â
Especially when the weather is nice, there is nothing better than strolling through nature with your partner, your dog or alone, to recharge your batteries and switch them off.Â
This little break helps reduce stress to start the next day again.Â
Prepare For The Next Training Session
If you are only thinking about training on the day off, you should try to plan or optimize the training plan for the next week – there will be a place for a day for regeneration.Â
In addition, you can think about what you want to eat when and how the nutrition plan can be reconciled with the training.
Take Your Time
If stressful everyday life is added to stressful training, the body hardly has time to recover and recharge its batteries.Â
The rest of the day is ideal for catching up on everything usually neglected in everyday life.
Above all, lack of sleep could jeopardize your training success. Take a nap, read a book, go for a coffee with friends, or spend a cozy evening in the bath – warmth also helps the muscles regenerate.
Reach Your Own Goal Thanks To Rest Day
So rest days should not be viewed as unfavorable – they will not hinder your own goals, but on the contrary, will help you achieve them in the end.
Regeneration is essential for the body and mind, protects against signs of fatigue, makes you more efficient, and even helps build muscle.
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