Recovery · 1 min read · Updated
Rest days and recovery
Rest days are when training pays off. How many you need, what to do on them, and signs you need more.
Training breaks muscle down a little; rest is when it rebuilds stronger. Skip rest and you'll just pile up fatigue.
How many
Most people do well with at least 1 or 2 full rest days a week, and at least 48 hours before hitting the same muscles hard again.
Active recovery
- A walk, easy bike ride or swim.
- Stretching or mobility work.
- Keep eating well, protein included. Rest days aren't starve days.
Signs you need more rest
- Lifts going down for a couple of weeks.
- Always sore, always tired, sleeping badly.
- Dreading every workout.
If that's you, take an easier week: same exercises, about half the sets and lighter weights. Many programs build in a lighter week every 4 to 8 weeks for exactly this reason.
Life stress counts
Your body doesn't keep separate books for gym stress and life stress. A new baby, exams, a rough stretch at work or a string of short nights all eat into recovery. On weeks like that, it's smart to trim a set or two per exercise and keep the weights where they are, rather than chase new records.