When resting, you are giving your body the time it needs to recover. And that recovery is important so that you can perform better the next time you exercise!
Training more and more
When you exercise, you push yourself to the limit. You want to push your boundaries, to get a bit better each time. Because every time you perform a bit better than last time, you get a kick. And so you want to train more and more. Does that sound familiar? Make sure that you give your body time to recover. Every time you push your boundaries, you damage your muscles a tiny amount. This isn't a bad thing if you give your body enough time to repair this damage. So rest! Resting is just as important as the training itself.
Take time
By taking time for recovery, you give your muscles the chance to become resilient to take on a session at the level you just worked out at and a level higher. The stronger the muscles, the further you will be able to go when working out next time. As such, you keep getting better and better.
How much time do you need to set aside for recovery after working out?
The amount of time you need to set aside for recovery after working out depends on your body, your physical fitness and the intensity of the training session. If you don't take enough time for recovery, your body does not get the chance to fully recover. This can have a negative effect. Your resilience and strength can be diminished as a result. On the other hand, if you have too much rest between the training sessions, you won't get the greatest benefit from the positive effect of the recovery. Your muscles need to receive new stimulus again early enough.
In order to achieve the best sporting results, the perfect scenario is to train again as soon as you have reached peak recovery. When is that? The best way to determine this is together with a personal trainer. You can then schedule rest days into your personal training plan when they are best for you.
