Muscles need a certain amount of rest so that they can strengthen and grow. The tricky thing is that there is no magic formula for how long recovery takes. It has to do with your training style, fitness level, the intensity and duration of your workout and other factors.
A few things that you should keep in mind:
- Make sure to sleep 7 consecutive hours per night. If you have a poor night's sleep, you will probably need some extra rest.
- Make sure you are seeing progression in your workouts. Are you able to add extra weight regularly? If the answer is yes, your resting time is probably about right. If the answer is no, add an extra day of rest or swap a strength session for a light cardio or recovery training session such as GXR Yoga.
Your body is telling you that it needs a break. If you have joint pain or extreme muscle pain and/or your performance deteriorates, you should take it easy.
