How many rest days between workouts?
How many rest days between workouts?
When you’re laser-focused on your fitness goals, it’s not uncommon to let “rest days” fall to the bottom of the priority list. But recovery is as integral to physical health as exercise itself—it helps build strength, improve performance, and reduce the risk of injury.
So how many days of rest between workouts do you need to experience these benefits?
Ideally, you allow yourself 48 to 72 hours of rest between training days. If you love high-intensity exercise, the American Council on Exercise recommends at least 1 full, passive rest day every 7 to 10 days.
Below we explain how rest days act as fuel for future workouts and what you can do to help your body bounce back (and build) even better.
Why rest days help fuel future workouts
Whether you’re new to fitness or a five-star athlete, rest days and recovery periods can help you immediately and long-term physical health. While you’re taking it easy, your body is hard at work – on a molecular level – making the necessary repairs to adapt to your next workout.
Specifically, rest days are promoted by:
- Muscle repair and growth – During periods of exertion, your muscle fibers get “micro-tears” from the physical stress. When you rest after your workout, those tears have time to heal and grow, creating even stronger muscle tissue. In sports science, this process is known as muscle hypertrophy.
- Glycogen replenishment – Glycogen is the main substance your body uses to fuel exercise. Intense workouts deplete your reserves, which are found in your muscles and liver. Rest days – supported by a carbohydrate-rich post-workout meal – allow the body to restock. This facilitates muscle repair and growth and helps you avoid muscle fatigue.
- Hormonal balance – Physically speaking, your body sees exercise as a type of stress. As a result, cortisol (the stress hormone) tends to rise during training. If you engage in vigorous or frequent exercise, rest days will help prevent you from entering a catabolic state: when your body may begin to break down muscle rather than repair it. Rest also allows your endocrine system to adjust and potentially reduce your risk of developing a hormonal imbalance.
On a macro level, rest days will help you avoid overtraining, which can leave you feeling both mentally and physically burnt out after hitting the gym. If you treat rest days as a critical component—rather than the enemy—of your regimen, you’re likely to see stronger, more sustainable results from the efforts you make when you’re active.
Understanding active vs. passive recovery
Different types of workouts may require different types of recovery periods. For example, you may not need a full rest day if gentle yoga is your preferred practice.
Rest days are most important for those engaged in high-intensity or endurance training, where muscle hypertrophy is most likely. For this reason, it is important to distinguish between “active” and “passive” recovery time:
- Active recovery may include low-stress exercise to maintain circulation and tone muscles. Active recovery days could include exercises such as:
- Fast walking
- Swimming
- Yoga
- Stretching
- Passive recovery includes no exercise – a complete state of physical rest. This is ideal if you engage in high-intensity training, especially on a regular basis. These days, you can consider reading, your favorite hobby, or just lounging on the couch as a daily workout. Enjoy it!
Don’t forget about post-workout recovery
Rest days are important, but you can boost your recovery even more by taking a few simple steps right after your workout.
Here’s what you can do to support your body as you transition into this recovery period:
- Cool – Make sure you fit in at least 10 minutes of exercise before you leave the gym. Low-intensity exercise helps bring heart rate and blood pressure back to baseline.
- Section – Stretching helps reduce muscle soreness and promotes flexibility. It is thought that stretching in conjunction with a cool down period can help prevent your muscles from becoming stiff and sore.
- Hydrate – If you’re doing it right, you’ll likely lose a lot of moisture during exercise. Some people can lose up to 2 liters of fluid (and salt) per hour of high-intensity training. Ideally, adults drink 16 to 24 ounces. of water or sports drinks after exercise.
- Refuel – Post-workout snacks help replenish glycogen stores and promote muscle recovery and growth. Your ideal post-workout meal may depend on the type of exercise you did as well as your individual needs. To put it simply, carbohydrates are ideal for recovery, while protein helps with muscle repair and growth.
Build holistic health at Chuze Fitness
Once you’ve rested a bit, get back to your workout at Chuza Fitness. With one of the best value memberships you’ll find, you can enjoy access to premium, clean gym equipment, countless group classes and even a cinema where you can train while having fun. Do you need babysitting? Chuze Fitness has it too. Please note that this service is not available at every Chuze Fitness, be sure to check your local Chuze location page.
Take a break from your routine and take your next best step 7-day ticket free today.
Resources:
Healthline. Are rest days important for exercise?
https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/rest-day#benefits
NCBI. Effects of different inter-test rest intervals on the reproducibility of the 10-repetition maximal exercise test: A pilot study in recreational resistance-trained men. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6719818/
Healthline. Muscle hypertrophy and your exercise.
https://www.healthline.com/health/muscular-hypertrophy#definition
Running world. Cortisol and exercise: What you need to know.
https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/mental-health/a60125903/cortisol-and-exercise/
Very well fit. Why you need rest and recovery after exercise. https://www.verywellfit.com/the-benefits-of-rest-and-recovery-after-exercise-3120575
Mayo Clinic. Aerobic exercise: How to warm up and cool down. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20045517
Johns Hopkins Medicine. Sports and hydration for athletes: Q&A with a nutritionist.
Reviewed by:
Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the Group Fitness and Team Training departments. He has over 25 years of experience in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Ani lives with her husband and son in San Diego, California and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.
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