Rest days

EmcD123

Hey everyone

I'm coming on about 4 weeks of trianing( I've kinda lost time but my log is here anyway so its okay hah) and I've been training Monday to Friday and then taking weekends off.

By the time I reach Friday evening I'm exhausted and sore and not capable of doing more but I wake up Saturday and all day long I have the urge to train and same on Sunday.

What do you guys and girls do for rest day ,how do you distract yourself?

And should I maybe do an active recovery workout on one of the rest days or on both days or should I not do one at all?

Recovery is the part of never thought much of until this year. The year before last I trained every day and was overtraining a lot and eventually got a stress fracture I'm my foot . I don't want to do that again.

Thank you for your time ,i know its long

Oryx

I do endurance sport so my training is very different from yours, plus I'm much older, but I have the same struggle with resting. It sometimes seems a waste. But it is necessary. This is what gives your body a chance to actually repair and get stronger.

You already seem to be giving yourself balance with some easier days but still theres not much variety there. And to go from zero to five consecutive days per week is s big jump. I'm not surprised your rotator cuffs are in bits.

if you must be active on your weekends do something completely different. But I would caution that you seem pretty driven and perhaps the best thing for you to learn is the discipline of proper rest days!

EmcD123

Well I started off the first week with 2 sessions,3 the next one and built up to it as I'm used to training intensely for that many days a week.

Its just so hard to sit still and stay away from training for a day,I'm pretty much addicted to it.

My rotator cuffs will be fine,I'm very careful not to actually injure anything ,if I feel any pain that isn't just normal muscle ache I stop.
Still its Sunday morning now and I feel almost completely recovered and I know I shouldn't do anything intense but its so tempting

MiloDublin

I alternate one day training, the next one off. Works well for me

atilladehun

Without reading you diary...

Are you working Mon - Fri too? Could you change you plan so Sat Sun are part of the work out and your rest days are during the week.

EmcD123

I generally have places to be or I'm at my grandparents house or something on weekends so I can't rely on training on those days, I feel the need to and more often than not I have time particularly on Saturdays but I couldn't rely on it simply because I don't get told the plans for the weekend until they're happening. I have the whole day on each weekday to train as I don't actually socialise and I don't go out at night ever so I'm never exhausted from that stuff either so it works out well.

Literally my biggest problem is not knowing what to do with myself on rest days. Some people tell me to do easy recovery sessions, Some people say don't do anything and then there are people who tell you to just train anyway(I never listen to those people).
Like if you guys have any tips on things to do on rest days so as it doesn't seem so wasteful or if it really is just that I have to do nothing tell me that.

Mellor

EmcD123 wrote: »

Like if you guys have any tips on things to do on rest days so as it doesn't seem so wasteful or if it really is just that I have to do nothing tell me that.

Not all training involves "training".

I was training with pretty high volume from jan-june. Up to 5 or 6 mornings plus 2 or 3 evenings. But even on my rest day (Sunday) or rest evenings, I would often something designed to benefit the rest of my week. Like mobility work, or recovery in the form of foam rolling, stretching, massage.
If you feel like you need to do sonething at the weekend, these are all ways of contributing to your training, without adding to the workload.

MD1990

Do some core work on rest days. And do lots of foam rolling to help with recovery & possible muscle imbalances.

discus

I just time my drinking so my hangover day is my rest day.

Parchment

I workout 6 days a week in the gym with 2 aqua jogging sessions and a pilates class ontop of those - along with lots of walking/yoga. I find it hard to not do anything but Sunday is my "rest" day, i avoid the gym but do attend an easy yoga class and get some walking in.

Yoga is a great compromise. I am just not someone who can rest/relax easily but its a skill to learn Maybe just try lower impact/energy stuff like yoga/swimming.

EmcD123

I don't do yoga but I do tai chi which I love. I'm thinking of putting that in on the weekends as an active recovery. I have to admit 6ays a week and all that extra stuff would be way too much for me.
It seems like gentle stretching ,mobility,easy stuff like yoga or whatever is the most recommended thing

Parchment

EmcD123 wrote: »

I don't do yoga but I do tai chi which I love. I'm thinking of putting that in on the weekends as an active recovery. I have to admit 6ays a week and all that extra stuff would be way too much for me.
It seems like gentle stretching ,mobility,easy stuff like yoga or whatever is the most recommended thing

I am very very tired a lot of the time. I mean i work full time also - tomorrow looks like this for me - up at 6.20am straight to the gym to do about 1hr 20 mins then into work 9-5 then home then off to aqua jogging for about an hour then home about an hour with my boyfriend then bed....which i collapse into then do it all over again the next day.

EmcD123

I would find myself too tired to compete at that stage. I train for competitive athletics. So I'd seriously deteriorate in ability from that. I think I've dfound the perfect t amount if training for me now. Rest is just a new concept for me

Parchment

EmcD123 wrote: »

I would find myself too tired to compete at that stage. I train for competitive athletics. So I'd seriously deteriorate in ability from that. I think I've dfound the perfect t amount if training for me now. Rest is just a new concept for me

I used to compete in running, swimming and horse riding along with some motocross on the side....i managed to do it all but after a recent injury rest has become a priority for me and i just need to learn how to do it well! I guess i equate rest with sitting on my bum eating junk watching Judge Judy...

EmcD123

Haha same. I had no idea what to do for resting. Although I don't watch any TV even though I want to ,I've just gone without it for so long I don't have the willpower to actual sit there and watch anything. So I'm left sitting on the couch daydreaming about all the pullups I could be doing instead

Parchment

I find enforced rest works best for me - like going to the cinema or a long drive.

EmcD123

That could definitely work well.I get my parents to restrict me from going training sometimes

Alf Veedersane

Being constantly tired isn't a great sign. Your body needs to recover as well