Planning our training is very important to achieve our goals and objectives in the field of physical activity... What days are we going to do legs, what day are we going to go running... But what about planning the rest days?
We should already know that without a good rest the body does not recover and does not perform at its best in our training sessions.
But, how much rest do I need to improve my training and my personal bests? Can I recover sooner and speed up the recovery process so I can train more often and more intensely?
The answer is yes, yes you can. And here, I am going to explain what you can do on your rest days to recover faster and be at the top of your performance so that you do not stay a whole week with soreness.
How do I recover before?
Well, just REST, and I'm not kidding you. Your body needs to be at rest to recover from intense training and the muscles to repair the damage received by the activation they may have had.
But of course this process can be accelerated. In this list you have actions that will make you recover faster and so you are back at your maximum for another intense session.
Stretch: stretching loosens tight muscles. When we exercise our muscles are constantly contracting. Stretching will relax them.
Eat more protein, vegetables and fruit: what you actually eat on the days you train and the days you don't should vary. The days you train you need more energy, so it is better to eat more carbohydrates. But, on rest days, eating protein, which helps in tissue repair, will cause muscle to repair itself sooner. So opt for meat, fish, eggs... Besides, you need more minerals and vitamins, so complement it with a good variety of fruits and vegetables.
Sleep more: if you can afford it, wake up later or go to bed earlier. Or in the middle of the afternoon take a 30-minute nap. There is nothing that recovers better than a good restful sleep.
Lots of water: exercise dehydrates, so it recovers the lost water.
A good massage: massage helps a lot in blood circulation. The blood carries the nutrients we need for our muscles and organs. So stimulating circulation with a good massage will speed up the recovery process.
Carrying out these actions will help you a lot in the recovery process. Those pesky soreness will go away even sooner than just staying on the sofa.
Activities you can do to keep in shape on rest days
If you are an active person and you do not like to stay without doing anything. You can also take advantage of rest days to disconnect from your training. Take a break from your training program and do other activities such as:
Go for a walk: a good walk will not affect the recovery process. It will help you stay active. Go for a brisk walk without running. I recommend 7,000 to 10,000 steps.
Mobility exercises and dynamic stretches: These exercises help to have healthy and strong joints. Implement these exercises especially as soon as you get up to activate your body.
Other sports in a group or with the family: take the opportunity to do some sport in a social way which is not competitive or play with your family. Do an activity that requires movement but is not intense. Like: beach volleyball, playing tag with the kids, group yoga...
Not all physical activity is killing yourself in the gym and then doing nothing.
There are also other activities that you can do without affecting your progress and personal bests. These activities also help you to recover psychologically and help you to disconnect.
As you can see, rest is part of training. Plan your breaks wisely, learn to rest and recover earlier and don't forget to enjoy yourself and from time to time disconnect and then return to your training with more motivation and energy than ever!
If you are interested in knowing more you can read my other article which I explain the rest seasons. It is not only necessary to plan which days of the week you rest, but also when to take a break of at least a week for a total discharge.
Do not forget that you can ask me at any time or give me a comment for any questions you may have.
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