Do you feel guilty when you take a day off? One way to help relieve this guilt is to understand the many benefits that a rest day has to offer. Rest and recovery is an essential component of an exercise program because it gives the body time to repair, rebuild, and strengthen itself between workouts.
Exercise – especially intense exercise – creates tiny tears in the muscles. Over time, as muscles heal, they eventually grow bigger and stronger. It’s important to remember that this process occurs during rest and recovery, not during the exercise session itself.
If you don't allow sufficient time off to replenish your body's energy stores (muscle glycogen) and give your muscles time to recover from damage, performance will be compromised. Further disregard of replenishment can lead to sustained muscle soreness and pain.
Too little rest and too few recovery days can lead to overtraining syndrome. This condition is thought to affect roughly 60% of elite athletes and 30% of non-elite endurance athletes. And once you have it, it can be difficult to recover. The consequences of overtraining are many. Research has found that it can increase your body fat, raise your risk of dehydration, lower your libido, and worsen your mood.
Which is why Recovery Rooms are coming to all clubs. This zen space is calm and quiet, outfitted with percussion therapy guns, rollers, 4D massaging chairs and so much more! Come on your own, on your rest day, or after a session with your coach.
We're here to give you the most support possible, and provide you with all the tools needed to live your healthiest, happiest life!
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