Family Sports & Fitness

Add Rest to Your Exercise

Resting between sets and training days makes for more effective workout results. Why? Excessive exercise and overtraining can weaken the body and set you back on your health goals. Take regular breaks and see how important resting is to reaching your workout targets.

Avoid overtraining:
• Schedule at least one or two rest days per week
• Allow yourself the option of NOT exercising when you’re extremely tired
• Enjoy light, fun activities on those days off
• Add rest between sets
    Research shows longer rest periods between sets increases strength
    2-minute rests between sets are better than
    30- second rests
    Stretch when you rest to keep your workout moving
• Vary your activities and mix your exercises
    Change up your exercises within the week: Weight training one day, distance
    running another, and high intensity cardio on another gives your hard working
    muscles time to rest and grow even stronger
    Create interval-running workouts with varied speed, distance or incline to
    prevent injury
    Work out on machines, in nature, and on the mats all in one week
• Check your energy and wellness level
    Exercise should make you feel refreshed and energized – not exhausted
    Exercise for shorter time or at lower intensity if you’re not feeling well
    Eliminate your workout if you have a high fever or shortness of breath

Look for these symptoms of overtraining:
• A decrease in performance
• Inability to complete workouts
• Feeling tired, drained, and without energy
• Lack of motivation
• General body aches or mild muscle soreness
• Headaches
• Insomnia

If you feel you over-trained, take a break and start again:
• Give yourself three to five days of rest to recover both physically and mentally
• Eat balanced meals of proteins, carbs, fruits and veggies
• Sleep 6-8 hours each night
• Start slowly and build up over a few weeks to the former length and frequency
   of your workouts.
    Research shows that it’s okay to return to the same level of intensity right away

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