Most athletes know that it is necessary to have enough rest after training to achieve high results. But many still feel guilty when they take the day off. One way to ease this guilt is to understand the many benefits that a day of rest can offer.
For example, rest is physically necessary for the muscles to recover, regenerate and strengthen. For amateur athletes, increasing the number of rest days and active recovery can help maintain a better balance between home, work, and fitness goals.
Benefits of a day of rest
Rest days are crucial for athletes of all levels for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons are physiological, while others are psychological.
Promotes muscle recovery
Exercise depletes the body's energy reserves or muscle glycogen. It also causes the destruction of muscle tissue. Providing adequate muscle recovery time allows the body to " fix " both of these problems by replenishing the body's energy reserves and repairing damaged tissue.