I can tell when people are getting into their fitness because they started asking about what to do on their rest days. It’s that transition point where they start to realize their fitness is more than the weights they lift in the gym. Depending on your goals there are some great options for spending down time. Here are five things you can do on your rest days that will help improve your fitness:
Active Recovery
This does exactly what the name implies, but the methods may not be as clear. Generally speaking you want to circulate blood around your body without expending much energy, or breaking down your body further. Remember that your body is a system of systems that work by moving chemicals through fluid. Some of these systems are dedicated to waste removal, so by moving our blood we can help the body process leftover lactic acid and other waste products from previous exercise and the environment. Done at a low enough intensity through walking, working in the garden, etc. you’ll feel better the next day than if you had rested exclusively.
Passive Recovery
While active recovery is a low energy expenditure technique, it still requires some energy. If you are training very hard it may be better to have a massage therapist or other body work practitioner do the work for you. There are also great options available like the Normatec pneumatic boots that can perform this task electronically. This will work in much the same way as the active method, by moving fluid, and also have the benefit of being a relaxing experience.
Meditation
Having time to relax is key. Whether you are competitive in a sport or just trying to stay fit and look good, taking some time to breathe and be present without distraction will provide significant benefit. Mental stress builds up just like lactate, so giving yourself time to unwind is essential to any long term program. If you’re more practical and don’t buy into the meditation scene, remember that our thoughts are chemical processes. Being under stress mentally causes hormones to be released associated with fight or flight situations such as cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline). Constant exposure to these hormones will have lasting effects on your physiology if you don’t find ways to relax.
Social Connection
Spending time with friends and family has a way of making us feel needed and important. This feeling of connection and purpose has been an integral part of human evolution for millennia and is essential for the well-being of the human organism. There’s a reason one of the worst punishments in our prison system is solitary confinement. Taking some time to catch up with loved ones over a relaxing evening or midday gathering can work wonders for the mind. Often times when people gather it’s centered around copious alcohol consumption, for fitness purposes excessive alcohol consumption should be kept to a minimum or nothing at all.
Nothing
Yup, you read that right. Sometimes on your rest day you can just sit and stare at the wall. Replacing down time hours where you are anxious about work with being anxious about fitness never helped anyone. We have a certain amount of energy to devote to each day, so the more we can use that energy for our priorities and positive activities the more focus we will have on them. Understanding that it’s alright to not be doing something is a skill unto itself. Practice.
Of course there are about a million other things you can do on your rest day, especially if you get into the specifics of different exercises, types of manual therapists and meditative techniques. So you don’t get overwhelmed, try to think of fitness as an evolution and engage in varying methods. Gradually inserting them into your life will help you recover more effectively, reduce stress, increase focus and help to create a more positive outlook on life.
