when are your "off" days?

[Fiddleman 4,376]

By "off" day, I really mean rest day. Typically I take 2 rest days a week and follow a 3 days on and 1 day off pattern.

Sometimes this is Thursday and Sunday. Sometimes this is Saturday and Sunday. I have done this more out of principle then out of necessity.

I typically never feel overly fatigued from my workouts the next day even though they are intense (it's cross fit!!) and most days involve either power or Olympic lifting for either heavy weight or high rep for different muscle groups.

Feeling good is probably because I am pretty smart about supplements that help with endurance and recovery as well as long mobility / stretching sessions before and after the daily workouts.

My question is that if your body feels good, should one be able to forgo a rest day or is the accumulative effect of losing a rest day no good? What is your philosophy?

[CBT 450]

Ha! We have similar rest days. I used to be Sunday-Thursday but there's a new power vinyasa class at my club on Sunday with a highly talented teacher so....the sacred and highly protected training days are M, W, SA. Lol.

The other days flex with my work-life schedule. Generally I rest Tue/Thu but, like you mentioned, if I feel good and well rested, I go six days.

I have access to group classes (power yoga, Pilates, barre tone, strength conditioning) from about 5:30am-7pm. No excuses.

I protect one rest day a week. No matter what I work out 5 days of the last 7, 60-90 minutes.

Because I had my rotator repaired in summer, I'm diligent about 24 hour recovery from resistance training but never go more than 48 hours in any muscle group.

When I'm sick but no fever, I train lighter, more healing arts but I don't stop moving. I feel better. Moving Qi.

I'm pretty well in tune with my body symptoms of overtraining. I do get pretty regular massage and acupuncture.

So the shorter answer is I train with structure that has a lot of flexibility. Lol.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Thanks CBT! Really good answer.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I work out on any day ending in Y....short of that I rest.

I wish I was smart like you about supplements...or stretching....or mobility training. I don't do any of that. I take BCAA's in my Water and I use the foam roller about once a month whether I need to or not.....that's about it. I hate taking days off and frankly if I do it's not because my body doesn't want to work out, it's because life threw me a curveball that I couldn't handle and I ran out of time for the day.

I keep waiting for my body to tell me to slow down and take a rest. But instead it's telling me to get up and get moving. We are all capable of doing more than we think we can.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Wise words. Thanks BTB. Now, I do know one day you rest and that will be tomorrow. Ha! I just gave you seven days of rest a week.

[HealthyNewMe 1,935]

I take off whenever the Saints have a football game! So, I won't be exercising tomorrow......

No, seriously, I take off one day a week and it is decided by my schedule of activities and work, so it's usually a Saturday or Sunday!

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

I used to be CrossFit 2-3 days a week, because that is what my schedule (and the box's) could handle. I'm now transitioning with adding the lap swimming. I'd like to ideally see myself in some sort of a 3 days swimming/3 days CF schedule, but because I work so many evenings that will be difficult. Right now the goal is 4 days a week of something, and the next goal will be 5. I swam today because I was a little sore from last night and I wanted to get things moving. Four months ago a little soreness would have had me taking a rest day but I have started to realize that I lose the soreness faster if I work out anyway.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

if i take a day off....i make sure i watch my cal in vs cal out........

[Fiddleman 4,376]

if i take a day off....i make sure i watch my cal in vs cal out........

that's a good point. I usually eat the same thing, even on off days. Maybe I should lighten up the carbs a bit on off days. Don't know. The muscles need the carbs to regenerate glycogen and that occurs when you are not working out...

[LipstickLady 25,682]

My rest days are yoga days. No, not power yoga. Ha!

[CBT 450]

that's a good point. I usually eat the same thing, even on off days. Maybe I should lighten up the carbs a bit on off days. Don't know. The muscles need the carbs to regenerate glycogen and that occurs when you are not working out...

Why change how you eat? Are your goals impacted somehow? Interesting. My hunger and eating really fluctuate.

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

I take it back. TODAY is an off day. Just got back from using my Christmas gift certificate for a deep tissue massage.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

I wish fluff! Keep dreaming about a sports massage to take away the aches and pains of working out, but, alas, out of budget for now. I will be sticking to the "poor mans" massage. That is, rolling on my roller, mashing it up with my lacrosse balls and stretching with the rogue bands and yoga poses. And taking my 5g daily fish oil. I am surprised at how much we can therapeutically heal ourselves with the right knowledge and experience. Mobility, mobility, mobility. So important...

Edited January 11, 2014 by Fiddleman

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

Well, I took my magnesium earlier and will follow up with Calcium. And about a gallon of Water. I might have some fish oil around here too, better take a look.

I will say the massage hurt like a bitch. I haven't had one in a long time and I asked for the deep tissue on purpose rather than a frou-frou, hot stone, whatever. The aches are still there but there's a tiny bit more mobility. I think. As I said to my husband afterwards, it is really amazing to me what "rich" people do in their spare time. The people who could most use massage are probably the ones who work on their feet all day. Add frequent massage to my list of things I will do when I win the lottery.