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Jason S.
Jason S. Sendmail

Rest Days?

asked almost 3 years ago | Report

I'm training for a duathlon at the end of March. I work out seven days a week right now, and it has been over two weeks since I have had a day off. Two days out of the week I do circuit weight training for about 30-40 minutes that does not involve any real serious running or biking other than warm-up.

I was wondering if anybody thought I should be taking a full day off once a week? Or how do you approach rest days?

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6 answers

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  • Adam B.
    Adam B. Sendmail

    taking a rest day is just as important as a workout .I take every sunday off I look at is i deserve it plus i do my long runs the day before so i feel like i deserve

    answered almost 3 years ago |Report

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  • Megan D.
    Megan D. Sendmail

    Rest days are incredibly important. This is when your body recovers from all the hard training so that training can actually take effect. Strong training 7 days a week for 1-2 weeks in a row would be "summation" or "overreaching", a very intense period that is usually followed by a setback or recovery week. It should probably only be done a couple times out of the entire year since it's so hard on your body. Give yourself a rest, otherwise you're going to hurt yourself. You should have short, medium, and long/hard days periodized throughout the week. The long/hard days should definitely be buffered by a short & easy day or an off day completely.

    answered almost 3 years ago |Report

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  • CoachEric
    CoachEric Sendmail

    Jason -

    Megan is dead on with her answer. You MUST include rest days! Without them...your body doesn't have an opportunity to adapt to the training. In effect...your short-changing yourself without them. I include at least one...and sometimes two rest days a week in my training cycles.

    Good luck!

    answered almost 3 years ago |Report

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  • Kristen F.PRO
    Kristen F. Sendmail

    I enforce a MANDITORY day of rest atleast once a week. Sometimes, oddly enough, it pains me to do it because I feel antzy and can't ever seem to sit still but each and every time my body thanks me. Rest is a VERY important part of training and without it, you set yourself up for injury,

    answered almost 3 years ago |Report

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  • Lori D.
    Lori D. Sendmail

    Yup...even pro athletes have rest days. You can do it! ;)

    answered almost 3 years ago |Report

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  • Eric
    Eric Sendmail

    Rest days, a definite yes. I use to be like you, seven days a week, either runing or crosstraining or should I say overtraining. Now I only run three days, crosstrain two and have two rest days. You need the down time to recover and avoid injury. Good luck.

    answered almost 3 years ago |Report

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