Rest Your Way Towards Better Workout Results

Far too many workout warriors are not seeing the physical fitness program results they deserve

 

They think they are on the most effective, efficient workout plan possible; but they are only kidding themselves.

Take a quick glance around your fitness center. How many physiques actually do change? How many individuals look confused as they mill around from exercise to exercise working at 50% capacity? Honestly, how many people are simply wasting their valuable time in the gym?

If you are truthful, the answer is a whole lot of people. Most think they are on the best fitness program ever, but are really on an extremely ineffective, inefficient workout plan. The sad thing is they don't even realize it. It really does not have to be this way.

One of the most important aspects of any workout program is exercise intensity.

Especially in the world of strength training, intensity is a must for results. However, the newest fitness program buzzword is rest between  workouts. There is no such thing as overtraining, just under-resting.

You probably think I am crazy by saying rest more to get fit. Well, it is true. Rest is an exercise program variable that must be incorporated into your physical fitness program. If not, results significantly suffer.

The importance of rest between exercise bouts is becoming more, and more important as the research begins to roll in. As a matter of fact, many more workout program research studies are going on in hopes of shedding more light on the importance of rest. It is the new hot topic in exercise science.

When performing your fitness plan, it is the intensity, and duration of exercise itself that triggers an adaptive response. The trigger starts with exercising, but the adaptation occurs at rest. It is critical not sabotage your workout results by not getting the optimal amount of rest between training sessions.

So what is the optimal rest necessary in your fitness training program to elicit excellent results? It actually depends upon the type of exercise, and the workout intensity. It is simple! Aerobic, low intensity, training requires less rest between workout bouts. Higher intensity, shorter duration exercises, such as strength training, requires more muscle recuperative rest between workouts.

Exactly how much fitness workout program rest varies from individual to individual, and is largely dependent upon actual results, genetics, and nutrition. Only you can determine if you are getting optimal rest between fitness program sessions. Gone are the days of a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday training schedule.

How do you determine the optimal number of rest days in your fitness workout plan? Simple, you track. If you are seeing positive quantitative results by tracking performance, then your rest time is considered optimal. If your performance has decreased, or remains the same, then more rest between workouts is mandatory for an adaptive response to occur.

So remember, in order to determine your optimal fitness training program, it is important to track your workouts. It is that simple! If you are not tracking your exercise program sessions, then you are making a big mistake. How would you know if you are getting optimal rest between training sessions if you are not effectively tracking results?

You do not have to be the person in the gym that does not see results. Simply understand the concept of intensity, and rest to reap better fitness program results. When you walk into the gym you must know you are on the most effective, efficient exercise plan possible. Paying attention to the rest between workouts will only help you cause.

 

About the Author

James O'Connor is an Exercise Physiologist who is passionate about helping people reach their absolute physical best.