Happy Friday my friends!! If you are like me and you love working out and have a hard time taking rest days then this post is for you! Sometimes we have an all or nothing mentality and think that we MUST WORKOUT EVERY DAY to achieve the results we are looking for.
But this type of mentality will actually hinder your progress. If you don’t give your body the proper amount of rest it will lead to over-training which will lead to muscle soreness, fatigue, decrease in performance, poor sleeping patterns, reproductive disorders, decreased immunity, mood swings, & loss of appetite.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercise per week. This can be achieved through spending 30 to 60 minutes working out moderately five days per week or spending 20 to 60 minutes working out vigorously three days per week. For strength training, ACSM recommendations suggest training each major muscle group two or three days per week and leaving at least 48 hours for recovery between each training session.
Resting is just as important as working out because it’s an equal part of the total process required to build strength, endurance, and muscle.
Working out, especially strength training, breaks your body tissues down. In fact, strength training breaks down muscles causing microscopic tears. Rest days allow your muscles, nerves, bones, and connective tissue time to rebuild.
Some of my fave ways to rest and recover:
I just recently got an acupressure mat from ProSource (they’ve got the best products and pricing! Use code: CARRIE10 for a discount) and I love it…well…sort of…it takes some getting used to and yes it hurts a little but it “hurts so good”. I’ve started with 5 minutes at a time before bed and it really does help you relax and relieve headaches.
Acupressure mats can help with a variety of different health issues from lower back pain to headaches to sleep problems and more. Laying (or even standing) on a mat an help improve circulation as well as stimulate the release of endorphins.
They don’t take a long time to work, either. Many people use them for 5-10 minutes a day and experience significant results.
Use them on a bed, a sofa or on the floor. They are conveniently portable so you can take them with you to the office or when you travel, and they can be used while you are doing other activities like reading, talking on the phone or watching TV.
The great thing about this super simple DIY health remedy is that you can experience multiple benefits from a single treatment. Now that’s money well spent!
I also got a Foam Roller from ProSource and I’m still learning different ways to use it, but right now my fav is to use it for massaging my legs before and after my leg workouts.
Regularly using a Foam Roller – especially a deep tissue massage roller – offers many of the same benefits as a sports massage, including reduced inflammation, scar tissue and joint stress, as well as improved circulation and improved flexibility.
Regularly rolling pre and post workout will mean you will help prepare your muscles for the workout ahead and also help with post muscle recovery.
I love using massage balls to get the knots out! Before I got my lacrosse massage ball from ProSource, I would use rubber bouncy balls or even a Himalayan salt ball to roll over my knots that I always seem to get in my shoulders. It’s also amazing for Piriformis Syndrome (that tight muscle right above your butt).
Massage balls allow you to do your own deep tissue massage approximating the pressure you could expect from a massage therapist’s palm or elbow. Lacrosse Balls are specifically good for treating shoulder, buttocks and hip pain. They also work wonderfully on smaller muscle groups like the biceps, triceps and calves. The small area of the Lacrosse Ball really allows you to pinpoint the pain and really get in there to release the trigger points. When used before and after training, the Lacrosse Ball aids in preventing soreness as well.
Don’t skimp out on your rest days and make sure you recover properly.
What’s your fave way to get rid of sore muscles, headaches or tension knots?
Stay Healthy my Friends!
XO,
Carrie A Groff
CG Fitness: Personal Training, Nutrition & Yoga 