Everything Bodybuilders Need to Know About Rest Days
Rest days may seem simple, but many bodybuilders can have trouble taking a day to let their body recover. Resting does not mean running for two miles and doing a light workout when you usually run 5 miles and put in an intense training session. You might like to call it active recovery, but it still isn’t rest. As much as you might want to put on your bodybuilding apparel and not skip a single day of training, it’s important to give your body time to recuperate so you can get back to making gains in the gym. Here’s everything you need to know about rest days as a bodybuilder.
Bodybuilding Apparel |
Why Bother with Rest Days?
Your body needs rest days. You can’t train at such a high level of
intensity day after day, or you are likely to burn out. If you are
training using peaks or tapers for competition, you might actually
experience decreased strength if you don’t give your body the rest it
needs. On the other hand, if you are training every day of the week and
don’t feel like you need to rest, you may not be training hard enough.
However, you shouldn’t be lifting to failure on every set. That can lead
to non-functional overtraining, which could set you back with an
injury.
When to Take a Rest Day
Knowing when to rest is subjective, but one way to know when you should
incorporate a rest day into your schedule is by your rate of perceived
exertion or RPE. It’s a scale of 1-10 of how hard you feel you are
working. If you are taking the time to throw on your bodybuilding clothes
and head to the gym, you’ll want to give at least a 5 to maximize
improvements in hypertrophy and strength. In contrast, a rest day should
have you rating your RPE at no more than 2. Anything above that level
of exertion, and it might not really be a rest day.
Creating Your Ideal Rest Day
The ideal rest day can translate to more gains the next time you hit
the gym. You don’t have to take special supplements or use specific
machines during your rest day. Instead, create a handful of good habits.
Get a good night’s sleep to help you recover, and then take a walk in
the fresh air to get your blood flowing and warm your muscles. Sit down
with a good book to work your mind while giving your body a rest. Hit
the sauna and then do contrast therapy with an ice bath to help relieve
muscle soreness. Zen out by cooking yourself a hearty, nourishing meal.
In short, your perfect day can simply consist of relaxing and letting
your body recover.
With Consistent Rest Comes Consistent Gains
You can’t have a consistent training routine without consistent rest
days. Much like leg day, you don’t want to skip it. You can treat a day
off from the gym like any other skill to practice and master—take it
slow and see what works best for you. Discover your own rest day rituals
and check off each activity just like you would during sets of a
training session.
About GASP
GASP is made for bodybuilders who continually raise the bar. They create their bodybuilding clothing
for lifters who are serious about their training. GASP works with real
athletes to design products that work like they should. GASP’s premium
T-shirts, hoodies, gym shorts, and stringer tank tops are built for
athletes at every experience level, from committed newcomers to
bodybuilding veterans. You hit your PRs with a no-compromise, no-excuses
attitude, and GASP is right there with you every step of the way. Their
bodybuilding apparel and accessories can help you find the motivation
to reach your goals and show off your hard-earned physique. The GASP
bodybuilding community brings together bodybuilders from all walks of
life to encourage and motivate each other. If you are looking for
weightlifting clothes that support your lifestyle, choose GASP.
Get the weightlifting clothes you need for training and rest days at https://www.gaspofficial.com/
Comments
Post a Comment