As we have talked about before, taking the proper amount of rest days and allowing your body to recover is a critical part of your exercise routine and reaching your fitness goals. However, spending your rest days wisely is also a good idea. Taking the time to rest, yet still move your body will help you recover while still keeping your muscles loose and flexible and working out any soreness that your previous workout days may have caused. Active rest days help to speed up the delivery of nutrients to your muscles that are being repaired by increased blood flow in the body. When choosing which activities to incorporate into an active rest day, be sure to choose something that will get your heart rate up, but will not drive you into total fatigue.
- Low Impact
- This will include activities like walking, swimming, paddle boarding (if the weather allows), rowing, go for a long bike ride or even a light jog on the elliptical.
- Activities that Boost Mental Health
- While all types of exercise will help your stress levels, there are certain forms of exercise that are better for calming your mind and are especially better for your mental health.
- Yoga, hiking, canoeing and dance are all different forms of movement and exercise that will help boost your mood and improve your mental health.
- Self-myofascial release
- Also known as foam rolling, this is a great way to make use of a rest day and help recover your muscles faster and more efficiently. Self-myofascial release helps to relax your muscles, reduce soreness and improve tissue recovery, improve range of motion and decrease inflammation.
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