Everything you need to know about rest - When you need to rest, rest properly
Training adaptations occur as a result of two opposing, yet equally important factors:
The intensity of the load, and
Intentional rest and recovery.
Without the latter, the body will eventually reach a point of overload, leading to performance decline that can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
There are three different ways to categorize this performance decline:
- Functional overreaching – a short-term performance decline (up to two weeks) followed by a supercompensation, where performance and adaptation improve significantly. This happens when load and recovery have been balanced.
- Non-functional overreaching – lasts slightly longer, up to four weeks, but without subsequent supercompensation or improved performance. Here, the training load has been too high for the body’s recovery capacity, meaning it hasn’t had enough time to recover properly.
- Overtraining – the most extreme stage, lasting beyond four weeks and potentially lasting several months. Overtraining occurs when the body is chronically exposed to overload without sufficient recovery.
Planning rest days is an excellent way to ensure the body gets the recovery it needs to adapt and get stronger. If you're worried about "losing" progress, there are some simple ways to check how well you're recovering between sessions.
Sleep
Sleep quality is a crucial factor for muscle growth and high performance. When it comes to skeletal muscles, insufficient REM sleep (five hours or less per night) can lead to increased cortisol production and a drop in testosterone levels – already after one week.
These changes affect not just mood, focus, stress levels, and libido, but can also lead to negative effects on muscle mass growth, strength, and bone density. Sleep is one of the most underrated performance boosters and an important factor to check if you want to optimize your recovery.
Blood Pressure & Resting Heart Rate
One of the most common signs of overtraining is an elevated resting heart rate and blood pressure. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to monitor these values, and regularly doing so on rest days can be an effective way to track your recovery over time. With your own blood pressure monitor or advanced heart rate watch, you get relevant data to keep an eye on.
If you notice a noticeable increase in both blood pressure and resting heart rate, it might be a signal that the body needs more recovery. Consider adding extra rest days, review your sleep quality, or consult with a qualified personal trainer, physiotherapist, or chiropractor.
Nutritional Check
If you’re reading this, you’re probably already familiar with your diet and how to refuel your energy. But if you’re starting to feel tired and notice a clear drop in energy, it might be worth reviewing your nutrition intake.
A common mistake when training in a calorie deficit is consuming too little protein, which leads to insufficient muscle protein synthesis. Simply put, this means muscles break down and get damaged without the proper conditions to repair and rebuild. Matching your daily protein intake with your body weight and training program is the best thing you can do to ensure you're getting enough to keep making progress over time.
Conclusion
The human body is capable of incredible things, but one of its defense mechanisms is to shut down the system when it’s exposed to too much load. Avoid reaching this state by being proactive about your recovery. Listen to your body and give it the care it needs.
Your rest days deserve the same planning and attention as your training sessions – plan them, use them wisely, and make sure your progress continues!
