Many people believe that working out every day is the fastest way to see results, whether it's for building muscle or losing weight. However, neglecting rest days can lead to fatigue, decreased performance, and even injury.

At JSM Fitness, I work with clients across St Albans, Harpenden, and online to create effective workout and recovery plans that maximise results while preventing burnout. Here’s why rest days are essential and how you should structure them into your fitness routine.

1. Why Rest Days Are Important

Rest Days for Muscle Growth
When you train with weights or bodyweight exercises, you create tiny tears in your muscles. These tears need time to repair and grow stronger. This process, called muscle hypertrophy, only happens when you allow muscles to recover. Without proper rest, you risk overtraining, muscle fatigue, and even injury.

Rest Days for Weight Loss
Rest days also play a key role in weight loss. When you exercise intensely, your body burns calories and depletes energy stores. Without rest, your metabolism can slow down, leading to plateaus in fat loss. Taking time to recover ensures your body continues to burn fat efficiently and prevents burnout.

JSM Fitness Tip: Rest days help regulate hormones like cortisol (stress hormone), which, when elevated, can make weight loss more difficult.

2. How Often Should You Take Rest Days?
The number of rest days you need depends on your fitness level, workout intensity, and goals. Here’s a general guide:

For Muscle Growth & Strength Training:

• Beginners: Take a rest day after every 2 to 3 strength sessions

• Intermediate: At least 1 to 2 full rest days per week

• Advanced: Rotate muscle groups and take at least 1 rest day per week

Example Weekly Strength Training Plan:

• Monday: Upper Body Strength

• Tuesday: Lower Body Strength

• Wednesday: Rest or Active Recovery

• Thursday: Full-Body Strength

• Friday: Cardio + Core

• Saturday: Rest or Active Recovery

• Sunday: Strength Training

For Weight Loss & Cardio-Based Training:

• Light to moderate workouts (walking, light cycling): Fewer rest days needed

• Intense cardio (HIIT, running): Take at least 1 to 2 full rest days per week

• If combining strength & cardio: Balance rest days accordingly

Example Weekly Fat Loss Plan:

• Monday: Strength + HIIT

• Tuesday: Cardio (Running or Cycling)

• Wednesday: Rest or Low Impact Activity (Yoga, Walking)

• Thursday: Strength + Core

• Friday: Cardio (Swimming or Boxing)

• Saturday: Rest or Recovery Walk

• Sunday: Full-Body Strength
  

3. Best Practices for Recovery & Rest Days
Rest days don’t mean doing nothing, active recovery can help improve performance while giving your body time to recover.

What to Do on Rest Days:

• Stretch & Foam Roll: Helps reduce soreness and improve mobility

• Light Walking or Yoga: Keeps blood flow active without stressing muscles

• Hydrate & Eat Well: Proper nutrition supports muscle repair

• Get 7–9 Hours of Sleep: Essential for muscle recovery and fat loss

JSM Fitness Tip: Active recovery (such as stretching or swimming) prepares you for your next workout while preventing stiffness.

4. Signs You Need a Rest Day

• If you experience any of the following, it may be time for a rest day:

• Persistent muscle soreness lasting over 3 days

• Drop in performance or strength levels

• Feeling tired even after enough sleep

• Lack of motivation or mental burnout

• Increased injury risk (joint pain, inflammation)

  
  

Ignoring rest days can lead to overtraining syndrome, where performance declines, and results slow down. Listen to your body!

5. How JSM Fitness Can Help You Optimise Rest & Training
At JSM Fitness, I help clients in St Albans, Harpenden, and online achieve fast, sustainable fitness results with a balanced approach to training and recovery.
Bespoke fitness programmes tailored to your goals
Expert guidance on training & rest strategies
Nutritional coaching to fuel your recovery
Train smarter, not harder! Get in touch today.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07590 830263