Optimize Athleticism: Importance of Recovery Days For Improved Athletic Results
Physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your health. The human body thrives with consistent movement and exertion. A lack of physical exertion is common for most people. However, the opposite is true in the athletic community where recovery days are often in short supply. Here’s our expert advice on implementing recovery for improved athletic results.
The Strength of Recovery
We know it may feel as though a day off is a sign of weakness. Many athletes have adopted the mindset that they’re strong enough not to need a rest day. However, the strongest athletes are the ones who understand the value of a little rest and relaxation. Physically demanding workouts put a lot of good stress on the body. They break down muscle tissue, tendons, and bones requiring the body to build them back up again resulting in a stronger body overall. If the body is excessively stressed, it is not able to rebuild properly and thus it is not able to perform at the highest level.
Ron Hill, a famous long-distance runner, ended his run streak of 52 years and 39 days after feeling unwell after one of his runs. Hill eventually concluded that if he had taken rest days his career as a long-distance runner would have been much more successful.1 He admitted that if he had prioritized recovery he would likely have had a better performance during his two Olympic games.
A body that cannot recover is a body that cannot perform optimally. Over time, skipping recovery days will result in poor-quality workouts, lowered competitive ability, reduced physical gains and improvements, and potentially mental burnout leading an athlete to quit the gym altogether.
Overtraining Syndrome
Overtraining Syndrome (OTS), yes, that’s right, skipping rest days is an actual medical condition. Symptoms of Overtraining Syndrome include chronic muscle and joint pain, increased body fat,2 fatigue, lowered libido, increased resting heart rate, frequent illnesses, personality changes, and decreased athletic performance.
One study, focusing on CrossFit athletes found that participants in the sport had high levels of adaptive changes as a response to the workouts. CrossFitters had enhanced cortisol levels, better ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin, increased testosterone, as well as better fat oxidation, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and hydration. However, according to the study, more than 90% of the adaptive changes were lost in athletes with OTS.3 Many of the overtraining athletes saw increases in estradiol, decreased testosterone, decreased BMR, and reduced fat oxidation.
The moral of the story is that training harder does not mean better results. In many cases, it means the exact opposite. Athletes who overtrain are often working against themselves. Training harder only to have the body respond negatively and significantly diminish the value of the time and effort spent on the workout.
Active Recovery Days
We get it, you’re an athlete, you need to move. You crave activity and physical exertion. As a human, it’s in your DNA. The good news is recovery days are customizable. Some athletes take a complete physical and mental break from their workouts. That’s great, but not required.
Active rest days allow your body to recover with low-intensity exercise. An active rest day can include yoga, walking, swimming, light jogging, stretching etc. Active recovery exercises increase blood circulation which helps remove metabolic waste products, reduce lactic acid buildup, and provide nutrients to the muscles resulting in more efficient healing and growth.4 Stretching exercises will provide the body with better flexibility and mobility, lessening the chance of injury and muscle strain during more intense workouts. Rest days also reduce bodily inflammation, reducing joint pain and optimizing organ function.
Optimize Athleticism
Long-term athletic success is dependent on quality recovery.5 Smart athletes do not underestimate the importance of giving the body time to heal after several days of strenuous workouts. The fact is, rest days are just as important to your athletic results as high-intensity workout days.
Including at least one rest day (active or not) in your weekly training schedule is recommended. A day or two off from the gym is not a sign of weakness or laziness. It takes strength and athletic wisdom to listen to your body and allow it the time it needs to recover properly. The gym will be there after your recovery day(s) and when you get there, your body and mind will be refreshed and fully equipped to crush the workout.
Supporting Research
- Ball, D. (2023, June 8). Rest days are important for fitness – here’s why, according to Science. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/rest-days-are-important-for-fitness-heres-why-according-to-science-143875#:~:text=The%20reason%20many%20recommend%20rest% 20days%20is,helping%20us%20maintain%20good%20health%20and%20fitness. ↩︎
- Cadegiani, F. A., & Kater, C. E. (2018). Body composition, metabolism, sleep, psychological and eating patterns of overtraining syndrome: Results of the EROS study (EROS-PROFILE). Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(16), 1902–1910. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1424498 ↩︎
- Cadegiani, F. A., Kater, C. E., & Gazola, M. (2019). Clinical and biochemical characteristics of high-intensity functional training (HIFT) and overtraining syndrome: findings from the EROS study (The EROS-HIFT). Journal of Sports Sciences, 37(11), 1296–1307. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1555912 ↩︎
- Dupuy O, Douzi W, Theurot D, Bosquet L, Dugué B. An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 2018 Apr 26;9:403. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00403. PMID: 29755363; PMCID: PMC5932411. ↩︎
- Women and Strength Training: Will It Actually Make You “Look Like A Man?” Human Health Co. (2024, March 25). https://humanhealthco.com/women-and-strength-training-will-it-actually-make-you-look-like-a-man/ ↩︎
