For Beginners
As a beginner runner, you might be filled with enthusiasm and energy for the new activity. It is possible that you work out continuously and skip rest days. However, skipping rest days can actually put stress on your muscles and weaken your performance. Therefore, an important running tip is to give yourself at least one off day in a week. We have combined a list of points that show why recovery days are essential.
The body will not be able to take stress continuously, it needs time to adapt to the new activity. Running too much, too quickly might lead to injury. It is important to increase the intensity of your running workout in a well-planned manner.
Running creates microscopic tears in muscle fibers. Recovery days help rebuild muscles. If you continue to workout without taking off days then your body will have no time to regain strength, they will continue to break down and have a negative impact.
Running puts stress on bone tissue. Like muscles, it also needs time to recover. In order to avoid stress fracture, you also need to be careful about your pace. You can run at a recovery pace.
Tendons connect muscle to bone, so they are at work when the body moves. They also take longer to recover and repair than muscles do. If they get too worked up then they can cause inflammation. Therefore, rest days become essential.
If you lace up then, the level of the stress hormone, cortisol, can increase in your body. It can cause mood swings and irritability. Rest days keep you mentally refreshed and prepares you for your next workout session.
For better performance, you need to schedule rest days, as your body needs to rest and recover. It is not just for beginners, but for all runners. In fact, the greater the intensity of your workout, the greater the need to rest and recover. Whether you are undergoing half-marathon training or you have a different goal, your training schedule should definitely include rest days.
