Take A Day Off

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Taking time off from work is important.  We need time to rest, relax and recharge.  It is good for our health, our mindset, our attitude.

Taking rest days from our workouts are important too. Take them. Just like your scheduled workout days, rest days are critical. Here’s why:

1. Rest prevents injury from overuse. If you push too hard without giving your body time to recuperate, stress induced injuries occur.
2. Your muscles need to rest. When you are working out at intense levels, you are essentially tearing muscle fibers. A proper rest period allows your muscles to repair and grow. That is the whole concept behind staggering your muscle group workouts too.
3. Performance will improve. Your body needs rest to recharge and grow stronger. A day off a week will improve your performance, not hinder it.
4. Improved mental edge. Taking a rest day helps prevent burn out. Mental fatigue can be as detrimental as physical fatigue. I look forward to my rest days just like I look forward to my workouts.

So, plan a rest day from your intense workouts once a week. Do something a bit different. Use your rest day to do the things you love. Spend time with family, take a walk, read, or go see a movie.