Active rest is a key part of an athlete’s training program, which is why we are addressing it for today’s Mental Reset topic! Some athletes fear rest days due to the connection it might have with being inactive or sedentary, but the truth is…..that’s NOT what active rest is all about!!
Active rest, sometimes known as active recovery, is when an athlete schedules low-intensity days after their hard workouts. Movement during theses days is not high impact, but more focused on recovery. Some examples of activities to include on theses days would be yoga, Pilates, walking, stretching, foam rolling, or low impact/low intensity jogging, swimming or cycling.
By including active rest days, athletes actually ENHANCE their recovery!
Some benefits include:
💪Decreased muscle soreness
💪Increased circulation
💪Reduced lactic acid build up
💪Improved flexibility
So, where to start? If you already include active rest days…AWESOME! Keep it up! If you’re working with a coach, have a discussion to learn more about where these days are currently included in your program or where they could be added.
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