Yes... there are certain times when skipping the gym is advantageous. So when are they, and why?
We all know that consistency equals progress but here are 5 times you should consider taking the day off...
1. When you're running on empty
- This includes sleep and food
- Poor re-fulling can lead to a poor workout
- This increases the risk of injury due to higher levels of fatigue
FOOD = FUEL. Sleep lets the body recover.
Without either one, fatigue is inevitable.
Focus, co-ordination and strength can suffer due to fatigue which put you at a high risk of injury. And for optimum performance and progress, avoidance of injury is important.
2. When you run the risk of over training
- Signs of overtraining include: fatigue, lack of strength, poor appetite, lack of recovery, lack of progression, exhaustion (+more)
- Overtraining can increase injury risk as a result of poor form associated with extreme fatigue.
Less is often more. Progress can plateau as a result of insufficient recovery. No one trains well when they're exhausted. Take some time to rest and re-group. It won't mess up your progress because you'll feel more rested and ready for your sessions again rather than exhausted and un-motivated.
3. Illness (flu, infections ect)
- Recovery from illness requires all your energy so training will make it worse
- It won't effect your progress because its unlikely you'll make any while you fell rough
ALL your energy should go to fighting the illness so don't use up half of it in the gym. Illness affects everyone differently so don't feel guilty for taking some time off if you need it.
4. Burn out
- Emotional or physical burnout
- Let your nervous system regulate before returning to training
Emotional and physical burnout often come hand in hand. The nervous system needs time to reset while your body recovers from the physical aspects of burnout. Exercise can help your mental health but when it comes to burnout, you need the rest to regenerate. Active recovery is an option here as it allows the body to rest while still getting some exercise in for a more positive mindset. But keep intensity lower.
5. When you feel PAIN
- Not just an ache more muscle soreness (DOMS- delayed onset muscle soreness)... a PAIN
- A sharp, stabbing or joint pain. Something out of the ordinary!
- This can include any type of discomfort that feels off to you
- You know your body best
It might not always require a day off but you can train differently to avoid making it worse. For example... for any lower body pains/injuries, train upper body and adapt your session so that lower body is used as little as possible.
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