I love a good workout.
For me, that usually means a spin class – and I’m all in, five days a week. That’s how often a spin class is offered at my gym, so that’s how often I go. (OK – technically there are a few more classes, like 2 on Monday, and 3 on Friday… so I will pick one class a day…) I show up, I work hard, I sweat, and I leave feeling better than when I walked in. I complain about it all class long, and afterwards, I feel good.
But come Sunday? I take the day off.
And that rest is just as important as any workout.
For a while, I thought I should do something every day. Spin isn’t offered on Sundays, so I tried other classes or workouts to fill the gap. I thought more was better – that I’d get stronger, fitter, and healthier if I worked out every single day. Plus, I had this “push” from one of the apps on my phone to “keep the streak going.” I wanted to see how long I could go to keep that streak. Let me see how high I can get that number. Again, More is Better, right?
Turns out… not so much.
After a few weeks of that “no days off” approach, I noticed I wasn’t feeling as good. My energy dipped, my legs felt heavier, and I didn’t have the same drive during my spin classes. I wasn’t giving myself a real chance to recover.
One day off a week wasn’t enough when I packed it with another workout.
So now, I treat Sunday like a non-negotiable rest day. No workouts. No guilt. And honestly? I’m better for it.
Rest Is Part of the Plan
We’ve all heard about the importance of sleep – and if you’ve been following along, you might remember the post I wrote back in November about it – Why Sleep Matters – and I shows scientific stats about my sleep.
In that post, I talked about how sleep is where the real recovery happens. It’s not just downtime – it’s when your body actually repairs itself.
The same principle applies to rest days from working out. Pushing hard every single day without giving your muscles time to recover? That’s a recipe for burnout, injury, or just feeling flat.
Rest isn’t slacking off.
Rest is part of the plan.
Listen to Your Body – It’s Smarter Than You Think
I’m not saying you need to copy my exact routine. Maybe you spin twice a week, or maybe you’re training for a marathon. Your schedule will look different.
But here’s what we all have in common:
We need recovery time. Most of us need it. Even the pro cyclist going through the Tour de France incorporate and rely on recovery and getting good sleep (granted, who quickly they recover and ride EVER. SINGLE. DAY. is incredible. Not just ride, but race! (They showed the resting heart of a couple riders – 37 for now and 41 for another – WOW!!! In comparison, mine is a racing 70 when I am sleeping!) But, I digress…
Your body will tell you when it’s had enough – if you’re willing to listen. For me, it showed up as lower energy, heavy legs, and not feeling excited for class. For you, it might be something else. But the signs are there.
Taking one or two real rest days each week isn’t laziness – it’s smart training.
Better Every Day – Not Burned Out Every Day
Getting better every day isn’t about doing more every single day. It’s about doing the right things consistently – including taking a break when you need one.
So if you’ve been pushing hard seven days a week, maybe it’s time to rethink that. Give yourself permission to step back for a day. Sleep in. Go for a gentle walk. Stretch. Breathe.
You might just find you come back stronger, in every way.
If you have questions or want to share how you handle your workout routine, drop me a comment. And if you’ve ever pushed too hard and learned the hard way, I’d love to hear your story.
We’re in this together – getting better every day.
So is the spin workout just bikes or other spinning machines? That’s a lot of exercise going everyday. My granddaughter and I started going to the new Planet Fitness when it opened last year. I went faithfully 5 days a week, never Sunday and rotated another day off. After I broke my arm and shoulder last November, I had to stop. I started back slowly, 3 days a week in February then had my next fall that shut me down again. I finally started back last week and while I’m tempted to say I don’t want to go today, I make myself. Like you said, you leave feeling better than when you went it, that’s the same with me. I’m only going 3 days again but I have my days set and so far I’m sticking to it plus walking a few miles around our subdivision the other days. I’m telling myself I’m not going to quit.
I go and spin on stationary bikes, Martha. It is a lot of work to get nowhere!
Glad to see you back, Paul! What a relatable post! It’s funny how rest can feel like cheating until you realize it’s actually the key to showing up stronger. Totally with you on the ‘better every day, not burned out every day’ approach.
There were a few days that I felt I wasn’t getting better every day – LOL. I am back on track, I think!