How To Make Exercise More Effective (ACTIVE REST)

Active Rest

Active rest, also referred to as active recovery is that period of low intensity training. Active rest will help your body recover without having to stop entirely and it wards off overtraining(major cause of plateau).

What is Active Rest?

Active rest can be said to be the short rest periods between sets or workouts, days which we take off training but are engaged in light activities, also could be training days  at the gym specified for lower intensity training....

It is very common to include some active rest weight training sessions for weight trainers, which mostly includes compound exercises like; the squat, deadlift, bench press, pull down, rows, shoulder press, etc. They are performed at low intensity for high reps. Our goal is not to strain your muscle like you would do in your regular workout. Our focus is on recovery.

Therefore, active rests are described as activities like light weight training, sports (that are not intensive), yoga, walking, etc, as well as being active in the duration of rest between sets.

How active rest helps

Active rest aids the removal of  lactic acid and enhances blood flow. It improves speedily your body's ability to recover and at the same time helps to maintain your physical performance level during periods of rest.

Active rest gym sessions can be used as a way to work on perfecting your form and training your core.

How Often Should Active Rest be included?

Ways to include active rest there are;

Active Walk
You do not just sit down in between sets and you do not simply end intensive workouts by going home. Learn to use light activities to help you recover better.
You should also incorporate light activity during most of your normal rest days.
Substitute some training days with light weight training routines.
Alternatively, you include an entire week off with 2 to 4 active rest weight training sessions. For example; after a month or following an 8 to 12 week cycle.
There are no single correct formulas but, there are some generally good advices, such as remaining active in between sets, using active recovery soon after very intensive workouts, and remaining lightly active on most of your rest days. Including light weight training days or full active recovery weeks into your schedule depends solely on the intensity of your training. If you are a beginner, start with one week of active rest every 2 months and continue from there.

Athletes competing in long seasons may necessary take a more sufficient period of time off before getting back to training. During these times, active rest should be encouraged to maintain physical ability while recovering.

In conclusion, active rest shouldn't be neglected in methods of burning calories and remaining fit through properly scheduled exercise routines. Most importantly, it helps muscles heal tears within it without accumulating fat if rest isn't active.