Rest days from the gym..... Some of us love them and some of us despise them. The truth is tho to be training optimally you need a few each week. Now if your like me you sometimes struggle with what to do on your rest days so today i am going to discuss 10 different activities and ideas you can give a go on your next rest day.
Rest Is Important
For me i have always been a person that liked training 6 days and then an off day before the next week of training and i have stuck to that for years but just recently since entering phase 2 of PH3 I found that training 6 days in a row was just too much and their is a reason Layne Norton wrote the program with 2 rest days every week. I was being stubborn training 6 days but after the first phase i found out i just am not getting enough recovery. I am now just sticking to the actual PH3 program as laid out with a little bit of a modification so that Fridays workout is not 3 hours long. For those interested here is my current format for a training week on Phase 2 of PH3.
- Monday - Squat Bench Dead
- Tuesday - Upper
- Wednesday - Squat, Bench, Lower
- Thursday - Rest
- Friday - Deadlift, Bench, & Chest/Back Hypertrophy
- Saturday - Squat, Lower & Shoulder/Arm Hypertrophy
- Sunday - Rest
Using that split it is still allowing me to get my accessory and assistance exercises in without being so taxing.
So as you see i have 2 rest days now instead of one and it lead me to the question as "ok what am i going to do on Thursday now since I'm not training after work?" For me training is a huge part of my life and I'm gonna be honest i spend a great time each week training but i also know there is more to life than just lifting weights so following this new format will allow me to explore other areas of life that i lack in exploring. If your like me and like to train then you know exactly what i mean.
Being Lazy and Resting Are Not The Same
Sitting at a desk all day everyday for work makes me feel like i have to train almost every day just to mentally feel better but i also have realized that when doing a program and training hard, you simply cannot recover by training that many days in a row. Maybe you can but i have hit a limit in my training where i just need more recovery time to allow me to improve. If i didn't have to wake up early and i could sleep in i could no doubt train 6 days a row with no problem but since i have to wake up and work in the morning and i also love being a night owl i only get 6 hours of sleep some nights and that really affects the ability to grow and improve while in a tough training block. So until further notice i have dropped training to 5 days a week.
Now if i didn't bore you with all that info about myself and my own training i hope your still reading because I'm now gonna go into detail on 10 activities and ideas that you can use or try your free time on. If your enjoying this article make sure and click those share buttons and get this article out to as many people possible. Thanks! :D
1. Start Your Own Business
Now this one is not for everyone but if you feel you have an idea that can bring in income and your truly passionate about it then why not try and make it a way to make some extra cash. If you really like where you work and where you are in life then maybe you don't need or want to start your own thing but if your like me and trying to run a business you simply run into the problem of not having enough time in the day or at least we tell ourselves that. Having a couple rest days every week allow you to have some extra time to work on that project your always putting off. Maybe having that extra time allows you to start a blog? or maybe a youtube channel? you never know what you have to offer till you have some free time to think and work on what you want.
2. Learn A New Skill
Always wanted to know how to play a guitar or maybe another instrument? Maybe you want to learn a new language? Maybe you want to learn a new technology skill? Having free time from your normal routine will really open up some time so that you can benefit yourself by learning new things.
3. Enjoy An Outside Hobby
If your like me and stuck behind a desk all day then your probably just really wanting to get out and enjoy those outdoors a bit. Try a new outside hobby like going golfing, shooting some hoops, try out frisbee golf (one of my favorites). Really anything you ever wanted to try now you have some time for it. I would also tho not do anything to hard on your body that would compromise your recovery from your training. So keep that in mind before you decide to challenge your friends in an intense basketball game.
4. Go On A Hike Or A Walk
This is something that i just started doing and it's really fun!!!! when i was younger i would always rome the ditches and explore around and i loved it! I want to get back into doing more of it so this is one that I'm spending a lot of time on. Live in a location where you don't know where would be a good place to hike? No problem! google has you covered. Just search on google maps "trail locations near me" or "parks near me" or just find yourself on maps then look for a place nearby where you can just explore. The world is your oyster go enjoy it! Word of caution tho, some areas have no trespassing signs so try and stay out of those. If the area is hidden tho from the public and you don't think you will be seen then its probably fine. If you get arrested just tell them the truth "I was just going on a walk and ended up here" you would really have to have a certain type of person that would actually press charges. Also another note if your not sure of the area your exploring just to be safe grab a pocket knife so you have some sort of protection from whatever you may encounter.
Fausey's Fitness is not responsible if you get arrested for trespassing.
5. Try Out Being A Photographer
You might have always wanted to go out and take photographs of different things. On your rest days is the perfect chance to do it! If you get good pictures maybe you could even start a photography blog online and write about your experiences in those areas that you photograph. Maybe even you can use that time to get your photography business going if thats something your into.
6. Get Your House Chores Finally Done
Have those lightbulbs that need replaced? maybe a hole you have to patch. Possibly the lawn needs mowing? or your house is just a mess and you need to clean it. This is your time! get those household duties done that your always putting off.
7. Read A Book or Listen To An Audio Book
Some people just love to read a good book. If you find that you enjoy it then why not just relax with a good book, you have the time too so you might as well do it. If you want to get sunlight as well then you can always read outside on your deck or take your book to a local park. Who knows you might even meet someone that also enjoys reading and you could make a new friend.
8. Play Some Video Games
Not all of us are outside people so for those of us that like gaming a rest day from training allows for some time to get farther in that game you have been wanting too.
9. Yoga, Stretching, Mobility Work
This is something that you should be doing a little bit of each day anyway but if you have been missing out on some of it during the rest of the week, your rest day from training allows for some extra time to work out those kinks.
10. Hang out With Family and/or Friends
Something i know a lot of us lack is spending enough time with our loved ones and friends. A rest day is a great day to take your family out to eat or even just go out with your friends. Just a note tho. If you do drink and you have to train the next day remember that when your out drinking and make responsible choices. I drink 1 or 2 beers during my training week and i find my recovery is fine. Moderation here people ;)
Rest Up
So with that i want to leave you with a quote that came to my mind the other day when i was writing this. For those of you that really struggle with finding more balance in life this might help you build a broader perspective on life. "When your on your death bed and your asked what you wanted to do more of while you were alive your not going to say that wished you had trained more. Your gonna say that you wished you explored more what life had to offer and hung out more ofter with friends and family." Also remember that fitness is not a sprint. Fitness and strength training is a marathon and we should be using our fitness to live a more exciting life out of the gym not be spending more time in the gym even though i know a lot of us love spending our time training. Just know that there is so much more to life than just fitness and if you think fitness is the number one thing you might need to reevaluate where you are in your life.
What About You Guys?
So above is my list to you guys if you are struggling with finding a way to effectively spend your free time out of the gym on your rest days. How about you guys? What do you guys do on your rest days? Do you enjoy having days outside the normal training? Let me know in the comments below! Hope you guys got something out if this. If you did please click the share buttons below so we can grow this community. Till next week
Stay Strong,
Shawn Fausey
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- Shawn Fausey is the Founder and CEO of Fausey's Fitness. With Over 6 years experience in Bodybuilding, Powerlifting and Nutrition. Shawn offers services of online fitness coaching, programing and consulting. Shawn is also a Graphic Designer and can be reached for graphic services on www.rev-graphics.com
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