The golden rule for runners: Never underestimate the importance of rest periods

In the world of running and fitness in general, one important aspect is often overlooked: comfort. It’s easy to fall into the mindset that the more you train, the better results you’ll get, but that’s not necessarily true. In fact, rest is an essential and integral part of any effective and successful training plan. First, it is important to understand that the body needs time to recover and repair itself.

During running training, and especially when performing high-intensity sessions, muscle micro-injuries occur and stored glycogen is depleted. Adequate rest allows the body to repair these injuries and replenish energy levels, which is essential for muscle growth and overall performance. In addition, rest is essential to prevent injuries. When you train without giving your body enough time to recover, you increase your risk of overuse injuries. Injuries such as plantar fasciitis, stress fractures and muscle tears are common among runners who do not take proper breaks.

Rest allows tissues to repair themselves, reduces inflammation, and helps strengthen the body in general, which reduces the risk of injury. Rest also plays an important role in maintaining hormonal balance and mental health. Intense physical training can place high levels of stress on the body and mind. Rest allows hormone levels to be restored and chronic fatigue and stress are avoided. In addition, adequate rest improves sleep quality, which in turn has a positive effect on recovery, mood, and cognitive performance.

It is important to mention that resting does not necessarily mean doing nothing. Active rest periods, such as yoga, gentle stretching, or low-intensity activities, can be helpful in maintaining mobility, flexibility, and circulation. These activities can help speed recovery and keep the body active without putting stress on muscles and joints. For all of this, respect the positive and negative breaks and breaks that appear in your training plan.

Do you respect rest periods in your training plan?