Reducing the intensity of your training for a week avoids the risk of overtraining and allows your muscles to grow.
Some people train too little, while others succumb to the temptation to do the opposite and overtrain without slowing down. But that doesn’t mean this is the right thing to do. According to Daniel Brayson, professor of biological sciences at the University of Westminster, any decent training session requires recovery periods, meaning periods of low intensity or strategic rest, which are essential to optimize physical performance and maintain muscle health.
The role of muscle regeneration–
“When we exercise, we cause tiny tears in our muscles, which can disrupt muscle fibers after intense training,” Brayson explains in a scientific article for The Conversation. This process creates an inflammatory response in muscle tissue, which may seem harmful, but is actually essential for positive adaptations. However, if we train relentlessly and don’t take the time to recover, we risk creating a state of chronic muscle damage. “Inflammation doesn’t go away, and it leads to negative changes, such as muscles being less efficient at using oxygen and performance declining. Recovery is not optional, but it is a critical part of a balanced training plan.”
The Benefits of Calmness–
One of the most common fears among people who exercise regularly is that they will lose momentum during the rest period, which usually lasts a week. But Brason reassures us that it’s actually scientifically proven that our muscles have a memory that allows them to respond more quickly and effectively to exercise after a break. Even if strength is temporarily reduced, “muscle tone and volume can be restored to optimal levels, and sometimes even beyond.”
What’s more, recovery can speed up your return to fitness, since it takes “twice as long as it takes to reach that level.”
