How often should you have a day off from working out?

You know you should be exercising, but how often should you take a day off from your workouts?  As a personal trainer in Schaumburg, this question comes up often with my clients.

As with most things health and fitness related, the only truthful answer is, “it depends”.  How often you take a day off from working out in part depends on:

  • What you are doing while you are at the gym
  • What your body is currently accustomed to
  • What your body is physically able to tolerate
  • How well you are recovering from your workouts (i.e. do you feel sore and lethargic or energized and strong in the hours and days following your workout?)
  • What your goals are (health vs. performance vs. changing body composition)
  • What the timeline is for your goals

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