Take Active Rest Days with Yoga
When you are putting your body to the test with a tough workout, you are pushing yourself to the limit. This even holds true for beginners who are just jumping into a fitness regimen for the first time. You are working your muscles and your cardiovascular system as you build stamina.
Once you get into a routine and start to see results, it is easy to get hooked on exercise to the point that you don’t want to go a day without it. Don’t make the mistake of skipping rest days.
In the same way that your body needs to make vital repairs and recharge when you go to bed at night, you need to give yourself a break from the stress that is placed on your system from an intense workout.
For those who are just getting started with a workout, plan on a rest day after two days of working out. For those who are accustomed to working the body at maximum capacity on a regular basis, plan on one rest day a week.
Typically, hardcore athletes take a break after six days of working out. When it’s time for your rest day, you can still have an active rest day that involves some activity. Yoga is an excellent choice.
Yoga: The Gentle Option for an Active Rest Day
An active recovery day should involve some physical activity that is not as intense as what you normally do. Yoga is a great alternative when you are looking for an active rest day that can complement your daily workout plan.
Yoga involves stretching exercises that encourage you to test the range of motion of every joint in your body. Practicing yoga regularly can help you to improve the strength of your bones and muscles.
It also improves flexibility and benefits cardiovascular health. Embrace yoga for a well-rounded workout regimen to protect your body from injuries and improve your overall performance.
Breathing exercises and meditation allow you to free the mind, release tension, and experience the soothing effects of this ancient practice.
A Form of Exercise that is Anything but Easy
When you watch people performing yoga poses or sitting to do their breathing exercises, you may think that it is not challenging. However, yoga poses involve difficult stretches that will test your level of flexibility.
With continued practice, you will become more limber. If you are the type of person who enjoys testing your limits, you can gauge how much more you are capable of doing each time you do a yoga session.
Choose yoga for your active recovery day and incorporate it as another component of your regular workout sessions. You’ll find that this form of exercise can help you to accomplish all of your goals, whether you need to lose weight, increase your endurance, or acquire a new level of concentration when you are going after an intense regimen. Listen to your body and give it what it needs by choosing yoga for your recovery days.
For more information, contact Zero Gravity Fitness today.