Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are talking about one exercise topic for two minutes and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice. Now this week, we are talking to those of you who are going to be taking a week off from working out. What things can you do over the next week to make sure that your body not only recovers, but is prepared to come back to full working out after the week’s end?
1) Stay Moving
Tip Number One To Effectively Take A Week Off From Exercise: Stay moving. Even if you are not exercising and really exerting your body, it is important for your body to stay moving. Movement–such as walking around, doing activities around the house, and making sure you aren’t a couch potato–will help to make sure your muscles and joints will stay healthy, mobile, and are ready to get back to it when you are ready.
Action Step: Plan to go for a 15-20 minute walk each day during your recovery week. If you’d like, wear a heart rate monitor and try to keep your heart rate under 115 BPM.
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Related: Working off the winter weight? We have some tips!
2) Get Plenty Of Sleep
Tip Number Two To Effectively Take A Week Off From Exercise: Get plenty of sleep. If you aren’t going to be exercising over the next week, make sure your body can recover super well by getting plenty of sleep. Prioritize your sleep–getting to bed early, sleeping in a little later–and make sure you are utilizing sleep to help your body recover and prepare to start working out again next week.
Action Step: Aim for a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night, but more can be even better to make sure your body is fully rested and recovered by the week’s end.
Related: Exercise tips if you aren’t sleeping well
3) Schedule Recover Activities (Like MAT®)
Tip Number Three To Effectively Take A Week Off From Exercise: This is a great week to schedule some recovery activities. One thing we love to do at Muscle Activation Schaumburg is make sure we get in plenty of Muscle Activation Techniques® sessions during our recovery weeks. This helps to make sure our muscles are fully recovered and ready our next workouts.
Action Step: Find a certified MAT® practitioner in your area here! You can also learn more about MAT® by downloading our free eBook here!
