Signs You Need to Take a Break, How to Do it Effectively and How to Bounce Back

Apr 18

On a roll with your fitness?

Are you feeling confident, motivated and loving your workouts like so many of our Remixers? You may be surprised to hear us suggest that it might be time to take a break. Studies show that rest days are important. They help our muscles repair and grow and prevent injury or overtraining syndrome.

So often we get so excited about a new workout program or we want to achieve those goals NOW, that we go ALL in on our workouts. We push ourselves to the brink 7 days a week without allowing any time for our body to recover.

Enthusiasm about a workout is something we want to encourage, and fortunately, there are ways to maintain that excitement while still being able to give yourself adequate time to rest and recover.

Signs You Need to Take a Break

First, we recommend making sure you take at least one day a week for active recovery and rest. Just because we are saying take a rest doesn’t mean we are encouraging you to spend your day binge-watching the newest show on Netflix in your pajamas while snacking on your favorite junk food. Instead, it’s important to take an active rest day.

Before we dive into how to take an active rest day, let’s talk about the signs that you may be overtraining and need to take a break…

Decreased performance during your workouts
Workouts feeling really tough or more difficult than normal
Excessive fatigue
Moodiness
Insomnia or restless sleep
Loss of appetite
Chronic or nagging injuries
Extreme lack of motivation

Now that we know the signs to recognize that you need a break, let’s move on to How to Take a Break…

How to Take a Break Effectively

Like we mentioned above, just because we are talking about taking a break doesn’t mean we need to hit the couch and call it a day. Instead, maintaining some level of movement is a good way to keep your routine while still allowing your muscles to repair and recover. Here are some strategies you can try on your next Active Rest Day.

Go for a walk or take a spin class sticking at a level one or low to moderate pace throughout class.

Try some of our lower impact classes and stick with light weights or no weights at all.
Stick with level ones during any of our classes, so you're getting some movement in, but not pushing yourself.
Take some time to stretch!

What’s your favorite way to take an active recovery?

Finally, we’ve come to how to bounce back after you take a break. There are times where we may be required to take a longer break from our exercise routine than we’d like… maybe you’ve had an injury, maybe you just had a baby or your life got busy and exercise got pushed to the side.

Though coming back to workout after a hiatus can feel overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be if you follow these simple tips.

How to Bounce Back to Exercise After a Hiatus

Though it may feel like you’re starting from scratch, if you’ve been exercising in the past then your body will remember. It’s just like riding a bike. It may be a little wobbly at first, but your body will get the hang of it quickly. Here’s how you can make sure you bounce back to exercise after a hiatus.

First, always be sure to check in with your physician or physical therapist before starting up again, especially after an injury or pregnancy.
Second, though your body will remember exercise, be sure to take things slow. Gradual progression is key!
Start with low impact classes and level one and give yourself a chance to get familiar with the workout before jumping right back into it.
You may experience more soreness starting back up again, so make sure you include plenty of active recovery days in between your harder workouts.

Remember, active rest days are important part of every workout plan. If you’re interested in coming up with the perfect mix for you so you can achieve your goals, be sure to book a VIP call with Mary Cate and Tricia.

Tired of starting a new workout plan & healthy diet only to find yourself going back to your old ways?

Do you find yourself jumping around from workout plan to workout or from diet to diet trying to find out one that sticks? At Remix, we’ve got the solution for you! During our 5 Day Spring Kickstart we’ll give you the tools you need to make mindset changes and create healthier, lifelong habits and demonstrate the three key components for a workout program that sticks…

The 5 Day Kickstart includes,