Rest days are good, active recovery days can be better

NEW YORK – Rest is an important part of any exercise routine, and on some days, all your body needs is a long lounge on the couch.

But active recovery, which falls somewhere between a full rest day and a workout, can help your body bounce back more quickly.

Research has found that low-impact movement, such as walking or swimming, can be more effective than rest for reducing muscle soreness after exercise.

That may be why competitive and elite athletes have long incorporated active recovery into their training, though there is not enough evidence to show that it improves performance.

If you are exercising regularly, doing something on a recovery day is often better than doing nothing, especially if your goal is to reduce soreness between workouts, said Professor J. Jay Dawes, who teaches applied exercise science at Oklahoma State University.

Light movement like walking can increase blood flow and circulation, and “as little as a stroll can be beneficial”, he said.

Here is how you can use active recovery to your advantage, according to exercise scientists and coaches.

Why is active recovery helpful?

When you exercise, your body cycles between periods of stress and repair. Your muscles may be sore or tight after a hard workout, but with proper recovery, that short-term soreness gives way to increased fitness.

Recovery days – both active ones and full rest days – allow your body to repair muscles and replenish stores of energy, said Ms Kate Baird, an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Active recovery can relieve pain and promote mobility and range of motion, she said.

Active recovery days can be mentally beneficial for those who follow a training schedule or exercise regularly, said Mr Conrad Goeringer, an Ironman-certified coach who founded Working Triathlete, a coaching service.

Continuing to move can have a calming effect that a day of inactivity does not always provide.

What counts as active recovery?

The most important thing, Mr Goeringer said, is that active recovery sessions should be really easy.

Low-impact movement, such as walking, yoga or swimming, can all be good options, he said. For experienced runners, very light running can also qualify.

Exercise physiologist Chantelle Robitaille, director of coaching at Uphill Athlete, said the key is to focus on “getting your body back into balance” and to choose activities that are not physically or mentally stressful.

In other words, pick something you enjoy that is easily accessible. For example, if getting to the pool on a recovery day is too much of a hassle, you can do a light bike ride or mobility exercises instead of dragging yourself to swim.

Whatever you choose, do not go overboard. Ms Robitaille recommends keeping recovery sessions to 45 minutes or less, with 30 minutes being “the sweet spot”.

When should I schedule active recovery days?

Ms Baird recommends placing an active recovery day after the most intense, high-quality workouts of the week.

But consider your long-term exercise routine to make sure you are balancing heavier weeks with lighter ones. If you are coming off a few weeks of more intense exercise, you may need a period of lower-intensity workouts with more active recovery days.

“We can’t just look at a workout as a workout for the day and not consider it in the context of your week, month or year,” she said. “All of these things are cumulative and that cumulative effect can either promote improvement or cause deterioration in your improvement.”

If you opt for active recovery instead of full rest, be careful not to push too hard, Mr Goeringer said. Turning an active recovery day into a workout will only prolong the time it takes for your body to bounce back.

Try to make the session “as easy as you can stand”, he said. “Think of it as more a therapy session.” NYTIMES