? Giving Muscles a Chance to Rest
 

Hi all!

I've been lurking for awhile and have decided to make myself known by asking a question.

I know that when lifting weights it is important to give your muscles at least 24 hours to rest / heal (depending on the intensity of your workout). Does anyone know whether you should likewise give muscles a chance to recuperate between sessions of yoga / Pilates / etc... ? It seems to me that stretching could contribute to small tears in the muscles which would in turn merit rest between sessions for overall muscle health as well as more timely flexibility advances (just as strength is actually gained faster when muscles are allowed adequate time to heal).

What say you? :)

~Julie

How much rest you need to recover from weight training depends on the intensity level of the training. Big time powerlifters might go more than a week between deadlifting sessions because of the long recovery needed from the pounding your body is taking. Most beginners can train their whole body every other day and make good progress, because of the relatively light weights used.

So, I would guess that you could do very low intensity work like Yoga or pilates everyday if you chose to.

hi Julie,


i guess it could depend on what type of yoga you do. if you do power yoga you may need to rest between days. but if you're doing a gentler type of yoga you should be ok.


I do yoga everyday and have never had any problems. and from what i've read it shouldn't be an issue.


kristin

It is recommended that you do Yoga everyday, it's a very healthy daily activity...

My rule of thumb is ... if it's still sore I don't work it again yet.

Let's see what the LWL have to say?