How much rest between sessions
- Strength: leave at least one day between sessions that work the same muscles. Two or three non-consecutive days a week is the recommendation for older adults.
- Moderate cardio: walking or easy cycling can be done every day.
- Hard cardio (intervals, fast running): leave 48 hours between hard sessions.
- Mobility and balance: can be done every day.
How much rest between sets
- Strength exercises with light or moderate loads: 60 to 90 seconds.
- Heavy loads or big exercises such as squats or deadlifts: 2 minutes or more.
- Don't rush: resting enough lets you do the next set with good technique.
A well-planned week
- Monday: strength and stretching.
- Tuesday: cardio.
- Wednesday: strength and balance.
- Thursday: cardio and stretching.
- Friday: strength.
- Saturday: long, easy cardio.
- Sunday: rest or a walk.
Sleep, the best recovery tool
Much of your muscle repair happens during deep sleep. Aim for 7 to 9 hours on a regular schedule. If you sleep badly for several nights in a row, lower the intensity of your workouts on those days.
Signs you aren't recovering
- Tiredness that doesn't go away from one day to the next.
- Performance drops over several sessions in a row.
- You sleep worse than usual or feel more irritable.
- Your resting heart rate in the morning is higher than normal for several days.
- Recurring joint aches.
If you notice several of these signs, take a deload week: keep training but with half the sets and lower intensity. It's common practice every 6 to 8 weeks even if you feel fine.
Sources
This article is for information only and does not replace an assessment by a doctor, physiotherapist or other health professional.