July 2005
How much time for rest/recovery should I incorporate into my exercise routine?
Training is a key component for any athlete or fitness enthusiast. The majority of you understand how improved strength, power or whatever parameter you are working on will benefit you in your activity. You also understand that training will help you improve in these areas and allow you to take your performance to the next level. The question is, when do all the sets and reps pay off; when do the adaptations occur? These adaptations occur during recovery, which is a vital component to your training. Oftentimes, however, recovery is not seen as important. In reality, the bottom line is that without proper recovery, your body will not achieve all the potential benefits from training.
So how do you determine how much recovery time you need? The amount of recovery time required between workouts depends on several variables. These variables include: training history, training intensity, volume and program goals.
As more years of training are accumulated, less recovery time is needed because the body has adapted to the training. Beginners should allow 48 hours of recovery between strength training sessions. More experienced athletes require higher intensities and volumes, which, in turn, will require longer recovery times. This could increase to 72 hours between strength training sessions.
Other things to consider during recovery are sleep, nutrition and hydration. No two people have exactly the same recovery requirements.
Jessica King, PT
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