With the advice of Iker Muñoz, Runnea Sports Director, we address the importance of active rest among runners; an alternative activity to our sport that helps to exercise, to accelerate the regeneration process and therefore, favors a faster recovery from the effort. A process that benefits the athlete's performance and helps maintain a minimum level of physical activity, leaving aside sedentary habits.
"In every week we should include active rest days, we cannot be physically active only when we train", warns Runnea's Sports Director, who defines himself as a staunch defender of active rest. A practice that especially benefits popular runners as it allows us to stay physically active on the days we do not go running.
Active rest is an invisible part of training; the result of all the actions we do before and after training and that enhances the athlete's performance.
It's time to put ourselves in the hands of experts and therefore we turn, once again, to the advice of our Runnea sports director, Iker Muñoz.
Active rest: everything you need to know
Not everything is reduced to put on your Running shoes and go out for a run, there is a previous and subsequent work that can affect our performance. "Not having to train doesn't mean we don't move," says Iker Muñoz, alluding to the need for alternative activities that help us exercise and recover from previous workouts. Below, discover the key answers about active rest that every runner should know, take note!
When we talk about active rest, what do we mean?
We are talking about an activity, as an alternative to our sport, that allows us to exercise and at the same time recover from previous workouts.
For example, after a demanding session, the next day, I rest (I do not run) but I take a walk of 1 hour or more. I am resting from my sporting activity, but this does not mean that I am lying on the couch all day.
How and how much can it benefit an athlete's performance to include an active rest day in our training routines?
Every week we should include active rest days. For example, even if you train 6 days a week the seventh day does not mean that you are sitting all day, it is necessary to give a small stimulus to our body.
Not training should never mean not moving (only in very specific cases is total rest recommended). If the day of rest, we are physically inactive, the next training, after this day, will be much harder.
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How often should we opt for active rest? Is it a maxim to be contemplated by all popular runners or only those who train a large volume of kilometers and very high intensities?
I would like to qualify this answer. Active rest understood as not training (not running, not cycling, etc.) is part of invisible training. Not having to train does not mean that we do not move. Especially in popular runners, it is necessary to stay physically active on the days we don't train (don't take the elevator, walk to nearby places, etc.) this will only add to your workouts.
Wecannot be physically active only when we train and then have sedentary habits, as this influences our performance.
Therefore, on rest days everyone should move (at a lower intensity). We cannot afford to have sedentary habits.
What are we working on through active rest?
Basically we are making the regeneration processes are accelerated and therefore we can recover earlier. This will mean that we will be able to do a demanding workout earlier than someone else who opts for passive rest, which will have an impact on our performance.
Active rest or total rest?
I think after the above questions you can see that I am a strong advocate of active rest. The main benefit for popular runners is to continue to maintain a minimum of physical activity, even if we do not go running. This is fundamental for us (popular runners) since in many cases we are limited by practice time. Everything adds up when practice time is limited.
Total rest is rarely beneficial. Only in the event of an injury or as a measure in a situation of psychological and physiological stress(overtraining) that requires us to stop training.
Benefits of active rest among popular runners
Active rest implies movement, keeping active even on days when we do not train. Conceived as a fundamental part of invisible training, performing an alternative activity to our sport will allow us to accelerate the regeneration process and recover more quickly from the effort made. Likewise, emphasizing the need to maintain a minimum level of physical activity, even if we do not go running, will be very beneficial.
Therefore, including active rest days in our training routines will be vital to achieve maximum performance and improve as athletes. And you, have you already tried the benefits of active rest?
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