The importance of recovery days for strength and fitness


One of the best lessons that I've learned in a long life is the importance of recovery days in order to get bigger and stronger. And that's because your muscles don't grow in the gym, they grow afterwards, when they have time to recover.

I'm not as young as I used to be, and if you aren't either (and by that I mean that you're old enough to read), you will need to schedule in time for your body to recover between workouts. And I don't mean sitting on the bench at the gym scrolling on your phone, I mean actually not going to the gym for a full day, or two.

It's Monday, one of three days that I set aside for recovery (Tuesdays and Fridays also), and for someone like me, who likes to do workouts, it can be a challenge, as if my toys have been taken away from me. But I like to keep moving forward, and stuff like just writing in this blog is part of my project for greater strength and fitness.

Speaking for myself, I include a lot of things in my strength and fitness project, like going to the grocery store, which I may do later on today, or maybe tomorrow.

Now let's be clear here, a recovery day is just that. It doesn't mean that you stay away from the gym and instead chop down an entire forest, or row across the ocean - take it easy. If you're a full grown man like I am you can have a couple of beers (and by that I mean 2, no more) if it eases your mind, and calms you down. I often need to calm down myself!

Right now I'm feeling a little sore and stiff from my workout yesterday, and while it's not painful, it's a reminder that taking a recovery day is important. I like to soak in a hot bath, and if you have a jacuzzi (lucky you!) even better. I eat pretty much the same thing on workout days and recovery days, so that doesn't change.

I think I'll just sit here, and let time pass.

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