Active Rest

If you wake up extremely sore from a hard workout, then congrats you worked your butt off! Remember that soreness is a sign that you need to rest that particular muscle. Your muscles grow and recover when you are out of the gym. You need to get quality protein and sleep in order for your muscles to repair and grow properly. Rest is very important, but I (Juliane) don't mean sit around and watch a Kardashian Marathon on E! I prefer active rest. Great ideas for active rest include bicycle riding, swimming some easy laps, walking, or even playing a round of catch with your kids. The idea is to get your heart rate up, but not to the point that your breathing heavy. Just think of it as a leisure activity. The blood flow to the muscles helps ease the soreness. This is also a great time to STRETCH or even hit the sauna!! I try to include an active rest day at least once a week, but beginners should have at least two days a week. You can plan out your active rest days or just take one when your body tells you its time.

Here's a picture of my active rest day. My husband and I went for an easy bicycle ride during our last day at the beach. Some how we managed to pick a week that was rainy and gloomy everyday but one, but we made the most of it!