Why is it important to take breaks when exercising?

The body requires more energy to warm up at the start of each walk and less when it is already in motion. When we start walking, we may incur fixed costs at the beginning of the bout. When we start walking, we may incur fixed costs at the beginning of the bout. We incur this cost regardless of whether we then walk for 10 or 30 seconds, so it proportionally weighs more for shorter rather than longer bouts. Tests determined that climbing or walking in 10- to 30-second intervals demanded 60% more oxygen than covering the same distance without stopping. When we walk for shorter bouts, we use more energy and consume more oxygen to cover the same distance. Researchers have usually measured energy demands over walking bouts lasting many minutes. However, many people are not even able to walk for so long. Their research supports other studies that have found short bursts of physical activity can greatly improve overall health and well-being. Even two minutes of exertion can decrease the risk of death by 18%. The health benefits of a daily walk are well-established.

Taking a break may be just what you need to rest, recover and rejuvenate, but how long before you start losing your fitness. It might be time to take a break if you’re experiencing fatigue, loss of motivation to train, or prolonged soreness. Normally a few days of rest will take care of this, but if the signs aren’t recognized and you continue to try to “grind” through these feelings, you could end up with an injury or illness. Taking a few days off will actually do more to improve your fitness and training. Typically, I recommend that people take a few days off from exercising every six to eight weeks, assuming you work out at a good intensity and are consistent. This gives both your mind and body a chance to recover and adapt to the previous weeks of training. If you’re pretty fit, eat well and get good sleep, your ability to recover will be better. Taking off one to two days per week would be adequate for someone like this.