Rest days or active recovery routines are an important part of your training. Without it you won’t see the gains that you might otherwise. More importantly, not taking rest days can take a serious toll on your health. You’ll get sick more often and won’t sleep well. It might sound counterproductive, but even the top athletes in the world take days off from training.

You don’t have to stay inactive on your rest days. Instead, try one of the exercises suggested above. Not only does active recovery improve your performance, it also prevents potential injuries. Just make sure you don’t push yourself too hard during your recovery days. For example, if you’re not a runner, jogging might not be the best recovery day activity. On the other hand, if you’re training for a marathon, a light jog might be just the thing you need. It all depends on your physical level and training.