Newbie exercise question. Can u help?

[Andtheworldwentwhite]

I joined a gym last month. Really really enjoying it. Have a few medical problems. So not pushing myself too hard , doing the bits I enjoy and so glad I started.

A question for seasoned exercise people. I know we need rest days. I am currently at the gym five days a week and have two rest days. Is this okay? I don’t want to burn myself out and start hating going. But I do miss not doing something on the rest days. Is two rest days too much?

should I be doing something on the rest days? A long walk maybe or should I just rest properly. Any tips would be great.

Everyone is different, but I would consider mixing it up with swimming, walking, cycling and do something for flexibility too if you can like a yoga class. Variety really helps. Keep it gentle as you have been as you ease into it.

Well done on getting going!

Honestly, listen to your body and go from your starting point and how you feel. Healthy, active people who are used to it don't need a rest day from normal activity or light/moderate exercise (in the gym or outside it - some people walk in the park, some walk on a treadmill - that can be done daily for many people) - it is what we are designed to do. So it depends what you are doing in the gym and how varied that already is? And how much you do outside it in terms of walking and other activity. And how you feel.

Consistency matters so if you are doing similar stuff on the five days - say a mix of cardio and weights - and you feel good, have energy, are sleeping well and recovering well from the sessions, then you could try something different on another day - swim, long walk, cycle as pp said? If your schedule already includes a mix, with only some sessions tipping into the moderate and again you feel good, I wouldn't worry too much. None of this takes any account of your medical issues obviously.

Your muscles need time to repair etc so on your rest days incorporate low impact physical activity, so swimming with the family rather than an hour of laps, leisurely walk with the children or dog rather than a run etc, you can be active without doing more damage and use that time to prep nutritionally. Increase the water, meal prep for the coming week etc.

So far I have been doing
exercise bike
rowing machine
treadmill
a few of the machines that work my arms and legs.
I also walk a dog four days a week for about an hour.

would love to swim ( cannot do the chlorine ) would love to run but have a bad bladder so the constant banging on the body rules that out )

I am perimenopausal. So I now bought some light weights at home and am planning on doing strength training here. Thanks for the answers so far. This is all new to me. So any information is helpful.

i am trying to set myself up to succeed so not going in too strong but just enjoying what I am doing.

If you are working a muscle group very hard, whether that is legs, arms or heart then it needs time to rest and recover to build strength over time. Athletes, body builders etc will incorporate 'rest' for that reason.

For us mere mortals, you don't need a 'rest' unless you have been doing something significantly harder than usual and you can 'rest' a muscle group by doing a different activity, a cycling day could be a rest after for your arms for example or a flat, fairly easy walk or a yoga session could be a 'rest' day after intense cardio. Switch it up enough to keep it interesting and to spread the load over different parts of your body across the week.

Walking and/or yoga are both great for rest days - move and stretch sore muscles without strain

If you feel that you need to do something, just do it , albeit mindful of your body - prevent strains and the like

You are doing a lot of cardio. I would do more weights and include machines (if machines are what you like) that work your back and chest, not just your arms and legs (ask at the gym for someone to show you). And include some core, perhaps with a Pilates class if there is one. Make sure you work every major muscle group in turn and give each group a rest after use (so if you do back and biceps on Monday, then give them a rest till later in the week).

I do bodybuilding and calisthenics and do need a rest day (roughly every week) for muscle and joint recovery but I am lifting heavy weights/low reps, often to failure. I don't do much intense cardio and don't need a rest day from walking, running, X-trainer etc as that's just part of being active - for me.

@MsMartini unfortunatly I am hampered by having extremely weak hands. But thanks for the advice. I added in some very light weights this morning. And had a go at some of the machines for strength training. Was good I enjoyed it.