Rest days are important, but “rest” doesn’t always mean doing absolutely nothing. Active recovery – light movement that doesn’t strain the body – can reduce stiffness, support circulation and make you feel better between tough workouts.
Good active recovery options include easy walking, gentle cycling, relaxed swimming, stretching, yoga or mobility drills. The intensity should be low enough that you can breathe comfortably and hold conversations.
The idea is to move blood through tired muscles, not to chase new personal bests. If you feel more exhausted after an activity, it was probably too hard for a recovery day. Listen to your body’s signals and scale back when needed.
Active recovery is also a good time to work on posture, breathing or specific tight areas that get ignored on busy training days. Even 15–20 minutes can make a difference.
Of course, if you’re very sore, ill or injured, complete rest may be more appropriate. But on most days, a bit of gentle movement beats sinking into the sofa for hours.