Importance of Rest

Often I get clients or friends that come to me asking for advice as to what they should be doing for their programming. Often I hear comments like "well I worked out 7 days in a row last week so that means I am improving right?". I cannot overstate the importance of rest. Rest in this sense means both active days without training or working out as well as getting the proper sleep. Often the mistake is made of people keeping themseleves on the couch for two days a week (often weekends) because they feel this is the proper rest. This is not the right way to do it. Rest should not always be crashing on the couch, but it may mean trying a new sport, going for a walk or a swim, playing with your dog or your kids...but keep moving! Crossfit has many different ideas of programming rest intervals: ".com" suggests a 3 on 1 off approach while many others will say 2 on one off and then adjust for competitions and double days. Regardless of what you choose, the most important thing I have learned from training myself and others is to read your body. If you aren't feeling it and you're warming up and your body is telling you "no"...it's probably best to rest another day rather than risking significant injury in trying to push your body to do something it isn't prepared for. Not to say the body isn't meant to be pushed. My mentor "OPT"'s motto is "get comfortable with the uncomfortable", something I am always rediscovering and truly believe in. But there is a difference in pushing through training and pushing a body that isn't ready. Food for thought.