Why Rest Days Are Important In Martial Arts Training

Successful training in any physical endeavor requires putting in hard work and then resting. Many people fail to realize that your body’s actually breaking down muscle while working out; rest, sleep and nutrition are what help you build muscle that is stronger than before. This rest period is even more important when the physical acclimation of your muscles and bone structure is combined with learning a specific move or skill.

In martial arts, we train physically to become stronger, sharper and faster, but we’re also learning forms, perfecting our range of motion on a specific strike, or learning the angles to effectively deepen a submission. Your muscle memory needs time to learn and your body needs time to recover. Once you go past the point of your body’s ability to recover, you may burn out from overtraining. This can wreak havoc on your body and even your day-to-day life. Here is a look at why rest is such an important part of martial arts training.