Knowing When to Hit Pause: The Power of Rest for Your Body and Mind

Coach Janelle

We all love that feeling of a hard workout, the sweat, the grind, the satisfaction of knowing you pushed yourself. But there’s a flip side that sometimes gets lost in all the “no pain, no gain” mentality: knowing when to pull back and take a break. It’s not just about avoiding injury or overtraining (though that’s a big part of it); it’s also about taking care of your mind. And trust me, that’s just as important.

The Physical Side of Rest

Let’s start with the body. We’ve all been there—feeling a bit invincible, wanting to keep piling on the miles, the weights, or the reps. But here’s the thing: your muscles don’t actually get stronger during the workout. The real magic happens during recovery. When you rest, your body repairs muscle fibers, replenishes energy stores, and adapts to the stress you’ve put it under. If you don’t give it that time, you risk running on empty—leading to injuries, chronic fatigue, and a serious drop in performance. Think of rest days not as “days off” but as part of the program.