Athletes and gym goers pride themselves on working hard, pushing limits, and striving for progress every day. They also have a strong understanding for the most overlooked but most essential components of athletic performance: rest.
Don’t get us wrong, showing up and training hard is important. But training smart is key for building long-term success. And that includes knowing when to go all out, and when to take a little off.
If you want optimal success and results, you have to understand your body and the importance of rest and recovery. Let’s dive into why overtraining is holding you back, how to recognize the signs of it, and what “smart” training looks like. If you want to stay strong, healthy, and consistent this blog’s for you.
Is More Really Better?
You’ve heard the phrase more is better right? Well we all have. But that isn’t always the best advice. At CrossFit Threefold we understand that training is all about balance. It’s about figuring out what works best for your body, tailoring a program to fit your needs and knowing when to give it a rest. The problem is, many athletes feel pressure to constantly be “on”—never missing a workout, always doing more and pushing through fatigue no matter what. You get into this fitness groove and find it hard to scale back for recovery. It’s no one’s fault, it’s simply how we move through life. Go, go, go.
Pushing yourself too far or to the point of exhaustion and in some cases injury counteracts all you’re trying to achieve. You need rest.
When you train—especially at high intensity—you’re placing stress on your body. In response, your body adapts by rebuilding muscle fibers, replenishing energy stores, and improving cardiovascular efficiency. But those adaptations only happen during recovery. If you never give your body a chance to fully recover, you’re not allowing it to rebuild stronger. Instead, you’re increasing stress which leads to burnouts, plateaus, or even injury.
What are Signs of Overtraining?
Overtraining isn’t always obvious. It’s actually gradual which makes being in tune with your body so important. Some common indicators that you need some rest might include:
- Decreased performance – Lifts feel heavier, workouts slower, and you aren’t recovering between sessions the way you used to. Basically, you just can’t give it your all.
- Continued soreness or joint pain – Occasional soreness is expected, but if you’re constantly sore or dealing with recurring aches and pains, this may be a sign of fatigue and overtraining. Remember you want to avoid injury and pain not promote
- Lack of energy – If your body battery is consistently low, or your feeling drained throughout the day, even with adequate sleep and nutrition this is a tell that your body is in need of recovery
- Low motivation – Anytime you start a workout regime or something new, chances are you’re hyped up and motivated to get things done! But if you notice your motivation is lacking, chances are you’re experiencing mental burnout, another sign of overtraining.
If you’re checking off the boxes as you read this, it might be time to re-evaluate your training schedule. But no need to worry, that’s what CrossFit coaches are for. Together you and your coach can develop, tweak or mix up your workout routines while incorporating rest days to ensure proper recovery and continued success.
Strategic Rest? Yes Please!
Rest isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s the complete opposite. It’s a critical element of every effective training plan. Strategic rest days not only enhance physical recovery, but they also improve athletic performance, reduce injury, and support a positive mindset. Anything you can do to eliminate burnout is essential.
Incorporating proper recovery into your routine actively supports your growth and success.
Prioritizing recovery also allows you to:
- Improve muscle growth and strength gains
- Increase your energy levels and workout performance
- Reduce risk of overuse and injury
- Increase immunity function
- Renew motivation and mental clarity
Simply put, when you rest appropriately, you train better. Every. Single. Day.
What Does Recovery Look Like?
Recovery isn’t just about taking a day off. It’s about creating a routine that supports your training through intentional rest, and the adoption of quality lifestyle habits. Habits you can stick with and ones that’ll not only make you feel good about yourself but also ensure continued progress. So what can you do? That’s simple. Keep reading.
1. Schedule Rest Days
Schedules are important for many reasons. They keep us focused, organized and efficient all while leading us down a path of success. So when you’re building your week, make sure to pencil in those recovery days.
Take at least one full rest day per week. For some athletes, especially those training five or more times per week, two rest days can be even more beneficial. These days should be free of structured training or intense physical activity. Trust us, your body will thank you.
2. Quality Sleep
Sleep is crucial for your well-being. Sleep helps your body reset from a stressful or demanding day, allows your brain the chance to flush out toxins and gives you the energy to take on a new day, or a new challenge.
Aim for 7–9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. This is when your body performs most of its physical repair and you fall into a deep, restorative sleep. Poor sleep slows recovery and negatively affects strength, coordination, and reaction time. Plus, who wants to be fighting off fatigue during a tough workout?
3. Balanced Nutrition
This one should actually be at the top of your list. Nutrition is the cornerstone for everything health and fitness. Fueling your body with enough calories to support your activity level can make or break you.
Our Nutritional Coaches understand that you are what you eat, and if you don’t prioritize whole foods, lean proteins and healthy fats you’ll never get the results you’re after. Being your best really starts in the kitchen. You can lift heavy, jump high and burpee all you want but if you don’t have nutrition under control, your training will never pay off how you want it.
4. Active Recovery
On lighter days, low-intensity activities like walking, stretching, yoga, or mobility work can promote circulation and ease muscle tension without adding stress to the body. And don’t be afraid to throw in a little cold plunging while you’re at it. Cold plunging has amazing benefits that’ll reduce inflammation and provide the recovery your joints and muscles need.
5. Listening to Your Body
Some days you feel strong. Other days you feel drained. Pay attention to those signals. Occasionally training through fatigue is part of being an athlete—but ignoring fatigue over time leads to diminishing returns.
Mindset, Mindset, Mindset
For many athletes, the hardest part of recovery is the mental shift. Rest can feel like falling behind, especially when you're used to pushing hard. Take running for instance. Have you heard of 80/20 running? Basically an 80/20 training program is when 80% of your runs are at a slow, easy pace and 20% are of high intensity. This means you have to slow down to make gains and progress. However, this shift can be extremely challenging for runners who want to just go right out of the gate. But, understanding the science behind it (that can be for another day) and shifting your mindset to the importance of giving your body a “break” is a win-win.
Keep this in mind, the most successful athletes are the ones that:
- Prioritize Sleep
- Take planned deload weeks
- Fuel their bodies correctly
- Respect their physical limits.
Not because they’re weak—but because they want to be at their best when it matters most.
At Threefold we want to help you reach your goals without sacrificing your health. That means encouraging intensity, yes—but also balance.
Our goal isn’t just to help you hit your next PR. It’s to help you stay strong, resilient, and injury-free for years to come. Whether you’re preparing for a competition or just striving to feel your best, rest and recovery will always be part of that journey.
At the end of the day, fitness is a long term lifestyle and game. You’re building something bigger than a number—you’re building a lifestyle. One that should leave you feeling energized, empowered, and strong—not run-down and overworked.
So the next time you think about skipping a rest day, just remind yourself to:
Train smart.
Recover well.
And come back stronger than ever.
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