Incorporating time for recovery days into your routine will help ensure consistent progress. Your body needs time to prioritize sleep over intense sweat sessions, and muscle recovery over muscle stress. The time you take between workouts is when your body repairs itself so it will perform better the next time you put it to the test. “Fueling and sleeping are essential to getting the most out of our workouts. Overtraining will harm performance and limit the gains, strength, or fitness you get from your sessions,” says Simarro. That said, it’s worth blocking active recovery sessions on rest days. Lying on the yoga mat or leisurely swimming are low-intensity options that will benefit muscle growth and repair between intense workouts.