17 Oct 2026
Active Recovery vs Full Rest: How to Read Your Body's Signals - Episode 40
Active recovery vs full rest. Last week I did a 50 minute weighted endurance session with no rest periods: 20kg vest, 50 pull-ups, 150 pushups and 150 abs with an additional 50 finisher pull-ups (AMRAP), as few sets as possible). The most important part of that training week wasn't the workout. It was the day after it, where I didn't train at all, deliberately skipping the active recovery session I normally rely on.
This episode is about the decision: how to tell the difference between a day you should move and a day you should load up on food, sleep an extra hour, and sit down. Recovering from training is a skill, same as training itself, and the skill is reading signals.
In this episode:
THE SETUP: the weighted endurance session, and the judgment call on when to stop
THE SIGNAL: the three things I check after a heavy session, and the difference between normal overload fatigue and fatigue that transfers into a mental state
THE TWO RECOVERY DAYS: active recovery vs full rest, what each actually does, and why they're not interchangeable
THE VERDICT: why I chose full rest, and what the next day told me
The full endurance session - the structure, the sets, every variation - is in the No Bull Gym In A Bag Workout guide and the SUPP UP. workouts over on the official website. The thinking behind the recovery, you get here for free.
New episodes weekly. No bull, no sponsors, and nothing to sell you but your own capability. If you know how to fuel and train your body, where you are matters less.™
🎒 Get the field guides ($30-$75): https://supp-up.com/shop?category=Field+Guides+%28All%29 (https://supp-up.com/shop?category=Field+Guides+%28All%29)
Train anywhere travel workouts ($15-$25): https://supp-up.com/shop?category=Workouts (https://supp-up.com/shop?category=Workouts)
Pain fix routines for back and joint pain ($15): https://supp-up.com/shop?category=Pain+Fix+Routines (https://supp-up.com/shop?category=Pain+Fix+Routines)
Free workout log: https://supp-up.com/shop/supp-up-workout-log-free-download (https://supp-up.com/shop/supp-up-workout-log-free-download)
COMPLETE Travel System ($247): https://supp-up.com/shop/supp-up-complete-travel-system (https://supp-up.com/shop/supp-up-complete-travel-system)
ESSENTIALS Travel System ($147): https://supp-up.com/shop/supp-up-no-bull-nutrition-and-fitness-travel-bundle-digital (https://supp-up.com/shop/supp-up-no-bull-nutrition-and-fitness-travel-bundle-digital)
Burke, L. M., et al. 2017. Postexercise muscle glycogen resynthesis in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology, 122(5), 1055–1067. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00860.2016 (https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00860.2016)
Dupuy, O., et al. 2018. An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 9, 403. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00403 (https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00403)
Guo, J., et al. 2017. Massage Alleviates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness after Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 8, 747. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00747 (https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00747)
Kerksick, C. M., et al. 2017. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4 (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4)
Kreher, J. B., & Schwartz, J. B. 2012. Overtraining syndrome: a practical guide. Sports Health, 4(2), 128–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738111434406 (https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738111434406)
Mah, C. D., et al. 2011. The effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players. Sleep, 34(7), 943–950. https://doi.org/10.5665/SLEEP.1132 (https://doi.org/10.5665/SLEEP.1132)
Mountjoy, M., et al. 2023. International Olympic Committee's (IOC) consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57:1073–1098. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-106994 (https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-106994)
O'Donnell, S., et al. 2018. From pillow to podium: a review on understanding sleep for elite athletes. Nature and Science of Sleep, 10, 243–253. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S158598 (https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S158598)
Vitale, K. C., et al. 2019. Sleep Hygiene for Optimizing Recovery in Athletes: Review and Recommendations. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(8), 535–543. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-0905-3103 (https://doi.org/10.1055/a-0905-3103)
#suppuptraining #activerecovery #domsprevention #restday #recovery
