Want to get the most out of your workout? Then put your weights away, hang-up your running shoes, empty the pool and take the wheels off your bike. Get a book, a movie, a hammock or an armchair, sit down and just relax. Forget about increasing your heart rate or getting a sweat on. Don't even think about it. Just'relax.

Rest is as important a component of a strong workout routine as any other, yet it is often not scheduled in and is often not considered an exercise at all. Many people feel guilty about taking time off, but as Owen Anderson of Peak Performance Magazine put it, not getting enough rest '' can destroy your ability to produce top performances. Doing too much hard training can devastate your muscles, harass your hormonal system, and implode your immune system.' And all just because you didn't want to take the day off.

To be sure, finding the right balance of rest and work is no easy task. Some take the 'trial-and-error' method, which is to push oneself as far as possible and then take time off. While this method might appear to work for some, it is an approach worth being cautious about. Muscles need more time than we think to repair, and although it may feel as though your body is ready for another assault, it may be that the proteins you've been eating are still yet to be fully absorbed and the muscles aren't ready. According to an article produced by Real Muscle Online, 'Muscles grow when you are resting. If your goal is to gain muscle mass then you should avoid re-working a muscle that is sore because it is a sign it is still growing.'

So relax. Stretching is also a good idea. If you are bent on being active everyday, and can't stand to be idle, then spend time stretching your entire body. Take the time you normally devote to a workout and slowly go through a routine of stretches. Doing this will increase blood flow to the 'damaged' muscles, and increase your heart rate.

Many personal trainers advice is to give muscles at least 36 hours of rest before targeting them again. As evidenced in an experiment conducted by McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario, muscle reparation, 'is pretty much over [after 36 hours].'

So relax. Sit down. Get some fluids in you and let the body do its thing. You'll be gaining more by doing less.