Why is rest and recovery important for athletes?

Long gone are the days thinking that a day off from training will wreck fitness. In fact, the opposite has proven to be true. Research shows that rest and recovery may be the most important parts of a successful training program.  So why rest? Following a week of high-intensity work, rest will allow the body to adapt to those workouts. You will reap the benefits of those difficult workouts you just put yourself through. 

Rest also allows the body to refuel and gear up for more training. During rest, glycogen stores are restocked and it is these glycogen stores that give our bodies the fuel to not only train, but to complete simple daily tasks. The most important reason to allow time for rest and recovery for many athletes is to prevent overuse injuries.  No athlete wants to train for a big event only to be side-lined weeks before due to an injury. 
 

Three simple reasons to rest:

It allows your body to adapt to your work and improve your performance.
It restocks glycogen stores (the fuel for your workouts), builds strength and reduces fatigue.
It helps prevent overuse injuries.