4)  Take Rest Days

This is an important point that many people beginning a new exercise program ignore.  Your muscles aren’t built while you’re in the gym pumping iron.  They’re built afterwards while you’re at home recovering.  Rest days are crucial to muscle growth and recovery of your tendons and joints.  If you don’t take rest days, not only will you see slower results, you’re likely to get injured.

To make sure a rest day or two doesn’t turn into another three month trip off the bandwagon, schedule a recovery activity on your rest days during the same time you’d normally exercise.  Take a light 20 minute walk to keep blood flowing, do some gentle stretching or self-massage your sore muscles.