Best news ever!  If you want to get stronger, you have to rest.  Your muscles need time to repair themselves — this is when the strengthening actually happens.  Part of our No-Excuses Workout Challenge is taking a little time off to give your body a chance to recuperate and recharge.  But your recovery will be faster if you keep active.  Really!  Get your blood flowing to help feed your weary muscles, and take yourself for a 20-minute stroll, then give your muscles some TLC.  Here's our simple prescription for making the most of your rest day.

Roll

A weekly massage would be great for your body but not so great for your wallet.  Instead, invest in a foam roller for some DIY muscle relief.  Rolling out smooths knotted muscles and primes tight spots for stretching.  Here are three resources to kick off your massage session.

• Foam rolling to energize tired legs
• A video tutorial to check out a roller in action
• Massage your back with a roller and feel taller instantly

Stretch

After walking and rolling, lengthen tight muscles with some stretching. Pick one or two stretches for each body part, and hold your stretches for 30 seconds each.

• Hamstring stretches
• Calf stretches
• Quad stretches
• Glute stretches
• Back stretches

It's time to do some cardio in our No-Excuses Workout Challenge.  And today we are putting you in charge!  You get to pick how to get your heart rate up.  It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you keep moving for 30 minutes.  The easiest option is running;  just lace up your sneakers and hit the streets.  But you can also take Zumba, hit the pool, or hop on your bike.  The options are endless.

If you have access to cardio machines, like a treadmill or an elliptical, and want a plan to follow, we have you covered.  Here are two options.

Treadmill

Elliptical

*SPM = Strides Per Minute

It's Tabata time!  This effective HIIT (high-intensity interval training) mixes well with bodyweight exercises.  And for today's workout in our No-Excuses Workout Challenge, we've paired complementary exercises for each four-minute interval.  This way you maintain good form while working intensely!

Here's the workout and directions.  Keep scrolling for explanations on the moves.

Tabata One:  Jumping Jack

• Jump off the balls of your feet as you jump your legs out and in.
• To modify, step the legs wide and then step them together instead of jumping.

Tabata One:  Trunk Twist

• Stand with your feet a bit wider than your hips, with your arms out to your sides.
• Twist your torso to the right, allowing your left foot to move to increase your range of motion.
• Reverse directions, and twist to the left.  Keep your spine long and lifted as you twist.

Tabata Two:  Push-Up and Rotate

• Begin in a plank position and lower your body toward the floor, then push through your arms, returning to plank.
• Twist to the left, reaching your left arm to the ceiling without letting your pelvis raise or lower.
• Return to plank position, bringing your hand back to the floor.  Complete another push-up and twist to the right.

Tabata Two:  Skater Plyo

• Start in a small squat.  Jump sideways to the right, landing on your right leg.  Bring your left leg behind you, but don't let it touch the floor.
• Reverse direction by jumping to the left with your left leg, allowing your arms to swing to build up momentum.

Tabata Three:  Lunge Hop

• Bounce on the balls of your feet, jumping into a lunge with your left knee forward.
• Jump your feet together and switch sides, bringing the right knee forward.
• Stay light on your feet throughout this exercise.

Tabata Three:  Oblique Mountain Climber

• Start in plank position.  Bring your left knee to your left elbow.
• Jump your left leg back to plank position while bringing your right knee to your right elbow.
• Continue alternating sides; move quickly but with control.

Core:  Russian Twist

Reps:  30, alternating sides

• Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot and a half from your butt.  Lean slightly back, and lift your feet a few inches off the ground without rounding your spine.
• Twist your torso to the left, punching with your right arm.  This completes one rep.  Twist to the right and punch with the left arm, and continue alternating sides.

Core:  Tabletop Crunch With Leg Reach

Reps:  12

• Start lying on your back with your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees in a tabletop position.  Lift your upper back and head off the mat, reaching your fingers toward your toes.
• Lengthen your legs away from your centre as you lower your upper body, reaching your arms overhead.  Keep your low back pressing into the floor as you straighten your legs.
• Bend your legs back into tabletop position as you lift your upper body off the floor and reach your hands toward your toes.

Core:  Superman Row

Reps:  10

• Lie on your stomach with your arms reaching overhead.
• Keeping your feet on the floor, arch your upper back to lift your chest off the floor.
• Keeping your torso stable, bend your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together.  Then reach your fingertips toward your toes with your palms down and lift your chest another inch away from the floor.
• Sweep your arms forward while lowering your upper body all the way to the mat, returning to the starting position.  This completes one rep.

It's time to do some cardio in our No-Excuses Workout Challenge.  You're in charge today because you get to choose how to get your heart rate up.  It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you keep moving for 30 minutes.  The easiest option is running;  just lace up your sneakers and head outside.  But you can also swim, bike, jump rope, or take a Zumba class.  The options are endless.

If you would like a little more guidance, we have some plans for you to try — one using a treadmill and one using a bike, in case you have access to some cardio equipment.

Treadmill

*RPE = Rate of Perceived Exertion

Biking

Think beyond crunches for toning your abs and try this bodyweight workout from our No-Excuses Workout Challenge.  These full-body moves will work your abs from multiple angles and tone your middle.

Directions:  Warm up with five minutes of light cardio, then perform this five-exercise circuit three times.  Cool down with three minutes of stretching.

Sumo Squat and Side Crunch

Reps:  20, alternating sides

• Start in a wide stance with your toes pointed out;  bring your hands behind your head with your elbows wide.
• Bend your knees over your toes, coming into a squat with your thighs almost parallel to the floor.
• As you straighten your knees to stand, lift your right knee while bending to the right to bring your right elbow and knee together, doing a side crunch.
• Straighten your spine as you bring your right foot to the floor, and bend both knees, coming into a sumo squat.  This completes one rep.

Single-Leg Toe Touch

Reps:  10, each leg

• Begin standing with all your weight on your left foot.
• Keeping your spine long, reach forward, bending your left knee and touching your fingers to the floor a few inches in front of your toes.  Keep your abs engaged to stabilize your torso.  Your right leg will go behind you to help you balance.
• Press your left heel into the ground as you lift your torso to stand, bringing the right foot to touch next to the left foot.  This completes one rep.

Up-Down Plank

Reps:  12

• Start in plank position.
• Keeping your torso parallel to the floor, place your right elbow on the mat.
• Repeat with your left arm, lowering into an elbow plank.
• Place your right palm on the mat, then the left to press up into a plank.  This completes one rep.  Repeat lowering the opposite elbow to the mat.

Jump Squat

Reps:  12

• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and bend your knees and hips, coming into a squat, then engage your core and jump up explosively.
• When you land, lower back into the squat position to complete one rep.  Land as quietly as possible, which requires control.

Breakdancer Reach

Reps:  20, alternating sides

• Start sitting with your feet flat on the floor with your hands behind you and your fingers pointing away from you.
• Push your pelvis up as you shift your weight into your left hand, circling your right hand across your body and ending with an overhead reach.  Look down toward your left hand and feel an active stretch in your right side.
• Pull your abs in as you lower your pelvis to sit on the floor.  This completes one rep.  Repeat on the other side.

The Workout