On Tuesday (my rest day) I had a bad day at work and needed to clear my head, so I went for a swim. I didn't do much, just 5 laps, but it helped with the head clearing and it felt really good to be active rather than behind a desk all day. Plus I get zero upper body workout, so it was nice to feel those shoulders and arms doing some work.
I was wondering if anyone does some kind of exercise on rest days too or takes "rest" more literally?
Sometimes I swim or do a Jessica Smith TV workout. Check her out on YouTube. She's amazing
I walk everywhere because I don't drive, in the week I do an absolute minimum of 2 miles every week day and up to 5 miles a day. I also swim twice a week it is brilliant for toning - and as someone else said for building stamina. Plus a well earned trip to the steam and sauna afterwards 🙂 On the other hand I only do 2 runs a week. Occasionally I will complete a third run at the weekend but man I know about it if I do that bit extra!
I used to swim or bike, but found that by giving myself a specific cross training exercise to do on all my non-running days, I never got the psycological break from exercise-exercise-exercise and that led me to burning out and doing nothing at all for a few months. So now I try to go on a gentle (!) walk or sometime take the "rest" more literally - maybe get a few things done at work that I wouldn't otherwise, and reap the feel-good bonus of being on top of things.
It depends on your fitness, I took rest days literally as I battled through the programme. But cycling is great because it still gets heart and lungs working without impacting the knees, I have enjoyed step aerobics too - gives me a boost like running, swimming is great too and of course walking, always great.
It veyr much depends the point from which you are starting. When I first did C25k I had not exercised at all for mor ethan 20 years, so the rest days were complete rest while I got used to moving and my legs etc strengthened up. After a few weeks I started doing spin and cross training a couple of times a week on non run days, and as my stamina and strength built up, so did the activity levels.
i still have one rest day a week now. I willgenerally still be active - go for a hilly walk with family and dog or something like that, but nothing that involves elevated heart rate/sweating.
There is a lot of hand-wringing about overtraining, but usually from people who do very little training at all. There is doing too much too soon, and one should buld up gradually and sensibly, but 60 mins or so of exercise a day 6 days a week is well with the capabilities of most of us, barrig medical conditions.
I walk 2 to 3 miles on my rest days and do karate 2 nights a week. gets me out the house
I used to love swimming a mile after parkrun on a Saturday but I have to do a longer run now to get the miles in. I stagger my runs and on non running days I go to the gym and do a few things ( not the treadmill I am allergic to it), and I have 1 or 2 absolute rest days in the week. Listen to your body and it will serve you well 
I walk a couple of miles most days ( including run days) and do a Pilates class, a Tai Chi class and have an occasional swim.
Once you are 'older' apparently the ideal is to cover the 3 'S's . Stamina, stability (balance) and suppleness.
I was so unfit, tbh I couldn't move without being breathless. I was severely obese, still am, even now I've lost over 5 stone. I started c25k with strength and flex but gave up on week 2 as it was killing me. My daughter then joined a women's gym and concentrated on strength training. I saw some of the shapes and sizes that got in, so I joined too. After being there for about 6 months I started c25k again. This time I was determined. It took me nearly 9 months to complete as I didn't move on until I felt mentally and physically able. I now still do my 4 gym sessions per week and 3 to 4 runs per week. I also stick in the odd Les Mills dvd or Shaun T,insanity or hip hop abs. Although I've plateud weight wise, I'm still loosing inches everywhere. However since Christmas my diet plan has been out of the window. I do however listen to my body and if it needs more of a break, I give it. I always have a day off per week, now and then, 2 days.
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