Recovery & Rest Blueprint

Purpose

Your results happen during recovery, not during workouts. This skill helps you understand when to push and when to rest, how to optimize sleep and recovery, and how to avoid the burnout that stops most fitness journeys.

When to Use

Use this Skill when you need to:

• Understand how many rest days you need
• Recover from overtraining or burnout
• Improve your sleep for better results
• Plan active recovery sessions
• Know when to push through vs back off

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Assess Recovery Status

How recovered are you right now?

Ask these questions:

• "How many days per week are you currently training?"
• "How would you rate your energy levels? (1-10)"
• "Are you sleeping well? How many hours?"
• "Any persistent aches, pains, or injuries?"
• "Is your performance improving, stagnant, or declining?"

Warning signs of underrecovery:

• Consistent fatigue despite sleeping
• Irritability and mood changes
• Performance going backward
• Getting sick more often
• Aches that do not go away
• Dreading workouts you used to enjoy

Output Variable: recovery_status

Step 2: Understand Recovery Basics

The fundamentals most people ignore.

Training = Stress

• Working out damages muscle fibers
• Recovery repairs them stronger
• No recovery = no improvement

The 3 Pillars of Recovery:

1. Sleep: This is where the magic happens

• 7-9 hours for most adults
• Consistent bedtime > total hours
• Poor sleep = poor recovery = poor results

1. Nutrition: Fuel the repair process

• Adequate protein (0.8-1g per lb)
• Enough total calories
• Hydration (often overlooked)

1. Rest: Actual time off

• Complete rest days (no exercise)
• Active recovery (light movement)
• Deload weeks (reduced intensity)

Output Variable: recovery_basics

Step 3: Determine Rest Day Needs

How much rest do YOU need?

General guidelines:

• Beginners: 3-4 rest days per week
• Intermediate: 2-3 rest days per week
• Advanced: 1-2 rest days per week
• 40+ years: Add 1 extra rest day

Factors that increase rest needs:

• High stress job or life
• Poor sleep quality
• High intensity training
• Age over 40
• Caloric deficit (dieting)
• New to exercise

The simple rule: When in doubt, rest more. Undertrained > overtrained.

Ask: "Given your training and lifestyle, how many rest days make sense?"

Output Variable: rest_day_needs

Step 4: Design Recovery Strategies

What to do on off days.

Complete Rest (1-2x per week):

• No intentional exercise
• Normal daily movement is fine
• Mental recovery too

Active Recovery (1-2x per week):

• Very light movement
• 20-30 min walking
• Easy yoga or stretching
• Swimming or light cycling
• Should feel refreshing, not tiring

Sleep Optimization:

• Consistent wake time (even weekends)
• Dark, cool room (65-68F)
• No screens 30-60 min before bed
• No caffeine after 2pm
• Wind-down routine

Nutrition for Recovery:

• Protein at every meal
• Dont under-eat chronically
• Hydrate (half bodyweight in oz)
• Post-workout meal within 2 hours

Output Variable: recovery_strategies

Step 5: Create Recovery Signals

Know when to push and when to back off.

Green Light (Train as planned):

• Rested and energetic
• Motivation is normal or high
• No unusual aches
• Performance is progressing

Yellow Light (Train but monitor):

• Tired but functional
• Minor aches
• Motivation is low but not gone
• Adjust: Reduce volume 20-30%

Red Light (Rest or very light movement):

• Exhausted despite sleep
• Sharp or unusual pain
• Dreading the workout
• Sick or getting sick
• Adjust: Full rest or 10-min walk only

Output Variable: recovery_signals

Step 6: Plan Deload Weeks

Scheduled recovery for long-term progress.

What is a deload?

• Every 4-6 weeks, reduce training load
• Same exercises, 50-60% of normal volume/intensity
• Allows accumulated fatigue to clear
• Come back stronger the following week

Deload options:

• Volume deload: Same weight, half the sets
• Intensity deload: Same sets, 50-60% weight
• Full deload: Active recovery only for a week

When to deload:

• Every 4-6 weeks (scheduled)
• After a particularly hard training block
• When yellow/red lights appear multiple days

Output Variable: deload_plan

Step 7: Generate Recovery Blueprint

Create the complete document.

Create a document titled "Your Recovery Blueprint" with everything.

Output Format

Your Recovery Blueprint

CURRENT STATUS:
- Training days: [X] per week
- Energy level: [X/10]
- Sleep: [X hours]
- Recovery need: [Low/Medium/High]

WEEKLY STRUCTURE:
- Training days: [X]
- Complete rest: [X]
- Active recovery: [X]

TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM:
GREEN (Train as planned):
[Your specific green light signals]

YELLOW (Reduce 20-30%):
[Your specific yellow light signals]

RED (Rest or very light):
[Your specific red light signals]

SLEEP OPTIMIZATION:
- Wake time: [X]
- Bedtime: [X]
- Pre-bed routine: [Your routine]

ACTIVE RECOVERY OPTIONS:
- [Option 1]
- [Option 2]
- [Option 3]

NUTRITION CHECKLIST:
- [ ] Protein at each meal
- [ ] [X] oz water daily
- [ ] Post-workout meal within 2 hours

DELOAD SCHEDULE:
Every [X] weeks, reduce to 50% volume

EMERGENCY PROTOCOL:
If multiple red light days: [Plan]

Tools

• basile_create_document - Save your recovery blueprint

Example

Input: Training 5x/week, feeling burned out, sleep is inconsistent, wants to keep making progress without crashing

Output:

CURRENT STATUS:
- Training days: 5 per week (too many for current recovery)
- Energy level: 4/10 (low)
- Sleep: 5-7 hours (inconsistent)
- Recovery need: HIGH

RECOMMENDATION: Reduce to 4 training days until energy improves

WEEKLY STRUCTURE:
- Training days: 4 (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri)
- Complete rest: 2 (Wed, Sun)
- Active recovery: 1 (Sat - walk or yoga)

TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM:
GREEN (Train as planned):
- Slept 7+ hours
- Energy above 6/10
- No unusual aches
- Excited or neutral about workout

YELLOW (Reduce 20-30%):
- Slept 6 hours
- Energy 4-6/10
- Minor muscle tightness
- "Eh" feeling about workout
Action: Do 3 sets instead of 4, skip accessories

RED (Rest or very light):
- Slept under 6 hours
- Energy under 4/10
- Sharp pain anywhere
- Dreading the workout
Action: 20-min walk only, no gym

SLEEP OPTIMIZATION:
- Wake time: 6:30am (even weekends)
- Bedtime: 10:30pm
- Pre-bed: Phone away at 10pm, read 20 min, lights out

ACTIVE RECOVERY OPTIONS:
- 30-minute walk outside
- 20-minute yoga video
- Easy swimming

NUTRITION CHECKLIST:
- [ ] 140g protein daily
- [ ] 80 oz water daily
- [ ] No caffeine after 2pm
- [ ] Post-workout meal within 2 hours

DELOAD SCHEDULE:
Every 4 weeks, reduce to 50% volume

EMERGENCY PROTOCOL:
If 3+ red light days in a week:
- Take full week off
- Focus on sleep and nutrition
- Return with deload week