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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 Better-Body Challenge [2] 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

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A weekly massage would be great for your body but not so great for your wallet. Instead, invest in a foam roller [3] for some DIY [4] muscle relief. Rolling out smooth knotted muscles and prime tight spots for stretching. Here are three resources to kick off your massage session.

• Foam rolling to energize tired legs [5]
• A video tutorial [6] to check out a roller in action
• Massage your back with a roller [7] and feel taller instantly

Stretch

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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 [8]
• Calf stretches [9]
• Quad stretches [10]
• Glute stretches [11]
• Back stretches [12]