🦃 Turkey Day Recovery: Why Rest Over the Holiday Can Boost Your Performance

Daniel Lopez
3 days ago
3 min read

Thanksgiving week often brings disrupted schedules, long drives, big meals, and family events. For many athletes, the worry is the same every year: “If I don’t train for a few days, will I lose progress?”

Here’s the good news: Strategic rest (like the kind you naturally get over Thanksgiving) can actually improve performance, boost recovery, and set athletes up for stronger training in December and beyond.

This blog breaks down why.

🍗 1. Your Body Needs Rest More Than You Think

High-school and collegiate athletes accumulate stress from:

Practices
Lifting sessions
School
Travel
Social commitments
Poor sleep during busy weeks

Thanksgiving break gives athletes a rare opportunity to downshift.

Why rest helps:

Muscles repair from training
The nervous system down-regulates and resets
Hormonal stress markers (like cortisol) decrease
Sleep quality often improves away from early morning schedules

A short break can create what’s known as a rebound effect; athletes come back stronger and faster due to reduced accumulated fatigue.

🧠 2. The Nervous System Is the Hidden Key to Performance

Most athletes think performance is all about muscles, but the nervous system (CNS) drives:

Speed
Power
Reaction time
Coordination
Skill execution

Constant high-intensity training taxes the CNS. Too much output leads to:

Slower sprint times
Decreased bar speed
Decreased motivation
Poor decision making
Feeling of “Heavy legs”

A few days of rest over Thanksgiving allows the CNS to recharge; resulting in explosive improvements in speed, power, and sharpness once training resumes.

🦃 3. Big Meals Can Support Big Recovery

Thanksgiving meals are often higher in:

Carbohydrates (mashed potatoes, stuffing, pies)
Protein (turkey, ham)
Fats (gravy, butter, desserts)

Believe it or not; this can be beneficial.

Why?

Carbs restore glycogen, the main fuel for:

Sprinting
Explosive movements
Strength training

Protein supports muscle repair. Healthy fats help regulate hormones and reduce inflammation.

A high-energy meal paired with rest is a perfect recipe for recovery.

🛌 4. Sleep: The Most Underrated “Performance Enhancer”

With no early alarms, morning lifts, or school bells, athletes can finally catch up on sleep.

More sleep equals:

Better muscle recovery
Improved motor learning
Increased resilience
Higher growth hormone production
Faster reaction times

A long weekend of great sleep can do more for performance than another repeated practice session.

🧩 5. Psychological Recovery Matters Too

Thanksgiving offers emotional benefits:

Time with family
Time away from stress
Mental reset
A break from structured routines
Space to reflect on progress

Athletes who return with a refreshed mindset train harder, stay more consistent, and avoid burnout.

💡 6. What Athletes Should Do During Thanksgiving Break

To maximize the benefits:

✔️ Move a little

Light activity boosts blood flow and reduces stiffness. Examples:

10–20 minutes of mobility
A short jog
Backyard football
Walking after meals
Simple bodyweight circuits

✔️ Hydrate

Holiday meals can be salty. Keep water intake consistent to support recovery.

✔️ Sleep more

Aim for 9+ hours if possible.

✔️ Don’t stress about missing training

You’re not losing progress; you’re rebuilding the foundation that creates progress.

💥 7. The Science Is Clear: Recovery Improves Performance

Studies consistently show that short breaks (3–5 days) can:

Increase power output
Improve lifting performance
Enhance sprint speed
Reduce injury risk
Restore motivation and training drive

Thanksgiving functions almost like a mini deload, which is essential in long-term athlete development.

🦃 Final Takeaway

You aren’t falling behind by taking time off for Thanksgiving; you’re preparing your body for the strongest stretch of training of the year.

Enjoy the food. Enjoy the family time. Sleep in. Stretch. Move a little, and come back ready to train with a fully restored system.