What happens if you rest completely prior to a race?

I often do nothing right before a race. In fact, I'd say I ALWAYS do nothing at least one, frequently 2 or 3 days, before.

Havn't experimented too many times to see if it makes a difference.  I usually always take the day before  off.  One race i had taken the previous 2 days off (life got in the way), and i did notice that during the race i felt SLIGHTLY sluggish.  I wouldn't recommend consecutive days off.  But i'm sure a proper taper would be optimal

Proper taper meaning, your longest/hardest workouts end 2 weeks before raceday, and the week before the race, every day is lighter, leaving the last few days with a very light workout.  Afterwards it should feel like you didn't even work out at all. 

That being said, i've never done a proper taper before  

Which athlete? Tapering and rest is completely individualized. What works for one may or may not work for another.

John

If you're bored you can google plasma expansion and see why some short intense workouts even the day before are suggested, depending on your level.

If the race is on Sun I take Fri off for sure, then on Sat try for some short 10-15 s/b/r (or just a 3-4k run if it's a running race).

I took off 2 or 3 days before my last sprint tri. I felt fine.

I feel like hell for the first hour or so until I warm up to it again.

If I do 30 minute sprints on the bike the day before and a swim and run two days prior, I feel a WHOLE lot better than if I take the day before off.

I take the day before off.  Prior to that I tend to go light/easy that week.  But it's all about what works for you - give it a try and see how it goes!

sprint and olympic usually normal training day or brick before the race....for HIM day off and proper taper.

Short answer: it depends!

Long answer: what's optimal for each athlete will vary based on different things like, just to name some:

1. how much training have you done before the race
2. what's your current fitness level
3. how fast you recover from chronic fatigue
4. how much you retain training adaptations (fitness)
5. what kind of distance if your main race
6. genes
7. age
8. ability to adapt for each sport

All these variables can determine whether for you it might be better to take time off or do active recovery/fitness maintenance. This is the biggest reason why I think is kinda of a waste of time for general plans or for some athletes/coaches to suggest the urban myth of the 3 week taper schedule.

Using training tools such as heart rate monitors/power meters/GPS (or even using just RPE), combining it with scientific models to define and quantify training load (volume + intensity) and use this as an attempt to predict performance which = fitness - fatigue allows coaches/athletes to determine optimal training load, taper, periodization, etc. per sport which is important to consider since we adapt and recover different from swimming, biking and running.

There are software available such as RaceDay Apollo* or TrainingPeaks that allows you to do this (well TrainingPeaks sort of).

* Disclosure - even though I am not part of Physfarm nor I benefit from promoting its products, I am part of their consortium coaching group and use their products for my own coaching business.

Not that anyone cares about a newbie's experiences - but I think that the best answer is that everyone is different.

I have limited experience with an extended rest period before a race, and I have lots of experience with getting back to regular workouts/training after a rest. Both are always positive for me, I am by far my strongest, fastest and freshest after a complete rest of a couple days. It could mostly be mental for me rather than physical, I don't know.

I've had two running races that I had a "forced" rest before due to illness. One I didn't run a step for about 10 days before the race. Went out and PR'd that thing by a full 4 minutes off my previous PR from only 4 weeks before. Often over the years I will have to take a week off here and there from working out for finals at school, vacations, etc. Usually my first workout back rocks. Its the second, third, fourth day back that are tough. Took 10 days off to go to Costa Rica in June, my first swim back was my fastest ever. Now my pace has settled back down after 3 solid weeks of training.

Initially, you will lose fitness but gain muscular health.

My plan is to get in a good warmup tomorrow, as I haven't done much for the past 3 days.  I'll be fine, I'm just wondering what the ExPhys folk say about this. 

Exactly the same for me.

 If I do take a few days off I find I don't sleep as well as I do on training days and I doubt that I am the only one like that.

Depending on how my training has gone up to the taper point. If it's been an uphill, I take at 2, nor more than 3 days off and I'm pumped on race day. If it's been going good, I take a "lighter than scheduled" taper and I'm pumped for race day too.

Nothing beats finding what works for you. Good Luck.

No days off.

+1 on taking it easy the week before (even sprints, why not? I go balls out, so why not be rested?). Decrease volume or intensity, but not both (I like decreasing volume, but still putting in short swim bike and run intervals. Gets my body ready to go fast, gets the muscle memory / pacing set in motion, gets me in "race" mode).

I take the day off 2 days before the race (i.e, Sunday race, take friday completely off). I use the day before for a 20-30 minute check ride on my bike. Easy spinning, high cadence. Get my legs ready and make sure my bike is in good working order. If I take the day off right before the race or both days off before the race, my legs tend to feel flat on race day. Everyone is different though..so try different things and see what feels better/faster!

Good luck.