What made you want to look up alpha-tocopherol? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
On rest and recovery days it is important to avoid doing the worst thing you can do for your body... nothing. Examples of rest and recovery activities are walking, static stretch exercises (after a warm up and loosening up period), dynamic stretching, swimming, water running, and riding a bike.
If you focus on thigh exercises one day, work out your back, chest and arms the next day, then go back to thighs. The recovery period is just as important to muscle growth as the breaking down period.