Debating whether to Train if you’re feeling ill can be a tricky decision. On one hand, you have a program that you don’t want to stray from, after all – you’be been making really good progress recently.
On the other hand, a few days of the year (hopefully less!)…………..you just want to curl up and sleep.
So What’s the Answer?
I’d like to say that common sense is the biggie here.
Training / Exercise creates STRESS on your body – and your body is already under stress if you have a cold or feel ill. YOU DO NOT WANT TO ADD A TON MORE STRESS!
So here are my guidelines:
Got a cold? Try doing a few warm up sets on 2-3 exercises (eg 2 x 10 reps on a light weight)
This should feel really easy and the speed of the reps should not decrease. Don’t get out of breath either. The aim is just to lift something moderate and not to failure so that you manage stress on your body. If you attend a gym, this option may work best (so you only spend 15 mins in the gym) and then you get a hot shower or sauna etc.
Not a member of a gym? A walk may help……but don’t go mad (again 15-20 mins may just be enough)
Got a really bad cough and feel weak and want to stay in bed = do just that! You simply need to recover.
Got Flu-like symptoms? Again – stay in bed!
Sometimes, we are head strong in always wanting to improve our conditioning, our lifts and our bodies. Sometimes listening to your body will help you more than that extra ton of stress.
After all, didn’t your mother always say “you have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason!”
John