When You are Sick

[zekko]

Simple question: Should you work out when you're sick?

I've often heard it advocated that you should continue to work out when you have a cold or flu, because it keeps you in the routine, shows dedication and discipline, and because you won't lose your gains this way.

However, I think this advice goes against the basic health principle of getting plenty of rest when you're sick. My personal experience is that when I work out when I'm sick it prolongs my recovery time, and if I start working out too soon once I start to feel better, I may end up relapsing into sickness. So I know the answer for me, because of what my body is telling me. But I was curious about everyone else. I have a friend who never catches colds or flus, for whatever reason, so everybody is different.

 

[muscleman]

Your personal experience is correct. When you get sick, your #1 priority is to get better by whatever means necessary (change in diet, more rest, time off work/school if necessary, drugs, etc). This includes not working out.

 

[Colossus]

You should absolutely not work out when sick, unless maybe you just have a residual stuffy nose from a cold.

It makes no sense: you wont be training at 100%, so your workouts will be sub-par and not really generate any growth, plus you will just prolong your recovery time or make your illness worse. Taking the time to rest and hydrate will be far more beneficial even if you miss a few workouts. When you get better, you'll bounce back in no time.

 

[blinkwatt101]

If I can go into work sick,I workout sick. As soon as I get my blood pumping in the gym any signs of being sick goes away for awhile.

If I'm too sick to go to work and feel like I'm on my death bed,I still try to eat like I normally do but don't go to the gym.

If you eat healthy enough being sick shouldn't be an issue though more then like 1-2 days/year max.

 

[zekko]

If you eat healthy enough being sick shouldn't be an issue though more then like 1-2 days/year max.

I think there are more variables at play than just diet, so I can't agree with that statement. If it works for you, great.
My friend who never catches a cold or flu attributes it to smoking cigarettes

 

[Fuglydude]

I've been feeling ill for the last couple of days... just flu-ish and lethargic but w/o any overt symptoms like elevated temp, etc.

I tried to train today. It was probably the worst work out I've had in the last 3-4 months.

Everything felt really heavy. The 65 lb dumbells felt like 100s and the 45s felt like 65s. I had bad pain in my pectoral tendons when trying to rep out 45 lb dumbells for incline dumbell press. Normally, when I'm healthy, I was repping 100 lb dumbells. Similarly I was gassed out after 135 x 6 for reverse grip BP. Normally I do 5-6 reps w/ 225.

Not a good day to say the least.

If I had known I was gonna that weak I wouldn't have gone into the gym. As colossus said, if you normally train heavy you need your nervous system and your metabolic systems in your musculoskeletal/CV system to be functioning optimally. When any one these are compromised your performance in the gym is gonna suck!

 

[muscleman]

One thing that helps me a LOT when I start getting a slightly sore throat or a runny nose (the onset of a cold) is a pouch/self dissolving pill of some "immunity" stuff ... mainly a large dose of vitamin C. Maybe it's part placebo, but I feel it has helped me avoid getting sick at least a handful of times.

 

[CaptainJ]

Last time I felt a cold coming on, I was determined to fool myself that I wasn't having a cold, because I was about to go on a 3000 pound holiday where I might not have been allowed to go if I had bad symptoms. Despite getting blocked sinuses, nose and headaches, I forced myself to "man it out" and refuse to believe I was having a cold. I even worked out during the "cold". Despite looking like a ghost by the end of the workout, it was fine, I didn't stall on my lifts. The cold then dissappeared quickly without me entering a "sick" phase.

Just goes to show the power of mind over matter. Really stubborn behaviour allowed me to work on despite the cold and not let it effect me. People should adopt this manner to when they have colds rather than just whipping out the hot water bottles, staying in bed, and drowning themselves in paracetamol just because they feel the sniffles coming along. Although you need some strong motivation to avoid not just mentally submitting to the cold.

ps. I knew it was a bad cold because I woke up feeling really ****, with bad headaches and painful sinuses, but I got up and got on with things.

 

[zekko]

The cold then dissappeared quickly without me entering a "sick" phase. Just goes to show the power of mind over matter.

I can't count how many times in recent years it felt like I was coming down with something but fought it off for whatever reason. I'm not sure what the real explanation would be, but I'm skeptical about it being mind over matter. It could be just coincidence in your case.

 

[Julian]

Do the public a favor and dont go to the gym when your sick. Feel free to go for a small run outdoors or do some stuff in your home but your really doing other gym goers a disservice by doing that.

 

[blinkwatt101]

Do the public a favor and dont go to the gym when your sick. Feel free to go for a small run outdoors or do some stuff in your home but your really doing other gym goers a disservice by doing that.

.........Dude I wish this mentality would work but have you ever seen how many guys DO NOT wash their hands after they use the bathroom. No joke,I only see one other person besides me wash my hands a month and it's normally one of the old folks that don't take the gym serious. That includes employees!

 

[zekko]

Do the public a favor and dont go to the gym when your sick. Feel free to go for a small run outdoors or do some stuff in your home but your really doing other gym goers a disservice by doing that.

Good point.

 

[prairiedog24]

.........Dude I wish this mentality would work but have you ever seen how many guys DO NOT wash their hands after they use the bathroom. No joke,I only see one other person besides me wash my hands a month and it's normally one of the old folks that don't take the gym serious. That includes employees!

That kind of behavior seems to be getting worse. I don't know what-the-crap is wrong with people. It's a civilized country and nobody uses soap for ***'s sake.

 

[muscleman]

I don't get how people can just sit on a public toilet without a cover or walk through a gym locker room with bare feet.

 

[blinkwatt101]

I don't get how people can just sit on a public toilet without a cover or walk through a gym locker room with bare feet.

Dude what in the world???People sit on the seats without a cover? I've always been a fan of the hover technique.