To train or not to train? That is the question.
Before I begin I really should acknowledge that everyone experiences illness differently. Each individual person reacts to an infection or an injury in their own way.
That being said I’m confronted time and time again with the saying “I didn’t train, I wasn’t feeling well,” from both clients and others.
It seems to me that too many people are willing to skip a gym session because of a common cold, when really exercising could be an excellent aid to recovering.
When it comes to minor illnesses, there’s not a lot of times that working out would actually be detrimental, it’s just that getting to the session seems more difficult than normal. Which is understandable, but are you guilty of throwing in the towel too easily?
I’ve made a guide of whether to train when you are sick or injured which should act as a rough guide as to what type of thing you should be doing with your particular ailment.
A couple of parts I’d like to clarify:
-The question about symptoms extending below your neck is referring to the contained area of sickness. If all the problems are local to your head then they don’t extend below your neck. If the symptoms occur in the chest or in any organs, then they do extend below the neck.
-Headaches and migraines have very different recovery needs. It’s important to be aware which it is you have.
-You have to be totally honest with yourself. Cheating your answers so that you don’t have to workout is really only cheating yourself.
You’ve got to be very frank with yourself when you wake up feeling ill. If you can go to the gym but aren’t going to manage a full session, then tailoring a plan to your specific needs of today is always going to be better for your progress than staying home. Steer clear of anything that’s too high in intensity, you don’t want to learn bad habits from performing reps whilst uncomfortable, nor do you want to risk injury with improper form because your mind is elsewhere.
If you’re one of these people that will find any excuse not to go, this quiz might help you realise that at times you are perhaps trying to kid yourself by convincing yourself you shouldn’t go, even if you don’t truly believe that working out would make you feel worse.
Of course the flip side to this is the people that are honestly passionate about training and love to get in the gym. Sometimes you need to be told that a rest day really is what you need. This quiz can help you too. Accept that it’s okay to do something less than your normal routine and don’t be disheartened by it.
I suppose that’s all I need to say on the matter. As your trainer I can only advise, because at the end of the day, it’s you that has to make the decision once you have been honest with yourself about your situation.
I hope you find this quiz useful!
