Training is an important thing, but can you afford it when a cold gets us? At what point should we let go of exercise, and until when is it safe to do so – we answer!
Many people are looking for an answer to the question: does it make sense to train during illness? It is impossible to give a definite answer, so here we will try to analyze the situation and suggest some possible solutions that will not harm your health.
Let’s get straight to the most important issue – can we exercise while struggling with a virus? The basic issue is how serious the infection is. If it’s just a few coughs and a struggling runny nose, then gentle exercise may not be the worst idea.
It is important to keep in mind that training requires regularity. Giving up your current routine can be problematic for many. The accustomed body even demands more intense work, and from a mental perspective – we don’t want to lose the progress made so far.
However, if the illness is severe, the symptoms include migraine, fever, shortness of breath, intense cough, secretions flowing down the throat, etc., then training will definitely be inadvisable. In such a case, the body is already maximally exhausted. Exercise will not improve its functioning, on the contrary, it will use up the rest of its energy and, as a result, we will feel even worse.
It has therefore been accepted to avoid exercise during illness. However, the matter is relatively individual, as we mentioned a few paragraphs above.
If you dream of returning to the gym, but you are marked by enlarged tonsils, a red nose, swelling on the throat, and your shirt is perpetually sweaty, then do not even leave the apartment. First – you will prolong the duration of the disease. Second – no one will let you into the gym.
However, your muscles may indeed need at least a gentle pacing. So you can perform a certain set of exercises, but taking into account your health and safety. Give up dumbbells, barbells, weights of any kind.
Lay out a crimson mat and exercise only with your body weight. This should be enough not to overload your body, but at the same time to stretch your muscles. Exercises you can do should not be too intense, so let go of tummies or push-ups. The following are sample exercises:
If you would necessarily like to use some equipment, think about tools like skipping rope or hula-hoop.
Yoga is increasingly regarded as a cure-all. Indeed, it has many beneficial uses, however, it should not be overemphasized. Performing a few basic movements, which, for example, will relieve pressure on the spine, can be beneficial during illness, when you remain in a semi-recumbent position all the time.
The point, however, is to perform really basic figures that will allow you to relax rather than get tired. During illness, we should generally avoid intense exercise in general. Therefore, if you want to train yoga, do it as prudently as you do strength training.
main photo: unsplash.com/Kelly Sikkema
