Can You Exercise While You’re Sick?
I understand how serious you are when it comes to your fitness routine. Pro cheer audition season is fast approaching! And because of that, it feels terrible to skip a workout session even when you’re ill.
A lot of aspiring pro cheerleaders ask me this: “Is it okay to workout while sick?” The real answer to that is IT DEPENDS. There are instances when exercising is fine, and there are also times when it’s best to take a few days off to recover.
Here’s what you need to know. Keep reading…
When is it safe to exercise?
In general, if your symptoms are above the neck, it’s okay to continue working out. Mayo Clinic states that above the neck symptoms include a minor sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing.
Since your energy is normally low during these times, you also need to reduce the intensity of your workouts. What matters is that you get blood flowing throughout your body without pushing yourself too hard.
Consider light activities such as brisk walking, jogging, riding a bicycle, and swimming. (Avoid sprinting and training with heavy weights. You might only end up hurting yourself!)
When is exercise not recommended?
Never make an attempt to workout if your symptoms are below the neck. These symptoms include a stomach ache and productive (wet or chesty) cough. Frequent episodes of coughing could be a sign of an infection.
When you find it difficult to breathe, exercising is not the best decision - resting is! Furthermore, you might put other gym-goers at risk of getting ill because of the germs you spread through coughing.
Getting Back Into Your Routine
If you need to rest at home to recover from your illness, you could feel anxious about returning to your routine.
Here’s my advice for you:
Don’t stress about it too much. Even if you’re not able to return to your workouts for an extended period (for example, 1-2 weeks), know that your muscle tone will not decrease right away. Muscle loss often happens about 3 weeks without strength training.
Eager to get back on track?
Pay attention to your symptoms. When they begin to subside, you can add more physical activity into your day. Start with the lowest possible number of reps. Do what you can do while being careful not to go overboard. Most importantly, check with your doctor to ensure that it’s okay to resume exercise.
Final Thoughts
Your body needs to be well to do its job of workout out. When you’re feeling sick, pay attention to your symptoms. Continuing with your exercise shouldn’t hurt as long as you’re 100% sure that you’re up to it. Otherwise, you need to rest until your symptoms subside. Your health matters - so take good care of yourself!
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