Your mojo’s going strong; you’re training great for that marathon…and then it hits! A sniffle here, a tiny cough there, and before long, you’ve got one of life’s little annoyances …a full blown cold. An average of two million Australians gets hit by varying degrees of the bug, especially in winter. Interestingly, women have been reported getting the sniffles more than men.
For people who exercise, the unfortunate incident of getting sick can throw many fitness goals off kilter. Among athletes, the common bug can derail well-laid training plans. You’ve worked so hard; only to have to those little buggers get you down. As cardiovascular exercises go, two days off training is a day too many as stamina does flag within a few days of reduced movement. The question now is…should a cold put your exercise on hold?
When the Bug Hits: To Move Thy Butt or Not to
The answer: it depends. Sometimes it wouldn’t hurt too much to exercise with a cold; but, it can be uncomfortable. Other times, it would be a mistake. When in doubt or you feel bad about your hard-earned physical conditioning going to waste, follow this rule of thumb: listen to your body first. It would not do you good to go into your usual workout routine and stress an already stressed body. Besides, when you are sick, you may not be able to perform at 100% capacity; so, the best is to take it easy.
If listening to your body isn’t enough or you feel you are getting mixed signals, then apply the neck test. Determine where the symptoms mostly lie. Are they above the neck or below it?
Above-the-neck symptoms usually signify a head cold. As long as these symptoms are not severe (i.e. mild headache, runny nose, sore throat), exercise of moderate intensity is alright. In fact, it could even boost the immune system a bit. The keywords here, however, for giving this nod to your workout are between light to moderate and your usual duration should be significantly reduced. For instance, instead of going into your usual running routine, just walk. Take your resistance training several notches down with light weights and reduced reps. Otherwise, your enthusiastic loyalty to your burgeoning stamina may get a huge dash on the rocks when that cold turns into something worse, lengthening your recovery time and therefore your time to get back on the fitness track. As you know, the longer it takes to get back to your training, the longer it also takes to get back the endurance you once had.
If your symptoms lie below the neck, then it’s to bed with you and absolutely no gym time. Below-the-neck symptoms can signal more than just the garden-variety cold. If you have a fever, muscle aches, a bad cough, or a rattly chest, chances are you have the flu. The flu means you have a stronger virus partying in there; so, you shouldn’t take your condition lightly. The influenza virus can be dangerous if you don’t take care. Deal with your early symptoms first before thinking about workouts. You need all the rest and fluids you can get. Remember, with a little bit of patience and perseverance, you can always get back your stamina after recovery.
An Ounce of Prevention…
It is always wise to prevent being sick than relying on a cure, of course. Besides, it does take a little more effort to get back to your former fitness level after being down for the count. For every week you miss from training, you need about one to two weeks to recover your previous stamina. Getting back should also be a gradual process. You need to ease your way back slowly or it will be Round 2 in the bed for you. Unfortunately, the second time around so soon after will be worse.
The best way to increase the odds of making it to that marathon in tip-top shape is to build a fortress of an immune system. Although nothing is a guarantee from the bug, you can at least improve your chances of not ending up down for the count.
Exercise does help build your immune system significantly; but, exercise is not the only thing that keeps you fit. Be mindful of these tips which can improve your guard against colds or bolster your immune system:
- Practice hygiene at the gym – The gym is actually a hotbed of the cold virus. Some people work out with a cold and so leave their germs on the equipment. Always wash your hands and dry them thoroughly.
- Be wary of your sneaks – You shoes are especially dirty as these are in constant contact with the ground. Who knows what lurks on what you’re stepping on. Sanitize your hands after lacing your sneakers up and after taking them off.
- Sleep well – “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy…” Whether a man becomes wealthy and wise for sleeping early leaves much up to debate; but, with healthy, early to bed rings true. Keeping a good circadian rhythm going makes for a strong immune system.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet – Your body is in constant need of sufficient vitamins and minerals. It cannot defend itself if it does not have the materials for doing so. Exercising does not give license to constantly indulge in anything your capricious tummy feels like having. Chips and soda are crappy immunity boosters.
You are already doing something right…exercising. For this alone, kudos to you. All you need is to take the extra steps for ramping up your immunity to colds and influenza and ensuring a training not wasted.
