Lifting while sick?

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hypotrochoid
hypotrochoid Posts: 842 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm curious as to people's thoughts:

When ill, is it better to lay off the weights completely or lower the weights and do what you can?

And

Does your answer change if you're doing a progression as in starting strength or stronglifts?

Replies

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    Depends on symptoms?
  • joepratt503
    joepratt503 Posts: 191 Member
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    I always try to get to the gym but if you are legit sick (not a cold) then its gonna be impossible to get the energy up for it. personally, if you have the energy, go for it, if you dont then dont...its about the feeling.

    My problem is that when I am sick with a cold or respiratory thing (obviously not the flu) I find it IMPOSSIBLE to keep on track with my diet. I goddamn want to eat everything...and I dont have the willpower to stop :)
  • DirrtyH
    DirrtyH Posts: 664 Member
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    Not trying to hijack but I have a similar question, though not the same.
    I tweaked my back doing squats on Saturday. I spend the weekend not doing much, and went to spin class last night which actually seemed to help it. It's still a little sore but I mostly feel fine.

    I'm planning on lifting tonight (stronglifts 5x5), though I'll probably back off the weight a little. Is it okay to lift if I'm still feeling some soreness/the occasional twinge, or should I wait until I'm 100%?
  • CarlydogsMom
    CarlydogsMom Posts: 645 Member
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    I just got knocked flat by a cold; a stupid cold. I had to take three solid days off of work, it was that bad (never had to do that before). I had worked out Sunday before it hit strong, then by Thursday I was going crazy; feeling better, lungs still full of stuff, but not contagious at that point, so I went to the gym having no clue what to expect. I know I just wanted to lift whatever I could.

    I did way better than I thought; got through full sets of bench, overhead, and squats, along with some accessory exercises. Hit a new PR on overhead (which isn't hard, I'm still newbie).

    I think it just depends on how you feel. You're probably stronger than you think if you've only been feeling crappy for a few days, and if you think you can lift, do it. You may have to de-load or maintain instead of increasing, but so what. If you're truly sick (beyond a cold or something), then do what intuitively feels right; don't work out, work out; make it an easier session; push yourself...whatever you feel. This is probably one of the more important times to let yourself do what you "feel" like doing, rather than what you normally commit to in a progressive plan.
  • kikichewie
    kikichewie Posts: 276 Member
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    God I hate people who go to the gym when they're sick. Work out at home or outside to avoid spreading your funk, please....
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    i stay home when i'm sick and let my body heal.
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,476 Member
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    kikichewie wrote: »
    God I hate people who go to the gym when they're sick. Work out at home or outside to avoid spreading your funk, please....
    As long as they're not sneezing or hacking on the barbells then I don't mind if others workout while sick. ;)
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    I'm assuming we're talking an actual disease, not something like allergies.

    Lifting weights is going to seriously tax your body, including your immune/repair system. Not smart if you'd like to recover (both from the illness and from the lifts) sooner rather than later. You might get away with it without noticeable consequences if you're not on too much of a calorie deficit and are otherwise in good health, but do consider that if what you have is communicable you're spreading it to others that share the same space and equipment.

    Me, I went a day after I thought I'd recovered from the flu - no fever, felt good. Did my lifts, went home, had a relapse within 12 hours. Probably would have been able to fight it off if I had just waited another day or so to get back to the gym.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    stealthq wrote: »
    I'm assuming we're talking an actual disease, not something like allergies.

    Lifting weights is going to seriously tax your body, including your immune/repair system. Not smart if you'd like to recover (both from the illness and from the lifts) sooner rather than later. You might get away with it without noticeable consequences if you're not on too much of a calorie deficit and are otherwise in good health, but do consider that if what you have is communicable you're spreading it to others that share the same space and equipment.

    Me, I went a day after I thought I'd recovered from the flu - no fever, felt good. Did my lifts, went home, had a relapse within 12 hours. Probably would have been able to fight it off if I had just waited another day or so to get back to the gym.

    This. Listen to this.

    Your body is a system. When you're sick that system is trying to self-correct. You're basically saying to it - "while you're doing that getting-me-better-stuff, can you take the stress of this workout and correctly adapt me to it in time for my next scheduled workout?"
  • harpsdesire
    harpsdesire Posts: 190 Member
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    Trainer told me if you're sick only above the neck (headache, runny nose, sneeze) then workout, if you're sick below the neck (stomach funk, chest cough, fever) then rest.
  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
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    yusaku02 wrote: »
    kikichewie wrote: »
    God I hate people who go to the gym when they're sick. Work out at home or outside to avoid spreading your funk, please....
    As long as they're not sneezing or hacking on the barbells then I don't mind if others workout while sick. ;)

    People don't have to be hacking or sneezing to be contagious... they're just a little less obvious.
  • joepratt503
    joepratt503 Posts: 191 Member
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    kikichewie wrote: »
    God I hate people who go to the gym when they're sick. Work out at home or outside to avoid spreading your funk, please....

    When you gotta get it done..you gotta get it done.

  • CarlydogsMom
    CarlydogsMom Posts: 645 Member
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    I wasn't contagious, I didn't sneeze, cough, or hack; I was done with all that; stuff was in there, but not making an appearance. To be on the precaution side I used the sanitizer cleaner wipes on the bar, plates, bench, and rack after I was done with each lift. Got it done. I've seen plenty worse. Heck, I work by myself and that gym is probably where I caught the bug to begin with; I probably left the stuff I used cleaner than what it was when I went in.
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,476 Member
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    bennettinfinity wrote: »
    yusaku02 wrote: »
    kikichewie wrote: »
    God I hate people who go to the gym when they're sick. Work out at home or outside to avoid spreading your funk, please....
    As long as they're not sneezing or hacking on the barbells then I don't mind if others workout while sick. ;)

    People don't have to be hacking or sneezing to be contagious... they're just a little less obvious.
    I know, I just don't want a gross barbell :p
    I don't mind sick people at all, I've got an immune system for a reason.

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