Working out while sick.

raven56706 · December 2019

There are two sides to this.

• Pro Working out

If you work out, your body will feel energized and keep you positive while being sick
You will sweat out the germs
Unless you have a fever, you can workout at anytime

• Shouldn’t workout

Sinus infections and other sicknesses, while not severe, need the body’s energy to fight off the sickness.
Your body needs to rest.
Most over the counter meds and prescription ones will affect your body’s performance at the gym

Obviously everyone is different but where do you stand on this topic?

LyndaBSS · December 2019

Listen to your body. It will tell you what it needs.

Motorsheen · December 2019

just don't train in my gym....

any way you look at it, spreading germs is poor form.

mmapags · December 2019

LyndaBSS wrote: »

Listen to your body. It will tell you what it needs.

Lol! My body is a big fat liar. When I listen to it, it says I need to eat chips and ice cream and lay around on the couch.

To answer the OP's question, it's a matter of energy level and severity. If I'm just a little under the weather, I go for it. If I've got a heavy cold or something similar, I rest and let my body recover. I am also conscious of not wanting to spread my germs around the gym.

aokoye · December 2019

If you work out, your body will feel energized and keep you positive while being sick

You will sweat out the germs

I'm almost positive that sweating out germs isn't a thing. I'd be open to at least skimming a peer reviewed article that says otherwise though. Also your first bullet point is very individual. I don't generally feel energized after a workout. Typically it's more of a neutral to "I will need to take a nap sooner rather than later" depending on the intensity of the workout.

Another con is that if you're contagious, you're putting other people at risk of being sick if you're working out around them.

I personally rarely exercise when I'm sick. It's not worth getting other people sick nor is it worth prolonging my cold.

Lietchi · December 2019

I never exercise with a (serious) fever. And intense cardio with a stuffy/runny nose definitely doesn't appeal to me!

Aside from that, it depends on how bad I feel.
Generally speaking, I prefer to give my body some rest.

PS I have a homegym, no risk of contagion.

tinkerbellang83 · December 2019

Sure, exercise if you like if you're ill, but NOT at the gym, no-one else needs your germs!

Personally, I prefer to get some fresh air with a gentle walk (preferably near the sea) unless I am so lethargic I am bed-bound and the only time that happened it was pneumonia.

jseams1234 · December 2019

raven56706 wrote: »

There are two sides to this.

[*] Most over the counter meds and prescription ones will affect your body’s performance at the gym

Obviously everyone is different but where do you stand on this topic?

Please, just don't.

Otherwise, do what you feel you are physically capable of handling without harming your recovery.

CSARdiver · December 2019

Keep your germs to yourself.

What likely has the greatest impact is fresh air. Bacteria (pathogens especially) thrive in a relatively narrow band of temperature and humidity. Most will die simply by a rapid change to their environment. Walking to the car and breathing cold, fresh air has more impact than working out. Open up your house and air it out. Get up and change bedding, wipe surfaces down and clean common use items - doorhandles, lightswitches, etc.

I work out, but stay at home or go outside and keep the exertion level minimal. Push fluids and get healthy before exerting yourself.

Azdak · December 2019

Sometimes it’s a good idea. Sometimes, it’s not.

Sometimes it can help you recover faster. Sometimes it slows down recovery.

Sometimes it can help prevent things from getting worse. Sometimes it can make things worse.

It depends.

heybales · December 2019

Some sicknesses at certain times that I know generally go the wrong direction (fall allergies with a cold going to pneumonia) I know not to keep working out during the cold in hopes of it not getting worse. Walking maybe.

Summer cold I'll still do long cardio just not as intense and usually feel better. Get the sinuses blown out on long bike ride.

Depends if it feels like the start where I hope to fight whatever off and enough stress already.
Or near the end where I've already won the fight and just getting better.
Though I have backtracked a couple times pushing too hard during recovery.

kenyonhaff · December 2019

"Sick" is also such a vague term. What does that mean? What kind of sickness?

Is it a person with a mild case of the sniffles? Strep throat? Influenza? Cancer? Pink Eye? Lupus? Black Death?

LAT1963 · December 2019

I find when I'm sick that working out just lets the bugger get the upper hand. Also, I second the point about avoiding the gym when you are sick so you don't share your bug.

If you have something non-communicable (lupus, psoriasis, MS etc.) then the decision to work out or not is between you, your body, and your doc. Some chronic conditions are improved by exercise (fibromyalgia) and others aren't (chronic fatigue syndrome).

sijomial · December 2019

Well or unwell is a range not binary.
"Needing" rest depends on severity.

Sweat out germs is an old wive's tale.

Not working out also impacts your performance.

Personally if I can work out (at a suitable intensity) without harm to myself or others I will.
If it's somewhere in the middle of being positive for me but potentially infectious to others I'll exercise outdoors or at home.

RelCanonical · December 2019

I usually go by - if exercise makes me feel better, I exercise, and if it makes me feel worse, I don't. Usually with a cold or something, a little bit of exercise will clear the sinuses.

This, of course, all assumes that you are not going out to exercise in a shared space. Please keep the germs at home as much as possible.

cwolfman13 · December 2019

I don't get sick all that often and when I do, it's usually pretty bad and there's no way I'm working out. I don't remember the last time I got sick and it was just a little bit sick or feeling a bit under the weather...it's usually a full blown *kitten* storm.

DanyellMcGinnis · December 2019

I do work out when I am sick with a cold. Colds tend to linger for me and I can't skip like two weeks of exercise. I actually find workouts pretty good for clearing my nasal passages.

However, I only ever exercise at home. I have a weight machine and various other equipment plus a TV and DVD player for cardio workouts at home so no need to spread my germs with anyone.

psychod787 · December 2019

No Banging in on lifting days....

Gisel2015 · December 2019

I do not go to the gym when I have a cold or any other upper respiratory bug, and I don't take fitness classes either. I don't want to spread my germs to the rest of the gang. If I am not too sick and the weather is OK, I may take a short walk and get some fresh air, and maybe do some calisthenics at home. But most of the time, I will stay at home resting and keeping hydrated.

I haven't been sick with a respiratory or stomach bug in a long time (knocking in every piece of wood that I have in the house...

), but when I do get a cold I am totally and completely miserable so staying at home is a must for me.

jazzy550 · December 2019

Gyms are festered full with germs! Why would anyone go to the gym sick? Take a walk around the block, get a hot shower and take it easy. Rest is the best thing for any illness.

Theoldguy1 · December 2019

Serious question. At the gym there are generally all sort of wipes one can use to clean off equipment, not so in the real world.

For all those saying stay home from the gym so you don't spread germs do you stay away from handholds on public transportation, elevator buttons, credit card styluses/buttons, etc while sick so as not to spread germs?

Working out while sick.

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