When not to train

As winter is upon us there are more and more illnesses kicking about. There are lots of different opinions about training with illness. Some say to stop training altogether others say, slow training down or continue as normal. Here is my take on what you should do when you have common illnesses and tips for every gym goer out there.


Firstly if you have a fever-
Symptoms include-
• Sweating
• Shivering
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Loss of appetite
• Dehydration
• General weakness
Should you train? No. When the body’s immune system is fighting infection it doesn’t need to deal with the added stress of exercise.


The common cold
Symptoms include-
• A blocked nose
• Nasal pain and irritation
• Sneezing
• A runny nose
• Coughing
• A coarse voice
• A general sense of feeling unwell


Should you train? Moderate intensity workouts are ok when you have cold systems. However if you go the gym when you have a cold use hand sanitizer and wipe all surfaces you touch as you don’t want your buddies catching it.


The Flu
Symptoms include-
• Sudden fever
• Dry, chesty cough
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Chills
• Aching muscles
• Limb or joint pain
• Diarrhea or upset stomach
• Sore throat
• Runny or blocked nose
• Sneezing
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping


Should you train? No. Head to the couch not the gym. Don’t work out until you have recovered, with flu comes a fever so read above and skip training until recovered.
Here are a few other contraindications that may have an effect on your training.

Didn’t sleep last night?
The best thing you can do is get out of bed and get moving. A morning workout is just what you may need after a restless night to boost your energy levels and get you prepared for the day ahead.

D.O.M.S?
Delayed onset of muscle soreness, after a hard session you might be in pain what I would suggest is go to the gym, make it a light intensity workout such as walk rather than run or do a cardio day rather than a heavy weight session. It is also ok to skip a workout if the pain is too much.

Hope this helps with all those runny noses this time of year. No more excuses for skipping work outs, 
(Always check with a your GP about contraindications before exercising)
Ryan Stewart Personal Trainer