Gain Weight - Workout When Sick?
If you're a serious weight trainer or fitness enthusiast who is trying to gain weight and build lean muscle mass taking time off from the gym, especially if it wasn't "scheduled", can be a big obstacle, even you're feeling sick.
Many refuse to stay home and recover when feeling a little under the weather, thinking that it will delay even more any gains in muscle or weight they're after.
Well, there is a time when continuing to workout when sick is fine, and other times when it could actually hurt you even more.
There's a big difference between having a cold and having the flu.
A big difference between having a headache and having a fever.
Well, in the Journal of Athletic Training, the researchers studied the effects of the common cold on weight training.
They came up with the popular "neck check".
This a general rule of thumb that any symptoms you may have that are "above" the neck, for example a runny or stuffy nose, it's okay to go on ahead and get your training session on for the day.
However, if the symptoms get worse, then you should eitherquit the workout or not train at all.
The other side of coin, however, if you are experiencing symptoms that are "below" the neck, and "overall" in the body in general, for example muscle aches, a hacking cough, or vomiting, then you definitely have to take time off from the gym and focus on getting better.
The researchers recommended not to even think about weight training until you are completely over the illness, which could be a couple of days or possibly even weeks.
If you were to continue to exercise under these conditions you would actually be making the situation worse! I know that this could be hard, but it's better to miss 1 week of working out, than to continue to be ill for a month.
It's not worth it, because even ifyou workout while sick you aren't going to gain weight or build muscle because your body's priority under those conditions is to fight off the illness, not make you bigger in size, so why bother.
Work "with" your muscles, not "against" it!
Many refuse to stay home and recover when feeling a little under the weather, thinking that it will delay even more any gains in muscle or weight they're after.
Well, there is a time when continuing to workout when sick is fine, and other times when it could actually hurt you even more.
There's a big difference between having a cold and having the flu.
A big difference between having a headache and having a fever.
Well, in the Journal of Athletic Training, the researchers studied the effects of the common cold on weight training.
They came up with the popular "neck check".
This a general rule of thumb that any symptoms you may have that are "above" the neck, for example a runny or stuffy nose, it's okay to go on ahead and get your training session on for the day.
However, if the symptoms get worse, then you should eitherquit the workout or not train at all.
The other side of coin, however, if you are experiencing symptoms that are "below" the neck, and "overall" in the body in general, for example muscle aches, a hacking cough, or vomiting, then you definitely have to take time off from the gym and focus on getting better.
The researchers recommended not to even think about weight training until you are completely over the illness, which could be a couple of days or possibly even weeks.
If you were to continue to exercise under these conditions you would actually be making the situation worse! I know that this could be hard, but it's better to miss 1 week of working out, than to continue to be ill for a month.
It's not worth it, because even ifyou workout while sick you aren't going to gain weight or build muscle because your body's priority under those conditions is to fight off the illness, not make you bigger in size, so why bother.
Work "with" your muscles, not "against" it!
