I was in a cycling class the other night and there was a woman on a bike next to me who was clearly suffering from a bad cold. She had a wad of tissues tucked in her bike shorts and she kept blowing her nose and coughing. At one point I asked her if she felt okay, and she said, no, she felt terrible, but she didn't want to miss her workout. I'm sorry, but that's insanity. For one thing, she was spreading her germs, and she was also failing to give her body a much-needed rest to recover from the virus she was obviously dealing with.
One of our HerWriters just wrote on this very topic, and her article can be found here: https://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2009/02/20/are-you-too-sick-workout
Although she does mention in her article that it's okay to workout when you're suffering from certain symptoms, I still think it's better just to forgo it till you're back to 100%. Why tax your body further when it's trying to recover?
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Good advice from all. I think Alison hit it on the head - and I've proven it myself that, at the right point, exercising can actually help you get over the latter stages of a head cold by sweating it all out. Any earlier in the process not only is worse for you but those around you as well.
February 22, 2009 - 2:15pmThis Comment
I was happy to read the article regarding when you can work out if you're sick, because it is not always necessary to skip a workout when you aren't feeling 100%. Honestly...if that were the case for me...I would probably THINK I'm not feeling 100%, just to get out of exercising! :-)
If you have a head cold, and do not have body aches or fatigue, and your chest is not congested (the article called these "above your neck" symptoms), then you are most likely OK to exercise; in fact, it may even help you feel better.
HOWEVER...the type of exercise you do is important, and the missing piece of information in the article. If you are actively spreading germs (running nose, sneezing, coughing), then the exercise you do should NOT be around other people. (The coughing symptoms is not "above the neck", so this person should not have been working out; her symptoms can actually become worse!). If your cold/allergies are truly above the neck, you can still workout in many ways that do not include infecting other people. Take a walk, swim, workout at home. If you must go to the gym, find a cardio machine away from everyone else and wipe it down; please avoid attending classes in a small, enclosed space!
February 22, 2009 - 11:29amThis Comment
It is important to let your body recover when your ill. There is no sense to infect everyone else around you. I also workout when I am not feeling well but I do it at home and I do not over exert myself on the days I am not well.
I was taking Krav Maga classes when this happened to me also. My neighbor in the class was clearly not feeling well and I thought it was ridiculous. It is the same reason when your at work, you don't share a phone with someone that is coughing, aching, stuffy head fever type. I don't share a phone which is great but I still use my trusty antibacterial cream. You can never be too clean.
February 21, 2009 - 4:27pmThis Comment
I also agree that it's wiser to stay home, rest and allow your body to recover than to go for your workout ill. Besides potentially infecting others around you, why risk more serious health issues?
February 20, 2009 - 5:31pmThis Comment
I pretty much follow egreene's advice about when to take a day off. I like to kick up my metabolism and burn through whatever bug I've got if I can.
But I'm with you that snotting all over other people or equipment is rude and gross. Stay home and work out, people!
February 20, 2009 - 1:28pmThis Comment