If you are sick, the last thing you really feel like doing is jumping on your elliptical machine. However, will working out make you feel better, or could it make you feel worse?
This is a common question which arises among those who like to stay fit on a daily basis. This article will discuss whether or not to get back up on the horse, or take a little break for a few days.
Common sense tells you that the body should fully recover before engaging in an intense workout, but is a light day or a less intense cardio day okay? On one hand you don't want to break progress by waiting too long between workouts, yet on the other hand, you don't want to remain sick because the body will have to allocate nutrition in building muscle tissue as opposed to building an immune response.
The answer is, you can workout when you have a cold but only under certain conditions. Do Not workout If you have a fever, you feel nauseous, or if you are highly contagious and going to a public gym.
It is safe to workout if you have a simple, mild cold, or if it has been a couple of days and you are over the worst of it. You see, working out when you have a mild cold is not a big deal.
In fact, if you engage in light cardio, you will feel better. It will help to open up your nasal passages and let you breathe easier.
Recovery will not be hampered because it is a mild cold and you are doing a light workout. Just to keep moving really, nothing intense at all.
Keep that in mind that you should not use weights. You are not there to get stronger, get more fit, or build muscle.
You are there to feel better, to keep moving, and get the added benefits that working out will help you do. Hop on an elliptical machine and just get some good cardio.
Working out with weights does not give you that same cardiovascular benefit (except circuit training). Strictly warm-up to pace levels.
The research has shown that doing cardio when you have a cold has the greatest benefits. Working out with weights has not had the same effect.
Being sick is no fun! But if you over do it, you will just prolong your illness.
You are there to feel better not improve or break a personal record. Keep it light.
Next time you are sick, go do some light cardio. Heck, even just walking around the block will feel pretty good.
Your recovery will not be compromised as long as you go light. Take care of yourself first but after that, see if some light cardio helps you feel even better and recover faster.
The training break is an overlooked, often underutilized concept that not only will have you in the gym for longer periods of time but you'll recover faster and get stronger by not hitting the weights and doing cardio. You see, after doing your workouts over and over, your body is always in a constant state of breakdown.
At some point, even your immune system is compromised and you get sick. By simply taking a break for seven days, no weight and no cardio, you can come back to the gym stronger and more recovered then before.
It is also very important to just let your joints heal during this time from lifting. So not only is a break good for the immune system but it's good for joint recovery as well.
If you take a training break every 8-12 weeks, you'll come back stronger and feeling more to working out then before and contrary to popular belief, you will not lose muscle during a 7 day break. You won't get smaller and all the gains you made will not be lost.
To sum up, taking a training break is a good thing. Every 8-12 weeks just let your body and mind recover and get ready for the next round of training.
It also helps to avoid the working out when sick as described above. By using this process, you can avoid being sick for some time and when you are sick, you will be able to recovery a bit faster by using the principles described above.
Author Resource:-
Jack R. Landry has been writing about the exercise and health industry for years. He recommends using elliptical machines to stay healthy and fit.
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