Is it possible to work out if you have a cold?

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2016-12-30

Hello everyone. In this article, I will cover 2 questions:

Can you train?

If so, how?

So, here’s the thing. If you don’t have a fever, you can train (if you want to). However, if you do have a fever, it’s better to skip the workout, no matter how much you want to train.

The presence of a fever indicates that all of the body's resources are being directed to fight the illness. You shouldn't take away those resources. If you don’t have a fever and your condition is somewhat stable, it means your body still has (or has already regained) some strength, and light exercise can help speed up recovery or alleviate the illness (if you just started feeling unwell).

How to Train?

If you come to the gym while being ill, you need to understand the following:

Your current workout cannot be aimed at progress or increased results. Your body is simply not ready for records and intense workloads right now. Therefore, pushing yourself for results is a futile endeavor at this moment. Consequently, you need to reduce the training load.

Now here are some recommendations for reducing load during illness.

1. The workout should last a maximum of 40 to 60 minutes.
2. Reduce the number of working sets to 2-3.
3. Reduce the weights in basic exercises by at least 20-30%.
4. Cardio should not exceed 20 minutes in total for the workout. And keep your heart rate below 130.

Essentially, all of this should be enough to significantly reduce the workload and training intensity. Typically, during an average illness, you will need to conduct 2 to 4 workouts like this. After that, you can return to your regular routine. Don’t worry, your muscle volume and strength won’t be affected just because you reduced your workload for a week.

I personally follow this approach when I’m ill. Good luck, and stay healthy! ))