Feeling Under the Weather?

It’s cold & flu seasons and you can still get in effective workouts in even when you show signs & symptoms of a cold.

Exercise has been shown to make you feel better when you’re feeling under the weather. Keeping your exercise sessions below 60 minutes can increase your immune function after exercise; which is probably why people often report feeling better having exercised.

However, if you have the flu, which generally has a quick on-set, then you will struggle to get out of bed, let alone exercise. This is the time to rest, rest and rest. Only once your symptoms have subsided for at least 3 days should you think about getting back to exercise.

Signs & Symptoms

If your cold symptoms are above the neck (runny nose, sneezing etc) it is OK to continue with moderate exercise.

Should your symptoms include any of the below items then you need to rest until your symptoms have subsided. You can then start back with low to moderate exercise – do not start back with intense exercise until 3 days after your symptoms have subsided. If you have the full-blown flu then you might have to take up to 2 weeks off of intense training. Rest is key to your recovery; you do not want to put extra stress on your body.

below the neck symptoms (joint pain, chesty cough etc)
fever
faintness / dizziness
tight chest
flu

Should you have any other medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease etc., then you should always check with your doctor as to whether exercising with a cold will affect your pre-existing conditions.

Working Out

If you have a cold it is fine to carry on with your regular workouts, however, it is not the time to try something new or try to break records. Traditional advice dictates that if you have a simple cold without a fever, then it is generally safe to continue with moderate exercise; aiming to keep your workouts less than 60 minutes.

Scientists use the technical term hormesis when referring to exercise & the immune system response; in short a low – moderate dose of exercise can increase your immune function after exercise, whereas a high dose of prolonged exercise (90+ minutes) or intense exercise decreases the effectiveness of the immune system.

By following this short programme below, you will work your whole body allowing you to use maintain your fitness & strength gains. Using a moderate loaded weight, this programme works all movement patterns of the body without aggravating your symptoms.

3×6 Swiss Ball Press Up
3×6 Single Leg Swiss Ball Leg Curl
3×6 Goblet Squat
3×6 BB bent over row
3 x 1000m upright bike – 2 minute rest between each set – moderate pace

15 minute brisk walk (on a slight incline)

If you experience chest pain, difficulty catching your breath, wheezing or feeling feint whilst exercising then you should stop immediately.

In addition, there are a few basic ‘gym etiquette’ actions that we can all do to help prevent the spreading to germs when at the gym:

Cover your mouth when coughing & sneezing
Throw away used tissues
Wash your hands before & after your workout
Wipe down any gym equipment you use

Top Tips

keep exercise to under 90 minutes, however, if you have the symptoms of a cold then keep your workouts below 60 minutes
eat a clean, well balanced diet – proper nutrition does wonders for your immune system
keep external stress to a minimum
get at least 7 hours sleep per night
calorie restriction can lower your immune system – in some studies having carbs before & after exercise has been shown to help your immune system
during the winter months wash your hands / use hand gel – the majority of cold viruses are passed via touch and hand to mouth contact
if exercising outside, use of specialist running masks can help stop the virus getting into your system and other problems such as exercise induced asthma

Did You Know

there is no cure for the common cold. Doctors often joke that it takes 7 days to get rid of a cold with medication, and without it, it takes a week!
as a viral infection antibiotics are useless