If You’re Sick, Stay Home PLEASE!
Coughing and sneezing during a fitness class or while trying to lift weights leaves a trail of nasty “microbes” waiting to infect the gym and the rest of us. According to Jessica Matthews (Exercise Physiologist with the American Council on Exercise), in general, it’s okay to exercise with “above the neck” symptoms like a sore throat or runny nose. “But in fairness to your non-sick fellow fitness fanatics,” Matthews says, “if you’re going to get some exercise in while you’re battling a cold, you should opt for an at-home workout — perhaps your favorite fitness DVD or an outdoor workout.” If you do choose to work out at the gym, please be respectful of others and be sure to properly sanitize all the equipment that you use. Trust me, all the gyms I’ve personally trained at have either had individual wipe dispensers or spray bottles full of sanitizing solution like “spic-and-span” and paper towel dispensers on the walls, which you should always use, sniffles or not.
Personal Experience
A long time ago, I was told that if you’re sick you need to do a checkup from your neck up to see if you can work out or not. In other words, you need to see if your illness is all above your neckline because if it is it's most likely a sinus cold or seasonal allergies, and you are okay to workout. I somewhat agree with this but NO I don’t always agree with this. Recently when I was fighting a cold for 3 weeks, it was not just above my neckline. I was wheezing for weeks and every time I would make any active movements or strain I would wheeze. At one point, I thought it was the flu - and it could have been. What I do know for sure is that during the last 2 years, since moving from Maryland to Oklahoma, around February, as the weather keeps changing from cold-to-warm it drys the air out in my house and makes it hard for me to feel 100%. Don’t get me wrong, I normally don’t get sick and I don't have allergies. This blog post is not about me getting sick; it’s about when you’re sick, stay home from the pool or gym and rest and recover.
Immune System
When you have sickness, your immune system is compromised and weakened. If you are like me and enjoy lifting weights to build muscle and strength, understand that you are tearing down the muscles in the gym and they repair as you rest. However, if you are already sick and in a weakened state your body will repair the immune system first before it will repair muscle breakdown. So do everyone a favor and stay home and get better. No one is going to think you're not “HARDCORE.” If anyone thinks that, it's you - because it’s your personal pride! Let it go Brah!
My Thot: help everyone and yourself by staying home and getting well. You aren’t doing anyone any favors by showing up to the gym coughing, sneezing, and having to wipe or blow your nose every few minutes. Be smart, STAY HOME and get better. If you think this is not HARDCORE you are being a wussy. Think again! It takes more real courage and discipline to take care of your health than to act like a doofus trying to impress people or your boys with how much you can lift while being ill. GROW UP and take care of your health. Your health is a priority so act like it. Comment below and SUBSCRIBE to receive blog updates in your inbox.
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