|
|
|
6 Advantages of Free Weights vs. Machines
Meet Sarah. About a year ago, Sarah saw an infomercial about a "multi-unit" workout machine. The announcer called it a "revolutionary" piece of equipment, claiming that people would see results in "just 2-4 weeks". It exercised all major body parts...
Getting Started on a Weight Loss Program
One of the biggest battles being waged daily is the battle of the bulge.
If you are one of those facing a weight problem, take comfort in the fact that you
aren't alone, and making small changes in your lifestyle will reap you big rewards....
How To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
The holiday season is undoubtedly a time for rejoicing. Unfortunately, the average adult does a little too much celebrating during this time of year, which leads to extra baggage when the New Year rings in. Festivities that include indulging in...
Personal Training: 3 Keys to Training Clients in Their Homes
When considering your options as a personal trainer, one of the very first things to decide is WHERE you are going to train your clients. The most obvious answer for most trainers is to get a job at a local fitness facility and train clients...
STRETCHING; Why Should I?
This short article looks at some of the tips, tricks and helpful hints you can use to help prevent sports injury and do-away with stiff, aching muscles & joints. It's been put together to answer some of the more common questions we get regarding...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Training or Television? Working out when you're not Well
Copyright 2005 Tanja Gardner
Understatement of the week: Creating an exercise routine you can actually stick to is not the easiest thing in the world. Corollary to understatement: Waking up sick on a day you’d planned on working out can be a tad frustrating.
It’s tempting to ignore that ‘under the weather’ feeling and push on regardless. Our minds threaten us with pictures of how much ground we’ll lose if we don’t train. We’re concerned that we’re being too soft with ourselves (as one of my friends described it, ‘If I stopped training every time there was something wrong with my body, I’d never get anything done!’) Or we worry that if we break our routine once, we’ll never get back into it.
Sometimes it’s actually OK to exercise when ill. Although no-one’s been able to prove that you can ‘sweat out a cold’, if your only symptom is a sniffle, moderate exercise can sometimes help you feel clearer in the short term. Going for a walk is one of the most effective fixes for a headache. But all too often, exercising when you’re unwell can make you end up sicker than you started out.
THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE
To understand why this is, it may help to revisit the effect exercise has on your body. Your heart rate rises, your core temperature increases, your body burns fuel faster than usual, you lose water through perspiration, and your respiratory and circulatory systems (as well as the muscles you’re working) are all stressed well beyond their normal levels. In short, the demands for your body’s resources increase markedly.
In a well-rested, well-nourished body, this is no trouble. When the body is weakened by sickness, however, there’s potential for problems. For example, if you’re running a fever, your core temperature is already high. Raising it higher by pushing yourself during a workout can be dangerous. In a similar vein, we’re told to keep our fluids up when we’re sick because with a higher core temperature, it’s easy to become dehydrated. Exercising (which increases water loss) makes dehydration more likely.
CONSIDERATION
So how do we know when to push on regardless, and when to just say ‘no’? If you exercise around other people – e.g. in a gym, class, or as part of a club – your first concern needs to be consideration for them. Fellow exercisers will not thank you for sharing your bug with them. If you’re coughing and sneezing – or if you’re touching exercise equipment that will be touched by other people – it’s only polite to stay away until you’re no longer infectious. If you’re not sure how long this will be, speak to your doctor.
THE NECK CHECK
Assuming your illness isn’t contagious, however (or that you work out alone), you
have more choices. One quick, simple tool for deciding is the ‘neck check’ developed by Dr Randy Eichner at the University of Oklahoma. With this system, you simply look at where your symptoms are located.
If they’re above the neck, e.g. headache, sniffles and/or a slightly scratchy throat, it may be OK to keep exercising – but take it very slow. Exercise at about 50% of your usual intensity for the first ten minutes, then stop and see how you feel. If you feel about the same or better than when you started, feel free to continue - gradually raising the intensity. If you feel dizzy, floaty, or in any way worse than you did when you started, however, stop immediately, and give yourself the rest of the day off.
If any of your symptoms are below the neck – fever, coughing, nausea, stomach cramps or aching muscles – it’s better to skip your workout altogether and stay wrapped up in bed. Exercising with any of these symptoms diverts your body’s much-needed resources from where they’re needed to fight off your illness (in effect, you’ve joined in the battle – on the side of the germs!), and may additionally increase your likelihood of injuring yourself.
ASK YOURSELF "WHY?"
Look at your symptoms on a day-by-day basis, and if you’re ever unsure whether to resting or exercise, contact your doctor for advice. If you’re reluctant to take time off, it can help to step back and ask yourself why you’re exercising in the first place. If you’re training for a specific event, ask yourself whether it’s better to take a couple of days off now, or tough it out and risk having to take a couple of months out of your regime later. If you exercise because it makes you feel better and healthier – ask yourself the logic of making your body miserable by pushing it when it’s telling you it needs to heal.
If you have any questions about this week’s article, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Otherwise, until next time, may every day bring you closer to your Optimum Life.
About the author:
Optimum Life's Tanja Gardner is a Personal Trainer and Stress Management Coach whose articles on holistic health, relaxation and spirituality have appeared in various media since 1999. To find out more about how you could benefit from online personal training, please visit http://www.trainerforce.com/optimumlife.
Optimum Life is dedicated to providing fitness and stress management services to help clients all over the world achieve their optimum lives. If you’d like to discuss anything in this article with Tanja, you can contact her on tanja@optimumlife.co.nz
|
|
|
|
|
| Exercise equipment and fitness equipment for sale. New and used at ... |
| Offers a large selection of both strength and cardio fitness equipment. |
| www.bigfitness.com |
|
| Buy fitness equipment, treadmills, rowing machines, gym equipment ... |
| Simply fitness equipment: treadmills, rowing machines, gym equipment, elliptical trainers and more fitness equipment deals online uk. |
| www.simplyfitnessequipment.co.uk |
|
| Nautilus® Fitness Equipment - Home |
| Features all of the latest Nautilus commercial fitness equipment and related fitness links. |
| www.nautilus.com |
|
| Fitness Equipment, Workout, Fitness Program, Fitness Articles ... |
| Fitness Equipment, Workout, Fitness, Fitness Forum, Fitness Program, LA Fitness, Fitness Articles, Beauty Fitness, Weight Loss, Weight Training. |
| www.fitness.com |
|
| Compare Fitness Equipment - Buy Sports Equipment & Outdoor Gear at ... |
| Buy Fitness Equipment at BizRate. Read exercise equipment reviews & fitness store ratings. Compare prices on treadmills, home gyms, & workout clothes. |
| www.bizrate.com |
|
| Gym Source fitness and exercise equipment. treadmills, elliptical ... |
| Manufacturer and wholesaler of bikes, elliptical, steppers, treadmills, home gym and multi function trainer. Also provides site design service. |
| www.gymsource.com |
|
| Leisure Fitness - Home Gyms, Fitness Equipment & Fitness Accessories |
| Home Gyms, Fitness Equipment and Fitness Accessories. Find the home gyms that suit your needs best, along with fitness equipment and fitness accessories ... |
| www.leisurefitness.com |
|
| Life Fitness |
| The World Leader In Commercial and Home Fitness Equipment. Life Fitness. United States and Canada · Australia · Benelux (Dutch) ... |
| www.lifefitness.com |
|
| fitness equipment : buy fitness equipment and exercise equipment ... |
| A comprehensive range of exercise and fitness equipment for home and commercial use. |
| www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk |
|
| FreeParking - Parked Domain: fitnessequipment.co.nz |
| fitnessequipment.co.nz Is currently Parked for FREE with Freeparking. Register your Domain Names through FreeParking from $39.95 and take advantage of the ... |
| www.fitnessequipment.co.nz |
|
| Home - Elite Fitness |
| A New Zealand company providing a large range of fitness equipment for both home and commercial applications. |
| www.elitefitness.co.nz |
|
| New & Remanufactured Fitness Equipment at Fitness Plus |
| Fitness Equipment Depot is the source for all your fitness equipment needs. |
| www.fitnessplus.com |
|
| Exercise and Fitness Equipment, Home Gyms, Used Fitness Equipment ... |
| Find products and more up to 60% off at the largest fitness equipment store on the Internet. Featuring new and used fitness equipment for the home, ... |
| www.gymcor.com |
|
| Treadmill Hire, Fitness Equipment Hire, Elliptical Trainers ... |
| Hire treadmills and fitness equipment from the UK fitness equipment hire specialists treadmill hire, elliptical hire, exercise bike hire & rower hire- ... |
| www.hirefitness.co.uk |
|
| Power Systems Fitness Equipment Sports Training Exercise Equipment |
| Since 1986, Power Systems, Inc. has been a leading provider of health, sport performance, and fitness equipment. Power Systems supplies coaches, ... |
| www.power-systems.com |
|
| Afton Health And Fitness Equipment |
| Supplies treadmills, ab rollers, exerbikes, home gyms and nutritional supplements. |
| www.healthclubindia.com |
|
| Fitness Equipment - compare Fitness Equipment prices on Kelkoo UK |
| Are you searching for Fitness Equipment? Compare Fitness Equipment prices on Kelkoo UK and find best offers from the UK Fitness Equipment shops. |
| sport.kelkoo.co.uk |
|
| Buy fitness equipment, treadmills, exercise equipment, Home gym ... |
| Exercise, gymnastics, aerobic and fitness equipment, water gear, boxing and martial arts gear. Salisbury, NC, US. |
| www.fitness-equipment.com |
|
| Mega Fitness The Sports and Exercise Equipment Super Store |
| In addition to our NEW commercial strength equipment, we also specialize in remanufactured commercial fitness equipment such as Treadmills, Exercise Bikes, ... |
| www.megafitness.com |
|
| FitnessZone |
| Offers wide selection of fitness equipment, free fitness profiles, weekly articles, and a gym locator. |
| www.fitnesszone.com |
|
|