Training when feeling rough

[Willo]

Typically had a week off work and got struck down with a cold and sore throat, cough etc. After festering for a couple of days, decided to get out for some exercise to see if it made me feel better. Got the bike set up but just didn't fancy the icy winds so went to the gym.

20 mins on the rowing machine, took it easy and felt fine. Then 30 mins interval training on the spin bike. Was okay at first, but found I couldn't maintain the high effort intervals as long as usual (in fact not very long at all) and the legs were really struggling by the end.

Whilst on the spin bike, 2 keen cyclists were having a conversation about sweating it out if you feel flu like symptoms coming on - something about build up of lactic acid sometimes brought on when you are doing a fair amount of training.

Anyone else have views on training if feeling a bit rough - good to sweat it out, or more harm than good and time to rest up?

 

[Bill Gates]

Typically had a week off work and got struck down with a cold and sore throat, cough etc. After festering for a couple of days, decided to get out for some exercise to see if it made me feel better. Got the bike set up but just didn't fancy the icy winds so went to the gym.

20 mins on the rowing machine, took it easy and felt fine. Then 30 mins interval training on the spin bike. Was okay at first, but found I couldn't maintain the high effort intervals as long as usual (in fact not very long at all) and the legs were really struggling by the end.

Whilst on the spin bike, 2 keen cyclists were having a conversation about sweating it out if you feel flu like symptoms coming on - something about build up of lactic acid sometimes brought on when you are doing a fair amount of training.

Anyone else have views on training if feeling a bit rough - good to sweat it out, or more harm than good and time to rest up?

Total nonsense and likely to make you more ill. Never do any hard training when you feel ill, colds flu etc.

 

[palinurus]

I might ride when I'm feeling rough, but I don't train. Easy does it.

 

[shippers]

Yup, don't sit and fester but strenuous stuff is to be avoided. Even more so if you're ill!

 

[lukesdad]

The body needs all its reserves to fight the infection not diverted to training, take it easy or rest up. Otherwise illness will be prolonged or worsen which would lose even more training time.

 

[Willo]

Thanks, I know it's mainly common sense but you hear so much bravado from folk about sweating it out etc. I was interested to know what people did when they felt ill. Re me in the gym y'day, I took it relatively easy compared to normal and did ease off when the legs didn't respond. In fairness I felt a bit better afterwards just for getting up and doing something and much better today.

So I'll take the common sense approach tomorrow...maybe just a gentle spin around the block, if I'm feeling brave enough to practice the clipless again (as an aside, I'm finding the conversion to clipless a little daunting)

 

[rb58]

Typically had a week off work and got struck down with a cold and sore throat, cough etc. After festering for a couple of days, decided to get out for some exercise to see if it made me feel better. Got the bike set up but just didn't fancy the icy winds so went to the gym.

20 mins on the rowing machine, took it easy and felt fine. Then 30 mins interval training on the spin bike. Was okay at first, but found I couldn't maintain the high effort intervals as long as usual (in fact not very long at all) and the legs were really struggling by the end.

Whilst on the spin bike, 2 keen cyclists were having a conversation about sweating it out if you feel flu like symptoms coming on - something about build up of lactic acid sometimes brought on when you are doing a fair amount of training.

Anyone else have views on training if feeling a bit rough - good to sweat it out, or more harm than good and time to rest up?

Someone once told me that if the cold was above the neck, then fine to train, below the neck you should rest up. I always rest up though.

 

[Hont]

Someone once told me that if the cold was above the neck, then fine to train, below the neck you should rest up. I always rest up though.

I've heard that too. Always only spin on the turbo if I'm ill (and that's only when I'm over the worst).

 

[Shady]

Training, especially hard training whilst ill is lunacy. Your body is busy fighting cold/infection and adding in hard exercise will slow the receovery process.

Plenty of rest and fluids is the best plan !

 

[cathald]

I had a bit of a cold last week but thought I would be ok for my sunday club run
After a couple of miles warm up we headed for a hilly route I only made it half way up the first hill and had to turn,so lesson learned for me never to chance it when feeling poorly

 

[Nkaj]

Hey,im also coming back from having a cold/sore throat and that stuff.I read in a pretty scientific cycling book that if it is just a cold,then you can still train but you have to have plenty of fluids and try and increase the humidity so the cold goes away.However,he continues,if you get a sore thoat and other complications then you must rest.I find this really annoying because iv had quite a bit(over a week) without any training and i know my endurance has probably gone down.