As a Liverpool personal trainer I am often asked whether it is a good idea to exercise whilst feeling unwell. Now we are entering the cold months, illness is on the increase and this is how we can recover quicker.
Firstly during the acute stages of illness you should NOT DO ANYTHING! Allow your body to recover and fight the early stages of the sickness. After a couple of days the symptoms begin to reduce and we feel better but still not 100%, it is at this point where you can start to think about exercise.
The exercise must be light. If you attempt a vigorous training routine your body will not thank you and make you pay for it. Reason for this comes down to a part of the nervous system which controls your stress response. Your immune system will be over worked trying to fight the infection and placing the body in a highly intense training session will only place great stress on the already depleted immune and cell function.
Here’s how to approach it. Firstly, when you feel slightly better look at doing a training session but only up to 50% of your normal intensity and for only half the time. The following day you need to take a day off. This will help stimulate your vital organ functions without placing a great strain on the body.
Two days later try a deep relaxation session, this can be in the way of a tai-chi class or some form of mediation session. By completely relaxing the body allows a part of your autonic nervous system to enter an anabolic state which promotes tissue, cell and immune function. Try to avoid some forms of yoga that are quite intense, although yoga is good it can also be very demanding on the body. If you get stuck with relaxation exercises then visit www.elitefitnessconsultants.co.uk and one of our trainers will help you.
The next day book in for an Aromatherapy massage, it is a fantastic way of speeding up the recovery process. The massage helps flush the lymphatic system allowing the illness to pass through the lymphatic nodes.
Two days later try another exercise session however, this time place your intensity at 75% of normal routine. Keep this intensity for the next two training sessions and also increase the time to 75%.
Give yourself two days rest and if you feel 100% then take your session up to 90% and if you feel fine the following day then it’s time to return to normal from here on.
During the recovery process it is advisable to drink plenty of water throughout and make sure you are eating plenty of vitamins and minerals from fruit & veg. www.ableandcole.co.uk source fantastic nutrient rich foods.
Follow this and you should have rid of that nasty illness after 10 days and be back on top form. Of course if your symptoms do not alter then always seek medical advice. If you would like more information on how exercise can benefit you then please contact Lewis or Kane on 07771 533 408 or e-mail info@elitefitnessconsultants.co.uk or visit the website on www.elitefitnessconsultants.co.uk
Good Luck!