Weight lifting when sick is a very tough subject for many people to get correct.
When you're sick, a weight lifting workout might be the last thing you want to do.
It really depends on how sick you are.
If you're just feeling a little down due to a cold, a weight lifting workout isn't going to hurt you…
IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
And that's the purpose of this page: to explain how to workout when you're feeling down.
First and foremost… always use your common sense. If you've lost strength due to the sickness you have, there's no way the guidelines on this page are going to help. Instead, you should take a break from weight training.
You Don't Want to Add More Fatigue to Your Body
When the seasons change, I always start feeling a little down… especially in the spring when everything starts blooming and the weather yo yo's warm/cold, hot/freezing, and back and forth.
The weather can really screw with the way you feel.
I'm not too sick to lift weights, so I came up with a way to continue lifting weights and not make me feel any worse than I already do.
You can use this technique whenever you're feeling down for some reason. It doesn't even have to be sickness.
You simply want to stay consistent with your workouts but you don't want to add too much fatigue to your body so you overtrain. This method is simple and easy to use.
Another Reason To Use This Method
Consistency is a key to consistent results from your weight lifting workouts.
If you skip a workout, you can skip the next workout and then the next workout. Before you know it, you're way off schedule. And before you know it, you've quit working out yet again.
You then find yourself back trying to start weight training again a few months down the road.
It's time to put a STOP to that yo-yo of consistency. Let's stay consistent and continue our workouts unless we get really sick with some bug. A simple cold shouldn't KILL your workouts and your consistency.
This is the technique to use so you aren't skipping weight lifting workouts when feeling down:
This is What You Do When Feeling Down…
All you need to do when feeling down is to take it easy during your weight lifting workout.
Most of the time, you can lift the same weight as your previous workout but only do as many reps as it takes until the set becomes slightly difficult.
Don't push it at all.
Once the rep speed begins to slow down at all, stop the set.
That's it. Set the weight down and you are done with that set.
If you are using a high volume workout, cut the volume down. Only do a set or two of each exercise. Whatever it takes to make the workout easier, do it.
All you're looking to do is here is allow your body to be acclimated to the weight you have been using so your strength stays for the next workout. You're also looking to stay consistent to your weight training.
Cut Volume, Cut Intensity But Keep Weight The Same
All you're looking to do here is keep the weight heavy while taking it easy on volume and intensity.
When you start feeling better, your body will still be accustomed to the heavy weight and you can pick up right where you left off with no strength issues.
If you've read the WLC System principles for building muscle, you'll know that increasing the weight from workout to workout is THE most important muscle building factor.
Nothing else comes close.
If you increase the weight from workout to workout and follow the diet and nutrition guidelines within the WLC System, you will build muscle.
There is no doubt about that.
If you go from lifting 135 pounds in January to lifting 205 pounds in March to lifting 305 pounds June…
You will build muscle during that time — without a doubt.
So…
Follow the Weight Lifting When Sick Guidelines
Remember… the sickness must be a cold or something that isn't too hard on your body. If any sicker than a cold, you should take a break.
Always ensure that overtraining did not cause your sickness by following the WLC System.
The weight lifting when sick guidelines on this page tell you to keep the weight heavy, cut volume, and cut intensity.
Do not push yourself at all. But get your butt in the gym and get a workout in.
This will ensure you stay consistent to your weight lifting even when feeling sick.
Always use common sense when sick but don't let a little cold stop you from making weight lifting progress.
If you're really sick with a fever, definitely take the day off AND maybe a few more. You need to rest and let your body use all available resources to fight the sickness.
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