Do you train whilst sick ?

[koreankiwi]

Just a thought , but does anyone else train while they are sick? I have found that if I have a fever/cold it will break much quicker and my recovery time is shortened if I train. I train at the back to avoid contaminating anyone else.

I had a discussion at my regular gym, and they advised against it. My experience has been that is has always been beneficial. Maybe I am a martial art nut...

Anyone else have any thoughts on this.....

[lordtariel]

Absolutely not. It's a close environment with healthy people who probably don't want someone else's germs. I've missed quite a bit of training this year, but I still don't want to inflict my illness on other people.

[bushido_man96]

I think that it may help with colds, but I don't know about other sicknesses. I think that if you train while sick, your body isn't really focusing itself on healing, like it should be.

If you do choose to train while sick, I would recommend training on your own, so you don't risk making others sick as well.

[cross]

If one of your reasons for training is self defence, it would be good to see how your body will react to physical strain when your ill. However, i agree with the others, stay away from those who dont want to get sick and rest yourself up.

[koreankiwi]

In the years I have been training, to my knowledge ( and I have asked) I haven't contaminated anyone else.

I have found it helps.... but as I say my regular gym reckons it reduces your immune system as it is drawing much needed energy away and replacing your muscles?

[bushido_man96]

... but as I say my regular gym reckons it reduces your immune system as it is drawing much needed energy away and replacing your muscles?

I think that this is really the case. You will recover faster if you don't train while sick.

However, everyone is different.

[James Bullock]

I have trained while sick many times....by myself that is. I didn't go to the Dojo so I wouldn't infect others.

I think most should train at least once (by themselves) while sick considering violence isn't biased or prejudiced. You don't get to choose where, when, why, or how you are attacked at any given moment. Preparation is the only thing we have control over.

Obviously with common sense...if you are severely ill then don't train.

[marie curie]

Just a thought , but does anyone else train while they are sick? I have found that if I have a fever/cold it will break much quicker and my recovery time is shortened if I train. I train at the back to avoid contaminating anyone else.

I had a discussion at my regular gym, and they advised against it. My experience has been that is has always been beneficial. Maybe I am a martial art nut...

Anyone else have any thoughts on this.....

Haha, my judo teacher always says-

"You hurt? You have flu? Come do judo! You feel muuuuch better!"

I honestly think this depends on what you have and how you train.

If you have something relatively minor- not needing all of your energy to fight off, like a cold, and you come in- maintaining a safe distance from any non-sickies and cleaning off any equipment used- and do forms and hit the bag for a while- you may stimulate more good than bad in your body....

but... if you come in and start running laps, doing sit-ups, running multi-step drills- I'd say more harm than good.

Note: I have minimal experience in immunology, so these are just educated guesses

[tekki]

With a cold, practicing karate seems to provide me some relief from the symptoms. Maybe because sweating it out is good, maybe because it forces me to breath harder, maybe because the endorphin rush helps. However, unless I am getting over the cold, I try to avoid the classes at the dojo itself, mostly because I don't want to infect my classmates and also if my energy levels are down, I may need to tone down my training, something that is harder to do in a class setting than it is when you are practicing at home. It gives me an opportunity to focus on my technique, body alignment and some other aspects of training that might not be as easy to focus on when I am doing sparring drills or hard conditioning, as my instructor often likes to do in the advanced adult classes that I usually attend.

[dragonwarrior_keltyr]

I know you all will jump on me for it, but I often train sick - at the dojo. But, in my defense with ~30 little kids, it's not likely that I am the one passing on the numerous colds, flus and who-knows-what's that go around the dojo. I find training, while drains me, stimulates my body to heal quicker. I don't know why, but it does help. I also can't stand missing class (I miss enough with work as it is!)