For the past couple of weeks I have been suffering from a rather nasty case of flu that has brought about an interesting dilemma for me: should I still train, despite the fact that I’m sick?
Is it okay to miss a couple of sessions because you are sick or is the sickness just another excuse to stay away from training?
Well before we can answer any of these questions you must first evaluate just how sick you actually are. Do you have a mild cold or are you struck down with a full bout of flu?
A common cold usually means a runny nose and a mild temperature, nothing too debilitating, and it usually clears up after a couple of days. Flu on the other hand, can last a lot longer, up to two or three weeks, depending on how bad it is. Flu symptoms include fever, headache, chesty cough and a general lack of energy.
No matter what your symptoms, the first rule of thumb when it comes to training and sickness is to listen to your body. Your body will tell you exactly how bad it feels and whether or not you should be training, if at all.
The common cold, although it sometimes feels worse than it is, can usually be trained through. In fact some light cardio training can prove to be very beneficial because it aids in opening up the airways and allows you to breathe a bit better. It also helps by sweating some of the toxins out of your body. Just be sure to drink plenty of water and to wrap up warm during any sessions.
The flu is slightly more serious and can be very debilitating if you get it bad. When a flu really hits it’s sometimes hard to even make it out of bed, so obviously training in this condition would be foolhardy and would only serve to make things worse for you.
Based on my recent experience with the flu, I suggest you give your body a few days to get over the worst before returning to training. When you do return, stick to light cardio and don’t do anything too intense. Especially avoid any kind of weight training. Your body is already in a catabolic state because it is trying to fight the infection. It doesn’t have the resources to build muscle at the same time, so any kind of weight training would prove to be detrimental to your health at this stage.
But what about actual martial arts training? Well the first thing you have to consider is the fact that you will be training with other people who are healthy and you run the risk of passing on your sickness to them. Martial arts training involves close contact with others and it is very easy to transfer your sickness to whoever you are training with. So your fellow martial artists should be considered when you return to training. It’s probably a good idea to avoid any kind of close contact until you are sure the infection has fully left your body. Concentrate on solo training, bag work and light cardio.
Now would be a good time to work on your kata. Kata training would mean you could train alone and you would also get a good cardio workout while you are at it. This would keep you ticking over until you feel 100% fit again.
There are obviously other types of sickness that we sometimes have to contend with but cold and flu are the two most common. Needless to say, if you come down with something more serious or infectious, then consult your doctor and avoid the dojo altogether until you are over whatever you have. The last thing you want to do is further damage your health or pass anything on to other people.
In my experience we are not usually quite as bad as we make ourselves out to be when we are sick. People have a tendency to over-exaggerate their symptoms and end up wallowing around the house lethargically like hippos in a muddy river, cranking up the self-pity because they know when they are sick that nothing is really expected of them. It can turn into an excuse for a lack of action and motivation, so even if physically they could train, they don’t because it easier to lie back and do nothing.
This goes back to what I said previously in my article on how to cultivate an indomitable warrior spirit. Hardiness of character does not come from giving in to the pitiful mewling of an unmotivated mind and lazy character; it comes from picking yourself up and forging ahead on the path you have chosen to walk.
So when you get sick, make an honest evaluation of yourself and your symptoms, listen to your body and then decide on the best course of action. Yes, being sick is pretty horrible at times but give yourself a couple of days to get over the worst and then get stuck back in again, albeit at a reduced pace until you are fully well again.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of mental strength. Don’t let your inner opponent convince you otherwise.
