How to train if you just

Exercise or rest

To properly assess your condition, use the rule "above the neck." If the symptoms are above the neck (sneezing, runny nose, sore throat), light and moderate load will not bring harm. If the symptoms are below the neck down, the best rest. Let the body itself cope with the threat.

American Committee for Physical Culture (American Council on Exercise), training and certifying fitness instructors advises Got the Flu? Rest First, Exercise Later, Experts Say. cancel the workout when you cough, tiredness, muscle aches, or enlarged lymph nodes. Also, you should refrain from strenuous exercise, and for the next two weeks after recovery.

Exercise can be an additional burden on the state, and so the stress of the body. But in some cases, light and moderate activity can help you feel better.

Richard Besser (Richard Besser), MD and editor of articles about health and medicine at ABC News.

It turns out that exercise in the cold can even help. The main thing - do not overdo it with the load.

Choose the right load

Intense exercise increase the amount of cortisol and adrenaline and reduce immunity. Therefore, at the time of illness is to abandon intensive workloads. Training should be light to moderate and familiar to the body.

StudyModerate exercise does not worsen a cold. Conducted in Ball State University in Muncie, proved that moderate and light loads can not affect the duration and severity of the diseases caused by rhinovirus infection (the causative agent ARI).

In a study led by Thomas G. Weidner (Thomas G. Weidner) involved 50 student volunteers. Participants and infected with rhinovirus were divided into two groups. During the illness one group exercise, and the other - no.

Participants in the first group went to bike at a moderate pace, pedaled to "the fan" exercise bike, jogging on the treadmill or climbing the stairs. They did the exercises every day for 40 minutes of moderate intensity that heart rate does not exceed 70% of the maximum.

Every 12 hours, participants filled out questionnaires and answered 13 questions about their condition. After 10 days of the experiment revealed that the duration and severity of colds in the two groups did not differ. However, the participants engaged in physical activity during illness, after exercise to feel better.

The researchers concluded that moderate cardio at ARI does not interfere with the body to cope with the infection.

This is good news for sports fans who do not want to take a break in training, under any circumstances.

So what you can and can not do during a cold?

Good options exercise during cold

The following exercise can improve mood after school and it does not interfere with the body fight infection.

Walking

During the walk you will not spend a lot of forces that are necessary for the body to recover. At the same time you get the benefits of physical activity.

A walk outdoors with a cold feeling improves. During the walk, you breathe deeply, which is useful for nasal congestion, and the fresh, moist air of the street (but not freezing) has beneficial effects on dry nasal mucosa, making it easier to breath.

Light running and other cardio

If a run for you - a familiar part of life, there is no reason to give it up because of the cold.

My patients runners say running makes them feel better when they are ill. Running - it's a natural decongestant that helps to clear your head and feel good again.

Andrea Hulse (Andrea Hulse), osteopathic physician and family doctor of Silver Spring

In addition, during the study Exercise May Help Beat the Common Cold. scientists have found that aerobic exercise direct influence on the immune system and the number of colds. People who do cardio five days a week, suffer 46% less likely than those who never does.

Moreover, people who train five or more times a week, sick days by 41% less than those who are not involved at all, and 34% less than people who do less. It turns out that regular aerobic exercise can not only less likely to get sick, but also to recover faster.

Qigong

Another good option for employment during cold - Qigong - slow-centered movement, a cross between martial arts and meditation.

For thousands of years these exercises are used to relieve anxiety, improve blood pressure, and increase energy. Some recent studies show that qigong has a positive effect on the immune system.

In the study, A Pilot Study of Qigong Practice and Upper Respiratory Illness in Elite Swimmers. Conducted in 2011 at the University of Virginia, it was found that university swimmers practicing qigong at least once a week, for 70% less sick colds.

Yoga

C using relaxation exercises and breathing practices, you can reduce the amount of cortisol and help your immunity. In addition, mild stretching can relieve muscle pain associated with colds. Choose slow styles of yoga, such as hatha yoga or Iyengar yoga.

If you start to engage yoga during a cold, do not throw and after the restoration. Maybe next time it will protect you from disease.

As part of the study Stress, Inflammation, and Yoga Practice. Scientists have found that professional yogis inflammation in response to stress occurred much less frequently.

The study involved 50 healthy women from 30 to 65 years, half of whom are experienced yogis, and the other half - the newcomers. Scientists have found that experienced yogis, regardless of age, weight and kardiopodgotovki interleukin 6 level was lower by 41% than that of the newcomers.

In addition, beginners chances of detection of C-reactive protein (a marker of active inflammation) were almost five times higher than that of the expert in yoga.

Which is not suitable for employment during a cold

Long running endurance

Regular moderate exercise enhance immunity, and the constant heavy load reduces it. Therefore, it is not necessary to overcome the marathon, if you feel the first symptoms of a cold.

While there are no studies as running endurance affects the common cold, but it proved the effect of long runs on the immune system. A 2007 study published in the Journal of Applied Sciences, proved Immune function in sport and exercise. That after prolonged exercise (1.5 h and more) immunity can remain oppressed for 24 hours.

Training on simulators in gym

In addition, as you are doing, it is important and where you do it. Catching up on the trainers in the gym, you leave them on the bacteria that can infect other people.

You would be pleased to take a treadmill or an ellipse after a person who is constantly sneezing, coughing and blowing his nose? Unlikely. Do me the favor to others and work out at home.

Power training

During cold anabolic processes in the body are suppressed, and catabolic activated. When your body fights the infection, increases the amount of cortisol, which negatively affects the growth of muscles.

If you decide to arrange a strength training, you will not get from her any good. Moreover, if you are confused with the common cold starting flu and had a strength training, it can be bad for the heart. Influenza can cause myocarditis - inflammation of the lining of the heart muscle. Since weight training - an additional burden on the heart, for any suspected influenza should stop training with heavy weights.

Personal experience

With regard to the personal experience of training during a cold, I had happened differently. Once he came to the gym with the first signs of the disease, I did not finish interval training. After this it was necessary to interrupt a class somewhere for a week, until you have passed all the symptoms of a cold.

On another occasion, with a cold and foggy condition, which is usually a cold, the training was excellent. No adverse effects I have not noticed. I think the whole thing in infection and immunity status at the time of illness.

By the way, my training - a functional training with small free weights (35-50 kg) bodyweight (push-ups, pull-ups), which fits into the concept of moderate load.

Do not forget the rule "above the neck", are engaged only with light and moderate loads and be sure to watch your condition. If during exercise you become ill, you should not keep it. It is better to relax and rejuvenate, and sports will wait.

Did you try to exercise during a cold? Share your experiences and tips in the comments.