It’s that time of year again. I’d like to take just a minute to formally address being sick and training. At some point each and every one of you are going to get sick throughout the winter. Some of your are courteous enough to stay home and rest, while other comes in coughing, sneezing, dripping  snot and nastiness everywhere.

First a foremost, if you’re sick, coming into the gym and training is not going to help you get better. Sweating it out is a great way to help yourself get better when you’re sick…however that sweating it out refers to sitting in a Sauna, putting sweats on and walking up and down the stairs, or something of minimal intensity, not going to the gym and further beating your body down weakening it’s immune system. That’s right, when you train, while ultimately exercise helps  you be fitter, stronger, healthier, etc. it also does beat your body down and weaken your immune system for a short period of time. That’s fine when you’re healthy, but if you’re currently sick, exercising is not going to help you get any better. You WON’T lose all your fitness from days, or even a couple of weeks off, in fact if you’re a 5-6 day/week exerciser a week off a couple of times a year will do your body some good. If you’re that much of an addict and you have to train, hit a 100 Burpees for time at home, do a 20 minute AMRAP of going up and down your stairs, there is something you can do at home that will get you breathing and working up a sweat.

I understand that CrossFit and the gym is very much a social environment for most of you, and that’s a big part of why you come. I can tell you however, that your friends don’t want you there sneezing, coughing all over them nor do the coaches and rest of the individuals in the room.

Lastly with only 2 full-time employees at the gym if we get sick, it leaves us in a pretty crappy situation of not only having to work longs hours while under the weather, but continuing to spread the disease to others as we don’t have the option of calling out sick to work, working from home, etc. etc.

So, please, if and when you get sick, please stay home. Your fitness won’t leave you, nor will your friends. Your body will ultimately thank you, and myself, the rest of the coaches, and the 300 athletes that train at Champlain Valley CrossFit would all greatly appreciate you leaving your sickness at home.

– Jade