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2012-12-28 5:07 AM

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Hudsonville, MI
Subject: Question on Flu and loss of fitness

I had a question regarding flu and fitness.  I got hit with the flu bug a few days ago and I have never been this sick in my entire life.  In fact, I can't even remember the last time I was sick where it kept me down.  Feels like I was run over by a Mac truck and then back over once or twice for good measure.

Does anybody know how much fitness could be/is lost due to having the flu and not working out?  Should I jump back into my training program once I feel better or slowly work my way back up?

2012-12-28 9:48 AM
in reply to: #4551126

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Master
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Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
You probably haven't lost much fitness per se, but depending on how sick you were, your body is probably significantly weakened from fighting the bug and from likely not getting enough food or fluids for several days. It may take some time for your body to completely recover. I'd take it easy for a few days and make sure you're feeling 100% before jumping back into your training.
2012-12-28 9:53 AM
in reply to: #4551126

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Boston, MA
Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
I'd listen to your body. I had the flu a couple of winters ago, and like you, had never been anywhere close to that sick in my life. My first workout was a short run that felt much more difficult than it should have been. As a result, I had to ease back into things. I'm assuming the lack of energy was from exhaustion, not really lack of fitness. Hope you feel better soon!
2012-12-28 11:23 AM
in reply to: #4551126

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Marin County, California
Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
Not nearly as much as we think we do. I was training for my first 50 mile ultra and about 8 weeks out from race day got a cold. And since I have severe asthma it dove straight into my lungs. It takes me about a month to get over these episodes, so I basically lost a month, then took the last few weeks before race day easy to not set off my lungs again. I was super freaked about how much fitness I lost.

The race went great, aside from being in a massive storm, my body felt fresh and surrprisingly strong. While it may seem you're losing a lot because laying around sick feels like you are, your body as a whole is probably liking the little break, especially if you were working it really hard recently. You'll be back sooner tthan you think.
2012-12-28 8:51 PM
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Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
Not that you'll lose much (although that assumes you have a decent base...someone who's only been training for 6 weeks will lose more over a week than someone who's been at it for years), but you'll feel symptom free before you actually are completely better.  That often makes you feel like you've lost a lot.
2012-12-28 9:18 PM
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Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
Just use some common sense when starting to re-engage your workout schedule, my bet is that you will find you didn't lose that much. 

2012-12-28 9:44 PM
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Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
I had the flu in August and 3 weeks afterwards went on my first bike ride.  It was abysmal.  It was only a 15 mile ride, but the last 7-8 miles I was totally out of gas; my stomach was right up in my throat -  on the verge of puking.  Your body will let you know what you can and cannot do and I think your comment to get well and "slowly work your way back up" is the best way to go.
2012-12-29 1:10 PM
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Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
Just from personal experience after getting over the flu right before Christmas, I don't think it affected my fitness at all. My first workouts were a little odd because I was still stuffed up and couldn't breathe quite as well as normal, but once that was gone I don't think I lost any of the fitness I have been working on.
2012-12-30 6:50 PM
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Plano, National Capital Region
Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
Going through this myself. I was thinking of doing a short off-season taking it easy and the flu bug made sure I got it. It's been about 10 days now and just starting to feel normal. Still coughing and my swimming probably suffered the most but feel like I'm almost back to pre-sickness form on the bike and almost ready to start HIM training this coming week.
2012-12-31 9:01 AM
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Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
It seems that I have gotten sick myself during those crucial weeks leading up to a race and I thought I wasn't going to perform well if I didn't keep training. But I took a week off and then coming back from being sick I twisted my ankle to the point that I couldn't really walk on it for 3-4 days. I ended up one day for 3 weeks before my race and started the race slow and actually PR'd the race.  So I say relax, get healthy and go back to your workout plan without trying to make up for loss training.  
2012-12-31 12:16 PM
in reply to: #4551126

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Subject: RE: Question on Flu and loss of fitness
birdog41 - 2012-12-28 5:07 AM

I had a question regarding flu and fitness.  I got hit with the flu bug a few days ago and I have never been this sick in my entire life.  In fact, I can't even remember the last time I was sick where it kept me down.  Feels like I was run over by a Mac truck and then back over once or twice for good measure.

Does anybody know how much fitness could be/is lost due to having the flu and not working out?  Should I jump back into my training program once I feel better or slowly work my way back up?

 

There have been studies that found that Olympic athletes won't experience a loss of fitness or detraining, till at least two weeks without exercise. For regular people like you and me, studies have found that we can go as much as four weeks without a loss of exercise. So with that said, you shouldn't experience a loss of fitness over just a couple of days.  You will probably feel weak for a few days because of the flu.

 Once you start training again, make sure to ease back into it since your systems are still compromised due to the flu bug.  Maybe do 1/2 the workouts you'd normally do in a regular training block and all low intensity so as not to tax your systems too much.  You may even find that you actually feel better at the end of the training block, from the forced time off with the flu and easy training due to your body shedding accumulated fatigue.  

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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Question on Flu and loss of fitness Rss Feed