Can you? Yes. Should you? That depends. Working out when You Have COVID.

Posted on June 16, 2022 by Ronnie Loaiza, One of Thousands of Performance Coaches on Noomii.

I’ve read several articles on this in various sources, ranging from the Mayo Clinic to Shape-online.
Full disclosure. I have Covid as I write this and have worked out every day since being diagnosed. Note: I did not go as strong or intense as I normally do, and I felt I was dreaming through some reps, so I’m not even sure I did them. Just kidding. I did them, but that’s to point out that I was a bit lethargic and knew not to push it. I did only weights, body weight strength, and core training (planks and leg raises), and did not raise my heart rate.

I AM IN TUNE WITH MY BODY AND HAVE A GOOD INTERNAL MENTAL AND PHYSICAL GAUGE. Plus, I discussed it with my doctor in a video visit, and she knows me.
I never advocate people working out if they risk several things, including:
getting dizzy, woozy, lightheaded, overheated, overextended, working through an injury,
having a fever or being dehydrated.

From a mix of ten studies, interviews, and articles, a couple of doctors said you should wait 7 to 10 days to give your immune system all the energy to fight the virus; most experts say wait a few days and resume working out when you have light or no symptoms, and two doctors said it’s okay to workout from the get-go if you have light or no symptoms.
SO, Back to square one.

I will list MY suggestions, but first, I’d like to share this from

HSS ( Hospital for Special Surgery) guidelines encourage people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to avoid working out (especially at a high intensity) until they’ve had at least seven days without symptoms. This timeframe is much longer for people who experience heart-related complications of COVID-19.

And here’s what many specialists think of the upsides of working out when you have COVID.
• Exercise helps your lungs recover during and after illness
• Prevents blood clots
• It helps your arms and legs stay strong and keeps up or maintains your metabolism
• It improves your mental health
Okay, HERE’S WHAT I’VE SUMMED UP ABOUT WORKING OUT IF YOU HAVE COVID-19.
Dip Your Toe In the Exercise Water
You can increase your activity level depending on your symptoms and, most importantly, whether you’re infectious or not. I SAY – MY opinion- Not to work out in a studio, gym, or closed indoor space while recovering. You are A- in need of oxygen, and you may need mental space B- You could infect someone. So NO, NO, NO NO NO NO NO. I guess that shows how I feel.
When to start easy, low or no impact exercise:
• You have not had a fever for 2 days in a row
• You feel up to it despite being low energy, but YOU MUST BE FULLY ALERT
• Do not have any internal chest pain
• You are just a bit short of breath doing jumping jacks as a test or walking fast
• Your legs are not swelling
• You do not have a runny nose
• Your chest is not congested. You’re NOT consistently coughing
• Do not have a headache
Do NOT exercise if:
• You have a fever or had a fever of 101 (doctors say 102.2) in the past 2 days
• You are severely short of breath with daily walking-around-the-house chores or movement.
• You have a pulse oximetry result of below 92% at rest
• Your breathing rate is above 24 breaths per minute
• Your heart rate is above 105 beats per minute
• Your (systolic) blood pressure (top number) is 30 points below your “normal.”
• You have chest pain or rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeats
• You are dizzy or lightheaded (different from brain fog)
• You’re confused (again, you must be truly alert)
• You’ve had some recent falls
• You have not eaten or had anything to drink in 12 hours
• Have the chills
• You are consistently couching or sneezing or wheezing
I find a bit of gentle yoga (online), and stretching feels oh so good. That is up to you, and you may want to stretch while lying in bed.
If you did not know, I am an experienced, highly trained Certified Personal Trainer, and I know how to be connected with my body and have helped clients understand how to be connected with theirs. The above, again, are my personal opinions and should never be taken as advice. If you or a loved one has COVID and are wondering if you should, can, or should not workout, I urge you to have a video or phone consultation with your Health Practitioner, preferably in this case with an MD or Physicians Assistant, and share all of your medical history, concerns, and symptoms no matter how trivial they may seem.
As for working out post-having Covid, I’ll write a separate piece about that. I want to look into Long vs. Short Covid. But, rule of thumb- no fever, no or minor symptoms, and consult your doctor. * Many of my Clients are coached on Fitness, Health, & Mindset around it.* It affects your mood, career, job, relationships and every aspect of your life.

Ronnie Lo Life Coach
CPLC/IFC Accredited; CPT