Fitness

When Can You Skip a Workout?

You have committed to your new chapter, on a mission to hit your goals and something pops up outside of being sick or injured that presents the question… “Is it OK to skip my workout?”. Here are some reasons to give you a breather and not feel guilty if you really should miss training.

You Had an Awful Sleep

Lack of sleep can be detrimental to your input during sessions and not having a great night’s sleep can mean your focus is foggy and you’re not as sharp for a productive workout. To prevent an accident while exercising, perhaps get some rest and come back fresh tomorrow.

Also read: Can’t Be Bothered Working Out? Read This First

You’re Very Sore

Having a little soreness is fine and quite normal with some types of activity, but if you feel as if you have been hit by a truck, it’s fine to give yourself permission to take a little leave pass.

You Might Be Overtraining

Constant lethargy, low mood and disturbances to the menstrual cycle can often point to symptoms of ‘overtraining’. If any of these are present, take a look at your approach to your exercise schedule and ensure that adequate rest is allocated. If not, it is totally necessary to skip a workout and recharge.

You Had an Active Day

There may be days when an expected duration of activity pops up, meaning you’re moving without really noticing. To skip your scheduled workout as you feel wiped out already is OK. Just be honest with yourself about the event that took place and if it does warrant the decision to not train.

Also read: Successful Weight Loss Depends On Your Mindset

You’re Crazy Busy

Sometimes being busy really IS ok! It’s important to have this balance in life, of being firm with your commitment to exercise, but remaining level headed and having a sensible approach to prioritising your diary. Missing a workout as you have a super essential family appointment to attend, or something that needs your attention to keep your life in the ‘normal’ basket is alright. Just be honest about your priorities!

You’re Obsessed With Training

Are you giving yourself a hard time about HAVING to exercise despite all of the other things that are going on, then feel extremely guilty for even thinking about not training for just one day? This is an obsessive approach to exercise, and not always a healthy one. Take the day off and feel OK about it. If you train hard then it’s NOT the end of the world to do this every now and again, when you feel you really need to.

It’s That Time of the Month

The time of the month can be a breeze for some, but a nightmare for others. Be real about your thought processes here and if you’re crippled with cramps and feel cloudy with emotion, sometimes a rest day with a hot water bottle and TLC is needed.

Also read: Our Experts Share Their Tips for a Healthy Summer

You Just Had a Baby

You’re feeling WOWEE after such an incredible time and keen to get your pre-baby body back! Motivation may be on a high, but please take very good care and listen to your body when returning to exercise. Our bodies can be very unpredictable during the first phase of post-baby training and it’s important to adhere to the need to take sufficient rest days.

Louise McDonald, Cert III & Cert IV Fitness
Louise has been a Trainer and Wellness Coach for almost 20 years and is one of our experienced Support Crew members in Fitness, as our Lean and Strong Captain! Louise has worked passionately with all levels of fitness over the years across both Australia and the UK, where she has specialised in competition training with athletes for the last decade. She has worked closely with top level competitors and even our own 12WBT peeps to bring home a National Trophy! She lives, breathes, eats and sleeps weight training and is super passionate about teaching others how to reach their full potential.

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