Most people pride themselves on showing up to the gym no matter what. But pushing through every dip in energy isn’t always a sign of commitment. Sometimes, it’s the fastest way to get injured, burnt out, or stuck in a cycle of inconsistency. That’s why fitness trainer Adi Rad recently shared a list of situations where skipping the gym isn’t laziness at all, it’s smart training.
In an Instagram post, she wrote: “These are ACTUAL skip days” and then broke down six scenarios where showing up can backfire. The first: “When you’re sick (fever, flu, infection). Not ‘a little tired’ – actually sick. Your body needs ALL your energy to recover. Training will make it worse.” She added a simple guideline many people already use but rarely understand fully: “above the neck = okay to train / below the neck = REST.”
Rad also highlighted situations where basic physical needs haven’t been met, like “When you haven’t eaten all day. No fuel = trash workout + higher injury risk. Eat real food first (protein + carbs), THEN GO.” Sleep plays a similar role, with Rad warning: “One bad night? Go. ZERO sleep? Stay home. Your coordination, strength, and focus all drop; injury risk goes up.”
Another key sign she mentions is pain — not general soreness but actual discomfort: “When you feel pain (not soreness – PAIN). Sharp, stabbing, or joint pain. ‘NEVER push through the pain.’” Yet she clarifies that movement is still possible: “you can ALWAYS train differently… Avoid the painful movement, train another muscle, do cardio, stretch, go for a walk.”
Emotional states matter too. Rad notes that immediately training after intense distress can overwhelm the system: “Right after a huge emotional meltdown… Walk, breathe, calm down first. Then go lift – you’ll actually feel AMAZING after.” And finally, she points to the commonly ignored warning signs of burnout: “If you’re exhausted, losing strength, not recovering, moody, no appetite… Your body is begging for REST, not another session.”
The ‘above the neck = okay to train / below the neck = REST’ rule for illness
Sadhna Singh, senior fitness and lifestyle consultant at HereNow Official, tells indianexpress.com, “The ‘above the neck’ rule is a useful general guideline, but it should not be treated as a medical green light. Symptoms limited to a mild runny nose or nasal congestion are usually safe for light activity, provided there is no fever, body aches, chest congestion, or fatigue.”
She continues, “People should avoid training if they experience fever, chills, elevated resting heart rate, shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, or a deep cough. These are clear signals that the immune system is under stress, and exercise can prolong recovery or increase cardiac risk.”
How lack of sleep, lack of fuel, and acute emotional stress affect coordination, injury risk, and overall workout safety
Singh shares, “When the brain is fatigued, motor control becomes less precise, balance deteriorates, and joint stability is reduced, which dramatically increases the risk of strains, sprains, and poor loading mechanics. Training in a fasted or severely underfed state lowers blood glucose, which can cause light-headedness, weakness, and impaired decision-making during a session.”
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She adds that emotional stress elevates cortisol and adrenaline, which can make movements more rushed, aggressive, and less controlled. Together, these factors make training unsafe, as the body and nervous system are not in a state to handle technical or heavy exercise safely.
The difference between harmless soreness, early injury signs, and pain that requires complete rest or medical attention
Normal muscle soreness feels like a dull, tight, or aching sensation that appears 12 to 48 hours after exercise and reduces as the body warms up. Injury-related pain is more localised, sharp, stabbing, or persistent and does not improve with movement.
“Warning signs include joint pain, swelling, clicking, reduced range of motion, or pain that changes how you move or causes limping or compensation. If pain is sudden, severe, present at rest, or worsens with light activity, training should be stopped. In such cases, complete rest and professional assessment are recommended to prevent long-term damage,” notes Singh.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.