Although many apparent justifications for missing a workout are really just excuses in disguise, there are some legitimate reasons why it can be a good idea to skip a workout. Here are ten of the most significant.
1. You are dealing with an injury
If you try to push yourself to exercise when your body is coping with a serious injury, you will fail to exercise to your usual potential and will also delay the healing process.
Although it can be difficult to sit down and accept that you can’t work out for a while, you will actually get back to peak fitness levels at a faster rate if you give yourself a break from exercise.
You should also feel free to skip a workout if you have a minor injury that is temporarily debilitating (such as a sprained ankle).
However, depending on exactly where an injury is located, there may be some forms of exercise that can actively promote healing and allow you to keep boosting your overall fitness levels at the same time.
For example, you may want to see a physiotherapist to discuss how to strengthen a damaged leg without exacerbating an injury, and to have the severity of the damage assessed.
In addition, some types of injury can actually encourage you to try new types of exercise in order to avoid exacerbating your pain. If you’ve broken your arm, now might be the perfect time to start using a bike for cardiovascular workouts, and if you can’t run then you might take this opportunity to start learning how to use a rowing machine.