No matter what kind of weight training goals you have, be it powerlifter, weightlifter, bodybuilder or strongman or enthusiast, illness will always become a setback to your routine. You can train through most illnesses, and I advise you do, as its days like those when you might surprise yourself at what your body is capable of even when you feel like crap. However, the HUGE killer to your dreams and ambitions is physical sickness, particularly food poisoning/stomach bugs.
At the end of the switching cycle I caught such a bug that it had me over a toilet for hours. You lose sleep and lose your appetite and cannot absorb any nutrients you do take in, let alone most water you take in, as it all makes its way back out in some way. Strength comes from rest and nutrition, and if you can't get these your training will be to no avail. In this case rest up, stop throwing up force bland food down, drink water and Powerade - recover asap!
Luckily, somewhat, I felt better the next day, but nowhere near 100% the thought of lifting on Monday made me want to die. However, I got my ass to the gym on Monday to start the Smolov Intense cycle. Did I want to lift? Not really, I still wasn't eating properly, and hadn't for 2 days previous. Did I lift? YES. I smashed out every set. It was hard but I got through it, over such a short time I immediately noticed the loss of mass on my legs and also the loss in strength, particularly during the warm up. Previously I was more than comfortable with my 1RM weight across my shoulders and more (see overloading post) but it hurt to have 80% of that.
You can never predict these things, and it will crop up on you at the most inconvenient of times. Just don't give up, do what it takes to recover, eat, drink, sleep then get back in the gym ASAP.
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