Strength training that is gentle on joints

tashspring68

Currently my main forms of exercise are cycling, walking and jogging. I want to add some strength training (other than cycling up killer hills), but I need exercises that are gentle on my joints. I have fibromyalgia, and my joints have a tendency to spit the dummy under pressure. There will be a twinge and they'll lock or crunch and be painful for days, so I need to avoid that.

But I'm stuck for ideas....so hit me!!

middlehaitch

Try aqua fit. There are a number of different varieties and some focus on resistance work more than cardio.
It won't be a big muscle builder, at all, but should help in muscle preservation, a little strengthening, flexibility, and balance.
Swimming would also be good.
Both use the resistance of the water.

Body weight exercises may work, there are a number of good programmes
This is my favourite:
https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

Cheers, h.

cafeaulait7

Certain forms of yoga would be a great start. I'd start with something like Hatha or Iyengar yoga and work my way up to other forms or advanced poses. The balancing or inverted poses take a lot of strength. Do it progressively, though, or the harder ones will be too much. Work up to things and work on them consistently for good, safe, progress.

I like the bodyweight idea, too (very progressive, though. Start small!). I am afraid that heavy weights may not have the extremely gentle progression built in. They'll be too light or either too heavy for you, probably, so I really wouldn't start there (which is unusual). But I'd add them in later after your body has had to adapt to bodyweight strengthening, yeah. Obviously skip the really crazy-hard bodyweight stuff

mmebouchon

You might want to try Pilates or yoga. There are lots of free YouTube videos that offer beginner workouts. If you check them out online you won't run the risk of getting carried away in a class and over doing it. It is nice though to have instructor at a class who can help modify things if you need some help.

DavPul

tashspring68 wrote: »

Currently my main forms of exercise are cycling, walking and jogging. I want to add some strength training (other than cycling up killer hills), but I need exercises that are gentle on my joints. I have fibromyalgia, and my joints have a tendency to spit the dummy under pressure. There will be a twinge and they'll lock or crunch and be painful for days, so I need to avoid that.

But I'm stuck for ideas....so hit me!!

I personally know a fair number of women with fibro that successfully train by lifting heavy weights several times weekly.

_Terrapin_

DavPul wrote: »

tashspring68 wrote: »

Currently my main forms of exercise are cycling, walking and jogging. I want to add some strength training (other than cycling up killer hills), but I need exercises that are gentle on my joints. I have fibromyalgia, and my joints have a tendency to spit the dummy under pressure. There will be a twinge and they'll lock or crunch and be painful for days, so I need to avoid that.

But I'm stuck for ideas....so hit me!!

I personally know a fair number of women with fibro that successfully train by lifting heavy weights several times weekly.

^^this^^ Benefits outweigh the negatives. Many women with f-i-b-r-o lift heavy and their conditions improve or at the least are not irritated.

cafeaulait7

As someone with a chronic pain problem, I was just taking the OP at her word. But it doesn't bother me when anyone doesn't do that (about me) unless it's a physical therapist or doctor. Then it grinds my gears.

I get hideous flareups with my condition (definitely not fibro) from things that sound weird. Certainly not everyone with upper back/neck problems gets flareups from what gets me, either. But it's taken me years to figure out how to train around it. Some physios help and some don't, but if it causes a huge flareup for days, I know it (obviously). The ones who don't help just kind of avoid addressing the part about the awful rate of flareups I experience with them (wtf, right?).

That does remind me, OP: Water weight routines with a physio might really help. I can do lifting in the water that I simply can't take on land. I've also gotten injections (steroid + lidocaine) at the doctor for long enough to go through a short round of heavier weights, and that's one tactic that could help. I'm just brainstorming.

I do lift heavy, btw, just not for certain lifts. I do mainly iso work to address my flareup issues. I hope to one day get to actual heavy lifts for my bad parts, but as of now I'm still only advanced to limited strength poses in yoga for those. My problem comes on later than during the actual lifting, though. If you know as you go, you might have a lot more options!

tashspring68

Maybe I need to look at different ways of lifting and see if there is something to places minimal strain on my elbows. At this point I have to be careful with just carrying groceries, because my elbows go on me and then I have trouble using them at all for several days. It's one of those, the more I try, the worse it gets sort of things, which I learned the hard way.

paulandrachelk

Bowflex. I have joint issues also. Bowflex progresses from zero to loaded weight gradually as you flex the rods. Actual weight lifted seems to be 1/2 of amount on rods if you do free weights.

DavPul

tashspring68 wrote: »

Maybe I need to look at different ways of lifting and see if there is something to places minimal strain on my elbows. At this point I have to be careful with just carrying groceries, because my elbows go on me and then I have trouble using them at all for several days. It's one of those, the more I try, the worse it gets sort of things, which I learned the hard way.

Perhaps ask your GP for his/her opinion

mbaker566

I would recommend yoga to keep your joints loose. and as you progress in yoga it will definitely help strengthen your body. there are many types out there and just as many teachers with just as many different styles. me, i go with aerial yoga as it helps support me. you might find a blend works well, like doing hatha, vinyasa, and restorative

swimming and aquafit is also good. though i cannot personally speak to the muscle building aspect of it.

you can also look into bodyweight work like "you are your own gym" on days when you aren't having flare days. I would also recommend doing some yoga or stretches at the end of every strength work out. Well, i would recommend it every night or every morning really

either way, always tell the instructor you have fibro so they can help find modifications for exercises that you might struggle with

<-- has a form of myalgia