Exercises you wish you could do but can't
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Proprioceptive Dysfunction and dyspraxia make it impossible for me to execute a flip turn while I swim laps. If I try, I have no idea where I'll end up, hit the wall, two lanes over, etc. I simply lack the sense or awareness to do a flip turn. My brother competed in swimming in college and high school and I was good enough (arguably better than he was) but could not compete due to my inability to do a flip turn.
Not that I was any good or wanted to - but basic tumbling gymnastics moves like cartwheels and round-abouts were unattainable as well.1 -
I've never been able to do pull ups....not even when I was young and thin!....that will be one of my long-term goals....
Also, there's an ab machine at the Anytime Fitness I go to that I have not figured out how to use...since I go to the gym before the roosters even crow, I rarely ever see staff and I'm not forward enough to ask other gym members....so I don't even bother with it....I tried to figure it out once and couldn't get it to budge, so I'm guessing either I wasn't doing something right or I'm not in fit enough shape to use it yet!....another long-term goals!2 -
Deadlifts. Form is fine when its just the bar. Put any weight on the bar and form goes bellyup. No matter what my PT did, nothing would work as my back would always round. As I always get lower back problems from doing them, PT has stopped me doing them completely. Oh well. Can't do everything.1
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I can't run. Everytime I do I have the places above my ankles that pop out and turn purple. They also hurt extremely bad.1
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pistol squat although i have strong legs0
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I broke my ankle last September so right now it's running and jumping that I can't do and I miss terribly! Hopefully by next spring I can start running again.0
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A muscle-up!0
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I have weird knees, so squats and lunges are super tricky for me. Also, yoga because I am not too bendy.0
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Crunches have always been hard for me. My neck always hurts...I could be doing them wrong. I cant even do the ab machine at the gym because I can never pull the handles down. My core is very weak.0
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SkinnyFatBGone wrote: »I have knock knees so I can't do squats or lunges properly, unfortunately. I really wish I could. Attempting to do these exercises always leaves me injured and sidelined for at least a week. Also, I look like an idiot when I run, which is another issue.
Are there any exercises that you are physically incapable of doing?
Forward crawl. I have a rotation issue in one shoulder so I swim my laps using breast stroke. Would love to be able to switch it up a bit.0 -
planks...just can't seem to hold my body weight up and straightening my back hurts.0
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I wish I could do pull-ups but my upper body strength sucks.
I'll keep practicing though!1 -
Can't for physical/medical reasons...
Running, jumping, standing on one leg, pretty much anything requiring calf strength or foot/ankle mobility. That adds up to a LOT of things!
I have CMT type 2A and zero motor control over my feet. My squats are kind of half squats, and I have to deadlift with a cage bar because the angles I bend at mean the bar gets stuck under my knees otherwise!
Can't because I haven't put enough work in...
Unassisted pull ups
Most things involving any sort of flexibility
Can because I'm bl00dy minded and find a way...
Ski red runs
Walk a marathon
Proper press ups
Not altogether terrible bench press
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Can't run...according to the doctor. At first this made me want to run and I have a couple times, but I really don't enjoy it anyway. Sometimes I wish I did enjoy it.
Double unders...I worked at it for a long time, could do a few, did 10 in a row once. Then stopped, I tried again and can not do them.
Pull up, but I haven't let go of the dream.1 -
I have a hard time doing side planks where you dip your hip to touch the ground while you balance. I just can't do them.
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After a sprained MCL on my left knee and torn meniscus a few years later on my right I was told there were quite a few activities I could never do again. It wasn't true though. I just had to gradually build up to it. I tore my meniscus a little over a year ago and was told I could never run or do high impact exercise without surgery, I opted for PT and conservative treatment. Well, last week at my strength and conditioning class I chose not to modify and did 5 sets of 10 box jumps followed by a 1 mile jog without issue.
Sometimes it really is just a matter of starting where we are and building from there. I have been religiously working out and working up to this since I got off crutches and was cleared to resume weight bearing. I will continue until I can run a 5k0 -
For all of us (myself included) who want to learn how to do a pull-up, here is a training guide from Nerd Fitness:
https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/do-a-pull-up/1 -
Squats - lost a couple of important bits from my left knee.
Contact sports - knee again.
Running - only about 1 to 3 miles a week of running in my knees (the right one isn't in great shape either!).
Lunges - well I guess could do them with one of my legs....
Heavy deadlifts - back injury. Anything that causes significant vertical compression is out of bounds. Often have to do shoulder presses one-handed to halve the load.
Can I ask what exercises you do instead of squats? I also have knee issues (no ACL, PCL, screws in my right femur) and still squat but it doesn't feel great!
I personally avoid running, plyometrics and contact stops due to said knee injury and hypermobile joints prone to injury.0 -
Squats - lost a couple of important bits from my left knee.
Contact sports - knee again.
Running - only about 1 to 3 miles a week of running in my knees (the right one isn't in great shape either!).
Lunges - well I guess could do them with one of my legs....
Heavy deadlifts - back injury. Anything that causes significant vertical compression is out of bounds. Often have to do shoulder presses one-handed to halve the load.
Can I ask what exercises you do instead of squats? I also have knee issues (no ACL, PCL, screws in my right femur) and still squat but it doesn't feel great!
I personally avoid running, plyometrics and contact stops due to said knee injury and hypermobile joints prone to injury.
@LisaTcan
My injuries are a bit different...
Lost PCL and 90 % of lateral meniscus from left knee at age 31, old stellate fracture to patella plus significant laxity in both lateral and medial ligaments and a bit of a meniscus damage in right knee.
I'm 7 years beyond predicted age (50) of needing a total knee replacement so doing OK.
In summer months I do virtually no strength work with my legs because I do a hell of a lot of cycling instead so I'm either cycling or recovering from cycling. Living in a hilly area helps with quad strength.
In winter I do some leg press but go bone-on-bone if I try to go above 200kg - the squeaking upsets fellow gym goers!
Some leg extensions but that's a bit of a strain on damaged knees (torsion).
Still manage to keep quads fairly strong which is important for knee stability but not as big or strong as I would like.
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@sijomial thanks for the info! Your quads look very strong to me!
Thank you.
It's like walking a tightrope - keeping leg muscles strong to compensate for injured joints without wearing them out. Cycling has been great for me, loads of cycling miles creates less far knee reaction than a 3 mile run.
Best of luck with your knees, that's amazing you can still squat at all with your injuries. You must be a determined lady. :flowerforyou:0 -
Iron cross (gymnastics)1
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Pole dancing. I did it for nine months before I injured my knee. I've tried everything but surgery to repair it so I'm hoping with some major weight loss I can get back into it. It was not only good for my body but for my soul0
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I wish I could ride a road bike, but I have terrible balance - I can ride a bike, I'm simply too nervous, so it's a constant white knuckle ride for me and my shoulders & hands are painful after due to the tension and grip when I finish ... I love my spinning/aerobic bike and I use it most days; I love the motion of cycling and would dearly love to hit the road or track, but my nerves let me down every time.
I'm working on unassisted pull-ups, which are coming along nicely, so I know I will master them one day, which was something I never thought I could do, so who knows, maybe, just maybe my nerves will ease and I can take my road bike out there in the sunshine and enjoy a leisurely cycle in our beautiful Peak District one day.3 -
Sit ups, crunches, any lying down abdominal exercise. I have just always lacked the muscle tone in my back to do them as long as i can remember.0
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i would love to be able to do turkish getups again. cursing myself for ever having let them drop off my map in the first place, but i've got a vulnerable hip atm that obviously isn't ready for me to reintroduce them just yet.0
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I can FINALLY after a year of training, do full pushups. I did 40 in my workout this week, compared to not being able to do 10 on my knees a year ago. Next goal, chinup/ pull up. Building strength in my arms but still got some fat to lose.7
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Overhead squats and snatches1
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Can't lift my leg while doing a side plank. I'm convinced that it's because my legs are so super muscle-y that they just can't be lifted as easily as all the other people in my class seem to be able to do it.
Or I could just be a weakling.2
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