HIIT

HayloHorrible

hello. I just did about 5 minutes of my high intensity interval training and I had to stop because my right knee is now hurting super bad. I am using proper form for those that might suggest that. I am very careful to move correctly because I am over 100 lbs overweight and I don't want injury to set me back. My question is, what are the best low impact HIIT exercises I could do to preserve my knees? Or any other tips at working out safely? I am not giving up!

NorthCascades

Hill repeats on a bike or swim drills.

You can lose weight without exercise, all you needed is a calorie deficit. HIIT is an exercise protocol for race preparedness, it's among the worst kind of exercise for beginners. It's also not very well suited to weight loss because the rest intervals and short duration mean a small calorie burn, but the intensity means a longer recovery time and more hunger ("runger").

Spliner1969

HIIT is nice, but if it's hurting your knees I'd switch to walking instead, it's low impact and you can burn some serious calories with it. I use my Bowflex M5 for HIIT, its near 0 impact on the knees and lower back but it's a machine that's designed for low/no impact. Ellipticals also can be used and are lower impact. But as far as not using a machine you will just have to be careful and not do exercises that involve high impact like jumping/aerobics. If you don't have access to an elliptical or something similar, try a gym membership. Just some suggestions.

HayloHorrible

defintely feeling the hunger! I am also incorporating a calorie deficit and pairing that with intermittent fasting. I agree that starting slow is best. I think I will go on a walk today since it is not raining too, I've got to push my baby in a stroller..so yeah

jjpptt2

NorthCascades wrote: »

Hill repeats on a bike or swim drills.

You can lose weight without exercise, all you needed is a calorie deficit. HIIT is an exercise protocol for race preparedness, it's among the worst kind of exercise for beginners. It's also not very well suited to weight loss because the rest intervals and short duration mean a small calorie burn, but the intensity means a longer recovery time and more hunger ("runger").

cosigned.

sgt1372

OP: You didn't say what form of cardio that you were doing that caused the pain in your right knee.

So, there's no way anyone can offer tips on how to do what you're doing "better" in order to alleviate the pain.

FWIW, almost every form of cardio involves the knees in one way or another. Some impact them more than others. Doing HIIT just increases the stress on the knees.

I have no data to prove it but my personal impression is that swimming would be the least stressful on the knees and running the worst. In between probably would be the elliptical, spin biking and rowing.

However, there is one cardio device that's been around for awhile but I just discovered and tried out.

It's the SkiErg made by Concept2. The device simulates the full body movement of a cross country skier and can be just as (and perhaps even more taxing) on the body than rowing w/o significantly involving your knees.

See: http://www.concept2.com/skierg/concept2-skierg

There's a link on the sidebar of the webpage above that allows you to find gyms near you that have one that you can actually see and try out.

If there's nothing you can do to avoid knee pain while doing cardio (w/or w/o doing HIIT), I suggest that you give the SkiErg a try.

sijomial

HayloHorrible wrote: »

hello. I just did about 5 minutes of my high intensity interval training

But doing what exactly? Running sprints? Cycling? Rowing?

HayloHorrible wrote: »

and I had to stop because my right knee is now hurting super bad.

Glad you stopped, bad knees aren't a lot of fun.

HayloHorrible wrote: »

My question is, what are the best low impact HIIT exercises I could do to preserve my knees? Or any other tips at working out safely? I am not giving up!

Swimming, running and rowing are low impact on knees (no shock).
But if the problem recurs then do get your knee checked out properly. Even the three things listed above can aggravate certain knee injuries. (With one of my knee injuries I'm not supposed to do breast stroke kick when swimming but can do freestyle kick for example.....)

But really would advise not doing HIIT yet - build a base of fitness and let your body get accustomed to exercise. Joints, ligaments and tendons need to get used to the stress as well as your muscles.
Same as weight training - build up progressively,

mmapags

jjpptt2 wrote: »

NorthCascades wrote: »

Hill repeats on a bike or swim drills.

You can lose weight without exercise, all you needed is a calorie deficit. HIIT is an exercise protocol for race preparedness, it's among the worst kind of exercise for beginners. It's also not very well suited to weight loss because the rest intervals and short duration mean a small calorie burn, but the intensity means a longer recovery time and more hunger ("runger").

cosigned.

Me too. Also, at HIIT intensity and 100lbs overweight, no surprise you would have a joint issue. Why HIIT instead of MISS OR LISS.

HayloHorrible

I was doing modified lunges to start and definitely need to start smaller because that's what hurt I don't have access to a gym or a swimming pool but those are all great ideas. I'm going to go for a 'power' walk here soon and start there. Thanks!

RavenLibra

Interval training is not HIIT... certainly there’s a place for intervals in everyone’s workout...as a beginner... say you are 100 lbs from your goal weight... imagine how someone at your goal weight would do with 5, 20 lb bags of flour loaded onto them... one on each leg, arm and for good measure on their shoulders... how long before they would sustain an injury?

Forget intervals for a while, and get moving on an elliptical, stationary bike or even a stairmaster... concentrate on steady state... keep your heartrate in the zone (70-80% of max... max= 220- age) for at least 30 minutes every other day) this will begin to get your body functioning the way it has evolved to function... concentration should be on maintaining a steady pace... and consistent “lap time” . You will notice that you will be dealing with some anxiety, shakiness, light headedness... all good things... adrenalin, oxy, endorphins, dopamine etc... your body uses these goodies to help push your limits... eventually you get used to it... start at level 1... as if gets harder to stay in the “zone” increase resistance... after 12 weeks reassess your effort and your goals...

Don’t forget to add flexibility into your pre workout. stretching before will help lube the joints, get the blood flowing in your muscles and the pain will get the chem factory pumping.

After a couple of 12 week cycles... begin playing with intervals... as long as you continue with pre workout stretching your cardio system and all the other body systems ( respiratory, skeletal. Endocrine, exocrine etc.) should be up to speed you can begin thinking about working harder... but without sound habits and a good cardio you will spend more time nursing injuries than you will enjoying your workouts

sgt1372

sijomial wrote: »

Swimming, running and rowing are low impact on knees (no shock).

I assume this was a typo. Running is definitely high impact on the knees while swimming and rowing or not.

sijomial

sgt1372 wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Swimming, running and rowing are low impact on knees (no shock).

I assume this was a typo. Running is definitely high impact on the knees while swimming and rowing or not.

@sgt1372
You are correct!
Good catch Sir. Brain/finger disconnect.

Was supposed to be swimming, cycling and rowing!

I'm a lunatic cyclist with awful knees who can cycle 100+ miles in a day with no knee pain but can only run 2 or 3 miles miles a week.