Strength Training with bad knees

fultimers

I am 63 and weigh about 238. I'm not losing weight fast but it's coming off little by little. Currently I'm getting in lots of walking and time on the exercise bike and doing just a little strength training--but want to do more. However, some of the exercises I was doing such as squats and lunges really, really hurt my knees. I estimate I am 2-3 years away from having to do joint replacement.

I am doing crunches, modified girl push-ups (arms still not strong enough to do a real one), and work with my 5 pound weights about 3 times a week to strengthen my arms and shoulders. I do have access to a fitness center with weight machines (yes, I do know that many in this group prefer heavy lifting to weight machines). I would have to join a gym to have access to free weights.

How can I increase my strength and still protect my fragile knees?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

Sarauk2sf

What specific equipment does the center have? You do not have to join a gym or use free weights to get a good workout, depending on your goals.

fultimers

Sarah,

I'll have to go and write down the names of the weight machines. In addition, they have treadmills, bikes, and ellipticals.

Sarauk2sf

Sarah,

I'll have to go and write down the names of the weight machines. In addition, they have treadmills, bikes, and ellipticals.

Are they fixed trajectory ones or cable type ones if you can recall? Some fixed machines are better than others. The issue with the fixed ones is that some can cause you to be out of natural alignment - others are not so bad, and cable machines are pretty good for routines.

Re your knee issues - do you have issues with static lunges (like bulgarian split squats - back leg on bench) or just ones where you walk or step forward while doing them?

aylajane

bump so I hear the suggestions!

fultimers

Sarah,

The machines I have available to me in our community (at no cost to me) are by Keiser and Paramount.

The Keiser machines are pneumatic and include:
Arm Curl
Abdominal
Seated Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Leg Press
Lower Back
Biaxial Chest Press
Upper Back
Arm Curl

According to a sign on the wall, the Paramount apparatus has the following machines but they aren't individually labeled so I'm not sure which is which. Most of these seem to be the pulley kind of machine.

Vertical Butterfly
Chest Press
High pulley with Rev. Curl Bar
High Pulley with Lat Bar
Leg/Calf Press
Adjustable Flat Back

They also have anywhere from 4 to 20# dumb bells.

You asked about my lunges. I've only done the ones where you put one leg forward and then squat down. I don't know anything about Bulgarian lunges but I could go to Youtube and check it out if needed.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

faely

In for info too.

Sarauk2sf

Thanks. I will get back to you with suggestions shortly - probably over the weekend.

bumblebums

If I may, your forecast about needing a knee replacement might not actually come to pass. Carrying all that extra weight is hard on the knees, and many people experience a significant improvement even after a relatively modest fat loss. A more significant loss might make your knee problems go away entirely. (No promises, of course.)

fultimers

If I may, your forecast about needing a knee replacement might not actually come to pass. Carrying all that extra weight is hard on the knees, and many people experience a significant improvement even after a relatively modest fat loss. A more significant loss might make your knee problems go away entirely. (No promises, of course.)

I would be over-the-top happy if losing my excess weight would prevent me from knee replacement. Thanks for the encouragement to keep losing!

fultimers

Bump: 5 days