Low Impact Workouts

Hankamillie989

Are there any workouts that I can start on to build strength in muscle that doesn’t require you to need an ice bath for a week? 😂 I’ve lost over 100lbs in 6 months and I’m looking to tone up and tighten everything up. I work a job that requires a lot of movement and mobility. So being in pain wouldn’t be great.

Xellercin

I would say that most exercise doesn't require an ice bath. Just try stuff, modify your intensity to what's comfortable for you, and do what you enjoy.

AnnPT77

Can I be frank? I can understand why you'd be fearful, but I think your fear is probably disproportionate to what you'd actually experience, if you move ahead with a common-sense kind of approach.

First, you can start any strength program slowly - more slowly than the program suggests, if you'd prefer. (I'm going to use weight lifting examples, but weight lifting isn't the only way to build strength.)

For example, if a program tells you to pick a weight that you can lift for 10 reps with the last rep being quite difficult, choose a weight that's easier than that, to start, and see how it goes. If the program tells you to do 3 sets of 10 reps (or whatever) start by doing one set of 10. Do the reduced-effort version, and see how you feel. If it was no big deal, increase something a little (the weight, or the reps, or the sets) and do it again as scheduled in the original program (which will probably have either rest days built in, or vary the exercises from one day to the next to rest alternate muscle groups).

When you find just a mild sort of a challenge, maybe a mildly worked-out to slightly-sore but manageable level, stay at that level until it gets easy, then increase something a little again. With patience, you'll amaze yourself with your progress over time, I will bet.

Second, it's common to feel a little sore when starting a new type of exercise, perhaps especially sore a day or two after. This is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), and it's just the body's way of saying "What the heck? You haven't asked me to do that before!" Sometimes, when that happens - especially if someone has been overly aggressive and has over-reached their current fitness more than essential - the person gives up, and thinks that's just how exercise is, forever. But it's not.

If the soreness is major/severe, the person should back off (in intensity somehow, like reps/sets/weight), but continue doing the exercises, because DOMS doesn't just keep happening to a generally healthy person. Even if the person keeps going - with a bit of a manageable, progressive challenge, not an extreme - the body gets used to the movements, and the soreness decreases with repetition.

In the short run, helpful things to try for muscle soreness (DOMS) can include an epsom salts bath, stretching, self-massage, good hydration, icing initially and heat later, OTC liniments or capsaicin/menthol soothing stick-on patches, OTC pain relievers if necessary.

Third, if you do get some mild muscle soreness, your active job will be a blessing. Another mistake some people new to exercise will make, when they get sore, is to rest more and do less, because they feel stiff and uncomfortable when they try moving. However, mild movement, like daily life activity movements, walking, stretching, etc., help the soreness dissipate, and help the stiffness go away more quickly. Sitting still just keeps things stiff and sore longer!

Fourth and finally, it's important to distinguish normal soreness (which does dissipate) from pain that may indicate an injury. This is potentially complicated to understand when new to exercise, but as a super generality, normal soreness tends to be more dull and more regionalized, i.e., affect many of the areas newly challenged by the exercise, while an injury's pain tends to be more sharp and localized, like to a specific joint or individual muscle. The muscle soreness is normal, and can be self-treated and improved, then exercise load adjusted to minimize it on the next round. Injury pain may need rest, or even a doctor, depending on symptoms and severity.

I'd encourage you not to be afraid, but to think in terms of starting gradually, and building up slowly. Your body should gradually adjust to a sensibly increasing challenge, and you'll also come to understand and have confidence in your body's ability to handle those kinds of challenges.

Best wishes - the rewards of exercise generally, and strength exercise specifically, can be huge!

P.S. There's a thread here with strength training programs that other MFP-ers have found helpful, and it includes beginner programs.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

Despite the title, it does include strength programs that are not just weight lifting, such as bodyweight programs. With any of the programs, you can start at a lower intensity than the program suggests. For the bodyweight programs, maybe the program will include adaptations for those who need a slower on-ramp, but if not, what you can do is use web searches to find progressions. For example, if the program wants you to do push-ups, but you don't feel ready, you might do a web search for "progression to push-ups" and pick sources that are from physical therapists, university sports-science sources, or other credible, credentialed organizations/people. If in doubt, ask questions in the Fitness part of the MFP community, and people will try to help you.

Wishing you excellent progress!

metaphysicalstudio

Great advice above! Make sure that you give yourself time to stretch fully before a workout. Also, start small. Use lighter weights, work your way up to fuller cardio sessions, etc.