Strength Training
PrairiePride49
Posts: 19 Member
Where should one start? I've gained and lost so many times and have definitely lost a lot of strength. My balance is also not good. I bought a bike this summer and had a hard time riding it because of balance. I need some ideas.
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Depends. One of the fitness APPS on the MFP site is FitSTAR. I have it on my phone and did the intro session. I thought it was quite good and expect that the regular program is equally well done. You don't need a gym membership or weights. It is relatively inexpensive. I'd suggest trying it out, see if you like the introduction and if you do, try it for a month.
I happen to have a gym membership (YMCA along with nearly 15,000 other people in this town of 80,000). However I have done weights off and on for a couple of decades. Even with that I have found it helpful to have a few sessions with one of the trainers. I have three different weight routines - each take about 30 minutes and work different parts of my body and do one every other day or so.0 -
Thanks, I'll look it up.0
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Hi Prairie Pride.
I've "restarted" strength training this month with a specialized trainer at a fitness center. You are correct, we definitely lose muscle mass if we don't use and as we get older.
Weight bearing exercise is extremely important for women.
I was on the high school swim team, a gymnast in college, and then middle distance runner. I had really great training from my coach in college. I learned that the correct form in strength training is very, very important. The wrong form will either not do what you want to do or injure your muscles. Even after all this background in sports, you would think I know what to do for myself.
Not so. It's been at least five years since I've done any even small amount of training. I'm older and my body has changed. I need the skills from a professional.
If you can, I suggest a few sessions with a certified personal trainer at a gym to get you started. Be sure it is a good match and the trainer has the credentials and certification required. Not just some gym jocky that knows how to use the machines. You want a specific program tailored to your age and condition and the goals you are seeking for yourself. The first thing a good trainer does is talk to you, ask you questions and gets a sense of your health status. Next the person should check you out physically and see what you can do before designing a program.
After a few sessions ( and be sure the trainer gives you the written program so you can follow it on your own) you should be able to take it from there.
Strength training exercises are not "one size fits all." Body mechanics are different in everyone.
Just my two cents.0 -
Thank you. I have heard that form is very important. I live in a small town and don't know if we have any trainers around, but am going to the weight room tomorrow and will check it out. I did get a few strength training ideas off the internet to try at home. I did start but am concerned about doing them right.0
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Understood.
Is there a gym in a nearby larger town where could go one day and make an appointment to get started then take the program home with you?
May be an option to look into.
Good for you getting started with it. You will feel great.0 -
I will be checking in to it next week. Thanks0
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Depends. One of the fitness APPS on the MFP site is FitSTAR. I have it on my phone and did the intro session. I thought it was quite good and expect that the regular program is equally well done. You don't need a gym membership or weights. It is relatively inexpensive. I'd suggest trying it out, see if you like the introduction and if you do, try it for a month.
I happen to have a gym membership (YMCA along with nearly 15,000 other people in this town of 80,000). However I have done weights off and on for a couple of decades. Even with that I have found it helpful to have a few sessions with one of the trainers. I have three different weight routines - each take about 30 minutes and work different parts of my body and do one every other day or so.
Thanks for mentioning FitStar, I downloaded it and am liking how it has music, verbal instructions and videos on how the exercises are done, along with the timing feature. No gym needed, no equipment besides my iphone needed, love that.
Did you go for the upgrade? I am already thinking about signing up for at least a couple of months.0 -
Thank you. I have heard that form is very important. I live in a small town and don't know if we have any trainers around, but am going to the weight room tomorrow and will check it out. I did get a few strength training ideas off the internet to try at home. I did start but am concerned about doing them right.
If you don't have a trainer or can't afford one, check on YouTube for the exercises you are trying to do. There is some great stuff on home workouts over there. From Bob Harper and Jillian's stuff to the gal next door who figured out how to do it.
A good book is Mark Lauren's Body By You, which is aimed at women, but he also has a unisex workout in his You Are Your Own Gym. A good library should have that one already, BBY is newer, so might not be in the libraries yet.0 -
I spent 30 years working as a home care and hospice nurse. During that time I came to believe that those who had the fewest injuries and the shortest recovery times among the geriatric poplulation were the walkers. You see them everywhere in malls, on the streets, and in parks. Also, as a believer in natural health, my all time favorite person to quote is Hippocrates - the father of medicine. The quote which I believe applies here is "The best exercise for a man is to walk" Start with frequency, add duration, and then intensity. I have been using an exercise bike since October (and I LOVE it) when I bought myself one as a reward for enduring my surgery! But I just started walking again since I retired a couple of weeks ago. The bike does not help balance, the walking does. Hope this thought helps0
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Thanks for all the ideas.0
