low impact exercise on no budget - ideas please

morkirlan

Hi everyone,

I am looking for some exercise ideas that meet the following two restrictions please:

1) I have arthritis starting in my hips hands and feet. I cannot run more than the "for a bus" distance. A couple of years ago I tried cycling as this was recommended as low impact but found it was worse than running. No it was not muscle pain, I had that too but there was the deep down in my hip socket terrible ache which took a few more days to subside than the muscle pain did and made even walking painful.

2) I have no budget for exercise classes or equipment. I have 3 children, my partner is too ill to work currently and my job is low paid part time. I think I do wonders with our budget as it is and have no more left to squeeze out of it!

Currently I walk everywhere as I do not drive and I am starting with the Canadian Air force XBX exercises to hopefully increase my general fitness level. This is the extent of my exercise.

Any ideas on low impact exercise I can do at home for free which hopefully will work on the strength side of the equation?

Thanks in advance!

47Jacqueline

I am a Zumba instructor, specializing in low-impact, cardio/strength-building workouts. They are called Zumba Gold and Aqua Zumba. If you have ever heard of/seen Zumba, you are probably familiar with the high impact/energy classes where people are bouncing all over the place. You may have shied away from these classed due to personal limitations or just pure intimidation.

I love those classes, but I don't teach them. I also, don't take a lot of them any more because, at 67, I don't want to get hurt and I want to keep teaching til I'm 110. :-)

So, I recommend Zumba Gold or Aqua Fitness; the same energy and fun, with the same benefits and none of the drawbacks. The music and steps are the same, the energy you leave with is the same, but you will be safer for longer because they are low impact. (BtW - I also teach Zumba in Chairs for people with limited mobiliy)

Zumba Gold can be done at home using a DVD, or YouTube (just do a search for Zumba Gold). If you can afford it, take a class, where the instructor will offer further modifications for special needs.

Also, Aqua Zumba is great for anyone wth joint issues or low-impact needs. Done in the low-end of a pool or a specialized gym pool that is shallow, you are submerged to about chest height so the resistance of the water is a factor. Aqua Zumba doesn't have an impact on your body and is a great workout for anyone.

Anyone who belongs to a gym, might want to start stirring up the pot to get them to offer these alternatives. I tried to get my gym to, but they were really snooty about their demographics. Try the Ys.

RamonaFr

I think walking is your best bet. Walking, gardening, playing with your kids -- anything that makes you move, sweat, get out of breath. Gardening is great because it can be difficult or easy, depending on what chores need to be done. And there is a lot of variety so you work your whole body. And, all those veggies will help your diet!

morkirlan

It didn't occur to me that gardening was exercise but that will push me to get out there and tidy it up! Zumba I always thought of as high impact, so I will definitely search for Zumba Gold videos on YouTube.

Thanks very much for the ideas!

Rianne90

Maybe some bodyweight training? I don't know if you would consider that low impact, but at least it involves no jumping around etc.
This website has a training program as well as additional information and it's free: www.startbodyweight.com

morkirlan

Oh the Bodyweight training website looks very useful, thank you!

Deanner03

Yoga or Pilates to increase flexibility and increase strength? YouTube some videos.

wizzybeth

I am a Zumba instructor, specializing in low-impact, cardio/strength-building workouts. They are called Zumba Gold and Aqua Zumba. If you have ever heard of/seen Zumba, you are probably familiar with the high impact/energy classes where people are bouncing all over the place. You may have shied away from these classed due to personal limitations or just pure intimidation.

I love those classes, but I don't teach them. I also, don't take a lot of them any more because, at 67, I don't want to get hurt and I want to keep teaching til I'm 110. :-)

So, I recommend Zumba Gold or Aqua Fitness; the same energy and fun, with the same benefits and none of the drawbacks. The music and steps are the same, the energy you leave with is the same, but you will be safer for longer because they are low impact. (BtW - I also teach Zumba in Chairs for people with limited mobiliy)

Zumba Gold can be done at home using a DVD, or YouTube (just do a search for Zumba Gold). If you can afford it, take a class, where the instructor will offer further modifications for special needs.

Also, Aqua Zumba is great for anyone wth joint issues or low-impact needs. Done in the low-end of a pool or a specialized gym pool that is shallow, you are submerged to about chest height so the resistance of the water is a factor. Aqua Zumba doesn't have an impact on your body and is a great workout for anyone.

Anyone who belongs to a gym, might want to start stirring up the pot to get them to offer these alternatives. I tried to get my gym to, but they were really snooty about their demographics. Try the Ys.

She said she has no budget for classes....I doubt she has a budget to go to a gym with a pool

wizzybeth

Amazon has a DVD of Yoga for people with arthritis:

http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Rest-Us-Easy-Arthritis/dp/B003UH3RQO

I love yoga.

Makhai_

Look into yoga. Your local library should have all kinds of resources for you to use and they will be free.

mary659497

I have lost 15 pounds so far primarily from walking.

sac5350

Morkerlin, I don't know if you have health insurance or what kind it is if you do have it. But several HMOs I'm familiar with either offer
exercise options themselves (walking groups, etc) or subsidize gym membership on a doctor's prescription. I have no idea if that option is available to you but worth a look to see if it is. I too have hip issues and have recently taken up swimming and for me, it's great exercise with no effect on my joints. But I'm also lucky enough to have access to a community pool at no charge so that helps a lot! I also ditto the weight training videos on YouTube or vimeo with light hand weights at home, and exercise bands. Builds muscle which helps support those achy joints!! Best wishes.

jimmmer

Walking.

It's the best low impact exercise there is and it's totally free. Vary the workouts by going for shorter, faster walks. Longer, slower walks. Also more challenging walks that take in a few hills of varying severity.

It's a great way to get out, get some fresh air and get some quality movement in without flogging yourself to death.

Tackle each session seriously: time your routes and try to improve on those times as the weeks go by. I know you say you walk everywhere, but how much attention are you paying to pace, distance and elevation and progression?

morkirlan

Yoga sounds like an option, I'll look into that too. Thank you for the Amazon link.

Sac5350, I am in Scotland and so we have the NHS rather than health insurance but that definitely sounds like a forward thinking practice for countries where health insurance is the norm. Swimming would be great for removing all the strain from the joints, I'm glad it's helping you. Once I can budget it in I definitely intend to make a start.

I don't currently pay a huge amount of attention to pace etc jimmmer but you have some good ideas there to get the most benefit from the time I spend walking. I must start to actually think about how I am walking rather than just getting from A to B.

Thanks everyone!