need weight lifting suggestions

debbieHOC
debbieHOC Posts: 56 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am 5'6" 248 pounds and have had 2 back surgeries in the last 6 months. The first surgery was to fuse L4 and L5 and the sutres were taken out 5 weeks later. A week later my back busted open and a few days after that I went back into surgery with 103.5 temp and staph and strep in my back. It has been a hard road back. About a month after that I pull up the meniscus off the back of my right knee, no surgery needed thank God and the popping you would hear with each step is gone now.
My issues are that I really need to do some strength training but am scared to over do it and was hoping to get some suggestions.I do have one of those big balls to use at home and have thought that would help my core and I have some 2 lb, 5lb and 10 lb weights here as well.
I belong to a gym but have stayed away often because right now my back is open a little as internal sutures are working their way out - which is very painful and currently awaiting the results of a culture because the drainage has turned purulent (contains pus).
I really need help and really would love to have a morning workout buddy here in Chattanooga. I work 4p-12a as a after hrs nurse for hospice so my evenings are usually busy.
I do have mornings to work out but have felt so down and disgusted it has been hard to stay motivated. I have considered going back to therapy again or maybe investing in a LIFE coach. Have any of you done that with the LIFE coach?
Thanks for any response... this fat lady really wants to make some changes but at same time I must be careful of back and infections.

:flowerforyou: Deb

Replies

  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    If you still have sutures I would probably wait to start a lifting routine. I'm going to copy and paste what I said on another thread asking about a routine though, but please talk to your Orthopedic Surgeon before you start lifting.

    How much you can do depends on the lift itself. You'll most likely be able to squat more than you can press overhead or curl.

    Your program should have the basic compound movements:


    A Squat
    A Vertical Press (Overhead Press)
    A Horizontal Press (Bench Press for example, though if you don't a bench, you can do Floor Presses)
    A Lower Body Pull (Can't really do Deadlifts with dumbbells, but you can do Romanian Deadlifts with them).
    An Upper Body Pull (Rows would be good for dumbbells. If you can get a pullup bar you can start with using a chair and doing negatives then work your way up to chinups then pullups.)

    You can add in a few isolation movements like Curls or Lateral Raises, but the fundamental compound lifts should be in there. Personally, I think finding a set of dumbbell handles that take Standard or Olympic weight plates may serve you better because it'll be cheaper to increase the weights since plates are much cheaper than dumbbells. However, try them out first. Some Olympic Dumbbell Handles can be clunky and hard to use for isolation lifts.
  • debbieHOC
    debbieHOC Posts: 56 Member
    I don't have any sutures at this time. the last surgery was in Jan 2013 but I do have internal sutures trying to work their way out. I have avoided the pool and the hot tub any time I have an opening on my back, I hope soon that will all be part of my past. i really need help with weights but in a slow safe way,

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