Help - Ive been banned from Jogging and impact exercise

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  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    How about something like Tai Chi or yoga classes for the comradery? Also on youtube there are lots of video routines for sitting and low impact exercises.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    Happily, you do not need to do impactful exercises to get in amazing shape.

    Obviously the cardio is a problem for you, but there is an easy solution: start lifting heavy weights. The ones you start with won't be that heavy, but they will feel heavy to you. Your strength will increase and you will be able to progress with heavier weights.

    No impact necessary and so much fun.

    Good idea; but I do need to improve my stamina as well as burn calories hence the focus on some cardio.
  • angel79202
    angel79202 Posts: 1,012 Member
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    I am recovering from my second ankle surgery, here are some ideas:
    - recumbent bike
    - arm bike
    - elliptical
    - crunches, squats, lunges
    - maybe a weight lifting class?
  • schmenge55
    schmenge55 Posts: 745 Member
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    You could try learning to race walk (if it would be allowed). I am going to be starting spinal decompression in a couple of days and it could last 2-3 months. No running allowed. However since race walking is low impact she (doctor) has no concerns with this so I will switch to all race walking (I have always mixed both) for the next 2-3 months
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    I suck at swimming, and gyms bore me rigid as well, so while I do join gyms, I only ever do their group fitness classes. For me there is something about having a set time that I need to turn up, you get to know other people in the class and are therefore someone notices if you DON'T turn up, and there is someone up the front encouraging youto keep going - to keep pushing yourself.

    Some of the movements in these classes can be done as high impact, but as I have back and joint issues I have to do everything low impact. Good news is there are very few movements that you can't modify - in fact often the instructor automatically shows you a low impact option. Once you've been modifying for a while, you can usually figure out a low impact version on your own.

    While I know you think you will hate it, if you haven't actually tried a group fitness class, I think you should give it a go just to be sure - you might actually surprise yourself :-) Zumba, Boxfit, Pilates, Yoga, water aerobics, Abs/Butts/Thighs - even a spin class and you can't fall off those bikes! Even a dance class might fit the bill! (Recommend Ceroc or French Jive if you have it where you are...)

    I've been off for a while with a shoulder injury that is just starting to come right, and googling all the different choices has even inspired me to start getting back into it! I get bored easily so I usually try and do as many different classes during the week as possible. I have to admit that even if I was allowed to run, I probably still wouldn't - it does seem to be very hard on the body!

    I'm glad the situation wasn't permanent and you're starting to come right! Good luck with finding something you enjoy that will help you get fit and fabulous!!

    Good idea. I have always gone to the gym done my thing and left and after a while boredom set in so stopped going. I will try the classes.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    You could try learning to race walk (if it would be allowed). I am going to be starting spinal decompression in a couple of days and it could last 2-3 months. No running allowed. However since race walking is low impact she (doctor) has no concerns with this so I will switch to all race walking (I have always mixed both) for the next 2-3 months

    Actually there is a race walking group that meets near my parkrun route. I actually tried it (my version) when we were late meeting some people on a walk. I could actually sustain the 'race walk' style far longer and easily than running and kept up with my hubbys very very fast walk. Deffinately worth looking into and talking to my consultant about.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    Zumba can be good. It is what you make of it as far as impact. It may take a couple of different classes with different instructors but i have known many older women with health issues that love it and it has helped them immensely. :smile:

    Worth a try, as I did a class or 2 a few years ago and had a laugh
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    swimming
    Pilates
    calisthenics
    martial arts-kung fu/karate
    boxercise
    gym ball

    im sure theres more just cant seem to think.

    good luck even though i know its not luck :)

    Thank you for the new suggestions - a couple there I would not have thought of as low impact on my joints.
  • lydpearson
    lydpearson Posts: 6 Member
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    Hi there.
    I also avoided impact exercise while recovering from a back injury caused when I was running. I cant ride a bike and would rarely use the gym/swimming pool so in the end I took up walking. Sounds a little basic perhaps but if you find a long route and set yourself a decent pace you will soon see the benefits! Although I have now recovered from my injury I continue to use walking as my main form of exercise, I go 2/3 times a week for about an hour and a half. Sounds like a long time to be exercising but it isnt at all strenuous and can be quite theraputic at times! If you find a route you like eg through a park/forest and give yourself some nice music to listen to, or go with friends you might decide you like it just as much as your runs! best of luck & I wish you a speedy recovery.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    I broke my ankle in the tough mudder race (please don't do it, the obstacles are shotty and many people get injured. Its not tough it's stupid!) Anyhow, swimming has kept me sane as I recover. If possible, you may even want to try open water swimming, and/or look for swim groups in your area. Great low impact exercise and my endurance has never been better. Good luck!

    Glad you are on the mend. Just had a quick look at TM and WOW. Hats off to you for taking that challenge. The only thing about the TM that attracts me is that you have to have support and some team work. Otherwise you all are nuts in the best possible way.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    A recumbent bike is stationary.

    I only know a stationary bike as stationary. A recumbent bike to me is one where your position is recumbent so weight is distributed from back to hips; legs are forward to cycle.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    Some exercise is fun, and sometimes you have to work to make it more fun. I'm not crazy about the stationary bike, but I read a book on it. Likewise, the elliptical trainer is dull, but I have a playlist of music that transports me. I genuinely enjoy walking, biking, swimming, skiing, climbing, kayaking, and just about any kind of exercise that can be done outdoors. Dancing isn't even exercise to me, even though it's exercise, and you can do it with other people. Yoga is another one of my favorite things.

    Of that list, I guess I will have to take up dancing again.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    Hi there.
    I also avoided impact exercise while recovering from a back injury caused when I was running. I cant ride a bike and would rarely use the gym/swimming pool so in the end I took up walking. Sounds a little basic perhaps but if you find a long route and set yourself a decent pace you will soon see the benefits! Although I have now recovered from my injury I continue to use walking as my main form of exercise, I go 2/3 times a week for about an hour and a half. Sounds like a long time to be exercising but it isnt at all strenuous and can be quite theraputic at times! If you find a route you like eg through a park/forest and give yourself some nice music to listen to, or go with friends you might decide you like it just as much as your runs! best of luck & I wish you a speedy recovery.

    Thanks for this. I took up walking doing around 30 mins a day which was easy as I live 2 minutes walk from open moorland woods and fields. Sadly my hubby is working away again and I prefer to go with him also it is getting dark early now. But there is still the week end.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    I have to admit that I wondered if the pounding my joints were taking from the star jumps skipping etc in the 30DS were the straw that broke the camels back. I now have better (as in proper) running shoes - used only twice and have thought to go back to the parkrun to see how I feel.

    I find the types of movements in 30DS to be FAR harder on my joints (knees especially) than running ever has been. The jumping jacks in particular are brutal on my knees.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    I'm very joint injury prone but have always been active with cardio since I had to quit running years ago.

    Try the elliptical, stationary or road bike, swimming or water aerobics, rowing machine or real rowing, roller blading or ice skating, cross country skiing or the equivalent norditrack machine, a low impact aerobics class. And if you don't have access to the equipment or classes, just walking/hiking is pretty good too.

    And work in the weight room on quad extensions to stabilize the knee, and do pilates style exercises for core strength to stabilize the hip area.

    Yes it looks like the elliptical for me (consultant recommended). Last time I went Ice skating, I came home via the hospital, bandaged up and with a walking stick. I blame not learning to ride a bike as a kid for my lack of balance.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    I have to admit that I wondered if the pounding my joints were taking from the star jumps skipping etc in the 30DS were the straw that broke the camels back. I now have better (as in proper) running shoes - used only twice and have thought to go back to the parkrun to see how I feel.

    I find the types of movements in 30DS to be FAR harder on my joints (knees especially) than running ever has been. The jumping jacks in particular are brutal on my knees.

    Yep. in my heart of hearts I feel the 30DS was wrong for me.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
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    Thank you all for replying. Lots of good low impact suggestions.

    I miss having a personal target - the 5K - to challenge my self with and to focus on plus having the camaraderie and support of people when I finished the run. I am not sure any of the other suggestions will give me that but only trying them out will tell. I will let you know what I settle on.

    Thank you all
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
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    Happily, you do not need to do impactful exercises to get in amazing shape.

    Obviously the cardio is a problem for you, but there is an easy solution: start lifting heavy weights. The ones you start with won't be that heavy, but they will feel heavy to you. Your strength will increase and you will be able to progress with heavier weights.

    No impact necessary and so much fun.

    I came in here to say this ^^^ But, I would like to add that some of the benefits of lifting are increased stability, increased LBM, and increased bone density. My suspicion is that if you brought in lifting, that you would be able to re-incorporate running into your life. You loved it so much, it would be worth it to try to be able to bring it back.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    Can you get a second opinion?
  • kkerri
    kkerri Posts: 276 Member
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    I just got home from walking around a festival and am in pain. It stinks to have a body that cannot handle impact. You can get a good cardio workout on a recumbent bike, but you just need to force yourself to work hard and do it a little longer. I aim for 45 minutes.

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