No spring in my step - literally!!! Any tips???

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cbstewart88
cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am a 62 year-old 5'4" female currently at 143lbs. (Have about 10 more lbs to go.) I have practiced yoga for many years, and I run between 20-25 miles/wk on the treadmill.

I have just taken up boxing. Part of the training is jumping rope. And there's the rub. I don't know if I have a low center of gravity or what (am very short-waisted) - but I have always had a problem jumping rope. Even as a little girl.....

I could never spring up into a handstand in yoga. My instructor says it's because I have no "spring" in my legs. And now I feel like an elephant jumping rope: heavy - with feet like lead.

Is there anything I can do to remedy this? Are there certain muscles I should be focusing on? Specific exercises? Any help would be appreciated. :)

Replies

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    Ha! I feel just the same.
    I could jump rope,do head/hand stands, and cart wheels when young, but that was 50 years ago.

    Now, at 63, although I am fit and healthy I find actual jumping quite daunting for some reason- as though my feet are glued to the ground. It is jumping up and jumping down for me, and my balance is excellent so it isn't the fear of falling.

    I keep promising myself I will start doing low box jumps- start at 2 in and work my way to knee highly, but I haven't done it yet. Jumping on and off a bosu balance trainer would be a good thing too.

    I don't know any other specific exercises, so I too am interested if anyone has other suggestions.

    Cheers, h.
  • AndreaWatkins2015
    AndreaWatkins2015 Posts: 14 Member
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    My 61 year old knees and ankles don't care for lots of jumping, but I love jumping jacks and plyo moves, so I do them on my jumpsport rebounder, it makes it so much easier on my joints and it's a lot of fun too. It's also great for increasing bone density which I definitely need to focus on.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited May 2017
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    I hate jumping, it just hurts too much. There are "plyometric" exercises you can do to help with spring/explosiveness, but I'm just not there yet and have chosen not to worry about it too much.
    Personally, I think it was rather rude of your yoga teacher to say that!
  • LostSun8
    LostSun8 Posts: 15 Member
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    I'm not sure how that could be taken as rude, but then again for some reason some people find the truth offensive. *shrug*

    I am similar in that I am not a big fan of jumping, whether jumping jacks or burpees, even before my knee surgeries. It's hard not just on my knees but also on my shins, and so I've never taken to developing the neurological training that it involves, which is what is meant by you having no spring in your legs. For any movement, a huge part of developing efficiency and skill is by working on the communication between the nerves and the muscles so that they are recruited properly. Without that, the movement will feel clumsy and heavy.

    Jump squats, even if you can only do a couple at a time, are a good exercise to try. You may only be able to do a few, and only get a couple centimeters off the ground, at first, but that's okay. Also try jump roping without an actual rope.
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
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    I appreciate these responses. At least I know I'm not alone :). I will look into the plyometric exercises lorrpb - thank you for that. LOL re: my yoga instructor. He's an excellent teacher, but subtlety is not one of his attributes.
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
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    LostSun8 wrote: »
    I'm not sure how that could be taken as rude, but then again for some reason some people find the truth offensive. *shrug*

    I am similar in that I am not a big fan of jumping, whether jumping jacks or burpees, even before my knee surgeries. It's hard not just on my knees but also on my shins, and so I've never taken to developing the neurological training that it involves, which is what is meant by you having no spring in your legs. For any movement, a huge part of developing efficiency and skill is by working on the communication between the nerves and the muscles so that they are recruited properly. Without that, the movement will feel clumsy and heavy.

    Jump squats, even if you can only do a couple at a time, are a good exercise to try. You may only be able to do a few, and only get a couple centimeters off the ground, at first, but that's okay. Also try jump roping without an actual rope.

    I like your ideas LostSun8!! Thank you for your response.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    I also have this problem. I am not sure if it's related, but I have been seeing a physical therapist for hamstring tendinitis (from running) and he said that I have the tightest hamstrings he has ever seen. I have been doing stretching and strengthening exercises for the hamstrings. I have also been doing the P90X3 videos and there are a lot of agility drills/light plyometrics in there. These are hard for me, but I keep at it and I believe I am making progress.
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
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    lporter229 wrote: »
    I also have this problem. I am not sure if it's related, but I have been seeing a physical therapist for hamstring tendinitis (from running) and he said that I have the tightest hamstrings he has ever seen. I have been doing stretching and strengthening exercises for the hamstrings. I have also been doing the P90X3 videos and there are a lot of agility drills/light plyometrics in there. These are hard for me, but I keep at it and I believe I am making progress.

    Actually Iporter 229 - my hamstrings are in good shape - flexible and not at all tight - from all the yoga over the years. I will check out the P90X3 videos though. Thank you :)

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