How to increase Cardio/Endurance on two bad knees...........

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  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    Also have bad knees. Use a TRX with an interval timer and mix it up so that I am not always using the same muscles and throw in some windmill shin touches to give the arms a break. It's upper body cardio if you avoid the squats and hops. I do an exercise with the straps shortened where I can hang under it and do something like a crab walk with very little weight on my knees to give them a little exercise bent without triggering inflammation.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,154 Member
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    bikecheryl wrote: »
    Thanks so much for the info!! I was considering rowing - its great to hear the positive responses on it... especially those with knee issues also. :)

    It's worth a try, but whether it works will depend on very individual details of what's wrong with your knees. I've been a rower (water in summer, machine in winter) since my mid-40s (now 62). Rowing requires lots of leg power, but it's in a straight-line hinge motion (similar to cycling in that respect), with relatively little impact or twisting. Effectively, you're doing leg-press motions, high-rep moderate weight, 1000+ times an hour. Resistance increases via technique (not machine settings) as you get technically better and stronger at it.

    I have some OA in both knees and a torn meniscus (not caused by rowing ;) ) in one, and rowing is still manageable for me at decent intensity, if I intersperse rest days and ice after workouts (whether I feel like I need it at the time or not). But I have friends with other knee issues (patella arthritis for one, torn meniscus for another) who do have trouble with rowing, and the other woman with a torn meniscus ultimately gave it up.

    For me, the knee stress from the motion is similar to cycling, but rowing has higher resistance than flat-road cycling (even with my hybrid bike). I don't know if you use clips to bike, but rowing is all push, no pull with the legs (even though your feet are tied down). It's all pull, no push with the upper body, so some alternate work to balance muscle development is a good plan for injury avoidance if you do a lot of rowing.

    I'm mentioning this because for some reason people think of rowing as primarily upper body exercise, which it most definitely isn't, even though most have seen a rowing machine or rowing shell and should know that the legs are involved.

    If you'd like to try it, instruction/coaching from a qualified person is the ideal way to start, with Concept 2 videos as a secondary option (ideally used in conjunction with a mirror and/or videos of yourself). The body mechanics are not 100% obvious, and even quite a few general gym trainers I've seen are doing/teaching it wrong.

    If you can, try it out for some time on a decent, well-maintained machine (C2, Waterrower) at a gym or something, before making a major investment.

    Don't get me wrong: I think it's great, and I think everyone should do it (as long as they don't crowd up my river ;) ).
  • GoodLardy
    GoodLardy Posts: 163 Member
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    Another vote for rowing. Bad knees here too, love to hike and walk but feel it after a couple miles. No knee issues with the rowing. Purchasing the c2 was the best decision I’ve made. If I had to choose between it and my wedding ring, rower wins!!!
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,216 Member
    edited October 2018
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    but really... cycling is a great answer. If you can find one of the cross-country ski machines like the old NordicTrac they work well too.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    bikecheryl wrote: »
    I'm looking for a program that will help me build my cardio & endurance despite two bad knees.
    So walking and running are not an option. :(
    .
    Biking definitely is or perhaps something else ??
    .
    I'm looking for a defined, set program..... Tuesday do this.... Wednesday do that.
    .
    I used to run marathons so I understand the principal of building up, rest weeks, etc.
    And I absolutely thrive on a schedule....
    I just don't know how to do it other ways than running.
    .
    Note: When osteoarthritis in both knees stopped me from running I kind of lost myself for awhile.... gained alot of weight and am pretty much starting from scratch here.
    I'm scheduled for a TKR next year and need to be ready for it.
    .
    I have lost 50 lbs from April and have another 75 or so to go.
    .
    Any and all help greatly appreciated. :)

    I have a bad knee and hip (same leg) and I swim. I do my own thing but my pool offers Master Swim classes where you work with a personal trainer (swim coach) who devises a workout specific to your needs that includes sprints for cardio and/or working with equipment like a board, gloves, or a bean to increase both cardio and resistance.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    bikecheryl wrote: »
    Hi everyone...... I see this thread was revived..... YAY !! That gives me a chance to update it.

    So..... I ended up purchasing a used rower...... worked on it and my bike on a trainer all last winter.

    Walked, biked, kayaked and golfed this summer.

    Fast forward and I've lost 115 lbs with about 20 to go.

    I'm scheduled for a simultaneous double knee replacement January 9th, 2019.

    Oh ya.... I joined a crossfit gym last month and it's been great!! The owner has been fantastic at adapting certain exercises to my knees. And I'm getting that structure I was craving.

    Thank you all for your great suggestions - they've been extremely helpful..... especially on finding proper instruction when it comes to rowing. I contacted our provincial rowing club and the president was so helpful I'm going to get out on an actually boat next summer!

    For anyone else in the same situation...... Don't let bad knees stop you!!!

    Seriously, if you have the will, there is always a way..... it's not alway easy or conventional but it is possible. :)

    Great job and I am glad you found something that worked for you, as swimming has for me. Occasionally reviving a zombie thread is a good thing, especially if the OP sees it and tells us how it went.

    Good luck with the knee replacements. I know so many who have had really great results.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,034 Member
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    Water jogging is surprisingly challenging. If you have access to a pool, get into it! Have you tried working with a personal trainer? If you do your research, you can find one that can work wonders for rebuilding the muscle structure around your knees. Yoga is also a great option.

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