Any begginer and asthma friendly strength training help?

babymin1
babymin1 Posts: 7 Member
edited August 2021 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! So far I've lost about 40 pounds, mainly from dieting. At the start I exercised 5 days of the week with a stationary bike but stopped after a few months. As my weight loss has slowed lately, I've decided to start back on the bike again but also try strength training with it. I have asthma so intense stuff is hard for me, that's why I use the bike since a chill speed won't make my asthma act up. Does anyone have any tips and or ideas about where to start for beginner strength training (ideally without equipment) that won't be too hard on my asthma? Can respond if anyone has more questions :)

Replies

  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,656 Member
    Do you know what type of asthma you have I.e. allergic or exercise induced? That will help to make recommendations!
  • babymin1
    babymin1 Posts: 7 Member
    claireychn074 wrote: »
    Do you know what type of asthma you have I.e. allergic or exercise induced? That will help to make recommendations!

    My asthma is exercise induced, usually gets bad after a few minutes of moderate - intense exercise
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    Possibly your best bet is to do what exercise you sensibly can without putting you into anything like "distress".

    There can be reasons other than not doing the exercise for your weight loss not to be as great. I have no idea how much weight you have lost so far nor how much more you would like to loose. As you loose weight the amount of food you need to consume because of the smaller size reduces. I think MFP says to recalculate with every 10 lb lost. Your present weight lost could be the greater part of the reason for your weight loss having slowed, being closer to your goal.

    There have been several articles I've read recently saying exercise is not essential for weight loss. I know some find by exercising they are able to allow themselves more in the way of treats or even extras using eat back concept.

    There is an article I came across a long time ago. It related to mature persons in care accommodation though it will equally apply to anyone else. Sitting or standing tall takes more in the way of calories than slouching. I take this to mean, working on your posture can help in little ways. Possibly for an asthmatic person, achieving better posture might be helpful in allowing you to expand your chest cavity giving your lungs more space in which to function. (From family observation, there can be a tendency to hunch as one tries to take a breath.)

    Wishing you all the very best and hope you can find ways to relieve your asthma.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,656 Member
    babymin1 wrote: »
    claireychn074 wrote: »
    Do you know what type of asthma you have I.e. allergic or exercise induced? That will help to make recommendations!

    My asthma is exercise induced, usually gets bad after a few minutes of moderate - intense exercise
    Okay that’s helpful, thanks. (I’m not a doctor but I exercise a lot and I have asthma, so my answer comes from personal experience.)

    I do weightlifting and if I go straight into weights, particularly breathing deeply and bracing, I will wheeze like a pair of bellows. So I do some gentle cardio to warm up (not much, it only takes me 2 mins on a rowing machine to wheeze), then I stretch and do mobility for a few mins. I personally find that conditions my lungs to not over-react to the following exercise. If you’re going to try that, have your inhaler nearby and go reeeeeaaaallly slowly as you experiment. As you get fitter you may find it takes more and more exercise stress to induce that wheeze - but asthma is a very personal condition so it might not.

    Look online for weight training breathing exercises and follow those before you try weights. It took me a while to learn to breathe properly whilst wheezing but I promise it’s worth it. You might find upright exercises easier on your lungs (not compressing them) so be prepared for some body weight exercises to cause asthma. Press ups, sits ups and crunches may make you wheeze, but press ups against the wall can be good, and standing knee raises (for your abs) can also be good.

    Other body weight exercises that are good for strength (and you can google all of these for technique) include:
    Calf raises on your bottom stair (single and both legs)
    Glute thrusts (can use heavy books to add weight)
    Plank and side plank
    Body weight squats (narrow and wide stance)
    Lunges (go really slow for the burn)
    Single leg RDLs

    Is that any help??
  • babymin1
    babymin1 Posts: 7 Member
    claireychn074 wrote: »
    babymin1 wrote: »
    claireychn074 wrote: »
    Do you know what type of asthma you have I.e. allergic or exercise induced? That will help to make recommendations!

    My asthma is exercise induced, usually gets bad after a few minutes of moderate - intense exercise
    Okay that’s helpful, thanks. (I’m not a doctor but I exercise a lot and I have asthma, so my answer comes from personal experience.)

    I do weightlifting and if I go straight into weights, particularly breathing deeply and bracing, I will wheeze like a pair of bellows. So I do some gentle cardio to warm up (not much, it only takes me 2 mins on a rowing machine to wheeze), then I stretch and do mobility for a few mins. I personally find that conditions my lungs to not over-react to the following exercise. If you’re going to try that, have your inhaler nearby and go reeeeeaaaallly slowly as you experiment. As you get fitter you may find it takes more and more exercise stress to induce that wheeze - but asthma is a very personal condition so it might not.

    Look online for weight training breathing exercises and follow those before you try weights. It took me a while to learn to breathe properly whilst wheezing but I promise it’s worth it. You might find upright exercises easier on your lungs (not compressing them) so be prepared for some body weight exercises to cause asthma. Press ups, sits ups and crunches may make you wheeze, but press ups against the wall can be good, and standing knee raises (for your abs) can also be good.

    Other body weight exercises that are good for strength (and you can google all of these for technique) include:
    Calf raises on your bottom stair (single and both legs)
    Glute thrusts (can use heavy books to add weight)
    Plank and side plank
    Body weight squats (narrow and wide stance)
    Lunges (go really slow for the burn)
    Single leg RDLs

    Is that any help??

    Oh thank you so much! Yes this is lots of help, and many good ideas! I'll make sure to have my inhaler and as well as give myself enough time in between so I have some time to make sure my breathing is good before I continue. I'll try a slow warmup, and then be careful and try out some of those exercises, I didn't even think about how upright exercises are a good way to go to not compress my lungs haha but i'm gonna try some of these out, see how they make me feel and see what works well with me. I know upright press ups against the wall aren't too hard on me, I've tried them before and I know those are for sure something I can do, just slowly. Thank you so much for the advice and recommendations! Excited to try them out this weekend :)

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