Unsure which exercise is best for me.

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mlet23
mlet23 Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I know I need to get into exercising more but I am in a bit of a predicament. I have arthritic knees and elbows so running is pretty much a no by direction of my specialist. I have access to a pool but no gym. Is swimming really the only thing I can do?

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  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
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    Swimming is fantastic exercise! If you're looking for something else, you can probably use an elliptical trainer at a gym; they're pretty easy on the knees, and you can usually adjust their level of incline to make it more challenging.
  • mlet23
    mlet23 Posts: 6 Member
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    The only problem is that I don't have access to a gym and I am worried that swimming alone won't really do enough. Although I guess something is better than nothing. Maybe I'll throw in a walk as well.
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
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    I can't really say enough good things about swimming. It gets your heart rate up like any other cardio when you're doing laps, and works a lot of muscles that don't get targeted very well by any other exercise. I grew up in Michigan, right along Lake Erie, so there was no shortage of lakes and pools to dive into throughout every summer.
  • omahagal30
    omahagal30 Posts: 6
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    Unless you absolutely don't like to be in water at all or have a phobia,, swimming is the best exercise you can do, especially if you are arthritic or handicapped in any way. It is forgiving with your joints and the cardio is fantastic. You can be so creative with how you move in water and create your own resistance. Tread water, twist & turn, walk or run in the water, work your arms, etc. Water can also be very relaxing at the end of your workout. I do think whatever you do, it sure helps if you LIKE to do it. It does make it easier if you have access to a gym. Walking is terrific too though and always accessuble & absolutly free! With walking you can also be creative - long strides vs. short, slow walk vs. power walk pace, different terrains, flat vs. hill, different kinds of music to set your pace or motivate you, Wear a pedometer or time your walks; increase and beat your own times.... Good luck i8n finding what is right for you! :smile:
  • gem057
    gem057 Posts: 12
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    walking has been my only form of exercise since I started to get healthier back in January, so far I have lost around 46lbs and could do with losing the same again (at least). I live in the country and walking fits in with my lifestyle, I have a husky which needs lots of exercise and I started off slow at just walking everyday and am now walking for at least 1 hour per day sometimes twice a day.
  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
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    Only you will know which exercise is best for you. If you want to do something at home, maybe you can check into Leslie Sansone Walk Away The Pounds workouts. I have a lot of them and I like them. You can preview some of her workouts on Collagevideo.com. Your library might carry some of her workouts. If not and you want to buy a workout of hers, you can check Walmart, Target, etc.
  • Imajicat
    Imajicat Posts: 114 Member
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    Just about any exercise you can do on dry land, you can do in the pool.

    I have arthritic knees, too, and was feeling hopeless about finding a workout that wouldn't hurt. I started doing water aerobics classes at the gym a couple of years ago and I LOVE them. It's the only exercising I've ever done that I don't actively hate for every second. The classes are a lot of fun but if you don't have a class to go to, just do the work outs in the pool. The great thing about water work outs is that its very easy on the joints because the water supports your body, but you actually burn a lot of calories because of moving your body through the extra enviromental pressure of the water.

    Besides various types of swimming you can also:
    vigorously tread water
    hold the edge and do flutter kicking in intense 1 minute intervals
    do push ups against the side of the pool
    hold on to the side and do crunches by pulling your feet up on the wall/pushing feet out behind you
    JUMP! forwards/backwards and side/side across the lap lane marker
    use foam water weights to do resistance training
    go in 3 feet of water and do walking, jogging, walking lunges, squats, jumping jacks, just about anything, and the water will hold you up so your joints wont hurt.

    After a year in the pool I was able to build up my leg muscle strengh enough to support my bad knees more and get out of the pool to exercise a couple of days a week and now can walk a mile. It isn't a lot, but' it's a lot more than I could do before.

    so, yeah, get in the pool. You will become a big water work outs cheerleader like me :blushing:

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