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Article Series: Exercise & Fitness
What Are The Most Effective Ways
To Exercise & Get Into Shape?
Exercising
Your Bad Knees
Weak and painful knees can be the result of
injury, over-stress or simply genetics, but the aching
truth is that bad knees can seriously limit your workouts. Knee replacement
surgery is not recommended except in absolutely vital situations
and the cost is prohibitive to the average exerciser, and many
people eventually give up on ever being able to carry on a
normal fitness program. There is good news, though: think outside
the box of normal exercise and there are still plenty of options
that don’t place as much stress on the knee joint. You may
not be able to run a marathon but you can still build a healthy
body without totally ruining your knees.
Yoga
is an excellent option for achy knees. The activity has
gained in popularity since the 1990’s, not simply because it
can be very relaxing but because it builds strength without
putting the body under duress. Even professional sports players
now incorporate yoga practice into everyday fitness because
of the benefits for both mind and body. Most yoga studios will
offer classes that are as low-stress as possible, so call around
and talk to some of the staff to find out. Explain that you
are looking specifically to avoid strain on the knees – qualified
yoga practitioners will be able to tell you if their studio
will meet your needs. You can almost always observe a class
for free and typically you will be allowed to take one free
session, so make the most of this consumer advantage to identify
if this is an exercise and class that you enjoy.
You may not have a local yoga studio or simply have no interest
in taking outside classes – no problem! The teacher
will simply come to you. There are literally hundreds of yoga videos on
the market today, many of them specifically designed with bad
knees in mind, so all you have to do is find the video that
suits you best. Do an internet search for specific
videos and read reviews from other users. If you order through a catalog,
you frequently are allowed a grace period in which to try the
video out and return it if it is unsuitable. Once you have
found a video that fits your lifestyle and appeals to you,
watch the video several times to learn the rhythm of the instructor
and become comfortable with the pace of the movements. Learning
the poses ahead of time makes your practice with the video
much easier. Once you’ve got the hang of your yoga video, practice
with it three times during the week to begin with and then
as your strength increases, practice more until you have a
daily routine built up. Yoga is a very gentle exercise but
you will be amazed at the changes you see in your body within
the first two or three weeks.
If
you really do want the teacher to physically come to you,
many professionals are available for private at-home sessions
for a price. It may be expensive, so consider splitting the
price and sharing the instructor with two or three friends.
The practice is still private and the teaching is individual,
but the price becomes much more manageable.
A
practice similar to yoga is Pilates. Yoga focuses more on
stretching and toning while maintaining deep breathing, but
Pilates focuses on building strength. Originally developed
by Joseph Pilates in a World War II concentration camp, the
program uses a series of movements that employ the body’s weight
as its resistance to train and strengthen muscles. Few movements
require strain on the knees and the leg exercises can increase
the strength of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles to better
support the knee joints. The first movements of Pilates zero
in on the “powerhouse” or core area to build muscle support
for the spine. By having a strong midsection that can keep
the upper body erect, you lessen the strain placed on the knees
by poor posture. Pilates can correct and relieve many areas
of stress for people with bad knees.
Find a practitioner in a similar way to yoga – call around
to local studios to learn information about classes and instructors.
Many Pilates studios frequently offer the same option
as yoga studios and allow you to observe and even participate in a
free class before making a decision about joining. Individual
instructors are also available for private home lessons, though
this can be more expensive than yoga depending on where you
live. If you’re interested in home Pilates lessons, go in with
some friends and have your own mini-class – since each person
pays a portion of the total price, it costs you far less but
still gives you wonderful individual attention.
Well, you say, yoga and Pilates are great for building muscle
and strengthening the body but what about burning fat? There
is some debate about the aerobic quality of Pilates and yoga
practice with most people falling on the side of a decreased
calorie burn. The exception would be Ashtanga yoga, which is
very physical and hard on tender knees. Pilates ultimately
builds your muscles, though using the Reformer machine can
help increase heart rate. Reformers are still relatively rare
in gyms and studios, and the cost is prohibitive for individuals,
so it seems like it is back to square one. The solution is
simple: start swimming! Swimming laps is a wonderful workout
for everyone but especially for people with arthritis and tender
joints because the water supports the body and decreases the
pressure on the frame in favor of working the muscles and cardiovascular
system. Add three days of thirty-minute swim workouts to your
schedule and see the fat disappear while your muscles become
strong and beautiful.
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