TIME TO GET RRRIIIIIIIPPED!!!!! - the exercise thread

Been way too long since I exercised. I got my medicine ball out and did a couple sets.

 

Got a Valve Index VR system. Played Thrill of the Fight for 18 minutes and could hardly stand up.

https://www.vrfitnessinsider.com/review/the-thrill-of-the-fight/

 

Trying to at least take a short walk every day, and trying to make sure I do it in daylight. Not gonna make an appreciable difference to my vitamin D levels in this weather, but it's worth a go.

 

Just doing some kind of exercise regularly is good! Especially since we're all indoors so much 'cause of the the 'rona, getting out and getting fresh air is really good (and I should probably do it more myself)

 

Some members of my dance class are doing a sponsored exercise thing - 25 sit-ups, 25 push-ups, and 25 squats every day this week, then adding on more throughout February. I'm not being sponsored but I'm gonna give it a go anyway.

 

After a year of not exercising regularly, sit-ups are REALLY HARD :( Ah well, it's only been one day.

 

Second day and it's already easier! Just had to get back into my stride.

 

I'm strong enough to hold myself in a push-up position, but I can't bend my arms right when I'm there. Frustrating. I think it might be a balance thing, I'm scared to move once I'm in position in case I faceplant?

 

Try doing standing push ups against a wall until you have nailed the movement range and have the right flexibility in your joints, then try doing a couple of elevated, working your way down to a standard push-up.

 

After you do standing pushups on the wall enough that they aren't too hard anymore, do some at about 45 degrees on the edge of a table or desk. The higher the easier.

 

I shall do so! I tried standing pushups today and I can much more easily get my arms to move in the correct way.

 

Gone up to inclined pushups leaning on the windowsill.

 

OW OW OW overdone the exercise and my entire lower body seized up halfway down the street OW. Epsom salts bath and a while on lower reps for me, I think.

 

Found a stretch routine which will hopefully help out my back.

 

Anyone have tips for exercise/weight-related knee pain?

 

KNEE SLEEVES. It's a stretchy fabric compression brace for your knees. My Aikido sensei strongly suggested we all wear them even it was entirely preventative, to help support and stabilize the joint during the rather intense workout and lessen the likelihood of injury. The compression and added warmth of the fabric can also provide a bit of relief from minor pain and stiffness. Highly recommend to anyone doing anything even remotely knee taxing.

(Also I think I've probably gone on about this before, but check your shoes regarding whether they match the specific activity you're wearing them for as well as wear and tear. Those things need to be replaced periodically. A dedicated sporting shoe store should be able to tell you all kinds of strangely technical information as if you're buying a car, like how this model suits your stride, approximately how many steps the shoes are good for, and when you should bring the used shoes back in for an evaluation. They're not exactly cheap, but they're not more expensive than a decent pair of heels, and they are sporting safety equipment that can actively hurt you if they're no longer in good enough condition.)

If the pain is being caused by too much stress on the joints, you may want to peruse low impact options just see if anything sounds good. Impact is exactly what it sounds like: you hit something suddenly with a lot of force behind it, such as the ground with your leg while running or jumping, putting a great amount of stress on those joints. This is not even remotely an unusual concern, so people ought to have no problem understanding exactly what you're talking about and discussing options. Afaik, the gold standard for low impact exercise is swimming, because you can get a great full body workout with the resistance from the water, and it's extremely lacking in impact. There's also options like yoga, which is not known for having much impact, and is highly adaptable to individual bodies and needs. And an appropriate weight training plan can be an excellent help in both fitness and building muscular strength that can further help take strain off your joints, making sure they have plenty of support and stability.

There's tons of middle ground in there too. If you've had trouble with running or jogging, walking is a valid lower impact option. There are plenty of exercise machines that also have lower impact but still allow you to use your legs for cardio if that's your preference, like an elliptical or stationary bike. If you are using lower impact options and you're having the same problems at more or less the same level, that's beyond my ability to give anything like responsible advice. There may be something else going on there, and it's worth looking into. That's not meant as doom and gloom, just someone who is actually a qualified to assess your health and fitness having a gander so they can help you figure out how to go about exercising in ways that improve your health instead of causing undue pain and risk of injury.

 

I hate running but I jogged to the end of the street to wear off some nervous energy and it wasn't so bad.

 

Yoga is a problem because my fat gets in the way and crushes my lungs in certain poses >:(

 

Adapt the poses.

No, seriously, this is the thing that Iyengar yoga teaches. If you can't do the pose, adapt it. Can't put your forehead on your shin yet? Use a bolster. Can't touch your toes or keep your arms close enough? Use a scarf or a belt to hold the position. It's meant to be adaptable, because people have differing bodies and ability levels, and they don't want to punish you for not being able to do the thing. Also certain poses might not be suitable for you personally, so just....don't use them? (I hated that one where you had to bend double from standing and clasp your arms behind the knees, so I stopped doing it, because it made me feel swimmy and gross.) There'll be something else that'll do the job or close enough. Search up adaptive yoga or adapted asanas.

 

I found some! Excellent. Will practise those.