Full blown workouts can be great way to lose weight, increase your heart rate and provide you with an overall fit appearance. A dedicated weekly workout regimen will do wonders for your self esteem and give you new found energy. The toughest part to commencing any serious workout plan is getting motivated. Another posing challenge could be the body’s ability to handle the stress of a workout. As with any workout or strenuous program, it is always best to consult with a physician prior to starting out. Even with a clean bill of health from a doctor, you may suffer from chronic sore knees due to wear and tear from youth. Well, there are some knee friendly exercises out there you might want to consider before giving up the workout in its entirety.
First of all, if you do suffer from extreme knee pain, you should consider getting them looked at by a doctor who may or may not have to do some repair. I suffered from knee injury a few years ago that did not require any “scoping” or surgery, but did require some adequate rest prior to getting back into an exercise program. Once my pain was starting to subside I decided to choose those exercises that went easy on the knees but allowed me to get my heart rate going. I was anxious to work up a sweat again and shed a few pounds along the way.
Walk/Slow Jog
Every major move begins with the first step. Well, knee pain sufferers can be rest assured that a long walk will not be too taxing on your knees as long as wear comfortable shoes and avoid breaking into a run on the hard pavement or sidewalk. Begin the process by making your few first trips out as strictly ly walks, and then mix up a slow jog or brisk walk to increase the calorie burn. Add some fun to this routine and bring a friend or take the dog with. If you can begin or end your day with this exercise, you will slowly build up your endurance for some of the other exercises to be mentioned here.
This has to be one of the best machines in the fitness industry. The elliptical machine is a hybrid of the stationary bike and the treadmill. The machine works with a range of motion that uses circular motion akin to a bicycle peddle but your feet are planted firmly on the steps. The lunging forward and back with your legs avoids any possible knee locking as one would endure with a Stairmaster. It also avoids the hard shock absorbed as is the case with a treadmill. The elliptical allows you to enter such criteria as you would with a Stairmaster or treadmill. You can log in your weight, age, desired time, and program and the machine tracks your results and helps you attain your goal. This was the first major exercise I engaged in after walking off some of my knee pain. One can gain access to elliptical machines at most health clubs.
Swimming
Other than walking, swimming has to be the most underrated form of exercise. The pool is an excellent environment to strengthen just about every muscle group in the body, if you are a chronic knee sufferer but want to get in shape fast, secure a membership to a fitness club with pool access, or get a summertime pool pass at your community pool. I like this motion of exercise because it works the abdominal and back muscles without too much effort. Many pools offer up evening adult swims which allow twenty to thirty minutes to do laps and come out feeling like a million bucks.
These are just a few forms of exercise that allow someone to continue exercises without the knee pain. It may be best to combine all three exercises in throughout the week to keep the routine from getting boring. Keep in mind that part of avoiding knee pain can be attributed to strengthening those muscle groups that surround the knee such as the quadriceps and hamstrings. Make sure you stretch and work out these muscle groups whenever possible to extend the life of your knees. Also avoid any shock absorbing sports or exercises that can cause further wear and tear such as distance running and tennis.
