I hope the new year is off to a good start for you. There's a good chance that you, like thousands of people, have made some resolutions to improve something in the coming year. I hope that at least part of your resolution plan is to be just a little healthier and feel a little better this year, which should include exercise.

And I definitely hope that part of that exercise will be strength training. Everyone should pay more attention to strength training: men, women, and especially cancer survivors! We have the effects of surgeries and treatments to overcome. And many of our drugs put us at risk for osteoporosis. Resistance, or weight training is an effective tool to slow bone loss.

I'm not talking about being like those muscle-bound, bulging young boys at the gym (although, cool if that is your goal). I'm talking about functional strength - for whatever it is that you want to do. Do you want to be strong enough to climb mountains? Or just strong enough to pick up your kids? Want a little more definition and less sag? Or the ability to get yourself up off the floor if you fall? The goal is yours, but how to get there is something I can help with.

Getting started is hard if you've lost your strength for whatever reason. It's even harder if you've had surgeries or treatments that affect your strength. I was just asked about some tips for getting started with upper body strength just the other day - so, Nancy, this is your post.

First, make sure you have regained good range of motion. If you still have limited mobility, continue working on stretching before you begin strengthening.

And start off easy. Don't worry how much weight you can lift at first. Focus more on form. Always strive for perfect form. Always do any exercise in a slow, controlled manner.

If you're just starting out, no-weight exercises are a great way to begin. You only use the weight of your body for resistance. It may seem like you're not doing much, but if you do them correctly - slow and controlled: 3-4 second up, hold a couple of seconds, 3-4 seconds down - they can be highly effective.

As you begin to add weight, do it slowly. With my Life-Cise clients and in my workshops, I often suggest using water bottles as weights. Depending on the size, they weigh a pound or 2, and you can vary the weight by more or less water. (and they encourage you to stay hydrated!)

Here are a couple of my favorite first exercises, the wing pinch and straight arm raises. Both can be very effective as no-weight exercises, but can progress into weighted exercises. I'm always in favor of any exercise that strengthens the shoulders and upper back, so often ignored, and so needed after a whole variety of cancer treatments.

My mom, showing excellent form.

And then there are push-ups. Start off doing pushups against the wall. As you gain strength, move your feet a little further from the wall. This increases the amount of your body weight that you have to push against. You can continue the progression to inclined push-ups (against a counter or heavy table), modified push-ups on the floor (from your knees).... The video I did for Fox News iMag is still available on their website, www.foxnews.com/imag. You can check it out for info on the full progression for my favorite exercise - the push-up!


So, good for you if weight training is part of your plans for a healthier new year, and add it to your plans if it wasn't already. Start slowly and progress gradually. The key is to start.

Give me a shout over at Life-Cise if you want more help developing a comprehensive plan or figuring out a good progression.

The key is to start!

Julie

 

- BY Julie | 01.05.2011

 

• Share This :
• Next »
• |
• « Prev

Comments : (0) | Post Comment