I've been sidelined since the end of march. After several ER visits, bunches of tests, finally a diagnoses and a minor surgery, I am terribly out of shape. Getting clearance from the Dr. to start exercising, I spent the last two weeks jogging with my Wii for 20 to 30 minutes a day. All this seemed to do was make my knees ache. I now have clearance to start hiking again so Saturday I picked Gorton creek as a first trip because of the lack of EG. As we parked at the gate, I jokingly said that I hoped I could make it to the TH. By the time we got there, I was out of breath and my legs were hurting. I was not going to quit at that point so we continued slowly on. Made it to emerald falls and started the scramble but had a sudden brief dizzy spell. Not being totally stupid, I called it and we turned around. We wandered around the campground for a while and went back to the car. Sunday my hubby left to go hunting in Granite so I'm looking for ways to keep working at it while he is gone. Since I don't have a cell phone (I know, shocking isn't it) I'm not comfortable going out alone or even driving. So, I need suggestions for the best exercises to rebuild muscles and stamina at home. Any help will be enormously appreciated. Thank you.
Marilyn
How do you get back in shape?
Re: How do you get back in shape?
How old are you if that's not too impolite? 
Gravity is your tool here. Stairs if you can do them, hills if stairs are too much. Walking the flats is walking the flats almost everywhere so that will build endurance. Stairs and hills will build strength and muscle.
You could borrow a phone or buy the cheapest prepaid phone too.
Gravity is your tool here. Stairs if you can do them, hills if stairs are too much. Walking the flats is walking the flats almost everywhere so that will build endurance. Stairs and hills will build strength and muscle.
You could borrow a phone or buy the cheapest prepaid phone too.
- Michael
Re: How do you get back in shape?
Stairs, lunges, squats... If you have access to a pool, swim. The water takes a lot of the pressure off of your joints so you can more easily get back into shape without totally shocking the system. Stationary bike works, too. If you only have a road bike you can get a stand for it so you can use it indoors without buying an exercise bike.
Watch some yoga or body weight workout videos, all you need is a room and a screen. Try FitnessBlender.com for really high quality exercise videos for all levels and time lengths.
The key is to make a plan and stick to it consistently, even if it's only 10 minutes a day, and you'll see progress before long.
Good luck Marilyn!
Watch some yoga or body weight workout videos, all you need is a room and a screen. Try FitnessBlender.com for really high quality exercise videos for all levels and time lengths.
The key is to make a plan and stick to it consistently, even if it's only 10 minutes a day, and you'll see progress before long.
Good luck Marilyn!
Re: How do you get back in shape?
Thanks for the replies. Aiwetir, I'm 66 years old. I actually find stairs easier than hills but I don't have access to stairs. My health issue was heart related so I feel like I need to build strength and stamina before I tackle the hills.
Prepaid phone sounds like a good idea.
Jessbee, I took a look at fitnessblender.com. Looks like a pretty good site. My husband was just at the hospital for a procedure so to kill time while I waited, I used his room for doing some lunges and squats. I also wandered the halls doing lunges. Got some strange looks. The lunges kill my knees but I will keep doing them so I can build the muscle strength back up.
I definitely will be consistent. I'm not going to lose out on my fall/winter hiking like I did with the spring/summer.
Thanks again for the input.
Prepaid phone sounds like a good idea.
Jessbee, I took a look at fitnessblender.com. Looks like a pretty good site. My husband was just at the hospital for a procedure so to kill time while I waited, I used his room for doing some lunges and squats. I also wandered the halls doing lunges. Got some strange looks. The lunges kill my knees but I will keep doing them so I can build the muscle strength back up.
I definitely will be consistent. I'm not going to lose out on my fall/winter hiking like I did with the spring/summer.
Thanks again for the input.
Re: How do you get back in shape?
I would suggest simply walking. Maybe find a companion with a cell phone who is willing to drive and hike with you and start out again with the easy trails? Then work your way up.
Depending on where you live, there might be easy-ish paved trails, sidewalks, open spaces, urban trails, and other fairly straightforward, non-isolated places to walk so you can go out by yourself when no companion is available.
I have bad knees so don't do lunges at all. I have so far avoided knee surgery by keeping my leg muscles as strong as possible. Martial arts and hiking are my current physical activities. If you can find a good style of martial arts -- tai chi, maybe? -- that too can develop muscle tone, stamina, and balance without putting too much stress on body parts that are a bit creaky from age or old injuries.
I hope you get back out on the trails soon!
Depending on where you live, there might be easy-ish paved trails, sidewalks, open spaces, urban trails, and other fairly straightforward, non-isolated places to walk so you can go out by yourself when no companion is available.
I have bad knees so don't do lunges at all. I have so far avoided knee surgery by keeping my leg muscles as strong as possible. Martial arts and hiking are my current physical activities. If you can find a good style of martial arts -- tai chi, maybe? -- that too can develop muscle tone, stamina, and balance without putting too much stress on body parts that are a bit creaky from age or old injuries.
I hope you get back out on the trails soon!
Re: How do you get back in shape?
Thanks Datura. I definitely think consistent walking will be the answer. It will be much easier to do once hubby comes home. I live at My Hood so my walking choices are Hwy 35 and Cooper Spur Road, neither of which are especially enjoyable. If I drive a mile though, I can walk the irrigation ditch which gives me about a 45 min walk. Tai Chi sounds like a good idea too. I do have a Tai Chi dvd somewhere. If I'm not feeling very strong, it is a 1/4 mile round trip to my mailbox, not much but something I can do several times a day. Thanks again everyone for all your ideas.
Marilyn
Marilyn