What kind of exercise?

[whiteraven]

I haven't done any actual exercise in a number of years due to the intensity of the depression, absolutely no motivation, and that constant *knowing* that I would die soon so, why bother?

Because all I've mostly done is get up, go to work, come home, and go to bed, my muscles (and, therefore, my joints) are very weak and whenever I get a burst of energy (more of that lately) and do something around the house, I'm sore the next day.

I want to start exercising (ok, *want* is a really strong word), but I'm not sure what to do. I used to love to walk but, in addition to everything else, I'm having a LOT of pain esp. in my feet (and yeah, I saw a podiatrist).

I'm going to be doing qi gong every morning, just to loosen up a bit and work on inner balance, but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions about how and where to start?

 

[MyWillow]

I love Pilates - with a physio in a small group (max 4). I have a few injuries so it’s great that every exercise can be personalised. A real range of people too. We chat and joke a lot which is nice.

I do TS Yoga and find it difficult because it’s slow. Not physically difficult but being present, noticing without judgement etc. Yuck! Lol Keeping at it though.

 

[LuckiLee]

Do you have anywhere you can go swimming? Or bike riding?

I have bad knees and feet (although my feet have been better with stretching) and I've found those to be easier on my joints.

Good luck and don't forget to stretch!

 

[whiteraven]

I love Pilates - with a physio in a small group (max 4). I have a few injuries so it’s great that ev...

I never even thought about Pilates. I'll have to check that out. I've heard other people here talk about TS Yoga, but I am *seriously* out of shape. I worry that I just could never manage it.

Do you have anywhere you can go swimming? Or bike riding?

I have bad knees and feet (although my feet...

I can't swim :-( and I think I'd be afraid to get on a bike. I'm overweight for starters and you have to be in control to ride a bike. I'm so not right now. Does that make sense?

Oh but I did think of joining the local gym (it's not much at all) and maybe walk on a treadmill (once I could manage it) and/or ride the stationary bikes.

 

[EveHarrington]

Swimming is good if you’re in pain as there’s so much less weight on your joints!

It’s not so much “swimming” as moving around in a pool...

 

[Tinyflame]

Work up to it @whiteraven , and join it to what you like to do? Such as walking and taking pictures, or in the park (or zoo), walking to the store, further in the parking lot?

Good luck xox. :hug:

 

[whiteraven]

Work up to it @whiteraven , and join it to what you like to do? Such as walking and t...

Yes, good ideas! I think as soon as I can figure out what to do about the foot pain, walking is going to be my best bet to start.

Swimming is good if you’re in pain as there’s so much less weight on your joints!

It’s not...

Well, I can probably just "move around." LOL 'Cause I am pretty afraid of the water.

 

[Tinyflame]

Where is the pain @whiteraven ? Joints, ankles, toes, arch?

(I'd avoid concrete floors, eg malls. Though I'd try to avoid them anyway. :p )

 

[whiteraven]

Where is the pain @whiteraven ? Joints, ankles, toes, arch?

(I'd avoid concrete floo...

Hm...yes. All those places. I also have generalized pain - I was thinking about this yesterday and realized that the only place that doesn't hurt most of the time is my face.

 

[Friday]

Tai Chi & Katas (martial arts forms done solo) & Swimming* are my back to basics exercises.

When I’m fit enough I don’t have to worry about overtaxing myself on daily stuff? Parking farther away. It’s a small thing, but it becomes a lifestyle thing. Especially when most of my daily exercise involved walking from house to car, car to building, building to car, car to house. Ditto, setting 5 minutes aside every hour or three to stretch. Starts building patterns of movement into my daily life. Stretching becomes more active movement. More active movement becomes strength building. Then things like pushups on the kitchen counter (MAJOR incline), transitioning to stairs, transitioning to floors. Stomach crunches become sit-ups become V-ups. All at a very “the hardest thing about this is remembering to DO it” pace. Rather than it’s actually a difficult thing for me to do, pace.

I have a veeeeeery hard problem with not “begin as you mean to go on”. Since I prefer to have 4-10 hours of serious exercise in my daily life? It’s painful for me not to “start” at 4 hours of light exercise, but to back myself down waaaaaay beyond that to 5 minutes here, 10 there, and not a sweat broken. :wtf: But when I’ve been injured, ill, or have undertaken the mighty responsibility of making sure the couch doesn’t float off into space? (Oh, depression... how I hate thee) First I add in things, like Tai Chi or Katas. Then I start moving my daily life around. Then I start getting serious. I hate it, but it’s the only way -these days- I avoid injuring myself. I may THINK I’m a pissed off 19yo who can survive on nada but styrofoam and sunshine and pushing myself to my limits just extends them..., but my body has been through the wringer. When I’m all soft and out of shape? Have to build up bone density and muscle elasticity and all that jazz in addition to strength and stamina. Or I crunch crunch break :facepalm:

* If your fear of water is water itself? Don’t worry about it. But if it’s not being able TO swim? There are a lot of 4 foot deep pools. And gentle current river-walk pools. No drowning. Just stand up. And also? Adult learn how to swim classes. Both group and private. As well as water aerobics done in full life vest & floats.

 

[Tinyflame]

@whiteraven I understand, me too. As my sister said today "the only thing that doesn't hurt are my eyebrows".

I have too many injuries for Pilates, and afraid of water, but soaking helps as does continue moving (and Tylenol).

I'm going to steal one from @Tornadic Thoughts - hula hoop?! :)

 

[bellbird]

I do yoga/ pilates in my bedroom. It doesn't require a lot of equipment; typically just a yoga mat for standard videos.
For me it works because:
-I don't have to be around other people and that makes me feel less self-conscious
-if you youtube search "yoga(or pilates) for ....[insert ailment/issue//body area you want to work here]", you can often find videos specific for what you actually want
-it's free (once you have the yoga mat sorted)
-it's pretty much time flexible for whenever I'm at home- like if I happen to want to exercise late at night when it's not safe for me to go out walking (my other preferred exercise), then I can do yoga/pilates
-you can work at different intensity and experience levels

It could be helpful to talk to a physio if you're having specific muscle/body pains. They can give targeted exercises that will help better/faster than a specific(but still relatively general) youtube video could (speaking from experience here) :)