Strength and flex exercises

[Roseth]

Hi EveryoneAfter a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes I started a healthy eating plan and the c25k program. It's all going very well but I've just reached Week 6 Run 3. I've used the apps discovery section to do the warm up and cool down exercises before and after each walk and all was going well. Because this next run is quite a big one, I tried to get myself better prepared by starting the strength and flex exercises. Well! I can't do them.

I got quite a lot of pain in both knees doing the knee bends and squats. I've stopped doing them immediately but wondered if there is some other exercises I could do to strengthen my knees. They are quite old knees, 68, same as me, so something quite gentle will probably be best. Or do you think I could just manage with the warm up exercises?

[Annieapple Graduate]

🍏😊 Well done for trying. If you are not used to extra exercise it will take a while to build up. I will send you a link for some simple chair based exercises for seniors that you can start with . You will soon get into it. Full marks to you for trying them out & they will definitely strengthen your running! I will pop back in 5 mins & add the link for you xx

youtube.com/watch?v=ybVMu31...(Not working as expected?)

[Roseth Graduate in reply to Annieapple]

Thanks Annieapple. Those look very much more doable than the ones on the podcast. I think I was worrying too much about keeping my knees pointing straight ahead and my feet pointing forward. I'll give them a go on my rest days and continue with the warm up and cool down on the running days. Just completed wk6 r3 this morning and did an extra 5 minutes too. I'm loving it.

[Annieapple Graduate in reply to Roseth]

🍏👍Well done! Proud of you xx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well done you on the runs...and sorry those knees are giving you trouble... ! Annieapple has given you some great advice,

If you pop across to the S and F forum... there are a fair few more exercises to choose from..

But, because the runs are getting longer, your whole running body needs more support and some gentle non impact exercise, on some of your rest days,

If you scroll around, I am sure you will find some thing to suit you...

Now I know you may not have arthritis but these are very gentle exercises...

versusarthritis.org/about-a...

Your discomfort may just be that you have not regularly done squats or knee exercises... and they are protesting..so treat them kindly and move forward

[Roseth Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Oldfloss. I probably have more wear and tear than arthritis so thanks for these targeted exercises. I will give then a go on my rest days. I haven't done squats on a regular basis but I walk frequently, and for miles. It's made learning to run a lot easier for me but I don't want to rely on that to protect me from injuries. I'm very much aware I'm using different muscles.

[MrBassmanjazz Graduate]

I tried S&F after completing C25K, the first time, and didn't like it one bit!

[Yesletsgo Administrator]

I have an arthritic knee. A physio gave me a program of exercises to build it up, including squats and lunges. They killed me! (and I was a lot younger then, probably in my 40s). When I told him how much pain they caused he said not to do them and to try some gentler ones.

If something actually HURTS it is generally a good idea to stop There is usually a better way.

[Roseth Graduate in reply to Yesletsgo]

Absolutely!