My mother has been working out for years. She is turning 50 this year and is for the first time experiencing some knee and joint pain when she works out. She walks for miles and miles but has had to stop some of the high energy high impact aerobics classes that she loved.
She is searching for a good alternative. She needs to really get her heart rate pumping and burn some calories, but she is desperately trying to stay away from "Sweatin to the oldies".
Do any of you know what kinds of things she should be doing? Any good websites out there or anything?
I have an airdyne that I alternate using with running. It's a good workout because you're using both your arms and legs. I definitely work up a sweat with it, and there's no impact.
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"Fashion can be bought. Style one must possess." ~ Edna Woolman Chase
Yoga and Pilates are great for women that are getting joint pain.
It helps with flexibility of the joints with no impact and believe me, it burns more cals than you would think! Most of the classes I have taken have had all older* women in it.
Elliptical machine? Much easier on the joints. Better overall than a treadmill.
I second the water aerobics - I have a chronic joint/muscle disease and though I've never done water aerobics, it's been recommended to me over and over again by physical therapists, doctors, etc.
Also I find Yoga very helpful. Esp maybe a more "vigorous" form of Yoga, like Ashtanga, if she's up for it? I do Hatha because I have to be careful, but your mom might want something a little more cardio-ish than the sort of "standard" Yoga.
Not sure if your mom is up to this at all, but I in-line skate regularly (when it's not raining!) and LOVE it - it's one of the few cardio-type exercises that causes me virtually no physical pain (other than the pain of a workout LOL) during or after. It's a lot of gliding motion, so very gentle on my leg joints.
I salute her. I'm 38 and find it so much harder to work out (and it seems to take longer to achieve the same results) than when I was younger. Go Mom!
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"Good taste shouldn't have to cost anything extra." - Mickey Drexler
Thanks so much for all of your input. There are some great ideas here. I'll be sure to pass them on to her. She really wants to stay active and healthy so I am sure she'll want to try most of your ideas.