Adjustments needed to avoid pain as we age
Aging brings about many musculoskeletal changes that necessitate exercise program adjustments. Balance and coordination are two areas often highlighted in this scenario, which present very real risks to the exerciser. This week, I will provide a few tips for reducing these risks without sacrificing workout effectiveness. Plus, I will share a chairbased exercise that demonstrates this concept in action.
In my 20s, I looked for every opportunity to make workouts more challenging. I’d continuously increase resistance levels, added balance components, and ramped up intensity across the board. It was a time where my body could perform at a high level, so the stimulus needed to be fairly high to elicit the desired training response.
As each year ticked by, I found myself sustaining more workout related pains and sprains. Sometimes my neck would hurt for a few days after a shoulder workout, or I’d feel lower back pain after a leg session. These little annoyances eventually became the rule rather than the exception, so I knew it was time for change. Little by little, I adjusted workouts to be more biomechanically friendly.
Initially, these adjustments were easy. I’d simply use a little lighter weight, reduce my workout time, or remove certain exercises. But then I realized that I’d gone too far, and I wasn’t getting the results I wanted. So, I implemented a complete diagnostic analysis and made very specific changes that would allow me to keep the intensity while reducing risk.
First, I eliminated a lot of the Swiss Balls and balance-related equipment. I stuck with solid benches or seats where I had a solid foundation from which to operate. Next, I eliminated most barbell work in favor of dumbbells and cables. This allowed me to control the resistance and was much more friendly on the joints. Finally, I moved my cardiovascular workout in front of the resistance workout. This made a massive difference in terms of biomechanical fluidity and joint performance.
This week’s exercise demonstrates workout adjustment very well. The Chair Torso Lean w/Ball provides exercisers with the ability to challenge the core muscles without requiring any floor work or involving balance tools.
1. Select a light medicine ball and sit in a regular chair.
2. Holding the ball with both hands, extend it overhead with your arms fully outstretched.
3. From here, slowly lean your torso to the right until you feel tension in your abdominals and obliques.
4. Hold that position for 5 seconds, then move back to the starting position.
5. Now, lean the same way to the left side.
6. Hold for 5 seconds, then move back to the starting position.
7. Continue this pattern until you have performed five repetitions on each side.
For those looking to maintain a strong core while maintaining and upright posture and a safe balance position, it doesn’t get much better than this exercise. I love that it allows the exerciser to choose the range of motion, so feel free to play around with the distance you lean each time. Enjoy!