Need some advice.

[BaDSeeD]

I'm a new member guys, so be gentle please.

I have been starting the new year off trying to get myself in better shape. As in the other post of mine, you may have seen that i am taking an eca stack. I have also been working out on a bayou fitness total trainer.

I can get a great workout on this machine for the upper body, but the lower body is lacking. I thought the machine would help me for the lower body, because i could only use a portion of body weight. It doesn't seem to help. I have an old injury to my knee (torn acl, and torn meniscus) that makes this very painful. Not to mention difficult to walk afterwards. I cant get a decent workout if i ignore the lower body.

If anyone has suggestions for things i can do at home, please let me know. I'm not a gym guy. Too fat for that (at least for now).

Specifically looking for lower body workout that is not going to trash my knee any more than it is.

Thanks guys.

 

[Elleboog]

Nobody is too fat for the gym. Almost all leg exercises use the knee, so that may be a problem. A squat-variation is probably the best exercise for you as it incorporates all the major muscles in the legs. Maybe start off with bodyweight squats and if that feels good you can do dumbbell/kettlebell squats.

 

[BaDSeeD]

Squats are probably the worst thing i could do. Although they are probably the most effective, they are the most painful. It is the squats on the machine i mentioned above that make it difficult to walk. Those are only using a portion of body weight.

 

[Elleboog]

Well, it'll be hard in that case. You could try to not go full range of motion and see if that helps. Otherwise you can do cycling on a heavy resistance, I don't think there's much else that can work.

 

[gzbleezy]

Diet is key - if ur body can't handle ur weight + added lbs on lifts go lighter; both on ur midsection and the weights.. Get a wrap, some joint juice, and rehab it on a stationary bike or in the pool.. And BE patient

 

[Rugby_Prop]

NY, city or state?

I was also just thinking biking (on a well-fitted bike) and swimming might be fucking gems for your lower body this time of year.

 

[Vestevel]

This may be terrible advice for you. When I started squatting I had terrible knees. It hurt like hell to do squats, but after pushing through it for a few months the pain went away and today I cannot tell that I ever had knee problems. Lubrication maybe? Not sure how this works. If I take some time off(more than two weeks) my knee pain starts to return. One set of squats and the pain goes away.

 

[chespence]

The push up is an excellent exercise for working the chest muscles and arms. Also because of the position you have to maintain to do this exercise correctly, it also works the core, abdominals, legs and back. Different variations of the push up will further challenge the same muscle groups.

Chester J. Spence

 

[Bulldog2103]

Buy a bike that allows you to alter the resistance. This will enable you to start slow and build strength in your legs when you feel they are up for it. Good cardio workout but a diet plan is your best bet as taking off unnecessary weight will do wonders.

 

[Woodytwin]

Has your knee been surgically repaired or anything? If there is still damage to your knee, you'd (first) want to get that fixed. The root of the problem still needs to be addressed.
"Rehab" exercises are specifically taylored to your ailment so, blasting through the pain is the last thing that you should do. Respectfully, I would suggest to Vestevel that he is likely causing more damage to his own knee. In fact, I've never seen or heard anything like his experience before. That's NOT to say that his situation isn't unique.