A client that works with one of our trainers talked to her about a class she's taking. It's an old-school class that consists of repetitive workouts and static holds (An example would be doing a leg lift exercise for a minute or more). The client feels it's making a difference, but it's hurting her in the process.
The client has rheumatoid arthritis, and those types of workouts are heavy on the joints which causes pain in the affected areas. Can it be an effective exercise for some, yes. But, you shouldn't be doing those exercises if you're hurting yourself in the process.
Workouts and exercises are very versatile. There are multitudes of ways to exercise specific or groups of muscles. If there is an exercise that you are unhappy with or are hurting from, there are many other ways to engage that muscle(s). The more pain you cause to yourself when exercising, the higher chance of injury; which, depending on the severity, could keep you from exercising for months.
You can make a difference in your body without causing pain. If you can't think of one, ask one of our personal trainers to assist you.
Our trainer sat the client down and was frank with her.
"You only have those joints", she warned, "Be happy with replacing them, or choose a different exercise that works for you".
Clients need to understand that these are serious issues that can cause massive pain, which decreases their chances of being able to keep healthy in the future. Please, think about your body and make sure it's the right workout for you.
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