Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Like a lot of people, I gained about forty pounds in two years since the start of the pandemic and working from home primarily. I am 46 now and recently started playing basketball again while weight training. I am discouraged because I feel like all my lower joints from my hips to my knees are in pain and stiff after every workout session. My routine is whole court basketball two days per week, and circuit training three days per week with intense exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, etc. I am working with a trainer that is really pushing me. But I almost wonder if I need to focus on low impact stuff like riding bikes and using resistance bands to lose weight. What are your thoughts?
2 things I've done in last couple of years that have really helped me:
this Hip opening challenge is a great program. I'm 55 years old and for the first 54 I could never touch my toes! ha. I think as we age flexibility is really imperative and this really helps...i still do it 15 minutes a day 6 days a week
Weight loss is key, imho, to reducing or eliminating a lot of aches and pains.
Basketball......eh. I know it's great exercise but man, if I played a pickup game now I'd probably suffer for two weeks afterwards. There is just so much stress on the ankles/knees/back/hips in that game that I'd consider slowing that down and focusing on cardio that you can control a bit more.
As a former trainer, it sounds as though you're moving too fast in certain areas of this program.
You need to build muscle, without enough; joints wind up taking up slack on added stresses...like hoops.
Core training will help with hip stability etc., keeping strain away from knees and ankles.; it's all connected.
Weight loss is key, imho, to reducing or eliminating a lot of aches and pains.
Basketball......eh. I know it's great exercise but man, if I played a pickup game now I'd probably suffer for two weeks afterwards. There is just so much stress on the ankles/knees/back/hips in that game that I'd consider slowing that down and focusing on cardio that you can control a bit more.
Thanks and this makes sense, as I didn't start having chronic joint pain until I gained all this extra weight. I guess my body is not used to carrying this much extra. I'm going to focus on cardio and low impact lower body/core workouts. My gym has a cycling class twice a week that I will start attending for my cardio.
As a former trainer, it sounds as though you're moving too fast in certain areas of this program.
You need to build muscle, without enough; joints wind up taking up slack on added stresses...like hoops.
Core training will help with hip stability etc., keeping strain away from knees and ankles.; it's all connected.
Thanks I am going to definitely work on strengthening my core and lower body. In fact I may not do upper body workouts at all for a while.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,225,683 times
Reputation: 57825
I have so far lost about 10 lbs. by greatly reducing the carbs and sugar, and walking 1/2 hour a day on the treadmill. It's much easier now to put on socks, and the belt is not as tight.
Like a lot of people, I gained about forty pounds in two years since the start of the pandemic and working from home primarily. I am 46 now and recently started playing basketball again while weight training. I am discouraged because I feel like all my lower joints from my hips to my knees are in pain and stiff after every workout session.
<SNIP>
What are your thoughts?
As someone who slimmed down from 265 pounds to 227 today, I's strongly suggest sticking to the bike and keeping a food log. Record everything you eat including amount, and calories. Why we eat also plays a part. Eating when bored, upset or lonely plays a huge part in gaining weight. Find what triggers your need to eat and work around that. also remember muscle tissue weighs more than fatty tissue so if you're lifting enough to increase mass while trying to lose weight it can seem like you're getting nowhere.
Yoga can help to stretch the muscle and strength it at the same time. I'm a big fan of yoga as its helped me tremendously. Don't expect overnight results. It's a marathon, not a sprint. The first few yoga sessions with an instructor can be awkward and you'll realize just how stiff your joints are but the results are well worth the effort. Take things slowly, back off on the weights for awhile. Above all else, be consistent with what you do. You'll get there.
Like a lot of people, I gained about forty pounds in two years since the start of the pandemic and working from home primarily. I am 46 now and recently started playing basketball again while weight training. I am discouraged because I feel like all my lower joints from my hips to my knees are in pain and stiff after every workout session. My routine is whole court basketball two days per week, and circuit training three days per week with intense exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, etc. I am working with a trainer that is really pushing me. But I almost wonder if I need to focus on low impact stuff like riding bikes and using resistance bands to lose weight. What are your thoughts?
Just answered your own question.
At 46 trying to push into basketball, weights, etc. from "not a lot of activity" is a setup to fail. Soreness at minimum, real injury at-worst. I came out of morbid obesity slowly but surely fall 2020 - summer 2021. I pushed it a few times as weight slid off (story elsewhere). I was sore a few times and on the edge of injuries. Weight training w/the personal trainer kicked my rear especially. As did vigorous exercise. I wasn't ready for it until a few months working up-to.
Good luck. Slow and consistent is the secret. I'm 54 and don't have much choice; should I overdo it, down goes the ship.
Like a lot of people, I gained about forty pounds in two years since the start of the pandemic and working from home primarily. I am 46 now and recently started playing basketball again while weight training. I am discouraged because I feel like all my lower joints from my hips to my knees are in pain and stiff after every workout session. My routine is whole court basketball two days per week, and circuit training three days per week with intense exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, etc. I am working with a trainer that is really pushing me. But I almost wonder if I need to focus on low impact stuff like riding bikes and using resistance bands to lose weight. What are your thoughts?
Hey mosborne,
Basketball can be hard on the joints. Running creates force equal to 3-4x bodyweight. And the impact on the joints can be worse with excess weight and if your overall movement quality is not optimal (combination of adequate mobility and stability). This is not to say basketball is bad. But easing into activity like that may be a better route.
If you are going from no working out to 5 days per week that is going to be a little jarring at first. So I can see why your joints would be inflamed (especially because of basketball). If it is joint soreness vs. muscle soreness I'd look at the following:
#1: Switch to lower impact cardio (like bike) on one (or both) of your basketball days.
#2: Incorporate mobility/flexibility work into your workouts.
#3: Possibly switch to lower impact circuit training exercises and then reintroduce them later on.
See if this allows some of that pain and stiffness to subside. Being pushed by a trainer is great, you just want to make sure they are individualizing the program for you and where you are starting.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
