CAN'T WORKOUT FOR 6 WKS-NEED HELP ON HOW TO STAY IN SHA...

[KRISP]

HI CATHE,

I AM GOING TO HAVE SURGERY ON MY FACE (BASAL CELL CARCINOMA) AND WAS TOLD I CANNOT WORKOUT FOR 6 WKS. THIS IS JUST MAKING ME CRAZY.

I NEED SOME ADVICE ON HOW NOT TO LOSE ALL THE MUSCLE I HAVE DEVELOPED USING YOUR TAPES. I WILL BE USING MY NORDIC TRACK (I'LL HAVE TO DUST IT OFF) FOR CARDIO-BUT CANNOT BREAK A SWEAT WHILE USING IT. I WILL KEEP IT LEVEL AND NOT HAVE TOO MUCH TENSION ON IT. ANYWAY, ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO KEEP FIT AND NOT LOSE MUSCLE TONE DURING MY RECOVERY?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSPIRATION AND DEDICATION TO FITNESS.

KRIS

P.S. I JUST LOVE ALL OF YOUR TAPES!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Kris! You really want to follow doctors orders so I truly think you should not workout if that was what was suggested. Focus on doing a few muscular contractions or very light non-weighted exercises each day for all your body parts to keep them stimulated. Contract your calves, quads, inner thigh, outer thigh, hamstrings, biceps, back, chest, triceps, shoulders, and abs.

Be sure to space the exercises out over the course of the day as to not break a sweat.

1) calves....do about 40 calf raises

2) quads....extend legs out in front of you and squeeze muscles tight for 30 to 60 seconds.

3)inner thigh...put a kids inflated ball between your knees and squeeze against it for 30 to 60 seconds.

4) outer thigh...lie on one side and lift and lower your leg for one minute, flip and do the other side

5) hamstrings...sit on a sofa (that has a base that extends all the way to the floor) and put a ball behind your feet. Press your heels back against the ball for 30 to 60 seconds.

6) biceps...make the motion of a bicep curl for one minute while keeping your bicep muscles contracted the entire time.

7)triceps...place your arms at the edge of a coffee table with your back towards the table (your arms bent behind you while legs are jutted forward), lower and lift your body (buttocks will not touch the floor) for 30 to 60 seconds.

8) shoulders and chest....do 10 slow push ups (bent knee or straight leg)

9) abs...do one minute of slow reverse crunches

Good Luck with everything!

 

[Aquajock]

Hi, Kris! I'm not Cathe but . . .

Could you also consider doing some sessions in a pool as part of your non-sweat period? I'm thinking shallow-water walking with long-arm swings, "pec / rear delt flyes" with your arms at the surface, standing front, side and rear leg lifts at the wall of the pool, etc. The resistance of water is great, and the beauty of it is you can make the exertion as intense or as moderate as you wish, depending on the speed of your movement and the rigidity of the limbs. That might help you maintain your musculature as well as maintain a good limber body with range-of-motion stuff.

Hope this helps - let me know if you want any further suggestions re water work; I'm a water group fitness instructor, and I really love having water work as part of my normal program.

A-jock

 

[KRISP]

RE: CAN'T WORKOUT FOR 6 WKS-NEED HELP ON HOW TO STAY IN...

HI CATHE,

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HELP ME OUT. ALL THE THE EXERCISES SEEM LIKE I WILL BE ABLE TO DO THEM WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT.

THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT!

KRIS

 

[KRISP]

RE: CAN'T WORKOUT FOR 6 WKS-NEED HELP ON HOW TO STAY IN...

DEAR AQUAJOCK:

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE-BUT I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A SWIMMING POOL. BUT THEY DO SOUND LIKE GREAT IDEAS.

THANKS AGAIN,

KRIS