Modifying floor impact

[MarieCLS]

Hi Cathe,

I have been noticing that large impact on the floor is making my knees very twingy and sometimes achy. Step is not a problem--it actually seems to help. Can I change the hi/lo workouts to mostly low impact and when there's a step involved, like the IMAXes, sub those floor moves into power step ones?

Thank you

Marie

 

[coffeenut]

Hi Marie,

I never post, but felt I could answer your question about modifying your steps. I have osteoarthritis in my left knee and thought I could never do the Imax or other high intensity step routines again, but have found that making a few modifications when Cathe is jumping or doing fast step repeaters, I can again enjoy all of her tapes and get the benefits. When she is doing, lets say plyo jacks or fast foot repeaters, i just insert a basic step, or corner to corner elbow to knee or a repeater in the center. This week I started wearing hand weights to help with the intensity. Believe me, I can get my heart rate roaring without the jumps

Maria

 

[MarieCLS]

Thanks, Maria! That is certainly encouraging. I have not yet tried to modify so I would love to hear from those who have had experience with it. Right now I'm using the lower impact workouts and might borrow ideas from those.

Marie

 

[naturallove]

Marie-I have OA in my hips and so can't do high impact anymore (I sometimes do a little impact when I teach, but that's bad!) I have learned how to modify a lot of things to make them intense, but low impact. You could mountain climbers on Valslides to get your heart rate up, as well as jumping jacks or plyo jacks on the valslides (or gliding discs). I did the turning plyo jumps in Patrick Goudeau's Hard Work Conditioning this weekend on them, and my heart rate was soaring! (You might be able to use paper plates on carpet for some of this.)

Another thing you can do is to really get down low and work those glutes instead of jumping for the impact. Cathe's Low Max has a lot of examples of this. Hope this helps!

 

[MarieCLS]

Thanks, naturallove! I have never used gliding discs but I will read about them.

It is pretty much the floor work that causes pain. I tried some step impact lately and that doesn't bother at all, surprisingly. So I might also try substituting the floor plyos for some step jumps.

 

[Conni]

Hi,

I am not Cathe, but I use a rebounder for alot of the higher impact workouts such as KM, Imaxes, BC, you name it, you can use a rebounder for it! I really love the feeling of pushing myself without the pain!

JMO...

 

[MarieCLS]

Hi Conni,

I agree that a rebounder would work. I once used a relative's and tried the workouts that came with it. Unfortunately, there's no space to store one here let alone have it open next to the other equipment. There's just enough here to fit the basics used in Cathe's workouts. But I do thank you for the suggestion.

Marie