Fitness for the Clueless (and Sedentary)

March 3, 2018 6:27 AM

I work from home and I’m on the computer all day. For most of last year I was going to Krav Maga martial arts classes twice a week. I loved it, but in January a flare up of a chronic overuse injury in my right arm sent me to physical therapy for four weeks, and I’m starting to think punching targets may not be the best way to preserve my wrist/shoulder. I’m looking for something new that has a social aspect and is strengthening!

I was pretty excited when I started Krav because it’s sort of a whole body exercise, really engaging, and it got me out of the apartment twice a week. Unfortunately I’ve had wrist and shoulder pain that started a few years ago, and it got really nasty in December. My physical therapist recommended I stop Krav while I was going to therapy, which has truly worked wonders, and I’m still doing the exercises and stretches for my arm at home, but it is definitely not fully healed. It sounds like the healing time for these injuries is quite a while. I would sometimes leave Krav with my wrist feeling really beaten up and numb and I’m starting to think it may not be the best way to heal. I use my right arm and wrist for just about everything from work to hobbies and I want to preserve it as best I can.

Things I loved about Krav: classes were always in groups, and that social aspect made it hard to skip and easier to push myself. It strengthened pretty much every part of my body. Lots of variety, engaging, never really boring.

I’m female, 5’4”, ~125 lbs. I feel extremely lost in where to go from here. I love running but the treadmill/running alone really bores me. I would LOVE to get into some kind of strength training but am extremely confused and intimidated and afraid of injury. I’m also really concerned about getting into a routine — I’m alone most of the time because of work and going to the gym alone bums me out. I don’t have anyone in mind that I think would be a gym buddy for me at this point, unfortunately! My doctor recommended yoga and I like this idea a lot but it doesn’t feel like “enough”.

As the weather gets nicer I’m planning on doing more outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking. I’ve also been avoiding it but there is at least a Planet Fitness down the road that I could start going to. I’d love to know what people with office jobs or otherwise sedentary lifestyles do to stay fit and keep active!

posted by caitcadieux to Health & Fitness (21 answers total)

You might laugh, but check out Zumba. Find a gym with a lot of different instructors - my local Golds has a dozen and they all have different styles - and try them all until you find one that you really like. It's social, it's fun, you don't actually have to have any rhythm (trust me), and with the right instructor, you will do allllll the squats and other core work that leave you stronger. :)
posted by joycehealy at 6:31 AM on March 3, 2018

I used to think yoga wasn't enough. I was wrong. I've done lots of strength training over the years. Nothing strengthens your body like yoga. I could do lots of lunges and squats and bicep curls. Could I do several Chaturangas in a flow class with good form? Not so much. The most basic of yoga poses can be challenging. and strengthening.
posted by loveandhappiness at 6:44 AM on March 3, 2018

Yoga is a good suggestion. If you don't like the spiritual aspects of yoga, then try Pilates. I've found that if I regularly show up to the same class, then I get to know the regulars, and it feels at least a bit social. I also wonder if you would enjoy joining a running group. If there's a running store around, check in with them and see if they know of anything.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 7:02 AM on March 3, 2018

Seconding yoga -- it is a constant challenge, and will be for the rest of your life! Definitely try out a variety of classes and styles; I adore vinyasa and find it the most challenging for strength, but ymmv.

Also don't be afraid to look for variations; I just started aerial yoga and it's absolutely moved my personal practice up to the next level. I've done hot yoga in the past, and found it intensely rewarding too, and I'm looking forward to doing paddleboard yoga this summer when it warms up enough to do it outdoors.

(My aerial studio also offers circus classes -- silks and lyra, and hammock dance. They all require exceptional strength, but might not help with that whole preserving-wrist-and-arm thing. If this piques your interest, check in with an instructor and/or physical therapist first!.)
posted by kalimac at 7:04 AM on March 3, 2018

Crossfit has a lot of the things you're looking for. Some people claim there's a higher risk of injury with Crossfit, but the research says it's similar to other forms of exercise. But it's fun, social, and most coaches/gyms will accommodate existing injuries or limitations with alternative exercises, as necessary.
posted by unstrungharp at 7:06 AM on March 3, 2018

Follow up question re: yoga, is there an ideal frequency in going? There are two studios near me that are about $40-$50 each if I was going once a week. The $50 looks more likely to fit into my schedule!

Arbitrary, that’s a great suggestion! I know of a local one a friend used to run with before she moved away. I’ve honestly been nervous to join because I was the slow kid growing up and am terrified of a) shame (although they sound great and I doubt this is actually a risk) b) totally being unable to keep up in any way. Anyone have experience with running groups and have any advice/anecdotes? It sounds appealing but scary!
posted by caitcadieux at 7:08 AM on March 3, 2018

I’m about your size, and I found Aquatone (“old lady water aerobics”) indispensable when I was recovering from various joint injuries. Turned out there were women of every age in the class and it was healing in lots of ways. And it really was a workout: although it was gentle, it was surprisingly thorough.
posted by armeowda at 7:16 AM on March 3, 2018

I like yoga but I don't find it social at all - you go, do your thing on your mat, and then leave. (And I go once a week, which helps me with all the other exercise I do, but it's not "enough" on its own - if it's your primary workout I'd recommend going at least twice a week.)

There are a few gyms/boutiquey training centers in my area that offer small group training, and those seem like exactly what you want - a lot of personalization, but a smallish regular group of people all doing things together, and you often have to pre-commit to a certain schedule so it's harder to skip on a whim. Hopefully something like that's near you because you'd probably love it.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:20 AM on March 3, 2018

Maybe a yoga studio that also offers barre classes would be a good choice. The barre classes would easily be "enough" but doing both might yield benefits that would help you avoid future injury. Around here, several of the combo studios have a distinct community vibe. I find yoga not exactly social but having other people right there keeps me working in a way that doing yoga at home alone would not.
posted by donnagirl at 7:28 AM on March 3, 2018

I know this sounds crazy, but I found exactly what you're describing...when I started taking ice skating lessons. The adult beginner classes are a good workout, and have lots of laughter and socializing. I started group lessons once a week, and then discovered that the rink also has a drop-in adults-only period on several weekdays. (Sometimes these are called "coffee club" or the like.) It's fun, it's a good workout, it's social, and it's not going to involve your shoulder/wrist.
posted by BlahLaLa at 7:50 AM on March 3, 2018

Any kind of dance is a full-body workout so ballroom would be a good choice. Especially get into the Swing dance subset if you really want something social and exhilarating and exhausting. Usually there's a class before each dance session and then there's a few hours of dancing, so the workout is there. Zumba is good, too, but has become a fitness dance only so the social aspect is limited. Two to three times a week would be enough for Swing Dance. Another option, water aerobics, has been mentioned and it's a really good workout as well with the added benefit of low-joint load.
posted by MovableBookLady at 8:01 AM on March 3, 2018

Look for a gym that does small group strength classes. I'm doing Tribe Team Training and I love it. It's fun, supportive--we've had the same instructor and same core group of us training for over a year now, so it's also pretty sociable--and I'm in the best shape I've been in over a decade.
posted by TwoStride at 8:26 AM on March 3, 2018

It sounds like you enjoyed everything but the injury from hitting pads so don't be afraid to look around for different styles/clubs of martial arts. My old club only brought out pads every couple months or so, and my current club doesn't use them at all.
posted by platypus of the universe at 8:27 AM on March 3, 2018

Yeah, I was interested in strength training and found a gym in my area that specialised in that. The had a small group program that's worked well for me --- the deal is, you're supposed to go three days a week but there's a fair bit of flexibility built in with days and times. Classes are generally 4-6 people, with one or two trainers to monitor form. I've been pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the crowd it draws, and my strength has definitely improved.
posted by Diablevert at 9:58 AM on March 3, 2018

I really enjoyed Crossfit because most decent gyms will also work hard at creating a community with their members. The first gym I joined would have weekly post-workout brunches on Sundays and quarterly buffet takeovers on top of other social things people would invite you to do (hiking/drinks/plays). Just make sure that the coaches have more than just their Crossfit certifications (so look for USA Weightlifting certs, other personal training ones) or at least lots of previous sports backgrounds. Basically stay away from places that have coaches whose bios read, "So and so wasn't really active and then super got into Crossfit and is now a coach." Those people are usually bad news and a source of injury.

Most places will also let you try them out for free for a week, so you can see whether coaches will bother correcting members/telling them to do stuff at lower weights. You'll also get a better feel for their programming. Would also recommend staying away from places that use whatever Crossfit.com posts every day or if they just only do named workouts on a regular basis. That screams incompetent people running the gym.

If you can find a good gym, it's totally worth it!
---
I know you mentioned you don't like running, but look into your local Hash House. It's a social non-competitive run. Usually someone in the group (an actual decent runner) will be the "hare" and set a trail for everyone else to follow. You can go as fast or as slow as you want. Most runs will usually end at a bar or with some social drinking of another sort. It might be fun to do in addition to whatever regular routine you end up choosing!
posted by astapasta24 at 10:10 AM on March 3, 2018

I’ve been going to Pilates and it focuses so much on core strength! The instructors are also careful to check in on injuries/physical limitations to they can modify the exercises for you if needed.

Also check out ClassPass - they typically offer a free month, and you can go to different studios to try out what works for you.
posted by DoubleLune at 10:11 AM on March 3, 2018

Acro yoga! Way more social than the solo kind. Similarly, if there’s a circus school in your area, there are lots of options for acrobatics, aerials, and so on. Classes often have some general conditioning as well as specific technical skills.

Also, rock climbing! After wanting to try it out for years, a small group of my friends all started/resumed in the same span of time, so we would meet to climb together twice a week after work. The group kinda fell apart as scheduled changed, but I kept going to the gym regularly and made friends there that I climb with regularly, both indoors and out.

Both of these are activities that you can work on solo, in pairs, but are especially great with a small group that can trade off flexibly. Both are good for local Facebook groups and meet ups
posted by itesser at 12:52 PM on March 3, 2018

Yoga's a weird suggestion for someone recovering from wrist/shoulder pain, imo. Some of those poses put a lot of strain on those areas, especially in awkward positions (bodyweight weighing more than e.g. lighter dumbbells, too).

Personally, anytime I've had to work around an injury, I've found it better to just do customized workouts in the gym. Did your PT offer guidance on which movements are safe for you and which you should avoid? Also about substitutions for any common movements? If not, ask. (I've grilled my PT on everything from safe ways to grip a dumbbell to what kinds of leg presses I can do [weight, depth/range of motion, etc]. Yours might be able to help you build a customized workout, like mine has. Be mindful of all those instructions if you do take a class (it can be easy to get swept up in following the instructor and forget to do that). (Strength training injuries do happen with poor form or outrageous weights, but repetitive strain injuries are way more common with cardio).

That wouldn't fulfill the social requirement, but it might be better to be lonely and safe than sorry, at least for workouts :/ You could do less demanding but more social activities (dance class, maybe indoor soccer?) on your off days.
posted by cotton dress sock at 3:00 PM on March 3, 2018

Hi! I am a person with chronic wrist overuse issues. I have also tried almost every workout that people on this thread have suggested. Based off of my experience, in the order I would suggest them for results + friendliness to your injuries:

- Hire a personal trainer 1x week, run 1-2x/week - even if you can swing this for a month or two, it could get you over the hump of "I don't know what to do in the gym" while you're in PT and keep you accountable to running by yourself. Plus, you might be able to find a way of running by yourself that you like more - try different times of day, different routes, music/podcoasts/nothing. I found that, counterintuitively, I like to run without music because it's more interesting.
- Pilates - Pilates is great, but I've never left a class feeling like I really had a workout. Probably the cheapest good option for a "rehab" period.
- Ballroom dance - It's fun and brings movement into your life, but isn't as intense as anything else on this list. Waltz will be friendlier to your injuries than salsa.
- Barre - I've tried a bunch of barre classes, and ultimately found that the studio that did a kind of barre/bootcamp blend was the best for feeling like I actually had a workout - unfortunately, the "lots of tiny moves" barre approach may not be very good for your shoulder/wrist, and my bootcamp-y classes had pushups and burpees in them. If you live in SF, I can memail you the name of a place.
- Yoga - I love yoga, but it is not the thing to do if you have an actively flared-up wrist/shoulder injury. Once you're out of PT, you could start with beginner classes, but it might take a month or three of progressive work until you both don't aggravate your injuries and feel like you're getting a real workout. I found that at 1x/week I got better slowly and 2x/week I got better consistently.
- Indoor rock climbing - Great exercise, not great for wrist/shoulder injuries. Find a partner and climb after you've rehabbed!
- Swing dance - Definitely more energetic than ballroom and more of a cardio workout, but you also have to trust your partner to not wrench your shoulder - it's much more likely because hold/frame and energy are different, and beginners are not good at avoiding that. I completely stopped swing dancing when recovering from a particularly sensitive wrist injury; ymmv.
posted by asphericalcow at 4:59 PM on March 3, 2018

Aaptiv is a phenomenal outdoor/treadmill phone app that takes you through fun classes, both in and out of the gym.

Similarly, Barre3 is another really great cardio-barre class that you can do from home, with minimal equipment. Barre3 can be yoga-like, if you choose classes and instructors with that orientation, but it can also get your heart pounding and your skin glowing.

Highly recommend both!
posted by flyingfork at 7:02 PM on March 3, 2018

Just wanted to drop a note that yoga was recommended to me by my doctor. My injury is from overuse on a computer and rest never helped, over a few years. I think strengthening is in order. My PT advised me to stop Krav during therapy but I feel for a couple reasons it’s probably best to find some new fitness alternatives; I’m out of PT now but if I forget to do the stretches for a day or two it starts to creep back in! Since I work from home it’s super easy for me to go days without seeing another human besides my fiancé, so even just group activities with minimal actual socializing can help scratch that itch! Once a week beginner’s level yoga sounds reasonable and I’m looking into some local options. Thanks all for the extremely helpful suggestions as well! I feel much more hopeful now that I’ll be able to find different things that work!
posted by caitcadieux at 7:27 PM on March 3, 2018