Gentle and Beginners Workouts

[NevermindNelson]

Does anyone fancy a thread about nice gentle workout videos?

I’m hypermobile, so I’m often carrying an injury and finding ways to exercise around them. I’m mid-fifties, so I’m not really aiming for hour-long plyometrics workouts.

I found Jessica Smith years ago, her account is my safe place to go to.

I found this account GoSimpli when I sprained my ankle and wanted to do some seated workouts. She is a lovely Canadian who was diagnosed with osteoporosis, so her workouts are very safe.

This is a new one for me Improved Health, but her after dinner walks have already become a habit. Lots of strength and indoor walking workouts.

I really had to engage my core🙈. But I’m going to stick with it.
I have bought some resistance bands and some dumbbells, only 1kg. As for 500g I’m using 500ml filled water bottles.

@gamerchick Thank you 🙂 I do a lot of resistance stuff, I’m working through a HasFit 30 day schedule at the moment. I’m really pleased for you that you’ve stopped getting injuries, but they still happen to me (I’m looking at you, business that had half a doorstep missing, helping me to sprain my ankle) and sometimes I need something gentle or seated.

I’ll have a closer look at the Tom Morrison workout for ankles, that looks useful.

🥳🥳 Don’t worry about the weight, you’re doing resistance training, that’s the bit to focus on, weights are changeable.

Feeling very proud of myself. I have completed 30minutes or more or excise every day.

@KatherineHoward I’m so pleased for you 🥳 How do you feel?

I like Yoga with Adrienne for beginners.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v7AYKMP6rOE

@NevermindNelson I definitely feel better. Now need to get steps to 10000, but sometimes I don’t leave the house so is hard!
The chair workout was hard , my core and glutes ached the next day. So that shows how unfit I am.

@MissyB1 Me too, she has a way of allowing beginners to feel comfortable.

Following.

I’ve saved and followed Adrienne, just need to find her 15 minutes or less ones for now.
I’m sad because before COVID I was attending a yoga and Pilates classes every week, but during lockdown I just stayed home went to work, thank god I could attend office.

Or - it could show how hard you’re working now 🙂

Could you fit in a 10 to 15 minute walking video, you should be able to get some steps in there. Could you find ten minutes after breakfast and dinner?

Also, don’t worry too much about hitting 10,000 BBC Report on steps - if you can get between 5,500 and 7,500 a day, then you’re doing well. For middle aged women, there doesn’t seem to be a huge benefit in going over 7,500 and a lower goal might be more achievable.

Try a few mentioned here and see if there are any you want to go back to, it’s going to be your list of videos, so you can put what you want on.

It was a hard time, but think of all of that muscle memory you have 🙂

This is my cheering up walk 🙂💪

Apologies - don't have time to read right now, but 8 or 10 years ago I started out with Lucy Wyndham Read. She is very calm and gentle, yet effective. I still regularly do her Thighs & Glutes workout - albeit now with ankle weights. I'd highly recommend her for beginners.

I graduated to Popsugar Fitness, Rebecca Louise, Heather Robertson, Growingannanas etc. Still totally achievable for most people with basic fitness and no physical impairments.

At some point I discovered Caroline Girvan. Life- changing. At 70 I am super fit, largely thanks to her. She has several programs, up to 50 per series, that are really well structured. You simply do one, 5 days a week, and you can be assured that arms, legs, abs et cetera are covered in an effective and logical way.

I tried Adrienne but then I discovered Kassandra. I often do her stretches and evening yoga sessions. Very relaxing at the end of the day.

Thanks @PaminaMozart I'll have a look at them. I prefer people talking through the exercises and explaining details of movement and which muscles we're focussing on, but I know that others prefer to have some uplifting music in the background. As long as we're moving, that's all that matters. I like that there are weeekly plans, I think there can be a bit of choice paralysis, so it's really helpful to just cliock on the next one in line.

Coming back as thread was dropping off my list.
I've been dipping in and out of lots of the ones recommended (improved health is turning out to be one of my favourites)
Thanks again @NevermindNelson for the motivation!

Hello.
I like your phrase "choice paralysis". There are too many to choose from so I choose none, or dip in and out and don't stick with anything.

I'm also not very good with YouTube. I don't subscribe or follow or anything so I always lose my place.

I'm going to have a look through some of these tomorrow and see what feels good.

Thanks for the thread. It's good to know people are out there using gentle workouts and seeing results. In a past life I was a big lifter at the gym but times have changed and I'm finding it hard to change my mindset. I feel like if I can't go heavy and sweaty like the old days then I'd rather just sit on the sofa eating crisps. But that miserable attitude is not going to get me anywhere!

I’m having a long weekend away - lots of walking, but I’m looking forward to getting back to my HASfit programme.

@ASighMadeOfStone Me too! I look at a lot of accounts on YouTube, but I keep going back to Improved Health because her workouts are so good. I did a 40 minute one last week and I didn’t get bored, she just keeps you moving.

@Rae36 I completely get you, I could have posted the same a couple of years ago. I found myself thinking, “If I don’t do the perfect 40 minute workout, then it’s a waste of time.” I was wrong 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anything you do has value. Maybe start with building a habit of a ten minute walk after breakfast. Once you’ve done it, it will be in your watched history and you can find it again.

I know it isn’t the exercise you used to do, but between that and ‘nothing’ is a huge range and there will be something appropriate for your fitness today.

When I get home I’ll put a weekly plan together for those of us who struggle with the wide choice, no choosing, we all just do today’s workout if we can.

When I get home I’ll put a weekly plan together for those of us who struggle with the wide choice, no choosing, we all just do today’s workout if we can

Oh I'd love that. Thank you for offering

Thank you to whoever recommended the Improved Health channel - they look good - have just saved a 10 min walk to Bruce Springsteen which I will do this afternoon.

It is easy to save videos into your own Playlist - I have Walking; Stretches; Yoga; Knees; etc. and then they are easy to find. (I say easy, my son had to show me how to do it, but I can do it myself now!).

Weekly Plan!

I've included some walking, one day for arms, one for legs, and one for abs - Day Seven is some gentle movement without any goal or aim. I'll add the links every day.

Don't push yourself too hard, don't do anything that feels painful or uncomfortable.

Day One
Jessica Smith One Mile Walk and Talk, Five Great Reasons to Exercise

Day Two
Osteoporosis/Osteopenia Safe Seated Weights: Sitting Upper Body Strength Training with Dumbbells

Day Three
Start your weight loss journey with this 10 minute GENTLE motivational WALK

Day Four
10-minute Leg Workout for Seniors and Beginners | Lower body Strength Workout

Day Five
Beginner 1 Mile Walk | Walk at Home

Day Six
STANDING CORE Workout for SENIORS and BEGINNERS | Gentle and Safe | At Home

Day Seven
12 Minute Under The Weather Workout | Full Length Exercise Video for Working Out While Sick

Day Two
Do this one with or without weights. If it gets hard, keep going as a cat will turn up 🙂

Just in case anyone is following along - here's today's workout.