Aerobic excercise using weights?

jaredGalen

Hi,
I find myself in a bit of a slump. I have injured my knee (doc says I need 6 weeks) and am in a position where I can't row/run/swim/cross trainer etc or do any of the excercise I was familiar with in order to help lose some fat.

Can anyone suggest alternative ways that I can get a decent aerobic workout without having to put pressure on my legs/knees? Are there excercise routines using weights that achieve this?

I am doing weights at the moment, waiting to have my assessment in Total Fitness Sandyford to get help with a proper programme (2 weeks away).

I'm 5'8" and about 80kg (12.5 stone), don't know my fat%. I don't consider myself fat (maybe I should :rolleyes: ), I have a stocky build and I feel my BMI doesn't do me justice (maybe it does ), but I do have some luggage in the tummy area that I want to shift.

Anyway, any advice or tips would be much appreciated.

jaredGalen

Came across this routine which looks interesting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjl3AfKZD18

Transform

thats one of my videos and there are 19 more in the series.

This one is my fave -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1tJszAl934

enjoy the variety as there is so much to work on and many do not involve any running or swap running for some light skipping if you can

flywheel

jaredGalen wrote: »

... I have injured my knee (doc says I need 6 weeks) and am in a position where I can't row/run/swim/cross trainer etc...

Can anyone suggest alternative ways that I can get a decent aerobic workout without having to put pressure on my legs/knees?

hi, no swimming that's a shame... specific advice would be very dependent on the injury... not something you can cover on an internet forum unfortunately... in general upper body work while seated would be the main option when you state you cannot put pressure on you knee or legs... does your gym have anything like a Rope Trainer or a single or dual cable column where you can get a bench moved for sitting if required. something like a KrankCycle would be a good option but I don't know anywhere in Dublin with one at the moment
Links:
Rope Trainer
Cable System
KrankCycle

Note to Fitness Moderators: I don't have any commercial connections to any of the linked sites, the are for helpful information, no need to delete my post!

might be worth looking at your options for further advice: someone like a bio-mechanics specialist or sports physio would also be on my list of people to see rather than only seeing the GP when i have a muscular/joint issue...

hope you get well soon, whatever you do give your knee the time it needs to heel and see someone who will help you rehab it appropriately, nothing worse than compounding an injury and having to stay away from the activities you like for longer than necessary

jaredGalen

@Transform
That was the video I had meant to link, pasted the wrong url.
Thanks for posting thse videos, I really like that routine so I just need to go see how to best do it in my gym.

@flywheel
I'm seeing how senstive the knee is, just walking a bit and I can feel it affecting it. Not being able to do a good cardio workout is driving me insane right now so I need something
My gym has one of the dual column cable systems, how can I use that?

Thanks for the advice in going to see someone else, I have been recommended a physio in Balinteer so I'm going to try that.

Transform

jaredGalen wrote: »

@Transform
That was the video I had meant to link, pasted the wrong url.
Thanks for posting thse videos, I really like that routine so I just need to go see how to best do it in my gym.

@flywheel
I'm seeing how senstive the knee is, just walking a bit and I can feel it affecting it. Not being able to do a good cardio workout is driving me insane right now so I need something
My gym has one of the dual column cable systems, how can I use that?

Thanks for the advice in going to see someone else, I have been recommended a physio in Balinteer so I'm going to try that.

no worries and honestly there are tons of workouts that will help improve your conditioning with little to no lower body work. You just have to lay it out and then work your socks off.

Get the knee looked at and post up what was wrong

jaredGalen

I'll try and get an appointment this week for the knee.

This morning I tried a workout to see how it it went.

15 crunches
10 bicep curls (10kg + bar)
10 inclined pushups

Did 10 repeats.
They are certainly not as dynamic as Transform's workouts.
My core strength isn't great that's why I put in the crunches. Felt good but do feel like I should put something else in there to stretch the time out a bit. Don't know what.

I'm very much a noob at this so feel free to slate it.

Transform

maybe put in pull ups/chin ups even assisted ones for 5-10reps instead of the biceps curls and next time try a 20-30secs hold in plank position instead of the crunches for variety.

Lots and lots of options just steal some ideas from the videos you watched

jaredGalen

I'll try that out, thanks for pointers.

flywheel

jaredGalen wrote: »

@flywheel
I'm seeing how senstive the knee is, just walking a bit and I can feel it affecting it. Not being able to do a good cardio workout is driving me insane right now so I need something
My gym has one of the dual column cable systems, how can I use that?

Thanks for the advice in going to see someone else, I have been recommended a physio in Balinteer so I'm going to try that.

i use the dual cable stack system as part of cable based cardio/strength circuit, depending on your knee condition and what positions are possible while not affecting the knee; you can do anything from back, chest, shoulder, arm and core work on it... ask the trainer you are going to see (making sure they are versed in using a cable system) - choose an appropriate resistance you can tolerate for each relevant exercises to stay primarily using your cardio system (i.e. not to push maximal/difficult weight for few reps, but to push a tolerable/challenging weight for more reps aiming for heart rate increase but staying just below lactate threshold - i.e. below the burn)

get well soon