Exercise Does Not Have to be Painful

I have spinal stenosis and sciatica....any suggestions?
thank you
skinnybeagle - 8/21/2012 1:31:12 PM

I love Pilates, I think it's very challenging. It's just not high impact, so maybe that's what they mean. I've recently fallen in love with Barre3. It's very difficult, but also not high impact. So, it doesn't look like hard work, but it definitely is. - 8/21/2012 12:05:11 PM

I agree with many of the previous posters. Even forms of yoga that are not vinyasa/flow or "power" yoga can elevate your heart rate, albeit not to the same level as more intense cardio. In terms of building strength and muscle, I am often more sore after a yoga practice in which I challenge myself than I am after, say, a bootcamp workout. And I agree - Pilates, if you're doing it correctly, is VERY challenging and much more effective in building core strength than any amount of traditional ab exercises. Yoga and pilates challenge your muscles in different ways and combinations and are excellent for building balanced, functional strength and flexibility, as well as muscular endurance. It may not burn as many calories while you are actively doing them, but they will change your body just as much, if not more, than many other forms of "calorie burning" exercise. - 8/21/2012 9:14:50 AM

Yoga was my first love as I worked out with Lilian Folan as a kid, a catalog came to my home with the availability to purchase exercise videos, it had yoga and pilates videos inside. I ordered my first yoga video and used it to rehab after a bad ankle injury. In the spring of the same year I ordered two pilates videos - beginner and intermediate pilates. I have been hooked ever since. Now, dvds seem to make life a whole lot easier. I have a whole library of yoga and pilates dvds and vhs videos. I constantly change my workout around so I do not get board. My friends are shocked as to how I have so much neck muscle and NO double chin. The yoga and pilates does burn belly fat and tighten or condense your core muscles while building your arms, back, chest, shoulders and neck. Of course, your muscles are condensed not bulky like weight lifters arms. I am going to be 57yrs old this yr. and am I ever glad I enjoy these workouts. I do incorporate bands, weighted pilate balls and the ring into my workouts. I have a video that even involves light weights for toning of the arms. No limits. If I want to do cardio, I ride my mountain bike or power walk. No stopping this girl!!! - 8/21/2012 9:04:51 AM

I agree with the others, pilates is hard, sometimes I have to stop and start again, its not a quick fix... no way - 8/21/2012 7:26:45 AM

You can't even close the ads because the "x" has an overlapped opener to the links for the ads.Those are really obnoxious and take away the fun of reading your interesting articles.
The ads want to force you to be their captive audience. If they could get themselves inside your eyes, they certainly would.
I stopped reading many of your great articles because of the obnoxiousness of the ads. - 8/21/2012 7:18:35 AM

Would love to read the article but can't because of the Celebrex ad, as so many people have pointed out. - 5/9/2012 9:55:54 PM

Get rid of the Celebrex ad! Why bother posting the article if no one can read it???? - 5/8/2012 9:28:34 PM

Agree with the others -- get the Celebrex ad off the article. - 4/25/2012 4:21:51 PM

I can't read all of the article because of the ads either. Hopefully they will do something about this and I can come back and read it later. - 4/25/2012 12:12:01 PM

I would like to read this article, but I'm having troubles getting rid of the celebrex ad. Any one else having trouble? - 4/21/2012 3:38:41 PM

As a P.S. to my previous post: I think the controlled movements of tai chi are helping to strengthen my muscles (particularly my core) as well as improve flexibility and balance. I am thinking that in a few more months of tai chi and chair aerobics I might try out a class for yoga. Maybe I'll be able to do it, maybe not. But, at least now I'm thinking I should at least try. - 4/1/2011 3:44:27 PM

When I was younger I used to work out pretty hard 4-6 times a week with aerobics, weights, machines, swimming, etc., etc., usually doing each type at least twice a week. Now, with age, COPD, Asthma and orthopedic problems, I have been very limited in what I can do. For a long time, I was only walking; but by slowly increasing the time and distance I walked each week. To start with, I had trouble walking from my kitchen to the bathroom! Now, I can walk fairly long distances and even up slight inclines without having to stop for breath. I can't walk fast or really push it and that was the hardest thing for me to learn--I was always a fast walker; but I have learned to slow down but to keep moving.

About 6 months ago, I started "chair aerobics"--this has been great for me. And, 2 months ago I started tai chi--I love it! In only a few months I can feel a big change in my flexibility and balance. Actually, I feel stronger, too. And these are things I CAN do for the rest of my life. I may not be burning a lot of calories with such exercise, but it does help with the weight loss and maintenance. Not everyone can do the cardio, etc., but all of us can do SOMETHING to get moving. And, even just a few calories burned is better than none. - 4/1/2011 3:39:34 PM

agreed - I think the author was a little dismissive of pilates. I've been doing it for about two months now and I'm addicted. I think it's a great complement to the other cardio I do. - 10/14/2010 12:22:47 PM

Double post--- oops. - 9/28/2010 4:55:20 PM