Favorite Exercises

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Affinity

Distinguished member
Joined
Sep 9, 2020
Messages
176
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
05/2014
Country
US
State
TX
Hey all I thought it would be nice to start a discussion of favorite forms of exercise. I know that often I am challenged to be consistent due to pain and other issues but I find that having a variety of activities helps me stay more active. As far as I know exercise is the only thing that has been shown to be consistently helpful in managing fibromyalgia through scientific studies.

Hiking - my #1 choice because I love being out in nature and I think nature is good for everyone, especially those of us who are trying to get in better touch with our own natural healing state. Lately hip issues have made this more challenging for me but I am working with my PT to get back to doing this regularly. I am lucky to live near a bunch of trails around a lake with lots of trees, too.

Walking - I prefer to walk on dirt trails but even walking in the neighborhood is good on days I am not up for a hike

Rebounding - This is like walking inside in place but easier on the joints. I like doing this on days that are too hot or rainy to get outside. Rebounding is also good for the lymphatic system and the fascia where I have a lot of issues.

Yoga - I have done yoga for many years and it's definitely one of my favorite activities. Right now I cannot really do it much but am hopeful as I heal with help from PT I can do it more again. When I try lately I feel like I am just injuring myself even when I am doing a very gentle form of yoga.

Exercise videos - I like doing these from YouTube, sometimes I do dance videos and sometimes I do videos from Cocolime Fitness who has videos specifically for fibromyalgia on her YouTube channel. I find I can often modify the movements if I have pain so at least I am doing something.

Swimming - I actually really like swimming even though I have trouble with the chlorine at the pool. We have a lake here we swim in in the summer and it's fun but challenging for me as my 6 year old wants to play much more roughly than I can so I often end up injuring my back when swimming and playing in the lake.

Bike riding - I used to love riding my bike and would even commute to work 5+ miles each way but in recent years I find it more challenging. I would love to get into more again but I think I need to build up more strength first.

Clinical pilates - I have not started these yet but my PT is going to have me start doing them once we get to a place where I can focus more on building strength instead of relieving pain. I wonder if anyone else has had success building core stability with this type of pilates? It's different than the type usually found in pilates classes and I am hopeful that it can help me build core strength to overcome my hip and back issues. I think after my pregnancy and c-section many years ago my core really suffered and I haven't been able to rebuild strength properly there which has spiraled into other issues. But I am actually very excited to start this new program because I am willing to build up from the beginning. She explained to me that like an infant who can't even turn over or kick her legs that they are developing my core from this very basic beginner place and retraining things so once I know the proper way to move I will (hopefully) stop injuring myself!

I would love to hear your favorite exercises, too. Even though I am talking about exercise I find it equally important to take rest days, but even on my rest days I am at least walking to the bus stop to drop of and pick up my kiddo and doing my PT exercises as well.
 
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I can do quite a bit of sports, am very active, usually have 3min. energy bursts, but longer movements, requiring endurance have become tiring & painful with fibro.

So walking makes my legs heavy, Nordic Walking doesn't help either, then my arms get heavy quickly too, Sunday both on the left seized up, almost to a cramp/spasm. I often have to stop for breaks regularly. I can usually better run half a mile (3/4 mile is the magic limit) than walk it.

So-called "Yoga"-exercises are helpful to me, but I see it as additional exercises, esp. for my back, because we don't really use the deep Asian background. Yin Yoga & a lot of PT-exercises, anything else that requires longer stretching become very painful, crampy, nauseous, it feels myofascial, like a net under the skin all over my torso, nauseous mainly when I'm using transverse muscles, i.e. turning my abdomen askew. My PTs are stumped there, anyone else know of this? I'm also keeping up the hand exercises the rheum.-clinic taught me.
In my gym machine workout I still manage almost the same weights, so it's silly that I keep postponing it to when I feel good. I do about 30 mins., cycling there and back, 5mins. treadmill first, then arms - legs alternately 3x, then next 2 exercises.
At home I do the <7min. scientific workout> quite often, but stick to the first 5 mins., using my energy bursts.

My dry skin can only tolerate max. 20mins. of water-contact and in this time I can still swim fairly quickly, sometimes 15 yds underwater, but if I pressure the speed like I used to (3/4 mile in 30-35mins.) I can only last 1 min., have to pant for several mins. outside the water to get air.

What I can still do pretty well is cycling. Because I've always done that a lot I'm well trained and I've learned to find the sweet spot using energy bursts if I haven't got a long distance and then keep down my speed. Occasionally I overdo it, but usually I can adapt to limb-weakness.

What I still absolutely love doing is playing table tennis every day! The short sharp movements fit to my energy bursts, the body turns don't seem long enough to make me nauseous (usually) and my mate and I've adapted the length and strain: Usually 4 games (to 21), lying down for at least 5 mins. after each (stone table, outside on playgrounds), sometimes in between, and he gets every ball so I don't have to bend down, and then at least an hour break afterwards, lying down. But I do get what feels like myofascial strain in my abdomen if I overdo it, so I have to
watch out for that and keep my movements down - which often means I get more points because I play less risky.

A rest day once in a while, e.g. on a hot day, is good for me too.

After the clinic I want to get a better daily routine, not just a few exercises, table tennis and cycling, but all my exercises plus either gym or swim. I think I have to tell myself that that's the first thing I need to do before I decide on doing anything new? "Me first?" "Body first"? Not exactly one of my assets. *sigh* Let's see how I go today.
 
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1. Hiking
2. Hiking
2.5. Dancing workout
3. Walking
4. Backpacking and camping
5. Camping with hiking
6. Doing my indoor light weights workout (about 1/2 hour)....clearly not a favorite, but I do it anyway as it is very important.


Always in nature except the dancing and sometimes that too.
And the indoor weights workout I don't do every day, just when I can.

I don't often get the chance to go camping or backpacking, but love it when I do. Somehow being out in nature really helps to make it not be as painful for me the next day, maybe because the time spent outdoors is so joyful it raises that serotonin level! And often when I backpack camp I don't hike a long way in anyway.
 
I can do quite a bit of sports, am very active, usually have 3min. energy bursts, but longer movements, requiring endurance have become tiring & painful with fibro.

So walking makes my legs heavy, Nordic Walking doesn't help either, then my arms get heavy quickly too, Sunday both on the left seized up, almost to a cramp/spasm. I often have to stop for breaks regularly. I can usually better run half a mile (3/4 mile is the magic limit) than walk it.

So-called "Yoga"-exercises are helpful to me, but I see it as additional exercises, esp. for my back, because we don't really use the deep Asian background. Yin Yoga & a lot of PT-exercises, anything else that requires longer stretching become very painful, crampy, nauseous, it feels myofascial, like a net under the skin all over my torso, nauseous mainly when I'm using transverse muscles, i.e. turning my abdomen askew. My PTs are stumped there, anyone else know of this? I'm also keeping up the hand exercises the rheum.-clinic taught me.
In my gym machine workout I still manage almost the same weights, so it's silly that I keep postponing it to when I feel good. I do about 30 mins., cycling there and back, 5mins. treadmill first, then arms - legs alternately 3x, then next 2 exercises.
At home I do the <7min. scientific workout> quite often, but stick to the first 5 mins., using my energy bursts.

My dry skin can only tolerate max. 20mins. of water-contact and in this time I can still swim fairly quickly, sometimes 15 yds underwater, but if I pressure the speed like I used to (3/4 mile in 30-35mins.) I can only last 1 min., have to pant for several mins. outside the water to get air.

What I can still do pretty well is cycling. Because I've always done that a lot I'm well trained and I've learned to find the sweet spot using energy bursts if I haven't got a long distance and then keep down my speed. Occasionally I overdo it, but usually I can adapt to limb-weakness.

What I still absolutely love doing is playing table tennis every day! The short sharp movements fit to my energy bursts, the body turns don't seem long enough to make me nauseous (usually) and my mate and I've adapted the length and strain: Usually 4 games (to 21), lying down for at least 5 mins. after each (stone table, outside on playgrounds), sometimes in between, and he gets every ball so I don't have to bend down, and then at least an hour break afterwards, lying down. But I do get what feels like myofascial strain in my abdomen if I overdo it, so I have to
watch out for that and keep my movements down - which often means I get more points because I play less risky.

A rest day once in a while, e.g. on a hot day, is good for me too.

After the clinic I want to get a better daily routine, not just a few exercises, table tennis and cycling, but all my exercises plus either gym or swim. I think I have to tell myself that that's the first thing I need to do before I decide on doing anything new? "Me first?" "Body first"? Not exactly one of my assets. *sigh* Let's see how I go today.
During a flare up longer exercises that require stamina are quite difficult for me as well, glad I am not alone!

Table tennis sounds great! I can see it being fun and enough to keep you active at the same time, so cool!

You have tons of great exercises Jay and I think you are similar to me in that we are both in the "rebuilding" phase haha so we can get back to doing more of the things we love most!
 
1. Hiking
2. Hiking
2.5. Dancing workout
3. Walking
4. Backpacking and camping
5. Camping with hiking
6. Doing my indoor light weights workout (about 1/2 hour)....clearly not a favorite, but I do it anyway as it is very important.


Always in nature except the dancing and sometimes that too.
And the indoor weights workout I don't do every day, just when I can.

I don't often get the chance to go camping or backpacking, but love it when I do. Somehow being out in nature really helps to make it not be as painful for me the next day, maybe because the time spent outdoors is so joyful it raises that serotonin level! And often when I backpack camp I don't hike a long way in anyway.
I totally agree with you about nature! It's very rejuvenating for me! I am not as much a fan of camping because I often wake up so sore and stiff but if I can rent a cabin or have adequate air mattress in place I do okay. Since we moved to Texas I still get outside even in the summers but have to be more careful in the extreme heat but I's rather go out and be careful than stay in and miss nature!

It sounds like we do a lot of the same activities, and having a variety I think helps make up more active so we don't get bored!
 
I'd love to do table tennis (what I call Ping-Pong), but that takes room for a table and another person to play with, neither of which I have. I always loved that game, though. :)
 
I'd love to do table tennis (what I call Ping-Pong), but that takes room for a table and another person to play with, neither of which I have. I always loved that game, though. :)
Our rec center has a large area dedicated to table tennis and it looks very fun but it's always really busy with lots of really good players, too! Plus haven't been going places like that during the pandemic. But I would love to do that and I could teach my kid.
 
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