Get Fit Fast Challenge: How to Ease Common Pains While Exercising

No pain, no gain? Not here. Learn how to fix common exercise-related aches so you can get the most out of your workouts.

Exercise is meant to feel good! So if you experience any aches or pains during your workouts, don’t just push through.

In this video, SilverSneakers LIVE instructor Sims Corbett tackles some of the most common issues that older adults have with physical activity—from knee, wrist, and back pain to trouble with floor-based and high-impact exercises. For each pain point, she walks through simple exercise tips and modifications to help you get all of the benefits from squats, lunges, and pushups without the aches.

Follow along to try out each modification to ease pain while exercising.

How Ease Your Exercise Pain Works

All you need is yourself, open floor space, a sturdy chair or couch, and light weights, such as a dumbbell or water bottle. If you’d like support during any of the exercises, set up near a wall, or place one or both hands on the chair. It’s also helpful to have water, and you should feel free to sip as you need.

To keep tabs on your effort, use a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the hardest. You can ramp up or dial down as you need, and you shouldn’t need to go further than a 6 or 7 here. As you move, keep breathing, prioritize good form, and listen to your body. The moves should feel challenging, but never painful.

As always, safety is key. The exercises here may be different or more advanced than those you’ll experience in a SilverSneakers class. If you have a chronic condition, an injury, or balance issues, talk to your doctor about how you can exercise safely.

Take Your Favorite SilverSneakers Classes Online!

SilverSneakers members can access live fitness classes and wellness workshops through SilverSneakers LIVE. See the latest schedule and RSVP for classes here.

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