UKC

A combination of an active lifestyle and poor decision making means that I've got a fair few old injuries that are starting to catch up with me as I rapidly approach my 40s. I'm looking for something to improve joint mobility and flexibility etc. and for pain relief.

The worst ones are an old back injury (crushed lumbar vertebra) and knackered knee (tibial plateau fracture, one of the surgeons said the joint was just mush...) Running used to keep my back in check but I've pretty much stopped due to the knee. I really need to do physio daily for ever more for the knee but I don't, cos physio is unbelievable boring and after nearly 5 years I've run out of motivation.

I'm terrible at doing any kind of tedious repetitive exercises (see above comment about physio) but will do them if someone is standing there telling me to do it.

I'm thinking of trying either yoga or pilates classes. Leaning towards pilates as the nearest class is at a more convenient time. Can anyone recommend one over the other, or any alternative options? It needs to involve someone in person telling me to do it, otherwise I just won't do it.

Live in Ulverston in the south Lakes so local options are likely to be limited.

Cheers 

Problem with recommending either is they are really dependant on the teacher. You can get a clue with yoga from the style but its not guaranteed.

So would suggest trying all the limited options and seeing what instructor is like. For your kind of injury would also be looking if any do work closely with physios.

This, not any specific injury, is your problem. It seems that lots of injuries can be fixed but all the fixes require some kind of tedious, very regular exercise that requires a fair degree of self-motivation. And if you think injury rehab is boring, wait until you try getting more flexible! It really does require a lot of repetition of the same set of exercises. Sure, a class might help you, but do you really want your physical wellbeing dependent on a yoga teacher who may move away or stop teaching at any time? Whereas if you develop your ability to knock out the minimum exercise required to keep yourself functioning then you’re reliant on nothing but having a few square meters of floor space. 

I strongly suspect I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know. 

2 thoughts:

- do whichever class is easier logistically and therefore more likely to happen

- can you find a way to make the exercises at home more appealing? I’m a latecomer to podcasts but so far (week 2!) they have been a game changer in fixing my own decades-long disinterest in stretching.

But neither are you offering any positive alternative he hasn't already considered.

He stated quite clearly that 'just do it' isn't a psychology he's had much success with, so telling him to 'just do it' probably isn't the most helpful reply.

Unfortunately, I have no answer for him either, as I've tried neither yoga nor pilates. I've always found that a combination of climbing and running, along with a very small amount of stretching, seems to serve me well.

Well, I’m not saying “just do it”! But doing it (almost certainly without the “just”) will definitely help. So perhaps the OP needs to find out why he struggles with these sorts of tasks and develop some strategies for accomplishing them. That’s quite a different question to finding a yoga teacher in Ulverston, but it might be a better question to ask. Maybe a read of something like “Atomic Habits” might be useful (not read it but heard good things about it).

I would agree, a fairly small amount of stretching seems to work well for me too. 

I’ve found that motivation can come from having a training partner or friend work out with you… you don’t want to stand them up so commit to turning up.

So finding an activity with a buddy might help you.

I can really recommend Pilates. It will do your back a lot of good.

This - do whichever class is most convenient for you logistically, coz either one will be better than doing nowt. I used to do a yogalates (bit of both) class pre-covid, now do a pilates one. They're both good.

This guy is by far the best I have found at pilates to help with rehab. Not close to you but does do online Zoom stuff, both 1 to 1 and group sessions if you think you could be motivated enough to do online stuff.

He has a great understanding of how the body links up and communicates it very well. I found that if you understand exactly why you are doing a particular exercise it helps a lot with motivation.

Keep at it, 40 is way too young.

https://www.centreofbalance.co.uk/

Perhaps hypnotherapy could help with the reluctance to do the required physiotherapy?

Yoga can be dangerous for the knees, so I'd suggest getting on top of the physio is a prerequisite for taking it up in your case.

Pilates is all about core strength and flexibility so looks like a good match for your needs. If you have a swimming pool (or lake obviously) nearby, swimming is brilliant for non-weight-bearing exercise, and you feel good afterwards.

Above all, you need to take control of your physical situation, and learn what you need for yourself, rather than rely on some trainer / physio / teacher for a short time every week. Your body is the only one you have, and it's not that old - keep going!

Can I make an alternative suggestion? I think it sounds like you could really benefit from strength training that is interesting and not entirely self-directed. 

I did crossfit quite a bit last year and I got into much better shape through it. You can dial back the intensity based on what you can handle, but it's only an hour, you get a full workout, you get stronger, and it's varied so it'll stay interesting. They can adapt whatever the session is to make it suit any injuries etc.

Yoga and Pilates are good and have their place but I feel like (and I am not an expert at all) you need to strengthen your back and legs and they don't do that particularly well, resistance training with weight does. 

Just a thought as something that could work for you as interesting and different. 

I'm similarly unmotivated. We have an excellent Pilates teacher locally. I've therefore stuck at it for 4-5 years now and can feel improvements in my mobility and proprioception which have fed directly into my climbing. 

I have at times felt as if I'm in the wrong place being a lone climbing/running male among a mixture of mums and older ladies. Then I have remembered what I'm there for and stuck at it. I have also taken the teacher and her two kids to the climbing wall so she can see what my goals are, and she could immediately see the relevance. 

What I haven't had - which I understand can be associated with yoga - is any degree of spiritual woo-woo, or competitiveness about achieving the shapes/stances/poses. The closest it's got to ideology is "What would Jozef Pilates have done ? Kept on breathing !" 

But it's probably true that 1) Can you get there and 2) Is the teacher any good are the key things. 

Y

Second this, having a proper S&C plan has transformed my back situation after years of seeing physios.

Physios, in my experience - which clearly is restricted so can’t be applied to all - tend to treat and give you some exercises to try and stretch stuff/mitigate…..rather than solve the problem 

I started working with an S&C coach, we spend about 1 hour in the gym setting up a program about every 8 weeks, which I then follow on my own weekly with a check in every 4 weeks to ensure I am doing the exercises correctly/not developing bad habits/incorrect posture 

I combine this with a 15 minute set of stretches/pilates like stuff every day 

My S&Cs view when I started was I had run, cycled, walked and swam myself to oblivion and effectively had no core strength as i didn’t spend any time in the gym with weights/resistance…..you can get away with this when under 40 but not after 😀

I still hate going to the gym but it’s a necessary evil 

I'm a physio and I'd recommend the following. S&C would definitely be something to do, ideally supervised by someone well qualified. 

Pilates or yoga could be a good place to start though, you could then incorporate both S&C with yoga or pilates.

I practise yoga and would recommend Iyengar trained instructors.  Iyengar Yoga focusses on three aspects: alignment, sequencing and timing. Instructors are well trained and should ensure that you get the method right without hurting yourself further.  Yoga instructors can be pretty hit or miss when it comes to teaching; building a good foundation and taking the time to learn the postures correctly would put you in good stead.  I note from google that there is a qualified instructor in Penrith.

Pilates would also be good (although I find yoga much more enjoyable personally ).  There is a practice in Kendal and the instructors are physiotherapists. I note they also do strengthening classes. The links are below.  

https://kendalphysio.co.uk/physio-led-pilates/

https://www.katestannardyoga.com/ 

Lou Curry Yoga at Kendal wall on the Tues eve is good.

Cate King pilates in Allithwaite on a Mon eve is good too.

Cheers all, some sage advice there. Fixing my tendancy to procrastinate indefinitely would probably be the best solution, maybe reading seankenny's suggested book would be a good start. I'll add it to my to-do list, perhaps I'll actually get round to it sometime.

Went to the gym yesterday for the first time in ages. Last time I saw a physio (I do pay for private sessions from time to time for essentially a kick up the arse) the focus was on weight training, which I did for a while but like everything else missed a few sessions then just kept missing indefinitely. I'll get some pilates classes booked. May need to buy a mat though (local ones all say bring your own) so that's another thing to pointlessly procrastinate over.

I was going to reply earlier but ended up putting it off. Currently putting off some work stuff though so managed to write a post 😂

My vote is with pilates. I enjoy yoga more but pilates makes such a difference to my back & knee issues

I can't say which is better as I've only done bits of yoga but I have found it really useful for limbering me up and loosening old injuries.

I am the same as you in that I will never be able to force myself to do things at home. The yoga class I pay for is very basic stuff, which I have done hundreds of times. I could do it on my own at home but I don't; it's no different to any of the numerous free youtube channels I could watch in my own time and do but I won't. This comes down to there being way too many distractions or things I'd rather be doing when at home (and a heavy serving of ADHD). 

Do you have a regular commute or anything like that? If I was finding it hard to do regular phys in my home, I'd try and incorporate it into my routine in a less busy and tempting environment. If there is a playground or something on your way to work, you could try leaving 10 minutes early each day with some resistance bands or whatever it is you need and do your exercises as part of your journey? 

Both Yoga and Pilates have really helped my back and general flexibility. I too can't motivate myself to do repetitive stuff at home. I actually enjoy yoga and pilates now. The secret though is to avoid or modify moves (with lots of blocks or otherwise) if anything feels like it's hurting during a class. And to avoid any feeling of competitiveness or wanting to achieve a particular move- it doesn't work like that.

Reformer pilates will change your life. I know a very good practitioner who lives at Lambrigg. Let me know if you want his contact details. Not cheap though.

I always think Pilates is better for muscles and bones, sometimes yoga can be more about meditating ect depending on the teacher. If you have issues with your back etc previosuly a good teacher should ask and recommend movements to try and improve this. I have seen a lot of people doing reformer but I think this can be really hard, but you can have private lessons.

I did yoga in  my late thirties which helped me a lot, and i enjoyed it, to my surprise at the time.

Not sure it would be right for you with your injuries, pilates maybe better. What I would say is give classes a try. Really disagree that will you will be 'dependent' on a teacher, or it will stop you addressing your commitment problems with physio. Classes could well help with this! Classes are about learning something you can then practice yourself, not about dependency on a teacher, though the longer you go the more you will learn obviously.