My dad’s 50th birthday is on tuesday, and I’ve been helping him make baby steps in the last year in becoming healthier.
He has knee problems and in the next few years will likely need a knee replacement, for one or both knees.
Right now he walks a couple miles almost every day, and he is lifting some light weights every day. I think he comes in at a little under 20 bf% weighting 170.
He is looking to add some muscle, so I am thinking about recomending Alpha Male to him.
So can anyone help me out with some other tips for helping him in the weight room. He has trouble doing squats because he has arthritus in his knees.
I think I’m going to get him a foam roller for his birthday along with anything else I’m getting him, is this useful for keeping him healthy? Should I think about something else for 15 bucks?
I’m not sure where you’re at with respect to your baby steps, but I think getting his nutrition and training in line is more important for muscle gain than supplementation.
I’d start with JB’s article “7 Habits of Highly Effective Nutrition Programs” first. Slowly implement each rule until your dad has them mastered.
I would also get him into a carefully planned exercise program.
A general template might include:
Global Warm Up (2-3 min light cardio)
Dynamic Warm Up (Magnificent Mobility type exercises - this is more important the older you get)
Weight Training
Prehab (external rotations, etc).
Ab/Core work (side bridges etc)
Static Stretching
Cardio (or do on off days)
Maybe start with two days formal weight training and increase from there. Cardio on off days.
A foam roller would help and is a good purchase.
Also get him to consider ART for the knees. You can find a provider at www.activerelease.com.
When everything else is in order THEN add the Alpha Male.
I don’t understand the whole extent that ART can help. His problem is he has bowed legs, so the cartalege is worn down in them. He takes one of the cartalage supplements, I forget the name, and it is helping a little apparently.
Yes, by baby steps I mean getting him to stop eating ice cream right before bed. Now he has a popsickle instead! Everything else has been better than that though (old habits die hard I guess), he has been walking a bunch and has been paying more attention to his nutrition, and has been feeling better. Thanks for the help.
You seem to be on the right track, and I commend you for that. Focus his workouts on more energy expenditure and fitness related goals, as opposed to sport specific or bodybuilding training. You can not take a man who has done things one way for 20 years, and change those habits instantly. So be patient, take your time, and you are right, move slowly.
As I’m not an ART practitioner I’m not overly qualified to make the assessment as to whether or not it could help. However, if the bowing in his legs is at least partly muscular in origin I’d assume it would be worth a shot. If a foam roller could help, ART would be better. Doing both would be best.
As I had guessed, you definately aren’t far enough along to warrant the use of any high tech supplements.
It might be a good idea to sit your dad down and ask specifically what he wants to achieve. Then you can lay it out for him what needs to be done to get there. He isn’t going to get to any state of fantastic fitness eating popsicles all the time.
Essentially the questions you need answered are:
What does he want?
AND
Does he want it bad enough to make the needed changes?
BTW, there are now sugar free popsicles. Those might be a good option.
Riding a bicycle. This way he can train his leggs without having to much pressure on the knees.
Also, it’s a great cardio exercise since it is very comfortable and can easily be done for an hour (or more) at various degrees of intensity.
If his goal is to add muscle I’d be willing to bet that endurance cycling is not really the best way.
[quote]Wreckless wrote:
Riding a bicycle. This way he can train his leggs without having to much pressure on the knees.
Also, it’s a great cardio exercise since it is very comfortable and can easily be done for an hour (or more) at various degrees of intensity.[/quote]
I would think that general health, including endurance and muscle size and strength would be important to him, rather than just muscle size.
IMHO, as far as the suplements, after he has his diet inline some what, if he’s got the cash, go for it. As long as he realizes that it isn’t going to fix anything, just help a bit if he’s already doing the right things. It may encourage him further.
[quote]T Ham wrote:
IMHO, as far as the suplements, after he has his diet inline some what, if he’s got the cash, go for it. As long as he realizes that it isn’t going to fix anything, just help a bit if he’s already doing the right things. It may encourage him further.[/quote]
The main thing is that he really is just feeling “old” from what I can tell and is a little down about it.
I hope that once he incorporates more excercise and diet, along with good supplementation he’ll feel better and look better since he desires to.