Joints

[Porsche]

not the kind you smoke.

I've heard a lot since I started training about joints problems from years of training. Can anybody offer advice, if any on how to avoid getting bad joints, I've never had an cartelage (sp) problems in the past, and notihng hurts as of now.

I'm kinda hoping it's not some inevtiable thing, but any insight would be appreciated.

[Oz]

Yoga

[kittedb18bt]

know what you are doing in the gym. hmmm... dont run at all, try a low impact cardio.

[Porsche]

I've heard Yoga before, one of my training buddies is doing it over the summer, I may consider now too.

[kittedb18bt]

i have told many people this: the time you spend doing yoga, you could be doing something else better. tae-bo is incredible (billy blanks). i know it sounds funny.

well, get someone to spot you. someone who knows what they are doing in the gym.
how long have you been training?
i wouldn't do explosive movements while lifting. i like to "control" the weight while focusing on the muscle being worked. then, squeeze the muscle, really contract it. lower the weight slowly, then repeat the process. i like to do 10-15 reps while endurance training.
how tall/what do you weigh? get someone about your size/strength, and then compete with them.
what are your goals? dont know what else to say. good luck.

[Ironman_375]

havin' problems with joints in the past (both kinds, actually), i know a little bit about them. Most problems people have with joints is from the cartl. hardening, deteriorating, or just plain ripping it, and sometimes connective tissue is a factor. With knees, dont go as low on your squats, etc. leg ext. and leg curls dont really hurt the joints because youre not puttin pressure in a place that pushes your femur down onto the tops of the tibia and fibula (shinbones, calfbones, whatever) but still it puts pressure on the patella (kneecap) for shoulders, i try to stick with the machines. Torn rotator cuffs are not fun at all, and a slip of the bar or even worse dumbell could cause a severe injury. For wrists, try to keep them parallell with your forearms, turning them or bending them kinda "perpindicular" to your forearms weakin the wrist joints... ankles and elbows are kinda hard to hurt just lifting weights...just plain be careful

also there's some called...GSM somethin (think) that's supposed to be for joint health

[DGB454]

Concentrate on your form espescially if you are doing free weights. Bad form and a lapse in concentration can do severe lasting damage to joints. Also..ditto to what Ironman said.

[Porsche]

Nice, thanks for all the replies.

I currently have been training about 8 months, but it's been on off another 6 months on top of that. I always have someone spotting me, especially for freeweights. I have an aweosme friend taking kinesiology, so he's an expert on proper technique and what not to do.

About the rotator, the guy mentioned above actually ahd some rotator problems, I'm always scared of injury, so I'm always very careful and I've always followed what kittedb18t said. I'm doing Hypertrophy right now, but I try and lift anything I knwo I can't do without someone watching me.

I was just hoping there might be something liek a supplement or something that could help, but thatnks for all the advice guys.

[Ironman_375]

There is a supplement called MSM with Clucosamine that is made by Spring Valley for joints...you can buy it in any walmart