Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion Men Only Message Board Do any of you guys work out with weights?

If so, any limitations? Personally, I do squats only using vertical leverage machine, and when I do bench press, I have to have something under my head to fill the gap my neck imposes.

Yea, I do a lot of weights, although not anything heavy with an affected joint. I would be careful with squats as improper form can really screw up your back, deadlifts too (and your hips with deadlifts). However, done properly they are very good for you. Id suggest wearing a weightbelt tight when you do them to make sure your back stays straight, and going for lower weight and more range of motion (take off like 1/3 the weight and go deeper down, remember to be careful with that form!)

I hired a professional trainer about 2 years ago. he respects and has learned about my limitations. we train upper, legs back and core on various days. I cannot do significant lifts above my head from a sitting position so we decrease the weight. I have gone from 246 to 212 and the cute nurses I work with say I look "hot".

They made me laugh and made my day.

Id also highly recommend body weight exercises (pull ups, pushups, etc etc). Very good for you! Plus theres many diff types of each (pullups, chinups, widegrip, etc, pushups on bars, etc etc)

My doc would rather have me spend time stretching than strength training, which I know the importance of that. But I must continue strength training for various reasons. The vertical leverage squat machine I mentioned has a firm cushion back support, which really eliminates using back during the motion. I worked up to 410 lbs today! Bench press has always been a struggle, and is made more difficult due to spine/neck. I have also mentioned on a post in "General" section about recent elbow pains. That has complicated everything requiring bending of elbows. That really sucks!

You should stop doing assisted squats, they are not good for you. Any machine like that is designed to minimize back injury, but at the same time the 'assistance' is mimizing your workout and only targeting certain muscles. There is no balance involved. Half of the benefit of the squat comes from this. I would seriously consider significantly lowering the weight and doing free squats with PROPER (have someone show you) technique with a weight belt. This will be much better for you, make you stronger faster, build more muscle in more places, and put LESS stress on your joints as you will likely be doing much, much less weight.

As for stretching though, you should def do plenty of that!!!

Any good routines you can recommend? My neck is real stiff and my right shoulder has bursitis and tendonitis. I am weak...and terribly skinny...I look horrible...

My suggestion would be check with your doctor and see if training is appropriate for you given your situation bookreader.

Yea, if your shoulder is bad it is difficult to do many exercises. Perhaps you should start with Yoga

I do a quick routine every morning (since about 10th grade...I'm 42 now) of combined stretching along w/ situps, pushups and chinups. This is great to keep up w/ flexibility and general muscle tone.

From fall to spring I work out on a cheap universal gym in my basement. Not anything w/ any great weight but, it's enough to do a decent work out, get the blood flowing and build/tone muscle.

The part that I find the most beneficial though, is how much it benefits me mentally. Throwing in a Ramones or Social Distortion CD and getting the blood flowing for 45-60 minutes is the best thing that I've found for keeping a positive outlook. And for me, keeping the spirits up goes a LONG way for managing/tolerating symptoms.

It lets me feel like I'm in control of my body and not that my body is in control of me.

Yea, I would def agree with you Sandcut. I was getting a bit depressed for awhile and when I reupped my exercise regimen ( I just started out with pullups and pushups as well ) I started to feel physically better, mentally better...well just better in general!

Sandcut, I'm with you regarding the music. I love both the Ramones and SD, but I listen to various metal bands while working out. It really helps with the mental block thing. Regarding the amount of weight, it only matters that I make progress, even just tiny amounts. I only compete with myself. Throughout the years, I have had times that I am not mentally ready to work out, and I don't. But I know that is how it is with me and I will always get back into it.
My original question was just that I was curious if any of you had any limitations in what you can do.

In my mid 30's (mid 50's now) I was able to go to a gym daily, spending the first hour on weights (machines, not free weights) and another hour on aerobics and stretching (I was the odd immovable character in the corner of the room who grunted a lot).

During that golden time, I was able to go completely off NSAIDs and took two aspirin once a day. Work and life changes then sent me to a decade of long plane rides and no work-outs, and I was back to square one, popping NSAIDs, in constant pain, and fast losing mobility.

Now that I am semi-retired and in a physically demanding job, the exercise is once again providing some relief.

I think that the worst medical advice I received when first diagnosed in the late 70's was to avoid weights and sports and only do stretching. But the fact is that strong muscles, especially stomach, lower back and chest, help remove weight from your bones when standing, help maintain an erect posture and IMO is key to better living under AS. Secondly, toned muscles are far easier to stretch than those out-of-shape, so strength training coupled with stretching is the way to go.

I have also constantly moved everything that hurts every day ever since I was diagnosed. Cases and severity of AS differ, but the result in my case is that I am fairly mobile (for AS) and only have total fusion in my lower spine. The trade-off is that all my joints, from neck to back to ribs to wrists, elbows and knees all hurt all the time. Pain management then consists of hot shower, exercise, and the lowest dose of NSAIDs I can get away with.

Ooops! My bad.

When it comes to uppper body I have no limitations. My lower body is gradually becoming flaccid. Most excercises that involve squatting or repetitive extentsions cause my knees to swell so I generally avoid them. Oddly, a little Tae Bo doesn't seem to hurt the knees but angers the one foot. Oh well.

I work out with weights and do cardio three times a week. I can't tell you how much its helped my body, and my mood. You do have to be careful with free weights. I don't do squats or military presses because of the compression it puts on my spinal column. My cervical and lumbar discs disappeared a few years ago, so I have to allow for that. I've lost weight too, especially after increasing my cardio workout. Used to weigh 230+, now I weigh 208. Like how I look in the mirror too.

Like Sandcut said, working out helps me feel like I'm in control of my body, not that my body is in control of me.

I used to love working out with weights, but since everything started going downhill 3 years ago I have been able to do less and less and less. I have lost about 25 pounds of muscle mass since then because of the inability to work out much. It is like I became a frail 90 year old overnight. I am only 44.

It is very demoralizing. I hope I can be diagnosed in January so that I can get effective medication to get the inflammation down so I can exercise properly again.

Bummer. You can get it back man. Hang in there.

yea I know the feeling. I used to work out at least an hour a day, just with weight exersizes, along with other exersizes(Cardio, stretches, ect.) But every since my dx I feel so limited, I do 3 exersizes with weights and the rest I do is all core strengthening exersizes. It's really a bummer, I feel like a I'm 80, im 20 years old; its so hard to stay positive when you feel like crap and can't act like you want to