March 29, 2024

If you know the importance of getting daily exercise but you aren’t exactly in incredible shape, you might find yourself feeling discouraged when you go to workout but can’t do all that you want to or think you should be able to do. But whether you’re someone who’s doing exercises at an independent living facility or someone trying to do workout videos at home, there are ways that you can modify what you’re trying to do in order to keep yourself safe and slowly build your strength, endurance, and flexibility. 

To help you see how this can be done, here are three tips for safely modifying exercises. 

Reduce The Angle

With many exercises, the angle in which you’re doing the exercise move can make a huge difference in how difficult the move is. Generally, the greater the angle is, the more resistance you’ll be moving against and the harder to move will be to do.

If you’re wanting to really push yourself, increasing the angle will do that. But if you’re needing to go a little lighter, reducing the angle is ideal. This is especially true for things like push-ups and squats. If you’re having a hard time doing full push-ups, reduce the angle by putting your knees down or putting your hands on a wall rather than the floor. For moves like squats, simply don’t go as low as other people might be able to. 

Take Out The Jumps

When doing exercises that are focused more on cardiovascular work, you might be asked to do some jumping in order to warm up your muscles and get your heart and lungs pumping. But for many people, jumping is just too much for their body.

If this sounds like you, one easy way to modify exercises that would normally involve a jump is to simply take out the jump. Instead of jumping, you can try stepping or marching. By doing smaller movements, you can still get some of the benefits of the exercise without having to put your body at risk of injury. 

Use Lighter Weights

For some exercises, it’s important to use weights in order to give your body and muscles more resistance. But when you’re just starting out with exercise, or your body can only handle very little weight, you’ll likely want to modify these kinds of exercise. 

To do this, you can always choose to use lighter weights. Along with this, if it’s the holding of the free weights that is hard for you, using kettlebells can be easier on your grip. But for most exercises, using just your body weight will be enough for you to get a decent workout.  

If you’re wanting to exercise but are needing to modify some of the moves you’re asked to do, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do so safely. 

The Lee Warehouse Smith Machine Pull Down/Squat Rack/Pull Up is a top-quality product that is perfect for anyone looking for a great workout. This rack allows you to do pull-ups, squats, and more!

Jason Isaiah

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