JOINED THE GYM

kezzo1

ive joined the gym i have ra i want to go 2-3 times week swimming and gym or just one or other, how much is too much dont want to end up having a flare for over doing it most people do a hour so e.g should i start at half hour for now and see how i get on? and should i tell the gym people about my ra, although i dont like to tell too many people guess im still in bit of embarrassment stage as im younger and no one understands. pls help

helpline_team

Hi Kezzo1

It might be a good idea to start off going to the gym but only doing 15 minutes max for a week and judge for yourself whether that was too much or too little as only you can judge how much is too much. If you find you can cope with 15 minutes three times a week then you could increase it by a few minutes each week until you find your ideal length of time for a workout.

Or if you find that after doing 15 minutes on the first day it was too much then reduce it the next time you go until you find your perfect place to start.

You should tell the gym instructor about your RA as it will probably save you more embarrassment in the long run. It is important that you build up your strength/muscles slowly and it will help if you can get support from the gym instructors. They can only support you in the right way if they know the full facts.

I hope this helps. Good luck with the exercise regime.

Simona

radiogirl

Dear Kezzo 1

I have RA and also joined a gym, I go 4 times a week for aboout an hour at a time. I have told them about my RA and they where brilliant, I have a Personnal trainer (all part of the fee) whom I see every 6 weeks, my personnal trainers father has severe RA so she knows what I am on about and gives me excercises that will help me rather than hinder, I now have an excercise programme that is suited to me and my RA, lots of sitting down excercises and low impact, I have also started water areobics, which is brilliant has there is hardly any impact on knees !!