5Ws+1H: How It's Done: Simple adjustments can help with difficult exercises

May 30—Age or a prior injury can hinder some from being able to exercise, but making adjustments can help mitigate those issues.

Jon Bloodworth, Northeastern State University Fitness Center director, said injuries are often the main reasons someone needs to adjust a movement in an exercise.

"Aging fits hand-in-hand with this," Bloodworth said. "Sometimes injuries we suffer due to age cause a need for adjustments. The trick is to never let these exercises leave your routine. 'Use it or lose it' is a fact. If you stop squatting as you age, you will lose the ability to squat."

Bloodworth said the first exercise that usually becomes difficult with aging and injuries is squats, which is crucial for everyone to master.

"Squatting is part of everyday life," Bloodworth said. "You get up out of bed. You sit on your couch or kitchen table. You sit on your toilet. You shop from the bottom shelf at Reasor's. You crouch to play with your child. All those are squats."

Bloodworth said the best way to adjust a squat is by doing the move onto a workout specific box or chair. The box or chair should have the height adjusted to match a tolerable level for the person exercising, with the movement being progressed as the muscles get stronger.

"Giving yourself a target and a solid platform to touch helps tremendously," Bloodworth said.

Some other exercises that commonly need adjustments include overhead pressing and deadlifts or movements that require lifting from the floor. Bloodworth said he has clients who struggle with overhead pressing, instead press into a 45 degree angle with the position being seated and a barbell being propped at an appropriate angle.

Those deadlifting can have the weight raised to a more comfortable height at the knee or mid thigh. Bloodworth said as the person builds their strength the difficulty is changed overtime by adding more weight and/or lowering the starting position.

The hardest part with making adjustments Bloodworth believes is for people to convince themselves they can continue to exercise after losing their self-confidence.

"The number one thing to avoid when adjusting an exercise is thinking that just because you used to be able to lift a certain weight, or move a certain way, doesn't mean you should right now," Bloodworth said. "If it's been five to 10 years since you squatted heavy, squatting heavy is not what I'd recommend to get back in action. Take it slow. Do it right. Rebuild yourself and you'll be better than ever before you know it. The think people don't realize is if you spend 12 years getting out of shape you won't be back in shape in just 12 days, but with 12 months of consistency you can completely transform."

Bloodworth said those wanting to get into an exercise routine should know they can never start too slow, as they should be able progress from their current level. For those who are nervous about making their own exercise adjustments, Bloodworth said hiring a trainer would be beneficial.

"Some final advice would be stop being afraid to ask for help," Bloodworth said. "It's your one life. Go live it. Asking for help isn't a weakness it's how you progress when you can't find the way yourself."