Let me preface this with the fact that my mom doesn't normally take my advice. She usually listens to her friends and will believe it if they tell her. So, you kinda can see what I'm up against.
Much to my delight (and my dad's), my mother began regularly working out at a gym about 1 1/2 years ago. She does the same thing every time she goes (walk/elliptical/high reps low weights on machines) and I believe her strength and endurence has increased but she hasn't lost the weight she wants to lose. I've suggested variation in her workouts and meeting with a trainer but she hasn't done that yet. She also doesn't think there is any need to stretch/warm up/cool down.
In addition to her 3x/week workouts, she does these exercises 5-7 times per week - old fashioned sit ups, toe-touches, leg lifts. While I have suggested she try crunches instead of the sit ups, I never really pushed for her to change her regimin - she says she doesn't think the crunches work and she feels better doing the ones she's always done. Recently, my paternal grandmother told her she shouldn't do the toe-touches as she could throw out her back (she does them pretty quickly). Mom asked me what I thought and I said that they probably were dangerous - along with the traditional sit ups.
What do y'all think? Should I just butt out? I'm not sure she'd even listen to me but maybe someone out there has some good solid research links/articles that might help my mom incorporate some safer methods into her workouts. I'm not going to try to get her to change her entire workout schedule - just help her make modifications so that she doesn't hurt herself. I'm totally all for her working out but I don't want her to get hurt and then not be able to work out at all. btw, mom's 53 and I'm 26.
Thank you!
Much to my delight (and my dad's), my mother began regularly working out at a gym about 1 1/2 years ago. She does the same thing every time she goes (walk/elliptical/high reps low weights on machines) and I believe her strength and endurence has increased but she hasn't lost the weight she wants to lose. I've suggested variation in her workouts and meeting with a trainer but she hasn't done that yet. She also doesn't think there is any need to stretch/warm up/cool down.
In addition to her 3x/week workouts, she does these exercises 5-7 times per week - old fashioned sit ups, toe-touches, leg lifts. While I have suggested she try crunches instead of the sit ups, I never really pushed for her to change her regimin - she says she doesn't think the crunches work and she feels better doing the ones she's always done. Recently, my paternal grandmother told her she shouldn't do the toe-touches as she could throw out her back (she does them pretty quickly). Mom asked me what I thought and I said that they probably were dangerous - along with the traditional sit ups.
What do y'all think? Should I just butt out? I'm not sure she'd even listen to me but maybe someone out there has some good solid research links/articles that might help my mom incorporate some safer methods into her workouts. I'm not going to try to get her to change her entire workout schedule - just help her make modifications so that she doesn't hurt herself. I'm totally all for her working out but I don't want her to get hurt and then not be able to work out at all. btw, mom's 53 and I'm 26.
Thank you!