4 Things to know about starting weightlifting after cancer
Sharon, an online coaching client of mine, was scared to death of weightlifting after cancer.
She had never lifted weight before, and the thought of starting to lift weights after cancer terrified her.
After all, she was 65 years old and never stepped foot in a gym before.
She had no idea where to start, what weight to grab, how to set up a routine,
or the proper technique to avoid injury,
But she was willing to try—because if she overcame chemo, she could lift weights.
Why do I share this?
Because, like Sharon, you may have many of the fears, worries, or questions.
So, if you are like Sharon, struggling to know:
How to avoid knee pain when doing leg exercises
What weight to use
Whether you should just go straight for the machines or use a dumbbell
And how to set up your lifting routine
Then this blog is for you, and I will break down exactly what you need to know as a beginner after cancer.
How to Avoid Knee Pain While Weightlifting After Cancer
If you already have a hard time getting up and off the ground after cancer, it can be common to avoid leg exercise due to fear of injury.
However, the #1 cause of knee pain, arthritis, and discomfort is actually lack of movement to the knee joint.
Now, obviously, knee pain can be caused by different things, such as:
Arthritis
Muscle/tendon tightness (from overuse)
Muscle/tendon tightness weakness (from under-use)
Previous injury
However, regardless of what has caused your pain or discomfort, weightlifting after cancer should not be avoided.
In fact, lifting weights can actually help decrease a lot of the aches and pains you might be feeling after cancer.
And here are 3 tips that can help you avoid knee pain when starting to lift weights.
Before exercise: Warm up with low-impact, light-to-moderate-intensity cardio. 5-10 minutes of general cardio is great for reducing knee pain because it helps lubricate the joints. Think of light cardio as WD-40 for your joints.
During your workout: Be mindful of your foot positioning and keep your knee in line with your ankle because the more your knee goes past your toes, the more discomfort it will create. Knee past toes is not a bad thing, but it can create discomfort for someone who is not used to it.
After your workout: Stretch your hamstrings (back of the thigh) and quadriceps (front of the thigh). Tight muscles pull on the tendon and tendons pull at your joint. So, by stretching your muscles, you will help reduce tension at the joint. You can do these stretches, assisted with a belt, on the ground, in a chair, or standing up.
Here are a couple you can try ⬇
Side note: If you are experiencing pain or discomfort at the back of the knee, focus on stretching your hamstring (the back of your thigh).
Side note: If you are experiencing pain or discomfort at the front of the knee focus on stretching your quadriceps (the front of your thigh).
And, if you want some more stretches, check out the OncoloFit Stretch with JC YouTube Library to know what stretches can help you today.
How Do I Know What Weight to Use for Different Exercises After Cancer
Knowing what weight to use when you have never lifted weights before can be tricky, but the best way to know what weight to use as a beginner after cancer is by using the guide below.
It’s important to know that this is a general guide that is designed to be used according to your body size and experience.
For example:
Little-to-no experience with little-to-no muscle mass: Grab a weight in the lower range
Lifting experience with many years off from lifting: Start by grabbing a weight in the lower-to-middle range.
New to exercise, but carry a lot of muscle: Grab a weight in the middle-to-upper range.
Now that you have a weight, your next step is to determine your reps.
Generally speaking,
Muscular Strength & Power: 1-5 reps.
Muscular Strength & Size: 6-12 reps (size is dependent on nutrition and exercise selection).
Muscular Endurance: 12-15 reps.
However, after cancer treatment, the most important rep range to focus on is between 6-15 reps.
As you can see, there is an overlap between building strength and building muscle, so the reps do not matter as much as the weight and exercise you do.
Therefore, what I always suggest to my online coaching clients is to start by doing 10-12 reps for at least 2-3 sets (ideally 2) if they haven’t lifted in more than a year.
Doing at least 2 sets gives you a better idea of how your body will handle the weight after cancer and provides you with the confidence you need to continue.
If you do this, what you may notice is that your first set will be easier to lift than your second set. This is normal; it is just muscle fatigue that happens when you are lifting.
However, it is important to know that when starting out, no matter how fatigued your body gets, you do want to make sure you stay within 6-15 reps.
Rule of Thumb:
If you can’t do a minimum of 6 reps, the weight is too heavy.
If you can do more than 15 reps, the weight is too light.
But above all, always remember you should be able to lift the weight without your form or technique breaking down as you lift.
Should I Use Machines or Free Weights After Cancer as a Beginner?
What equipment you use depends on:
What is accessible to you
Your goals
Physical condition
Lifting experience
What you enjoy
Because there isn’t a piece of equipment that is better or worse.
That is like asking:
What is better: a putter or a driver?
Or asking:
What is better: lipstick or eyeliner?
Both are great for different reasons, and here is what you need to know in order to decide what is better for you.
Machines: Can be either smith machines, plate-loaded, weight stacked, or cables.
They are great if you have balance issues from neuropathy, want to build muscle, have no experience using free weights, have an ostomy bag, or have cancer fatigue.
They can feel a bit uncomfortable if you are too tall, small, or heavier set for the machine, and adjusting the seat or machine may be confusing or uncomfortable at times.
However, they have very low risk of injury and come with instructions, so I often start many of my online coaching clients here.
This is where Sharon felt the most comfortable staring.
Free Weights: Can be adjustable, plate loaded, dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells.
They are great for increasing range of motion after a cancer surgery, targeting multiple muscle groups at the same time, building overall strength after cancer treatment, and combining cardio with weights.
On the flip side, they can be a bit harder to learn and may require more balance or coordination for certain exercises. So, if you aren’t experienced or have any limitations, they may be hard to incorporate.
However, they are great to incorporate when you are in a time crunch, want to build more muscle and strength, and like variety in your training.
How Can I Set Up a Cancer Exercise Routine as a Beginner?
In general, a good routine is made up of 3 things:
Warm up: Can be specific or general and should be done for the first 5-10 minutes.
Conditioning: Should be 20-60 mins of lifting total, including rest. You can start heavy on the first sets and go lighter, use the same weights each set, or start lighter on the first sets and go heavier.
Cool down: Should be done the last 5-10 minutes, while you focus on doing some smaller muscle accessory work, going for a walk, stretching, or doing balancing exercises.
🔥Warm Up
General: 5-10 minutes of a brisk warm, cycling, elliptical, etc.
Specific: 5-8 reps of mobility exercises or lighter weights until you reach a “working set.”
The goal is to prepare you joints for movement.
🏋♂️Conditioning
You should increase how hard the exercise is every 2-3 weeks, by either decreasing your rest or increasing your range of motion, weight, or number of sets or reps.
The goal is to challenge yourself each set.
😎Cool Down
Your cool down should be relaxing.
Focused on going for a walk, stretching, or doing balancing movements.
The goal is to tell your body that it is time to relax.
Each component of the workout becomes extremely crucial, especially after a cancer diagnosis, because each phase is designed to help combat one aspect of your health and fitness that may have been reduced by cancer treatment.
Loss of mobility, new aches and pains, muscle weakness, fatigue, and constant stiffness are some of the most common complaints we hear about cancer treatment.
But with a well-designed cancer exercise program, you will be able to lower your fatigue, increase your muscular strength, reduce aches and pains, and reduce stiffness.
Starting weightlifting after cancer can be daunting, but to best help you recover from cancer and help you in your health and fitness, I have designed a cancer exercise program designed to:
Help you feel better and get back to your new normal quicker
Return to work faster
And help you exercise in a safe way
If you are eager to start exercising after cancer and want to be trained by a cancer exercise specialist, sign up for my coaching here, where I will create your plan, hold you accountable, and take all the "guessing" work out of your health and fitness journey.
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Welcome, I'm your trainer JC 🤓
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