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Part 2: Using Exercise to Build Up Atrophied Muscles
1. Consult your doctor or health provider before starting on any muscle-building programs. Even if the doctor did not find that your muscle atrophy is caused by a specific disease, it's a good idea to talk with your doctor or health provider before attempting to build up atrophied muscles. You don't want to overdo anything or endanger your health, and your doctor may be able to refer you to a qualified trainer or physical therapist.
2. Find a personal trainer or physical therapist. Though you can do some physical activities on your own to reverse the effects of muscle atrophy, it is always best to have a qualified instructor or trainer to ensure that you are on the right track.
She will start out by assessing your capabilities and guide you through specific exercises to build muscle in the atrophied areas. She can also gauge your progress and adjust the exercise routine as needed.
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3. Start easy, then work your way up to more intense exercise. Since many people with atrophied muscles are beginning exercise again after a long break from physical activity, it's important to start slowly. Remember, your body is not as strong as it was prior to atrophy.
4. Begin with water exercise or aquatic rehabilitation. Swimming and water exercises are often recommended for patients who are trying to recover from muscle atrophy because this form of exercise can dull muscle pain, quickly tone atrophied muscles, rebuild muscle memory, and relax sore muscles. While it's best to work with an expert, here are a few basic steps to get you started.
5. Walk around the pool. With water at hip- to waist-height, try walking around the pool for 10 minutes. This workout is low-risk and helps develop the muscles in the lower part of your body.
As you progress, increase the time interval and the depth of the water.
You can also use paddles or water barbells for more resistance. These tools will help work your core and upper body.
6. Do knee lifts in the pool. Try a knee lift by positioning your back against the pool wall and placing both feet flat on the bottom of the pool. Then, lift a knee up as if you are marching in place. When your knee is at hip height, extend it outward.
Keep doing this for ten repetitions before switching to the other leg.
As you progress, try doing additional sets for each leg.
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7. Complete water push-ups. Face the pool wall with your arms resting on the deck of the pool and shoulder-width apart. Use your hands to raise your body up out of the water so you are about halfway out of the pool. Hold the position for a few seconds and then slowly lower yourself back in the pool.
For an easier version, place your hands on the pool deck so they are shoulder-width apart. As you bend your elbows, lean your chest toward the wall of the pool.
8. Move on to body weight exercises. If you feel proficient in doing exercises in the water, add some body-weight exercises while on dry land.
A beginner can start with eight to twelve repetitions of the exercise moves mentioned below. These exercises target the major muscle groups.
Perform this routine three times per week to build up atrophied muscles.
9. Learn how to do squats. To perform a squat, stand straight and put both hands forward. Slowly and carefully bend your knees, as if sitting in an imaginary chair. Hold this position for a few seconds before going back to the starting position.
Keep your weight on your heels and do not allow your knees to go past your toes.
10. Perform lunges. To perform lunges, stand up straight with your hands on your hips. Pull your abdominal muscles in.
Take a large step forward with your right foot. Keep your back straight while moving forward. Your heel should be raised while the tip of the toe is pressing against the floor.
Bend both knees at the same time until they both form a 90-degree angle. You can check your position in the mirror to know if you are doing it right.
Put your heel down and push upwards to stand. Return to the starting position and do all of the above with the left leg.
Remember that your body should not be slouching forward.
11. Try some triceps dips. To do a triceps dip, prepare a strong bench or a secured chair. Sit on the bench or chair and place your hands shoulder-width apart along the edge.
Slowly slide your butt off the seat with your legs extended in front of you. Straighten your arms to keep tension on the triceps.
Bend your elbows carefully while keeping your back close to the bench. Upon completing this part, press down on the bench to straighten your arms.
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12. Do some basic ab crunches. For a basic ab crunch, lie on your back on a mat or a carpeted surface. Bend your knees and make sure that your feet are flat on the floor.
You can cross your arms in front of your chest or place your hands behind your neck or head. Try to pull your shoulders towards the ceiling by making use of the force from your abdominal muscles.
Hold the “crunched” position for a few seconds, then lie back down and repeat.
13. Try resistance exercises. Make use of resistance tools such as resistance bands or weight machines to help you with your form. You should only move on to these exercises once you can successfully perform the body-weight exercises indicated above. It's also a good idea to research specific resistance exercises that target the affected area.
Bench presses can be done with resistance bands. Lie down on a bench and push forward while gripping the bands like you are lifting barbells.
Start with lighter-weight bands. If you feel comfortable with the current weight, fold it lengthwise to increase the resistance. Once you feel comfortable, you can move on to heavier-weight bands.
14. Incorporate some cardio into your workouts. In addition to the other exercises described in this article, cardio exercise is a good way to build up atrophied muscles. Try establishing a regular walking or cardio routine.
Start with ten to fifteen minutes of continuous walking per day. Gradually increase your speed and try to take a 30-minute walk or jog daily.
15. Don't forget to stretch. After each workout, stretch your muscles to increase their range of motion. Do five to ten minutes of stretching after each workout. You can also perform a separate stretching session.
Make sure to perform stretches that target all of the major muscles, and hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
Begin with stretching your back and your upper body. Next, move on to stretches for your neck, forearms, wrists, and triceps. Do not forget your chest, buttocks, and groin area before moving to your thighs. Lastly, perform stretches for the instep and hamstrings. Learn some specific stretches. Here are some specific stretching exercises for different parts of the body:
Neck stretching: Incline your head forward, then stretch your neck to the left, right, back, and forward. Do not roll your head from side to side, as this practice is dangerous.
Shoulder stretching: Place your left arm on your chest. Grab the forearm with the opposite arm. Pull it until you feel that your shoulder is being stretched. Push the arm you are stretching in the opposite direction to contract the muscles. Do the same steps for the right arm.
Triceps stretching: Start with raising your right arm. Bend the right elbow and reach down behind your head and between the shoulder blades. Make use of the left arm to reach and grab the right elbow. Lastly, pull your elbow toward your head.
Wrist stretching: Simply hold your arm out and slightly pull back your hand with the opposite hand. Do this repetitively.
Hamstrings stretching: Start in a cross-legged sitting position. Put one leg out. Attempt to reach and hold the foot for a few seconds. Go back to the starting position and do the same thing with the other leg.
Lower back stretch: Lie down on your back. Bring one leg up to chest level. Do the same with the other leg.
Leg stretching: Lie down on your back and extend both legs in the air. Grab the back of your thighs and pull the legs toward your face.
16. Learn some specific stretches. Here are some specific stretching exercises for different parts of the body:
Neck stretching: Incline your head forward, then stretch your neck to the left, right, back, and forward. Do not roll your head from side to side, as this practice is dangerous.
Shoulder stretching: Place your left arm on your chest. Grab the forearm with the opposite arm. Pull it until you feel that your shoulder is being stretched. Push the arm you are stretching in the opposite direction to contract the muscles. Do the same steps for the right arm.
Triceps stretching: Start with raising your right arm. Bend the right elbow and reach down behind your head and between the shoulder blades. Make use of the left arm to reach and grab the right elbow. Lastly, pull your elbow toward your head.
Wrist stretching: Simply hold your arm out and slightly pull back your hand with the opposite hand. Do this repetitively.
Hamstrings stretching: Start in a cross-legged sitting position. Put one leg out. Attempt to reach and hold the foot for a few seconds. Go back to the starting position and do the same thing with the other leg.
Lower back stretch: Lie down on your back. Bring one leg up to chest level. Do the same with the other leg.
Leg stretching: Lie down on your back and extend both legs in the air. Grab the back of your thighs and pull the legs toward your face.
In this part, I talked about how to combat atrophied muscles using physical exercise.
Artemus Vazhui