Mick Hart’s Training Techniques

Hi Mick,
I am a certified personal trainer and I have been working with clients for a few years now and I feel very comfortable with all ages and sexes, but my newest challenge is my own Grandmother. She is 75 and has just had her second knee replacement. I was wondering if you had any advice I could use concerning working out with her at her age.
Shane.

Hi Shane,
In my time I have trained all manner of people; the old, the young, the fit, the fat, the disabled – name it I have done it. But no matter what type of person I have had to train, all have to be trained with care and each individual has there own growth and recovery rates.

In the case of your Grandma, you are right to start working on her flexibility and also her general fitness at first. I am aware of her knee replacement but what is the time factor re the op, was it long ago? Can she walk? If so, try, as soon as possible to get her walking for her general fitness as this will help in the long run.

I know this may seem a silly but as soon as this is possible it will help her a great deal. Not knowing these details makes it a little difficult to be exact with my advice, but I will assume that she is now walking to some extent.

Work in stages. Use equipment that she will feel comfortable and in control of. Thigh extension machines are great for this purpose and the use of very low weights will assist the muscles around the knee to make the joint stronger. I would however, advise against the use of the LEG CURL machine for now as the strain on the rear joint can be quite a lot. Be careful here.

It is important to note that strengthening the WHOLE leg muscle area is important for balance and overall strength. Gradually, and with time, start to do very light (and not to low) dead lifts but with the knees slightly bent. Suggest that the bar is taken off a bench and the depth of the lowering is taken in stages -

THIS IS IMPORTANT!
What will result is an increase in overall strength and a great deal more suppleness to the legs. You will then see, hopefully, an increase in interest. This will allow you to introduce upper body light training; make use of pek deks and other machines of similar types. You are obviously aware of these in your own experience.

Just take your time and she will get stronger and fitter. BUT remember this also my friend, she will be much stronger than you think and hopefully will shock us both. My best wishes to her, give her my regards and tell her no competing nest year – I have enough competition as it is!

Mick Hart – God Bless!

Founder of Mick Hart Training Systems and
the No Bull Collection Magazine.

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Tagged as: Bench, Certified Personal Trainer, dead lifts, Extent Work, Flexibility, General Fitness, Grandma, Grandmother, Knee Replacement, Knees, Leg Muscle, Matter What Type, mick hart, muscles, Sexes, Shane, Time Factor, Weights, Working With Clients