toning muscles before surgery

[gayle]

im wanting to tone up my leg muscles before surgery so they will be stronger after surgery.i have an excersise bike and im wondering if i put it on the hardest level to pedal if that will tone my legs up?

[amae28]

"toning" is implying that you don't want to build muscle, just accentuate what you have (basically work the fat off from around your muscles so you have see then better). If you want to tone, you would go for a long period of time on relatively low resistance. If you actually want to build muscle, you would go for a shorter period of time with higher resistance. Have you thought of doing light lifting with weight machines? A combination of that and the bike would get you the best results and prep you for surgery amazingly...

abbie

[LindaRacine]

Hi Trudy...

If you have good knees, I personally think the best exercise you can do pre-op is knee bends, as you'll be doing a lot of them post-op (after your strength returns).

--Linda

[gayle]

well i definatly would like to tone upper legs but want to build muscle also so they will be stronger after the surgery rather than if i hadnt excersised at all.i dont have any weight machines just the bike.are the knee bends like doing squats?

[Shari]

Hi Trudy,

I have to agree with Linda. If you have good knees!!! I did squats, knee bends, one leg bent and the other straight back, and I used my "bun & thigh roller".

I think an excersise bike is great, you'll also be able to use it after your surgery.

Shari

[ck43]

Sweetie, you don't have to put it at hardest level. Create an adventure for yourself.

Pretend you are an instructor or have invited others for a real bike ride.

Mine begins on fir needles and then we go up hill.

Put on some music and imagine hills, flat roads, muddie sides and just behave natural.

NO. You do not have to put the bike on the hardest levels but switch it up for fun and exercise. Ok, now we are standing in bikes because we are on a hill.

Don't be a "scoli girl" and think all must be difficult and hard. Are you in trees, in the sun... just work out.

I wasn't "allowed" to work out and just did fine. Walking post op, admitted took me time to find my stride and no one absolutely no on will be allowed to mess with that for the rest of my life.

Just work out, have fun and be imaginative. Muscles will come and lots of them.

Also if you always work out in the same way? Same muscles and same "fix" on them. Just enjoy NOW.