Weight-Lifting: The Most Unlikely Medicine

If you're challenged by the idea of walking for pain control, take a deep breath & get ready for my next revolutionary idea: you will feel much better - even than when you're walking - if you work out with weights.

I'm not actually sure why (I will update this post with scientific data if I find it), but I can tell you from 20 years of muscle pain - your muscles LIKE this kind of pain. You may not be able to even imagine in your wildest dreams creating MORE pain for those poor muscles, but trust me, it's worth it. Simply put, there is something beneficial about lifting weights that even cardio exercise can't accomplish. My guess is that it gets the blood flowing through those ouchy muscles, bringing the missing oxygen that they need. Or perhaps it calms the nerves, because remember FMS is not a muscle problem, but a nerve condition.

I have worked out with weights at least one time per week for the last twenty years. When I stop doing this, I gain weight, my pain goes up, and my psychological ability to handle the pain goes down. In short, I quickly become miserable myself, and miserable to live with.

How can you grab some of this magic for yourself? Try my routine. Very basic, very easy, very quick and very effective. The basic premise, gained from an ex-boyfriend personal trainer, is to make the weight-lifting cardio as well, by moving immediately from one exercise to the next, and working opposing muscle groups. All this done while your fellow weight-lifters sit around weighting, ooops, I mean waiting, for their next set.

My Pain & Weight-Management Weekly Routine

(Check with your doctor before starting, but do not let him dissuade you. If he bans exercise, find a new doctor. Then customize this for your weight-lifting experience. Start with small weights, but PUSH yourself. No pain, no gain.)

To get started: Hobble over to your local gym. Join it. Schedule a free session with one of the trainers (most gyms offer this) and tell them you want to learn how to do these exercises...

Adductor & abductor - Rotate back and forth between these, 3 sets of 10 at a light or medium weight. I do 30-55 lbs. Do not stop between sets, just switch to the opposing muscle group.

(Move directly to the next exercise.)

Bi's & tri's - Again, rotate between exercises. I grab 7.5 lbs for biceps and one 12.5 lb barbell for overhead triceps extension. I do 3 sets of 10-12 each, again rotating between exercises and not stopping.

(Move directly to the next exercise.)

Quads & hamstrings - I do from 30-55 lbs (depends on the machine), 10-12 reps of quads, and then switching to hamstrings, then back again. 3 sets.

(Move directly to the next exercise.)

Shoulder press - I do this with no weight, just lifting overhead to get the back muscles engaged. 2 reps of 10


Postworkout - Critical

- Stretch all muscles afterward
- Walk for 10 minutes minimum afterward (although you may have enough energy to run...) If you want the maximum effect, walk/run for 30 minutes.
- Lean or laydown on icepacks for 30 minutes afterward
- Repeat routine 1x per week

And that's it! See how simple that is? Try it and let us know how it works for you...