Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews

Posts in the pulmonary therapy category

3 Exercises to Avoid if You Have COPD

by Suzanne Andrews

In pulmonary therapy we advise people who live with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) to perform specific exercises to strengthen their breathing capacity.  While therapeutic exercises are very effective, there are exercises to avoid if you have COPD.

  1. Lifting Heavy Weights or Pushing

While it’s important to strengthen your muscles when you have COPD because weak muscles need more oxygen than strong muscles, you should never lift super heavy weights.  Also be mindful of holding your breath when you lift heavy objects.  That is called the Valsalva Maneuver and can elevate your heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels. Instead, exhale through your mouth when you lift light weights as tolerated. 

FUNCTIONAL FITNESS: COPD & ASTHMA WITH SUZANNE ANDREWS
  1. Isometric Exercises

Isometric exercises are when you push against immovable objects. 

  1. Outdoor Exercises in Extreme Heat or Cold

Extreme temperatures can interfere with your ability to breathe because it affects your circulation.  COPD exercise increases your circulation and that’s another reason why pulmonary exercise helps strengthen your breathing muscles. 

If you have COPD, exercise might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it’s very important to add pulmonary exercises to your daily activities to slow down the progression of COPD and improve your quality of life. To motivate my patients, I monitor their heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen during their exercises. Keep a pulse oximeter handy so you can see how your oxygen level increases as you get fitter. 

 

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Stay in Touch

Information

210 W. Parkway, Suite 7, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 ● © Collage Video ● Exercise Video Specialists ● Fitness Videos and Workout Videos ● 1-800-819-7111 / 201-464-4921 ● CustomerCare@CollageVideo.com

From Our Blog

  • Collage welcomes instructors Brook Benten & Aimee Nicotera to the shop!

    Exciting news! We're welcoming two highly qualified instructors that will help you crush your fitness goals, shake up your routine, and offer a new source of motivation!   Brook Benten, B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science from Texas State University. Masters of... read more

  • Two More Happy Yoga DVDs Coming to Collage Video

    Happy Yoga from Sarah Starr is designed to bring you the beauty of Mother Nature as you receive yoga's rejuvenating benefits, including flexibility, toning, clarity and balance. Want to learn more about Sarah? Visit her instructor profile here. These titles... read more

  • What is Callanetics? Is it for me?

    Some people swear by it. Some people have never heard of it. It’s Callanetics. Callanetics became a revolutionary method of exercise and gained international recognition for its speedy body-shaping results. Some of the noise behind Callanetics may have softened over... read more