no more high rep for me :(

[Sara1000]

Originally Posted by NoraKate

the heavy weight recommendation is to strengthen the (muscles around) the joints.
the muscles have to take over connective duty for slack tendons (or is it ligaments? which one is bone to bone?)

I'll post more info as I get it

Thanks, I'd appreciate that. My experience has been the opposite - I have strained joints doing too heavy weights - my muscles were ready to increase the amount of weight but the tendons (ligaments, whatever ) were not ready, resulting in a strain. I would think you need to be careful when going to heavier weights than you are used to.

[alisoncooks]

Originally Posted by NoraKate

I don't think there IS a danger to high reps

unless you're me

I'll have to look into this. I prefer light weight/high reps, but I have lots of play in my joints, and my PT thinks my ACL injury might be related to my hyperextension.

[Dabbadooey]

Interesting points...I got injured from too much vinyasa yoga. High rep/low weight has healed me.

[yogapam]

NoraKate - Maybe you need to give yourself permission to set your own pace and not go quite as fast as the instructor?

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by NoraKate

it's my joint instability that's the problem (and age)
high rep low weight is great!
and as far as I know not dangerous in any way


unless you have my physiological peculiarities
(I suspect my inherent klutzyness adds to this mess)


the heavy weight recommendation is to strengthen the (muscles around) the joints.
the muscles have to take over connective duty for slack tendons (or is it ligaments? which one is bone to bone?)

I'll post more info as I get it

Hi Nora Kate,

I agree that hypermobility in knees, and indeed any joint, can lead to vulnerability to injury. And also, that strengthening the muscles around the joint to improve stability may be helpful to injury prevention.

However, I am concerned that by trading high rep/low weight, for the reverse, you are trading potential injury due to repetition for the potential injury due to heavy loads, if the underlying biomechanical issue isn't addressed. IOW, if the aim is to strengthen the muscles around the hypermobile joint with correct form, I don't see a reason that high rep would be any more dangerous (or conversely, that high weight/low rep would be LESS dangerous). The thought of someone doing a heavy deadlift with hyperextended knees comes to mind

However I agree it is possible that either the form/style/pace of high rep videos is potentially problematic. As yogapam wisely points out, is there a way you can modify them so that you are taking a slower pace and more attention to form. Apologies if you are already doing that.

Has your PT worked with you to improve the movement patterns themselves in respect to your hypermobile knees?

[Daphne M]

It's not about whether the weight is light or heavy, folks! It's about the number of reps! Some of our workouts have you doing more than 100 reps for one body part. It's excessive and really not necessary for good results. High rep/low weight gives me problems too and I avoid those workouts like the plague.

NoraKate - I think the important part is that you reduce the number of reps. You can experiment with what weight feels best for you but it doesn't have to be super heavy to get good results, at least not in my experience. I can't reel off a catalog of "high rep" workout to avoid (especially since I don't own them), but off the top of my head, I'm pretty sure that one to avoid would be Cathe's "High Reps" workout!