Hey, guys:

I'm trying to help someone who had bariatric surgery begin a weightlifting program, but the problem is that I'm not an expert in this at all. I do my own minimal workouts but can't begin to explain to a novice what they should do.

One of my fellow teachers at school had weight loss surgery last December and has lost 90 lbs. in 6 months. (It seems a lot of people at our school have had this surgery since our insurance covers it 100%. Too bad my sister doesn't work there!)

So my buddy Gary asks me how he should start. The only thing I could think of is to ask him what he wants to achieve. So, he tells me that he's not wanting to look like a monster muscle guy; rather, he wants to tone up his abs, increase his upper chest and arm muscles, and his leg muscles as well. And how often should he do which particular exercizes? I figured he should do the upper body one day, the lower the next, the upper the next, etc. Is this correct?

Gary said his doctor told him to wait till at least 6 months after surgery before he does anything abdominally to avoid an incisional hernia, whatever that is. Something about giving his abdominal muscles time to heal.

Can anyone recommend what I can tell him? I kinda feel like an idiot in not knowing exactly what to tell him.

Tell him to pay god damn attention to his doctor and that you are not an expert.

Suggest he come up with a schedule for some lite cardio and ask the doc if it is ok before starting.

I would recommend starting walking and swimming - but tell him to follow the doctors advice.

How would you feel if Joe Blow on here told you to recommend light weight training immediately - he started - and then some osrt of medical complication came up?

I am assuming he had bariatric surgery for obesity - so ANY activity would be good for him - recommend he start slow and feel his way through things very slowly with the advice and consent of the doc's.



Generally that is probably best - start him on light weight dumb bells if the doc says ok. Lots of reps concentrating on form. But again I would recommend the cardio first - every day - especially for someone who has been obese. Then build on that.

R

I mentioned all the cardio stuff to him because I love to walk and swim myself, though I don't have much time to do the latter, just the former. But Gary's more focused on muscle build-up, and I just don't feel comfortable trying to tell him to do what I do.

Definitely get a trainer involved. He or she would certainly be able to recommend a good regimen and one specifically tailored for your friend.

The B/f is certified for strength training and weight management. He has done wonders for me, but I still have a far from perfect body. It's all in perspective and I hope he keeps at it.