My dear wife of 54 years has a great deal of pain while standing or walking in spite of replaced hips and knees. We are getting a high-end recumbent exercise machine for use at home but since we travel about half of each year, I'd like something for her to use in our MH.Any suggestions?

Bicycles? Recumbent bikes? My dad biked for years after his knee replacements and said it really helped.

Due to space and weight limitations, we look outside the RV. Some of these may not be possible for you but campground pools, RV resorts with gyms, and local yoga studios provide some options. Many gyms have day passes for non-locals.

I can not imagine something that is high enough quality would work well in a motor home. Maybe recumbent bikes to ride outside the motor home?

There are hundreds of different exercise routines that do not involve any kind of special equipment at all. By use a simple stretch cord (you can use a bungie cord), a weight (you could use a heavy book), and a good YouTube video or DVD the sky is the limit. My wife is currently doing Hip Hop Abs (DVD), maybe a little faster pace for someone with joint replacements, but the idea is the same. She uses absolutely NO equipment. It's all body weight against itself resistance. By the way, she's lost 20 pounds in the last 2 months!

I carry 2 hand weights with me. They are a stacked set where you can adjust the weight you carry by just moving a bar. Therefore, they take up very little room. You can also do yoga exercises without any equipment at all. There are some great DVDs that will guide you through different routines.

RV Exercise Equipment? | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

dcbrewer
Explorer
Nov 07, 2015
I try to walk about two miles a day, about 30 minutes. And sometimes twice a day!
Canadian_Rainbi
Explorer
Nov 07, 2015
subtroll wrote:
My dear wife of 54 years has a great deal of pain while standing or walking in spite of replaced hips and knees. We are getting a high-end recumbent exercise machine for use at home but since we travel about half of each year, I'd like something for her to use in our MH.

Any suggestions?

See a physiotherapist for exercise recommendations and suggestions. I presume (hope) that she saw one pre and post op. Having a live-in physio (I married her 40 years ago) I can attest to the expertise.
Goldencrazy
Explorer
Nov 05, 2015
Total Gym. Many options and will fit in corner when done or store in bay and use under awning.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Nov 03, 2015
Many RV parks have exercise classes and also a exercise room with various equipment.
cameronpatentla
Explorer
Nov 03, 2015
Send a message to Stef and James at the theFitRV.com. They seem pretty up to date on all things RV and Exercise and would be the foremost authorities on portable exercise equipment for RVers. CW sells the Adventurer 12-Speed Bike which might work also. Good luck.
Blackdiamond
Explorer
Nov 03, 2015
I would look into body weight exercises and yoga, no equipment needed. A yoga instructor I know that is 77 years old, had a hip replacement did the PT and and slowly moved back into yoga and was at full steam in about 6 months.
MagillaGorilla
Explorer
Nov 03, 2015
Get one of these and take the bike you have with you.

https://www.google.com/#q=cycleops&tbm=shop
cmcdar
Explorer
Nov 03, 2015
We ride recumbent Tadpole Trikes! We are just retiring and plan to camp and ride the trikes all over the country.

http://www.terratrike.com (there are also other brands)

Two trikes could be stowed in your Jeep Liberty.

We have two Terratrike Cruisers (look like the Tour II model) and they both would fit in the back(hatch) of my Nissan Xterra. I put one in front wheels first and the second in Rear wheel first.

We absolutely LOVE riding these things!!!

Picture was taken at Niagara Falls, Canada

I will add that there are wonderful paved bike paths all over the US - http://www.traillink.com/
coolmom42
Explorer II
Nov 03, 2015
I agree with the idea of hand weights and resistance bands. Combining those with stretches done correctly will do her a world of good without big equipment. Add some type of aerobic exercise such as walking, and she will have a good fitness routine. Outdoors walking is good, but there are some great indoor walking videos. The ones by Leslie Sansone are excellent.

It would be worth a few sessions with a physical therapist to figure out the best things she can do with limited equipment. Really she needs to identify the root cause of the pain, and work on treating that.
Hiker_01
Explorer
Nov 03, 2015
Horizons28 wrote:
Many gyms have day passes for non-locals.

You might want to look into joining a YMCA. DW and I belong to the local Y here and with our membership we are able to visit Ys located in various parts of the country. Would save on what equipment you are trying to carry with you.