Lisa Kudrow, 56, was on Conan trying to tell a cute story about how she finds working out punishing and doesn’t do it. She said she’s never liked exercising. Conan was questioning how much pain she was really in, and the whole vibe was weird like he was discounting her. Maybe that’s because he knows her well or I’m just not familiar with his humor, it’s hard to tell. Watch the video below and see if you agree with me. Here’s what she said and as someone who loves working out I just felt bad for her, like she hasn’t found her fitness niche yet. Exercise can be for everyone!
I’ve known you a long time. You don’t like to work out, you don’t work at it. You never liked it.
That’s right. I hate it. I did try. I thought ‘I should have a trainer.’ I started doing Friends. I just kept getting hurt. They’re like ‘Oh no you should work through the pain.’ No, Tthe pain is a sign that you’re about to injure yourself. You don’t work through it. You pay heed.It doesn’t sound like you had good trainers
I had the best. ‘Work through the pain.’ Then the next day I can’t walk for like weeks it hurts. ‘Yeah yeah that’s good, it’s ok.’ It’s not.Why are you suddenly getting hurt all the time?
The trainers hurt me. Where are we going [with this]? I am cautious anyway.I wasn’t being overly cautious. It was almost a tear in something. I’ve got doctors in my family. They would say ‘For God’s sake, stop.’ I’m afraid of getting really hurt. I stopped skiing ten years ago because everyone gets hurt.
I love exercise, but I know it’s not everyone’s thing and so I try not to talk about it too much or I’ll sound like an a-hole. (When my friends talk about dieting I also try to STFU.) I’ve mentioned before that I think of it like crafting. There are so many different crafts to do and some people love it while I consider myself not crafty or artistic at all. However maybe I just haven’t found my craft yet, you know? I took a drawing class and it was scary at first but I ended up surprised by how much I liked it. So I think Lisa just had a bad experience and then generalized that. We beat ourselves up so much about the things we’re not good at when all we need to do is take a different approach. Or not. I bet Lisa is walking every day or doing yoga or something like that.
Photos credit: Avalon.red
It seems more like jokey banter more than a serious discussion, but I get what she’s saying. There’s a fine line between pain from a hard workout and an actual injury. I learned to push farther than I thought possible, that sometimes working through the pain of a really hard set or whatever is when you see the most gains.
But as I get older I tend to injure myself more easily if I’m not careful. I’ve strained and pulled muscles so badly that the only way to heal them is through rest. I had an elbow injury that took over a year to heal and it still flares up. I guess the bottom line is not to be afraid of pushing your body hard but also discern when it’s telling you to ease up or stop for a bit.
I also tend to think she’s doing some form of exercise, too, and maybe just doesn’t want to talk about it with Conan, lol. Being self deprecating seems like it’s sort of her schtick.
I’ve never liked Conan’s interview style. Just never enjoyed watching his show.
He always makes me vaguely anxious. I’ve never enjoyed it either.
Also not entirely surprising considering how many trainers have absolutely no medical background and utilize methods that can be downright harmful in the long run. One of my friends outright refuses to work with any trainers who don’t have a background in PT or something similar.
Why would a trainer have a medical background?
Bc Rhabdo is a real condition that trainers push people into.
You can become a certified trainer online. You don’t need to be a doctor, but I’d trust a trainer who has PT/OT experience, education in physiology or kinesiology, etc. over one that did 100 of an online certification program with no hands on experience/testing as part of the process or continuing education requirement.
Because you are pushing the body to boundaries of what is possible? Because you want to exploit what a body is capable of and for that you need to know how it functions and how it heals, what can cause injuries? You need to know how muscles work and heal to know that they are build during resting and not training? Because a trainer needs to know when a little pain is a serious injury?
Good trainers should know enough medicine to not injure their customer, but help them achieve a better body.
I thought my husband was getting way too sedentary, so I appointed myself as his Personal Trainer. We did baby steps and some stretching one time. He couldn’t walk the next day. A doctor referred us to a rheumatologist and he was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondilytis (by means of X-Rays showing his partially fused spine and genetics test to see if he had the marker for this somewhat lupus-like disease).
Every exercise program used to come with the disclaimer to “see your doctor before starting this or any other exercise program.” And still a doctor may not catch an odd condition if you don’t complain about it and ask follow-up questions. (And really I think my husband was in denial.)
So I do think a doctor should be in the equation someplace. Especially if you feel pain during or after exercising.
That sounds like multiple trainers though, right? I might be put off the idea of exercise, too, if that were the case. I’ve never used a trainer; I know there are unqualified sucky ones and really great ones and I’d have zero idea how to pick a good one.
Seems like nearly anyone can call themselves a trainer. I don’t believe in harsh exercise, unless you enjoy it, like those mud runs and stuff.
All it takes is an online course and too many trainers are based solely on them. There still are trainers with a proper scientific background, though. It’s just harder to find them.
My trainer has a proper education and I have never, not once, been injured while training with him. He rehabilitates a lot of people with training injuries and he’s always livid about it because he knows that most injuries are avoidable.
Agree; most injuries are preventable. My trainers (and PT brother) over the years have always stressed warming up and cooling down are key, be it running, walking, strength training, yoga, etc. They also are big advocates for cross training so you are not overly using the same muscles day in/day out.
she and Conan are dear friends and I think he just overstayed the joke I am sure there was no malice
Yeah, I’ve heard them together on his podcast and they ribbed each other like that. They seem very close and are all about the funny. Apparently they hang out together with their spouses. I would guess that they would find it funny that we are even talking about the interview so seriously.
That was my read on it too. I love Conan. I’ve really enjoyed his Conan needs a friend podcast and Lisa Kudrow’s episode was one of the best of a great season.
Lisa Kudrow seems like someone I would want to know. She always looks happy and seems like she has some depth to her.
Exercise injuries are so depressing. You try and do something good for yourself, and then it backfires with an injury. I used to work out 5 or 6 times a week. The older I got, the more frequent the injury and the longer to heal. Now at 55, my goal is 3 times a week, and if it hurts I stop.
I feel her. I’ve been getting back in to exercising after a period of (relative, for me) inactivity and I just keep hurting myself too. It’s really discouraging! But like you say, CB, I’m still walking. Even with an injury that makes it difficult, that’s something I can keep up and really enjoy. Better than nothing, though I’d like to do more.
I get where she is coming from. I used to work out six days a week – but I was always injuring myself and I would work out anyway. Every “workout” niche I have tried I have gotten hurt. And it’s not from lack of attention to form. Im actually a stickler about that BECAUSE I am prone to injury. I was doing Barre at the beginning kf the year and had to stop. Why? Because I had developed a pinched nerve in my Puriformis Muscle. I was diagnosed with Puriformis Muscle Syndrome as a result and have been in physical therapy since May. So yeah…I TOTALLY get what she is saying.
My favorite form of exercise is WALKING. Always has been. And I think I’m going to stick with that and MAYBE add in a bit more low impact cardio. My Phys Therapist just gave me the go ahead to be able to do squats again.
I love Lisa Kudrow – Web therapy & The comeback are some my fave shows! They have that relationship where they banter and laugh at each other, and Lisa always jokes about how safe and conservative she is in real life – they both always laugh at her prudence and it’s part of their banter so no malice there at all (although they lost the punchline during this particular snippet)!. I hate gym workouts but I like more gentle outdoor fitness like walking/swimming etc.
My trainer has a lot of students that come to him with multiple injuries, product of bad trainers. He spends months rehabilitating them, especially those who cycle (he is a triathlon trainer, among other things). He says that, usually, the more hype or fame a trainer has, the worst he’s gonna be.
They dated way back when.
About 12 years ago, my parents got me some personal training sessions at the gym. I was 18 and wanting to get strong and healthy after a few years of medical issues that forced me to quit swimming. Like many people, I was self conscious of my body. My trainer pushed me past my comfort level and was more interested in looking at herself in the mirror and flirting than paying attention to me. I would feel so sore I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning. She didn’t listen or change her approach based on my needs. I eventually stopped going. Years later, I began working out again on my own. After losing weight and keeping it off for a few years, I needed a challenge and started going to a Crossfit Gym. I think I had a unique experience. I felt really watched out for, listened too, and when I couldn’t do something the trainers would adjust for it. My only injury was knee pain flare up during some running. So I get that a bad trainer can leave a bad taste in your mouth (or be scaring) but so can a bad therapist. I think in caring for ourselves it’s about finding the right people to come alongside you. I think sometimes you have try a few trainers before you find someone that you gel with.
I’m sorry you experienced that. I have a foot injury and my trainer is always looking out for it. I needed wrist surgery and he adapted most exercises to ensure I kept my weight off my wrist. Good trainers are wonderful and they change your approach to exercise.
in my 20s I was a receptionist at a fancy country club that had a work out facility. The head trainer gave me a free lesson on the weight machines. She put the weight way too high on the machine that works your inner thighs. I didn’t want to look like a wussy so I did all the reps even though I was in pain. Ended up having to call off work because I pulled muscles in my groin area! I couldn’t walk for two days!
Listen to your body!!
The latest thing I’ve noticed is the proliferation of “online training services” where you receive your training from someone you don’t meet in person and who never sees you perform your exercises in real time. Instead, they create a “personalized” program and assess you via videos you take of your workouts. Seems problematic on so many levels and I can’t see the appeal even if the person has qualifications galore. In my opinion, if you are going to hire a trainer, there is nothing like being in the same place at the same time – from a safety perspective as well as for getting valuable real time feedback and support.
I am SO GRATEFUL I’m reading this NOW!
I’m 59, had gastric bypass surgery a year ago, lost 125 lbs and I’ve started walking.
I’ve exercised MAYBE 10 times in my entire life…
While walking an old knee injury has flared up so I’m gonna have my doctor check it out. I KNOW I need to really take it easy, but I was in denial until I read all of your comments, yikes.
Thanks so much 💕💕