1 month before ACL surgery, looking for safe upper body routine as a total gym newbie (F24)
Hey everyone,
I’m getting ACL reconstruction in about one month and I’m trying to use this time to build as much upper body strength as I can. I’m a 24‑year‑old woman, pretty active normally, but I’ve never really used a gym before.
Right now my knee is still a bit painful, but my physio cleared me for:
- Static bike, as long as it doesn’t increase pain or swelling.
- Upper body training, as long as my knee isn’t involved or hurting (so no real lower‑body work yet, maybe a tiny range of motion squat at most).
I just bought a membership at a commercial gym and I have zero equipment at home. My background is mainly endurance sports, so I’m used to training a lot and mentally I really need something to focus on while I wait for surgery. Since I can’t do my usual running/endurance sessions, I have a lot more free time and I’d like to go to the gym around 3 times per week.
I’m looking for:
- Beginner‑friendly upper body programs (machines or dumbbells are both fine).
- Exercises that are safe for my knee, ideally seated or lying, without needing to balance or push with my legs.
- Any tips from people who kept training upper body pre‑ACL surgery without making their knee worse.
If you’ve been through an ACL tear and kept lifting, I’d really appreciate examples of your routines!!
Thanks in advance and I can tell we will go through this!! Let's have motivation all together!