Let’s be honest. Exercising can be annoying. I really hate taking the time to fit exercise into my busy schedule. I even hate having to change into stupid workout clothes. Exercising with a disability can be extra tough. Sometimes it even sucks! But, it is so necessary. When I don’t exercise, I stagger more when walking. I imagine people around me wondering if I am drunk. My balance is all off; I have trouble getting up from my chair and I just don’t have as much energy. Let’s be clear, I never really loved exercising, even prior to my disability. But, I did enjoy a few activities. I especially liked participating in group exercise classes such as Jazzercise, kick boxing and step aerobics, to name a few. Now, the moves are just too fast or seem too difficult.
The key for me is to modify! If the instructor (in person or in the video) is bouncing around like a maniac, I do my own low impact version. Sometimes, I just march in place. The important thing is to keep moving. Nowadays, I even do some chair exercises. Here are some simple to follow chair exercises from Fitness Bender, a great online fitness site. I do some chair exercises while I am on conference calls at work. Quite the sight! There are ton of options out there if you google “chair exercises”. Just be careful. Know your own abilities and always check with a doctor before starting any exercise program..
If you can, hiring a personal trainer or physical therapist who can provide exercises just for you and your abilities can help immensely. Some therapists, like my friend and Yoga Therapist/Life Coach Kristal Fiorentino (www.kristalfiorentino.com), can even meet with you via Skype so you can learn new techniques right in the comfort of your own home.
A few weeks ago, I went to a Yoga/Vision Board session offered by Kristal. In a private session two days before the group session, we ran through the yoga poses she was going to present. She showed me how to properly modify the poses and stretches using a chair for support. I was still getting the benefits of each pose and stretch, but it was what worked for my body. I actually loved it and enjoyed it.
On the day of the session, I felt confident and strong using the chair to do the poses. For some of the poses, I used the chair initially and then progressed to the last few moves without it. It was a super workout. I’ve asked Kristal to write down the movements so I can run through them at home. I had also worn some new LuLaRoe leggings I had just bought so my workout clothes were fun.
So, get up, get dressed in something fun and get moving!
And remember to modify, modify, modify!!!
Finding Abilities 