Question:

I am a wheelchair user and I need to lose some weight and tone up. I have good upper body strength, but not much lower body strength. It seems every machine at the gym is geared to those who stand on 2 feet. Do you have any suggestions on how I can get fit?

Suzanne

Answer:

Don't let a gym with non-specialized equipment deter you from working out. If you have upper body mobility, do free body exercises for your upper body (such as lifting and holding your arms straight out in front of you and to your sides). Once you get stronger you can use free weight upper body exercises with dumbbells and resistance tubes (such as bicep curls, shoulder presses and lateral raises). Performing a variety of circuit training exercises and sets of 15 to 20 reps with only 10-seconds in between each exercise promotes weight loss.

There are safety hazards at the gym, regardless of wheelchair use. Make sure to keep the following gym safety in mind:

• Get the ok from your doctor or physiotherapist before beginning a program.
• Warm up for between 5- and 15- minutes before each workout.
• Familiarize yourself with proper form before attempting any exercise.
• Stabilize your wheelchair by locking the brakes before you begin weight lifting.
• Clear the surrounding area of any loose equipment.
• Try to maintain good posture when lifting weights.
• When pulling yourself towards a machine or when using it to stretch your arms, grab only onto fixed parts.
• Always stretch out after finishing a workout to avoid injury.

If you don't like the idea of a gym you can also get in a workout outside by joining an organized sports team. Wheelchair sports are played in almost every available sport such as basketball, hockey, tennis, rugby, soccer, etc. Try contacting your local wheelchair sports association or physiotherapy association to find leagues near you. Another option, if you don't like the gym, is aerobics videos. There are exercise videos specific to wheelchair users and some that can be adapted for anyone. Jodi Stolove's Chair Dancing offers an alternative to the same old boring cardio routine. If you want to perform aerobics you will need to have some motor control in your upper body.

If you have the money to invest, you can also buy a piece of home gym equipment. Search online for specialized exercise equipment to find adapted strength training machines and cardio machines such as hand-cyclers.