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Let me take a liberty to try to steer this thread towards those with higher levels since they a have greater challenge to keep in shape.

I'm not a quad, I'm T6, so I've got plenty of function remaining which I can throw into physical exercise. Yet I still need to make an effort and get creative to feel like I've had a workout.

I'm not into gyms and I don't aspire to becoming a freak athlete. I just like to get through the day feeling good, breathing easily and not falling asleep during conversations.

I've recently upped my exercise by working hard getting my vegetable garden ready. That inspired me to leave my electric scooter at home and use the manual 'chair to do shopping or any other excuse to clock up a few kilometers. And I'm feeling really good with this increased activity. The wheel to the shops is getting easier and I'm looking to extend it.

I've got a friend who's into creative dance. I'm so darned self conscious trying to dance that I just won't do it....until the other day. In the privacy of the night in my own home with the curtains pulled and screened by loud reggae music I let myself wave and jerk and bop-dee-doo with the music. Damn that's good exercise. Even enjoyed myself. (keep it secret, I'm not about to perform in front of anyone.)

I've always kept a watch on my breathing cos the lazier I get the more shallow my breathing gets. So I like to do occasional deep breathing exercises and way back I learnt a simple yoga breathing “cleansing” routine which is great for loosening me up.

I reckon those breathing exercises should work well for quads. Any thoughts?

How about swimming? Gentle on the bones but still good exercise.

It might sound daft but I've been seriously considering a Nintendo Wii for the tennis etc., which could be played from a wheelchair. Has anyone else got one?

wii boxing is a great workout, really works on breathing and upper body. I'm a t4, so it helps with core and balance also

I'll second the wii boxing! It's fairly fast and furious. The tennis, bowling and golf are a lot of fun too. One of the good things about wii sports is the fitness test, it gives you a little something to aim for, my age was a horrific 54 yrs old when I started, have still got a little way before I reach my actual age but I blame the baseball bit for that, never did understand the rules!

The manual chair is ALWAYS a good idea. When I was in rehab, I was like, "I want a power chair, those are so cool" but the nurses and therapists pointed out to me that the only way I have to burn calories now is through the use of my upper extermities, so I should take as much advantage as possible of that by using a manual chair so I didn't turn into a sack of flab. Now, I set my son on my lap (adds an extra 25lbs resistance) and go for a push around the neighborhood with my wife walking beside us. Works up quite a sweat, and it is a nice family outing.

I ride a handcycle and also have a second bike on a trainer in my office for riding in inclement weather or at night. It is an excellent way to stay in condition and my wife really likes the way it has built the arm and chest muscles. It is great for cardio vascular health and weight control. It is, however, a bit pricey to acquire the equipment.

It's nice getting interesting responses here BUT where are the quads?

Is fitness not an issue for quads? I bet it is. Any tips for others or discoveries?

as someone else mentioned, try swimming

i used to swim in the morning 2x week before going to work. helped with pain and muscle spasms
and it gets you going and feeling alive

im looking at getting back into to it, to releive them pain and spasms again

Hubby & I push around the neighborhood (some parts of of 'hood have nice hills and that's always a great workout). We also push around San Luis Obispo (a great pedestrian area), and push the boardwalks around the beaches. Hubby also has an aerobic standing frame that he uses, and I have a portable hand cycle that I put on the coffee table and work out while watching TV (I know quite glamorous).

I'm with you Nomis, I think dancing is totally embarrassing. However, sometimes if I hear a song in public that's silly I'll groove it up a bit. Ha ha.

Well, I have a manual chair, and my school has quite a few hills, so I get a pretty good upper body workout five days a week! I also swim a couple days a week.

Thanks for that irish, I did fancy boxing but not the idea of actually getting hit so I may give it a go

What's an "aerobic standing frame" - is that a standing frame used with or without calipers and where does the aeorbic bit come in - is exercise involved once upright.

For the first few years of SCI I'd get up daily between homemade parallel bars (in callipers) and swing and rock to music. Superb exercise that I should have kept going but moving bulky bars in my travels was too difficult and the habit was lost.

The hand cycle is a great idea.

Quadie c5 here,

Early days before I started working my manual chair and a small marcey wall-mounted weightlifting setup were my tools...used to push around campus and do laps around my neighborhood; daytime in the middle of the street, mom and dad thought I was nuts, got up to 5 miles every other day...I do miss running on the beach with my dog!

19yrs ago I shifted to a powerchair, still use the marcey setup, and freeweights-handstraps.

Long photography sessions with my old heavy Canon T90 and huge telephoto...monopod and free hand, with no chest strap...helps me with balance and arm/shoulder/neck strengTh. I do get a few good shots, posted one earlIer in "Calling ...Arteest" topic, its the one of the gray heron in a marsh....T90 w/400mm lens fiji velvia 50 slide film; for those interested...the setup weighs in at about 7lbs, gets heavy after a few hrs of shooting...

Deep breathing, as many have mentioned, is very important. Every day/night.

I dance to, as nomis mentioned, cept I imagine I look even stranger...don't stay inside though, last yr went to neighborhood block party, had a few beers...danced with any and everyone that would, many did...sure was fuuuunnnnn.

Do my best at drumming on my desk, wheelchair arms, legs, etc. got rid of my pearl drum set some yrs back for a couple of pencils now. ! love music/a good beat...try to tap with my old pencils for an entire song without stopping...nearly killed myself last night listening to a Rush concert on vh1 classics, woke up this morning barely able to lift my arms...guess I done good!

I meditate also...a little still time does wonders to renew the body/mind/soul!

Jerry

Ah, I should have given a link. You can find into here. Hubby likes it okay. It's difficult to transfer into. This new design has a smaller chest pad which gives less support while standing and while getting into the standing position. The seat is too close to the knee pads while transferring. The old design was so much better but hubby had to go through his workers comp to get it (or at least have them pay for it), so he just opted for the new design. Meh, I'm rambling. But you get the idea ...

Wow, that's some machine. I haven't seen one.

Just took a look at the glider...looks very cool...dont have the hand control right now to use, maybe in the future.
Have been eyeing the saratoga cycle, table version, to build my upper body back up...1st step, maybe glider in 2010

http://www.randscot.com/saratoga/models/

Hi there Nomis, only stumbled upon this now. Still better late than never! Being an Incomplete Quad (C5/6), i do have movement throughout body, but crossover weakness on left side and right side (upper body and lower body).
Well I have not been exercising at all for the past 2 years as am private and any exercise programme has to be paid for! Luckily our financial status has now changed for the better and am now able to embark on n exercise programme in the New Year.

My problem was and still is my hands! I have no strength in the hands and the strength comes from the wrists. They are mostly clenched and whilst exercising with balls can flex the fingers to a certain extent. I cannot grip manual wheelchair for extended periods of time and usually have assistance with pushing wheelchair, either by husband or caregiver. To grip, objects have to be bigger so I can comfortably grip them, i.e. knife, fork, spoon, etc.
We have no effective OT professionals here in Namibia and have no exercises as such to improve hands if any.

I did have success at swimming and am hoping to get back into it next year. I can do "normal" gym exercises, but find it hard to grip dumbbells for extended period of time. I need those exercises for triceps and biceps strengthening. Whilst I use my arms in swimming (mainly backstroke) I find if I had extended hands, I could do more. But I did cope and am hoping with increased exercise regime it will get better.
I find a controlled exercise environment is better for me as to try and exercise at home with assistance is an exercise in extreme patience due to the "understanding of instructions" of caregiver! Grrrr.

I am interested in your breathing exercises though. Where does one obtain those exercises? You mentioned Yoga. Is there a link one can go to on the Internet for this?
Thanks for your post. Good Topic!

No 1. Handcycling
No 2. xc Skiing
No 3. Kayaking

these are the best ways i have found to get the heart rate up

Susi, you raise some pertinent points. I wonder if many others have problems getting an assistant to properly assist with exercises.

The breathing exercise I have continued to use (cos it's so easy and takes little time) is:

1. Big breath in - hold - squirt out through mouth little short bursts of breath like blowing a candle till absolutely no breath left. Repeat at least 3 times
2. Blow all air out - hold - take little sharp sips of breath till lungs absolutely full. Repeat 3 times or more
3. Do some big breaths in - hold hold - let it all out and push out even more and more. Repeat a few times.+ (I like to hold my breath till I'm about to burst but pick what's best for you)

There's some other simple exercises HERE

And you'll find plenty of others mixed with lots of commercial guff if you google "yoga breathing". Then pick or adapt the ones that suit you.

I do somme swimming once a week, and go to the gym once a week. I also always use a manual chair. That works pretty good for me, Im not in top shape but im still healty.

G'day,
I've just joined, so hello, and forgive me for jumping in late. My wife is C5/C6 complete. The first time she got into a swimming pool post-injury she thought it was "better than sex". It wasn't the exercise, it was the weightlessness and the freedom of movement. Floating on her back and doing a sort of upside-down butterfly she is able to get up a good bit of speed and movement. It is also a great way of stretching all of those muscles which otherwise tighten up and cause problems.
The council pool we use could not even be called accessable, but it is covered and heated and is constructed in such a way that we can use our portable hoist to get in and out.

OK, you've convinced me. More swimming.

My favorite is a hand cycling. The only tough part is that as a C6 it is hard to get back up and into my manual chair. With a minor boost it's doable. Pushing a manual chair around a track and timing yourself is good, weights tied on to my hands and doing lots of reps...

I wish it were easier to go swimming. I am sure I would love swimming if it weren't for the undressing and re-dressing and needing someone to lift me in and out of the pool.

Yeah, the exercise part is the dressing and getting in and out; the swimming is the relaxation in between.

Karen,
I work for the company that makes the EasyStand Glider. Regarding the stander being difficult to transfer into, are you aware that the kneepads flip up and out of the way? If not, that could make a big difference since it gives more transfer room. Also, here is the URL to the Glider on our homepage, which has a lot more, current information http://www.easystand.com/evolv-glider/index.cfm
Thanks and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

four years ago before my injury, i was at the gym almost 2 hours a day. now, i still love the gym, but at my house. i lift free weights (i'm lucky enough to have almost perfect hands for a c5-6), walk the dog on around my hilly neighborhood, and play rugby. also, as a third grade teacher, i probably push 3 miles a day, between getting materials, following children, and other trips down the long halls of my school. for breathing, i have been singing barbershop for about 5 years now. it is fun and great for the lungs.

That's a nice way to think about it. I do love the water. It is the only time there isn't some kind of pressure against my body.

I handcycle too but can not get back in my wheelchair because I'm a C6 too! Can you explain or send pictures of how you do this????
My bike is pretty low and need major assist back into my chair. Here is a pic of me on my low bike. Is yours like this? Let me know how you do these transfers please. I'm very flexible so getting in and out I can lift my leg strait up to my nose to swing it over but have not figured out how to lift myself up!


Thanks!

Also wearable therapy/electrical stimulation all over your body can help. I have an abdominal binder that is strapped on & stims the abs in order to contract the ab muscles. I don't have a six pack like before - but my tummy is flat and I wear a bikini again! This is especially good for higher quads. Nothing beets working out your muscles if u can - but if you're like me and don't have contracting muscle in your abs, part arm it's the next best thing - the stim can also help to recover more muscle function & definitely strengthen!

http://www.wearabletherapy.com/

I also have an RT 300 stim bike that stims my leg muscles to contract to pedal as well as the Eazy Glide. There are also getting to be more programs all over America for quads at gyms with trainers to strap on dumbbells, on and off equipment, etc. Disabled people need to workout too they just need a little assistance! Here's also a link to the gloves I use/need to hold on to things b/c I don't have hand movement or grasp. I use them with weights, dumbbells, my bike, etc.

http://www.restorative-therapies.com/
http://www.planetmobility.com/store/standi...ider/index.html
http://www.centerforscirecovery.org/?id=171&sid=3
http://www.wisdomking.com/product/grasping...h-wrist-support



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It's an issue for me. I'm a C 5/6 complete quad. I was injured at 18, gained a bunch of weight after my initial rehab, and then had to lose it to get into an aggressive therapy program. I succeeded in getting the weight off - 250 lbs down to 180 lbs. During that process I found pushing a chair is certainly the best exercise but at my injury level I was killing my few innervated muscles. I got up to several miles a day going round and round a tennis court - boring and painful! I also used a Saratoga cycle like stationary hand bike and an accessible gym. Both were great.

Now fast forward 18 years - I have a 10-12 hour a day job as an IT Director and Software Architect. I have two kids that I love and I'm working on a Masters in Christian Studies. Guess how much time I have to work out. Couple that with a wreck I was in 14 years ago that resulted in my left leg healing about 20 degrees supinated out which translates up to my ischium being forced down when my leg is pulled straight (sitting in the chair) and now I have to watch for skin sores when I get to about 200 lbs or less. :::Whiner:::

My workouts now consist of swinging my arms in various directions - simultaneous and alternating punches, windmills forward and back both simultaneously and alternating and something like a rhomboid driven flail where I throw my arms backwards with straight elbows and if it were possible I'd touch my hands behind me followed by a pectoral and bicep driven flail in the opposite direction and ending as high as I can without my triceps quitting resulting in hitting myself in the face. I do this about 15 minutes trying to breathe deeply with each lunge. Image watching a 250 lb Michael Phelps sitting in a chair and doing his pre-swim warm ups.

Anyway, I'm trying to reincorporate the hand cycle but I don't want to tear down my skin.

Do any of you work by the way or are you all independently wealthy or living off the government or something. That sounds a bit harsh I guess but how the heck do you have TIME to go swim?

So, I'd love to know what y'all do to exercise. Write back.

I dunno nomis, reggae always makes me wanna.... well, BURN things up, sit on the couch, and say "WOW Bob MARLEY.. ya know man?"

One of our cats loves lap rides. So I just put something on the MP3 and give the kitty cat a good time. He loves wheelies and 360's, and it doesn't seem to matter how fast I go (with in reason of course) he stays on my lap with OUT digging his claws into my legs. I can attest to dancing working up quite a sweat. I am also a HUGE fan of swimming! It's a great way to exercise with out the added stress to already abused body parts.

I handcycle too but can not get back in my wheelchair because I'm a C6 too! Can you explain or send pictures of how you do this????
My bike is pretty low and need major assist back into my chair. Here is a pic of me on my low bike. Is yours like this? Let me know how you do these transfers please. I'm very flexible so getting in and out I can lift my leg strait up to my nose to swing it over but have not figured out how to lift myself up!


Hi Em -

Hope you don't mind my asking - How much does a hand cycle like the one in your pix cost? A friend recently offered me his old one for 1500 - couldn't get it - his injury level is T12; mine's T6. I was told by USA Disabled Sports Far West (Citrus Heights, CA) that his was too upright.

Thanks -
Lynn

We built an indoor pool, so that definitely helps with exercising. I use a manual wheelchair as well, so I am always pushing. When I go on shopping sprees, I go out for like 6 hours... so that is a looong time of pushing myself around! Hehehe. I also have a bike that is made for people in wheelchairs, or people who aren't strong enough to use their legs. I haven't been on it in a while because it has been freezing cold up here, but in the spring or summertime I think I may start back up again.

Hey Lynn!
I think my bike cost about $3000. I applied for a grant and also had my insurance help out with a little bit of it. It was also ordered through a rehab facility because they could get a deal. Going straight through the vendor is sometimes costs more. Goodluck!

Em

I'm New and Looking for any new Ideas!

I'm C2 Incomplete with nothing below C7 34 yrs 18 yrs in chair and i work my whole body with weights 5 days a week, FES on my lower body and upper i use my gym but have no hand movement so i strap my hand to the bars, currently i do bench press flat (70kg my body weight) incline (30kg) up rite rows (lying down 60kg) fly's with cables strapped to elbows 30kg and lat pull downs 30kg) and also have 30 grams of protein 6 times a day.

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I swim as much as I can.