Bikram Yoga
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Resources for Wheelchair Exercisers
   
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15 To Fit Prenatal Fitness
After noticing a lack of effective and educational fitness programs for expectant mothers during her own pregnancy, Patrea Aeschliman, president and founder of 15toFit.com has released this .....
After noticing a lack of effective and educational fitness programs for expectant mothers during her own pregnancy, Patrea Aeschliman, president and founder of 15toFit.com has released this .....
Ask most people of the challenges they face following through
with an exercise program and you're likely to hear the common
complaints: Lack of motivation, being too tired, not having
enough time, too busy. Or as someone recently told me, "My get
up and go has gotten up and gone".
But imagine having the unique challenge of not being able to,
literally, "get up and go". This is the unique challenge of the
more than 56 million disabled individuals in the U.S. alone,
many who are wheelchair users.
For many involved in the mainstream fitness industry, the term
"wheelchair exerciser" may conjure up images of someone in a
physical therapy setting in the process of rehabilitation from
injury or disability. But consider the wheelchair user who wants
to participate in regular exercise for weight loss or muscle
gain. Or those with the burning desire to compete in a favorite
sport. What services meet their unique challenges?
Fortunately, there are many options that those in wheelchairs
have in pursuing fitness goals:
Access to facilities
The Americans with Disabilities Act signed in 1990 helped
increase the availability of wheelchair-accessible facilities,
including health clubs. As more and more private health clubs
follow suit, individuals who use wheelchairs will have
increasing options.
However, access alone does not ensure that wheelchair exercisers
will have the appropriate equipment to meet their strength
training and cardiovascular needs. Its easy enough to modify
certain upper-body exercises with dumbbells and resistance bands
for a seated exercise, but most machines simply will not
accommodate a wheelchair. Effective aerobic training can be even
harder to accomplish, since most cardiovascular machines require
use of the legs to raise the heart rate.
Adaptive Exercise Machines
Fortunately, there is a large number of adaptable exercise
machines available to the exerciser and to health clubs that
choose to offer adaptive exercise options:
The Endorphin Corporation http://www.endorphin.net/ Manufacturer
of wheelchair accessible fitness machines for both
cardiovascular and strength conditioning, including the hand
cycle and tabletop bike.
Access To Recreation http://www.endorphin.net/ Exercise
equipment and recreational products for the wheelchair-bound
such as all terrain wheelchairs, pool lifts and more.
Spinlife http://www.spinlife.com/ Sells wheelchairs of all
types. Contains resource section.
Adaptive Fitness Personal Trainers
Finally recognizing the need for fitness professionals to be
knowledgeable about the needs of wheelchair exercisers, a number
of personal trainer organizations offer specialized
certifications and/or programs in Adaptive Fitness. This is good
news for those who desire professional instruction by a trainer
who is knowledgeable of special needs. The following are a few
organizations that offer either certification program in
Adaptive Fitness or specialized education:
International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)/Specialist in
Adaptive Fitness http://www.issaonline.com/courses/saf.cfm
American Association for Active Lifestyles & Fitness
http://www.aahperd.org/aaalf
emplate.cfm?template=adaptedaquatics.html
Resources For Wheelchair Exercisers
Ask most people of the challenges they face following through
with an exercise program and you're likely to hear the common
complaints: Lack of motivation, .....
Exercise videos, TV Programs and ManualsAsk most people of the challenges they face following through
with an exercise program and you're likely to hear the common
complaints: Lack of motivation, .....
Some may feel more comfortable working out in the privacy of
their own home rather than travelling to the gym. For those
searching for in-home instruction, resources such as exercise
videos, TV programs and printed instruction manuals can help the
wheelchair user increase activity levels, lose fat and gain
muscle mass:
Armchair Fitness http://www.armchairfitness.com/ Classic
armchair exercises developed by fitness expert Betty Switkes.
Includes videotapes for aerobic, strength, yoga, and "gentle"
formats.
Maria Serraos Workout Tapes http://www.dropbears.com/amazon
emplate_movies ype_browse/mode_290298 Actress and model Maria
Serrao, in a wheelchair since the age of 5, stars in a series of
exercise videotapes including: Everyone Can Exercise-Cardio
Challenge, Toning & Strengthening, Real Life Fitness-Body
Sculpting, Real Life Fitness- Fat Burning.
Sit and Be Fit with Mary Ann Wilson http://www.sitandbefit.com/
Seated exercise videos for older adults and/or physically
limited individuals. Sit and Be Fit is also a cable TV series;
the broadcast schedule is listed on the website.
Paul Gaudino's Family Fitness Show http://www.exerciseman.com/
Cable TV exercise show that features exercises for the disabled,
wheelchair bound, seniors, people with back pain, and beginners.
Exercise videotapes are available through his website.
Creative Chair Exercises
http://www.tudefitness.com/wheelchairexercisead.htm A Seated
Exercise manual by Bob Blick, including both aerobic and
strength formats.
The Thrill of Victory... Wheelchair Sports and Competition
Numerous and exciting options exist for individuals in
wheelchairs who desire to quench the burning desire of sport and
competition...
International Paralympic Committee http://www.paralympic.org/
The Paralympic Games are the Olympic equivalent competitions for
individuals with disabilities and are recognized by the
International Olympic Committee. The IPC organizes the
Paralympic Games along with other multi-disability competitions,
from regional to world championships, with the highest achieving
athletes in each sport qualifying for the Paralympics. IPC's
vision: "To enable paralympic athletes to achieve sporting
excellence and inspire and excite the world." Inspire, indeed!
The next time you'd rather skip a workout, surf over to this
site and be inspired by these athletes. A truly amazing
organization.
Disabled Sports USA http://www.dsusa.org/ A non-profit
organization established in 1967 by disabled Vietnam veterans,
DS/USA offers nationwide sports rehabilitation programs to
anyone with a permanent disability. Promotes successful
rehabilitation and ongoing quality of life through sports and
competition. Conducts training camps to prepare and select
athletes for the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. DS/USA has
a nationwide network of community-based chapters, which is
listed on the website.
Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association
http://www.cwsa.ca/home.html The CWSA is non-for-profit
organization whose mission is to promote excellence and develop
opportunities for Canadians in wheelchair sport.
Wheelchair Sports, USA http://www.wsusa.org/wsusa/ Provides
athletic experiences for disabled athletes that parallel those
of mainstream athletes. The website states the organization is
"directed and developed by wheelchair athletes and wheelchair
sports enthusiasts alike, individuals with a first-hand
Obesity And Birth Control Pills
The first face - The failure of birth control pills
A recent study has found that overweight or obesity increases the chances of pregnancy while using birth .....
understanding to the values of participation." Wheelchair SportsThe first face - The failure of birth control pills
A recent study has found that overweight or obesity increases the chances of pregnancy while using birth .....
USA is recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee, and also has
offerings to junior athletes.
The Wheelchair Bodybuilding Page http://www.wsusa.org/wsusa/
Contest schedule for Wheelchair Bodybuilding Contests, links to
bodybuilding federations that promote wheelchair bodybuilding
contests.
International Wheelchair Basketball Federation
http://www.iwbf.org/
National Wheelchair Basketball Federation
http://www.nwba.org/index.php
Extreme Sports
Traditional sports are fine, but what if tastes crave more
extreme sporting activities? Not to worry. Check out the
following sites for information about extreme wheelchair sports
and get ready to be amazed...
extrememike.com http://www.extrememike.com/ Extreme enthusiast
and motivational speaker Michael McKeller overcame spinal
muscular atrophy to conquer extreme sports such as skydiving,
scuba diving, boating, and flying. Offers extreme sports video
series featuring McKeller in the pursuit of accomplishing one
extreme sport at a time. His mission? "To invite everyone to
take a look at how he does it and try it for themselves."
Mobility Engineering Inc. http://www.mobilityeng.com/ Designer
and manufacturer of adaptive sports equipment that opens up new
adventures for disabled persons. Includes 100% arm-powered
vehicles called the "Hand Bike" and the "Snow Pod." Website
features past extreme trip details.
General and Recreational/Wheelchair Sport Websites
Wheelchairnet.org
http://www.wheelchairnet.org/WCN_Living/health.html A
"wheelchair virtual community" for people with a common interest
in wheelchair technology and its application. An excellent
resource for the wheelchair user. Site includes databases, slide
lectures, article reprints, and discussion area.
Accessible Fitness http://www.accessibilitytraining.com/ Take a
look at this fitness center in Santa Clara, CA. Established to
help the physically-challenged to attain both the physical and
mental benefits of exercise, it offers a wheelchair accessible
gym, in-home exercise programs, adaptive fitness personal
trainers, workshops and more.
The Muscular Dystrophy Organization http://www.mdausa.org/
Website carries loads of information, resources, and
motivational stories.
Disabled Go Info http://www.mdausa.org/ Offers detailed access
information for disabled people across the UK.
Magazines
Sports n Spokes Magazine http://www.pvamagazines.com/sns/
Magazine with international circulation covering the latest in
competitive wheelchair sports and recreational opportunities.
Paralinks http://www.paralinks.net/ The magazine for people with
spinal cord injury. A web site dedicated exclusively for the
wheelchair culture of the world.
Its clear that being in a wheelchair doesn't mean leading a
sedentary lifestyle. For those individuals in wheelchairs who
wish to exercise, remain active, or compete in sports, numerous
resources exist. For those not in wheelchairs, take a look at
any of the above links. Youll soon forget about using any of
the old, worn-out excuses not to get off the couch and get
active.
About the author:
Jon Gestl, CSCS, is a Chicago personal trainer and fitness
instructor who specializes in helping people get in shape in the
privacy and convenience of their home or office. He is a United
States National Aerobic Champion silver and bronze medalist and
world-ranked sportaerobic competitor. He can be contacted
through his website at http://www.jongestl.com.