No matter your age, physical limitations, or disability, there are workouts designed to keep you active. Just be sure to get clearance from a healthcare disability services Melbourne professional first before embarking on a new fitness regime.
There can be several barriers to exercising regularly, ranging from physical and environmental concerns to psychological or emotional ones. But there are ways around these hurdles and start an exercise routine that will benefit you physically, emotionally and socially.
Chair Exercises
Exercise is one of the best things you can do to support heart health, and there are various methods you can employ in caring for it. Chair exercises provide one way of strengthening hips and thighs, improving flexibility and increasing endurance.
Recent umbrella reviews with integrated meta-analyses demonstrated that chair-based exercise can strengthen handgrip strength for daily activities. To avoid overexerting themselves and reduce injuries from sitting cardio sessions, people must warm up prior to beginning.
An effective way to practice is to sit in a chair with feet firmly on the floor and hip-width apart feet, clasped hands clasped in front of chest, pushing chest forward slightly before twisting left as far as comfortable from waist to stretch and strengthen upper back muscles, then repeat sequence 2-5 times before returning slowly back to sitting position.
Leg Exercises
Exercise routine, leg exercises are an integral component of physical rehabilitation. Exercise that strengthens and builds muscle throughout your legs can help increase balance while decreasing falls.
Good news is that many of the most effective leg workouts can easily be completed while using a wheelchair. Compound exercises tend to save time by targeting multiple muscle groups at once - saving time while increasing caloric burn.
Back squats can help strengthen your entire lower body by moving your knees forward, bending back, and pushing off from the floor with your weight. Start out light, gradually increasing resistance over time.
Establishing a routine is the key to staying motivated and sticking with your exercise program. Find an activity you enjoy doing and integrate it into your everyday life.
Upper Body Exercises
Upper body exercises typically require less load than their lower counterparts to stimulate, making traditional exercises suitable for those with an injury or disability. Isometric exercises, which target specific muscle groups with constant pressure without moving them or their joints, may be especially effective at protecting these individuals against further injury and joint damage.
On a bench set at 45-60 degrees incline, lie face down holding light dumbbells or nothing at all in your hands and perform repetitions, resting between sets and increasing reps as your strength improves.
Reach your target of three sets with 8-12 repetitions each. This exercise targets chest, back and tricep muscles while acting as an excellent warm up exercise prior to performing seated shoulder press or bicep curl exercises.
Cardio Exercises
Cardio exercises are workouts designed to strengthen and challenge both the heart and lungs while aiding weight loss. Cardio exercises also help improve blood circulation while increasing energy levels; such exercises include walking, jogging, swimming, cycling and rowing.
Before starting an exercise routine, it's essential to seek the approval of your physician or physical therapist. Slow and gradual progression is the best way to avoid injuries or issues; your physical therapist or doctor may be able to suggest ways of safely working up a sweat - including isometric exercise that involves pushing against something immovable without altering muscle length or joint mobility.
As long as you have the appropriate equipment, some of these exercises can also be completed at home. Sport England provides an online playlist of workout classes from different organizations while Age UK has videos of physical activities to do at home with clear instructions and photos so it is easier for everyone to follow along.
