5 strengthening exercises for people who use wheelchairs
Try the following fitness moves designed to improve your range of motion, upper body power, and overall health. Since everyone’s fitness level will vary, practice to the best of your ability.
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Do you want to power up while sitting down? Most fitness routines are created with lower-body mobility in mind. But if you are someone who uses a wheelchair, you’ll need a more customized approach for your aerobics to ensure that you are targeting your desired muscle groups and achieving an elevated heart rate, increased circulation, and enhanced lung endurance.
Moving a manual wheelchair requires considerable upper-body strength and stamina. To make your daily activities easier and more enjoyable, and to reduce the risk of injury to such sensitive areas as the shoulder joints or overworked arm muscles, it’s essential to bolster these parts, as well as the supporting muscles within the chest, back, and core.
Try the following fitness moves designed to improve your range of motion, upper-body power, and overall health. Because everyone’s fitness level will vary, practice to the best of your ability. And as always, consult your physician before starting a new workout.
You will need a long resistance band, ideally with handles, for this workout. For best results, repeat the entire circuit three times, three to four times each week.
Arm circles
Take a deep breath to fill your chest with fresh air, pull your shoulders back, and gaze forward.
Extend your arms out to shoulder height. Keep your neck relaxed. Rotate your arm forward from your shoulder five times, then five times back. When complete, and if space permits, roll your wheelchair five rotations forward and five back.
Chest extensions
With resistance band:
Hold the center of the band with both hands at shoulder height, spacing your hands so they are aligned in front of your shoulders. There should be a bit of slack on the band.
With a slight bend in your elbows, pull your arms out to the sides, puffing your chest out, and squeezing your shoulder blades. Hold for two counts, then release back to shoulder-distance apart. Repeat 10 times. When complete, roll five rotations forward and five back.
Without a resistance band:
Extend your arms out in front of your chest at shoulder height with hands together.
Now pull your arms back until they come slightly behind your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together for two counts. Repeat 10 times. When complete, roll five rotations forward and five back.
Overhead arm extensions
With a resistance band:
Hold the band out in front of your chest, leaving some slack on it. Elevate your arms overhead.
Keep your left arm fixed in place as you lower your right arm until it reaches about shoulder height. Hold for a count, then return your right arm back up. Continue for 10 counts, then practice on the opposite side. When complete, roll five rotations forward and five back.
Without a resistance band:
Lift your arms to the sides of your body. Hold here for 10 counts.
Now bring your arms up overhead until your palms touch. Hold for five counts. Release and repeat 10 times. When complete, roll five rotations forward and five back.
Front punches
Bend your elbows to hold fisted hands close to your chin. Keep your elbows tucked by your ribs.
Punch out with your right fist, and as you do so, rotate your torso in the direction of your punch. Quickly pull your arm back and shift to punch out with your left fist. Continue this speedy jab sequence for 20 total counts (10 per side). When complete, roll five rotations forward and five back.
Resistance band pullbacks
Using a stable, fixed post on a bed frame or on your staircase, securely loop the resistance band around it so each end is equal in length. Firmly hold each handle and distance yourself enough so the band is straight.
Pull the handles in so your elbows graze your ribs, and your arms are bent at 90-degree angle. Squeeze your shoulder blades for two counts. Repeat 10 to 12 times.
Ashley Blake Greenblatt is a certified personal trainer and wellness coach in South Jersey. To learn more about her virtual training program, go to ashleyblakefitness.com.