Exercising with a Disability by Ross Lannon

It’s often assumed that people with disabilities either have no interest in exercise or they’re completely unable to do anything active – which of course is not the case.  Just like most people, my New Year’s resolution was to lose some of the lockdown pounds and live a much healthier lifestyle.

Surprisingly enough, I’ve actually stuck to my challenge so far this year and can already feel the positive benefits – both physically and mentally.  I’m not one for preaching about exercise or “dieting”, because let’s be real, I love my food too much.  However, I do feel passionate about disability wellbeing and I believe keeping yourself as active where possible can be really helpful.  Regardless of your ability, there are so many accessible inventions out there these days.  That said, for today’s post I thought I’d share an insight into my home workout routine.  If I can motivate or inspire at least one other person to push themselves out of their comfort zone, I’ll be a happy man!

 “Regardless of your ability, there are so many accessible inventions out there these days.”

Routine

Routine is so important, especially now that we are all spending so much more time at home and with Netflix just an arm’s reach away!  Don’t get me wrong though, there’s nothing bad about having a few lazy days.  However, I find that I’m much more motivated in the mornings, hence why I’d rather get my exercises done first thing.

Equipment

I have three simple pieces of equipment at home that I like to use, with my most recent purchase being a free-standing punchbag.  I always used to enjoy boxing at the gym and I like the fact that I can get my wheelchair nice and close when risen up.  Another piece of equipment which I find really fun and easy to use is my pedal bike, which can be used for both arms or legs.  Hey, I can even kill two birds with one stone by watching Netflix at the same time with this one!  The final exercise in my routine involves a simple shoulder pulley system.  Due to my muscle weakness, I’m unable to lift my arms above my head, so these ropes really help me to maintain some upper body movement.  If gym-type equipment isn’t for you, there are so many other ways you can keep active at home.  For example, I often use cans of tinned food for weights, or even a balloon pump for some muscle resistance.

I hope you have enjoyed this post.  If you are interested in finding out more about any of the products mentioned above – or if you would like to see some videos of them in action – feel free to message me directly via social media: @rosslannon.  Or visit my blog: www.alifeonwheels.co.uk