Don't let limited mobility stop you from exercising. Learn modifications for four basic movements.
I remember when I was younger my dad developed arthritis. He had driven a semi-truck for all of his working career. After he retired, he complained that his knees hurt, so he stopped walking and would sit in his chair.
I always thought, “Why doesn’t he just get up and move? How tough can it be to simply walk?”
Now that I am older, I understand why he was content to simply sit. My knees remind me that I am at retirement age. I do not want to walk for miles, I’m not as flexible as I once was, and I HATE Burpees!
But I also know that not moving is not the answer.
Appreciate how your body is moving; and remember, if you are moving, you are doing it right.
Three Principles for Healthy Movement:
First, meditate on 1 Timothy 4:8.
“While bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
Focus on simply moving. It would be ungodly to work so hard to be physically fit, and to be spiritually unfit for kingdom work.
Second, remember that no matter how slow you move, you're moving faster than anybody sitting on their couch.
Exercise is not about being the best, it is about being better than you were yesterday.
Appreciate how your body is moving; and remember, if you are moving, you are doing it right.
Third, you can modify exercises to meet your body's unique needs.
When sitting in a wheelchair you can do any of the following exercises that your body allows. Remember to sit up straight and pull in your stomach. This engages the abs so that they can help support the back muscles. It is the beginning starting position for the following chair exercises.
So, what can you do to stay active, while acknowledging that medical/health conditions or aging may limit your mobility?
Here are some basic exercises you can do to strengthen your body and spirit, even with limited mobility:
1. Arms
Weights: To strengthen your arms, use weights, exercise bands, or even canned vegetables to provide a little extra resistance.
Mobility: Move your arms up and down in front of you, behind you, and then pull side to side.
Seated Kickboxing: Even without an exercise band you can punch up, punch down, and roll your arms forward and back.
Band Exercises: If you are using an exercise band, hold the band in your hands with your elbows at your sides at a 90-degree angle. Then rotate the hands out, using the strength of your arms to pull the band tight and control the movement back in.
You can also hook the band to the arm of a chair and pull it across your body. Or, try a bow and arrow movement: hold the band with one hand in front of you. Pull the band with your other hand back toward your ear. Move with control!
2. Legs
Seated March: Try seated marching by lifting the whole leg up and down. Or, stomp on the floor to raise your heart rate.
Seated Kicks and Toe Taps: If that is not possible, kick your leg out front and alternate sides or simply tap your toes.
Seated Adduction/Abduction: Hinge at your hip and open and close each leg like you are opening and closing a gate.
Seated Side Taps and Knee Raises: Move one leg out to the side and tap it on the floor. Lift up the knees and bring your hands down to tap them, switching sides.
3. Abdominals
There are lots of options for seated abdominal work!
– Sit up straight with your hands at your sides. Dip your shoulders from side to side like you are reaching for something on the ground beside you.
– Do a hula-hoop motion keeping your core engaged and shoulders back.
– Another possibility is to extend your arms straight out and move your torso forward and back, similar to a rowboat motion.
– Try the tummy twist: place both feet flat on the floor or the wheelchair feet, and twist your torso only as far as is comfortable.
– Try a double leg lift. Grab the front of your chair and lift both feet off the floor, bending your knees toward your chest. Hold for a few seconds at the top of the movement, and then lower your legs slowly back to the ground.
4. Shoulders
– Start by rolling your shoulders forward and backward for a simple stretch.
– Another option is to start with your hands in front, elbows down, and interlock your fingers, and then raise one elbow at a time, up to shoulder level. Put your hands in your lap and raise one arm straight up overhead. Repeat on the other side.
– You can also press your palms together, fingers forward, and then move your hands forward and back to starting position. Use a slow, controlled motion to do this, pressing the hands together firmly throughout the movement.
Seated Workouts on RevWell TV!
Our online workout library has a playlist dedicated to seated workouts! We also have hundreds of other workouts that can be modified to fit your body’s needs.
An account to access RevWell TV is FREE, so what do you have to lose?!
Try this seated workout with Lead Instructor, Kara!
Rhonda Hiebert is a Revelation Wellness Instructor from Platoon 25. Her mission is to help people with limited mobility to move to the best of their ability. This blog is dedicated to her dad.
