Wheelchair-Friendly Exercises For At Home (Or The Gym!)
PureGym Personal Trainer and Disability Activist, Rob Ghahremani, specialises in dealing with injury and disability, and is a wheelchair user himself. We asked him for his thoughts and advice on the best wheelchair-friendly exercises that can be done at home, as well as at the gym.
Over the last few years, we've had to learn to adapt and be flexible in all aspects of life, including our approach to staying healthy and strong. The closure of gyms and sports clubs for the best part of a year forced everyone to get creative in an attempt to keep fit; for wheelchair users, this was a particularly difficult task.
While many able-bodied people turned to bodyweight exercises like squats, push ups, burpees, etc, these aren't always an option for people with disabilities or limited mobility. Exercising with a disability often requires either a certain amount of space, help, or equipment -- or even all three. Most homes are lacking in at least one of these areas, and most often this is the equipment.
Although gyms are now open, there may be days where going to the gym isn't feasible for various reasons. This blog will help to give ideas of wheelchair friendly exercises you can implement from home, including exercises which don't require equipment.
No Equipment Exercises
Tricep Dips in your Wheelchair
If you have armrests on your wheelchair, place the palm of your hands on top of the armrests, grip firmly, and push against them until your arms are straight raising your bum out of the seat of your chair. If you don't have armrests, use your wheels instead. Slowly lower yourself down back into your chair until your bum is nearly back on the seat, and push back up again. Repeat until you cannot do it anymore.
Press Ups
Get out of your chair and onto a flat surface (ideally the floor). Start by laying flat with your chest against the floor. Place your hands wider than your shoulders with your elbows above your hands. Push down and raise as much of your upper body off the ground as possible until your arms are straight. Slowly lower yourself down until you're nearly flat and then repeat the above.Â
You can find more press up variations here.
Abdominal Exercises
If you have the ability to use your core, there are numerous abdominal exercises that can be done without the need of any equipment whatsoever: crunches, sit-ups, ankle taps, Russian twists, and side bends just to name a few. We've looked at core strengthening exercises for wheelchair users here.
Exercises With Weights
Having a set of dumbbells can really level up the exercises you can do at home, from the comfort of your own wheelchair. You can swap out dumbbells for household items like canned goods, bottles full of liquid, or even bags packed with items to create weight. You can also find more seated arm exercises for wheelchair users here.
Overhead Shoulder Presses
Hold your weights with your elbows level with your shoulders and palms pointed towards the ceiling. Slowly push your weight above your head and straighten your arms as much as possible. Slowly come back down to your starting position and repeat. If you struggle with your balance or cannot engage your core, try doing one arm at a time and use your resting arm to hold onto your wheel for support.
You can find more shoulder press variations here.
Side Raises
Have your arms straight down by your side with a weight in each hand. Ensure your palms are facing towards your wheels. Whilst keeping your arms straight, raise your arms out to your sides until they are level with your shoulders and your palms are pointing to the floor in a "T" position. Hold them there for a second and slowly lower your arms back to your start position and repeat. If you struggle with your balance or cannot engage your core, try doing one arm at a time and use your resting arm to hold onto your wheel for support.
Front Raises
Have your arms straight in front of you resting your wrists against your knees with a weight in each hand. Ensure your palms are facing towards the floor. Whilst keeping your arms straight, raise your arms up in front of you until they are level with your shoulders and your palms are pointing to the floor. Hold them there for a second and slowly lower your arms back to your start position and repeat. If you struggle with your balance or cannot engage your core, try doing one arm at a time and use your resting arm to hold onto your wheel for support.
Bicep Curls
Have your arms straight down by your side with a weight in your hand. Ensure your palms are facing your thighs. Whilst bending your elbow, slowly bring the weight up to your shoulder and rotate your palms toward you. Slowly lower your arms back to your start position and repeat. If you struggle with your balance or cannot engage your core, try doing one arm at a time and use your resting arm to hold onto your wheel for support.
You can find more bicep curl variations here.
Chest Press
Hold your weights with arms at chest height and palms pointed to the floor. Make sure your elbows are wider than your shoulders. Slowly push your weights away from your body until your arms straighten. Pull the weights back towards your chest until you get back to your start position and repeat. If you struggle with your balance or cannot engage your core, try doing one arm at a time and use your resting arm to hold onto your wheel for support.
Exercises With Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are a really affordable (and space saving) way to add resistance to exercise, which is key for building muscle and strength. Most resistance band sets come in various levels of difficulty, so you can make these exercises easier or harder.
Rear Deltoid Pulls
Hold your band out in front of you at shoulder height with both hands approximately shoulder-width apart. Pull the band until your arms are in a "T" position. Slowly return to your start position and repeat.
Pec Fly
Place the band around a door handle or an object behind your back. Holding the band, move your chair forwards until you have a degree of resistance. Still holding the band, start with your arms in a "T" position with your palms facing forwards. Slowly pull the band until your hands "clap" together. Hold yourself in that position for a second, slowly return to your start position and repeat.
Seated Row
Place the band around a door handle or an object in front of you. Holding the band, reverse your chair until you have a reasonable amount of resistance and your arms are straight out in front of you at shoulder height. Pull the band towards you until your elbows are bent whilst squeezing your shoulder blades. Slowly return to your start position and repeat.
Wheelchair Sports
Being a full-time wheelchair user, we often lead a more sedentary life than our able-bodied counterparts -- we're sitting down a lot more of the time after all! This means we tend to have a lower Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT), aka the calories burned for everything that isn't sleeping, eating, or exercise. Cardiovascular and aerobic workouts are all the more essential to keep ourselves fit, healthy, and burning calories.
My favourite approach for this is through sport. Not only will it give you a good workout, but you'll also learn new skills, make new friends, and have a whole lot of fun as well! There is a range of wheelchair sports that you can explore such as:
- Basketball
- Rugby
- Tennis
- Football
- Racing
- Badminton
Most cities will offer some form of wheelchair sport so check with your local council to see what is on offer in your hometown. Alternatively, if you have an interest in a specific sport, check the website of that sports' national governing body to find your local club (for example, for basketball search "British Wheelchair Basketball").Â
Hopefully the above exercises help to inspire you to workout when you're not feeling the gym! For days when you do feel like going, I've shared the best wheelchair accessible gym equipment here, and these exercises can all be used at the gym as well!
For more home workout inspiration, you can download the free PureGym app, which is packed full of exercises you can try. If you're interested in signing up, then find a gym near you and become a member today.
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