Staying physically active is vitally important for people of all abilities, but particularly so for people living with disabilities. Exercise helps strengthen muscles, lower stress levels and enhance mood disability services Melbourne.
Experts advise engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities each week to stay healthy and active. Here are a few simple exercises designed specifically to meet this recommendation for disable people.
1. Squats
Squats are one of the best exercises for building strength and muscle mass in your lower body. Squats require all major leg muscle groups (gluteal, quadriceps and hamstrings) as well as stabilising core muscles to work cohesively in an uninterrupted motion; additionally they help improve athleticism and sports performance by strengthening functional strength.
Disabled individuals looking to integrate strength training into their routine should begin by mastering the fundamental bodyweight squat. Once this step has become second nature, try moving onto variations such as pistol squats which focus on balance and stability strength.
Pistol squats can also be useful for people who play sports that involve one leg, such as basketball or football, as the unilateral strength development they promote can directly transfer over into their sport of choice.
2. Push-ups
Push-ups target chest and shoulder muscles while strengthening your core. In addition, they burn calories, creating a deficit needed to create weight loss. A strong upper body could even lower your risk of heart disease!
Push-ups may not only work the pectoralis major, but studies have demonstrated they also work triceps and anterior deltoid muscles - giving you strength for everyday physical challenges like carrying grocery bags or holding onto children, according to fitness expert Christine Bullock.
Those having difficulty with push-ups due to shoulder pain should consult with a trainer or physical therapist; they will be able to give clear guidelines for safe progression as well as suggest modifications if necessary.
3. Abdominal crunches
The ab crunch is a timeless classic exercise designed to work abdominal muscles, including those found at the front of your abdomen known as the six-pack muscles.
Start off lying on a floor or exercise mat with your legs bent and feet flat, placing hands behind your head or crossing them across your chest for support. In a slow, controlled manner, lean forward gradually by contracting abdominal muscles while curving your spine forward slightly before gradually lowering back down as you extend rib cage muscles while contracting spine. Repeat 10-12 times to build up to 2-3 sets.
Always ensure not to strain your neck or pull back with your hands to pull yourself up as this could lead to injury and is an inefficient movement pattern. Instead, focus on engaging the core muscles instead of overworking shoulders and neck muscles for better movement patterns.
4. Leg raises
Leg raises are an effective exercise to strengthen hip muscles, including those belonging to the iliopsoas muscle which acts as the primary hip flexor and abductor in outer thigh abductors. Leg raises can be performed from various positions including lying on the floor supinely (lying down), with knee or side-lying versions, or standing with weighted cuff or ankle weights attached for added resistance.
Straight leg raises are challenging exercises that involve isometrically stabilizing your spine in order to resist extension and rotation of the pelvis, engaging your abdominal and core muscles and engaging the rectus abdominus muscle (often known as six-pack muscle). Side leg raises add additional oblique work - together these exercises can improve stability while simultaneously decreasing lower back and oblique pain.
5. Cycling
Cycling is an ideal form of exercise for disabled individuals as it offers low impact and intensity levels tailored to your fitness level. Cycling also helps strengthen and tone muscles while building stamina and aerobic fitness.
Walking helps improve balance, posture and coordination while burning calories to help reduce belly fat. Furthermore, it provides an enjoyable and simple way to get some fresh air and stay active!
But many health professionals remain unaware of the many advantages cycling provides disabled individuals and therefore tend not to include it as part of their physical activity plans. This must change!
Comments