Wow

It's been a busy tiering week. I hadn't got to exercise since Monday. One reason is because I just started driving for the first time ever and that was and will be for a while time and energy consuming. But me driving is an amazing thing.

But this evening around 7 when I was pretty tired Lisa helped me with the pullup bar. I got to the edge of my chair, put my feet on the ground, my right hand on the bar, she held my left arm to help me stand - and I had this feeling, I said wait. Try not to help me. I stood up! She asked mw when I decided I was going to do that, just now I said.

Just to be sure I asked her if or how much she helped. She said I did at least 85 or 90 % or more. That is awesome, even though I really think I did 100%. But either way it's amazing.

So I have to keep doing this, and if I can do it once it's more than a fluke and I can do it more and more and eventually stand up by myself every time. It is just blowing my mind right now. I really wanted to tell my mom but decided to try and wait until I got better and more consistent.

So a little break seems like it was good fo me, but breaks are dangerous, consistency is crucial I think.

But wow:)

My balance is still off and I need to work my core. If I can stand up I can do anything! Maybe a miracle, I don't know, but I know not a fluke and God is blessing me. He always does.

The most squats I'd done so far was 29, yesterday I did 34. I think Lisa usually holds onto my belt loop, I didn't even realize until I was almost done that she wasn't holding onto me at all. Very cool, a sign of some improvement.   Just a quick update before I go to work. Thank you guys for all your encouragment.

3 days

Hi all,

I am doing good. I've been having some good days and some not the best days. But more important I have been consistently exercising with the pull up bar. 3 days in a row, last Saturday, Sunday and Monday when I stood up it felt very good, almost like I did it without assistance. That is one of my goals. But then after Monday I started not standing up so easily, but I still did squats. 29 is still my high number. One day I kept going lower and lower, almost in my chair and then standing back up. That's not so easy but I'm working on it.

I did something last week that I don't think I've done since my injury. When I was walking I fell like I do every blue moon or so, I didn't get hurt. But usually when I fall it frustrates me and I in no way feel like getting up and finishing my walk. But I did and that was a big step for me. And the next night when walking I fell again, I really had no desire to get up and finish then, but I did and felt better. If you are thinking if I fall sometimes then I shouldn't be walking, don't you fall sometimes too?:)

Something else that I've done is when I finish walking instead of sitting down is stay standing, let go of the walker, hold onto to Lisas arm and shift my weight around trying to hold my balance, not easy for me but if it were easy it wouldn't be of much help to me.

This morning my friend that made my pullup bar installed some eye bolts that I can hook resistance bands in to and do different exercises. I am very excited about this. The few photos above aren't very good but you can get an idea. I have handles that attach to the end of the bands. I will try to get some photos of me using them. I actually did several exercises from my chair already earlier, including, back, core and shoulders.

I haven't gotten on the floor yet to work on core and whatever else but I'm working on it.

Any ideas for floor exercises or the resistance bands or pullup bar or anything at all is greatly welcomed and appreciated.

I have realized that the difficult part about this isn't so much as doing the exercises, although that is difficult, but it's do be consistent, and not give up.

Bye for now,

Ian

God is good......

I find it so interesting in my own life that I might be quicker to say God is good when everything's going good. But when things aren't going how I would like even though I know He is still good I might not say it.

With my exercise, even when it's discouraging, I need to remember that God is good (I know that He is.)

The reason I'm talking about this is I had a few discouraging days and didn't reflect on the fact that God is good, and today I had a good day and right away was thinking God is good. Anyway.

Here's how it's been going. I think I used the pull up bar every day this week except Wednesday. It's been going ok but I've been struggling. I sit in my wheelchair all day and when I go to stand up my legs do the opposite of what I want them to. So that kinda discouraged me a bit. Tw0 days I actually was able to do a set of 20. But my form hasn't been the best, but I think anything is better than nothing.

I've also been trying to do pullups from my chair, hopefully it will strengthen my arms.

Yesterday when my wife tried to help me stand my legs just were not helping, so I got discouraged. But today, I just stood right up, the best since I've had the pullup bar. I want it to and know that eventually it can always be like that, that's why I get discouraged when I struggle. But I'm working on it.

After I stood up I spread my feet farther apart than usual, better form, and I practiced shifting / leaning my weight from side to side for the first time since I've had the bar, a really good exercise I think. And I think it was working my core really well.

And, I did 29 squats! God is good, yes all the time, not just on my good days:)

new exercise

Last night I tried a exercise for my legs that I have been thinking about for a while. While laying on my back I put a tall metal can under my leg, the back of my thigh so it elevated above my knee. So I could do leg extensitions (not sure of the proper term.) But it was a good exercise. I did 1 set of 25 for each leg.

Then I did a set of crunches. I need to learn more about ab / core exercises. But I will keep doing the basic crunches for now.

I have continued doing squats with the pull up bar and that is going well, though sometimes it's a struggle (which isn't bad.) Twice I've been able to do a set of 20.

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good about my routine right now, but I still need to add more.

Ian

Video

Not a very good video, my chair blocks my legs, next time I will try to set the camera at a side angle.

So.. this is hard. I guess if it was easy it would be no big deal. My balance / core is weak, I need to find a routine / exercise to improve that.

After that set of squats I did another set, this time leaning forward as I came down realizing this is what you do when you sit or stand.

Sigh. This is only the second day of this idea, I know everything takes time and effort, and you get out of something what you put into it. In all areas of life.

I am still excited.

Ian

Photos

I thought a few photos would help. They show how I can grasp with my right hand, how I can't with my left, one is of me using the rope to stretch my left arm / shoulder. My wife took the pictures, then she helped me stand! She helped me by pulling my left arm and I pulled with my right arm on the bar, it was great! Once I was standing and got my balance I held the bar with both hands and did a set of 10 squats, I can do it! :) I want to set up my camera to video next time so I can post it. Anyway, I am excited:) Any feedback welcome.

Pull up bar :)

My friend brought by the pull up bar that he made this morning. I am so excited, I can't really put it in words.  I tried it out and of course it's not so easy for me. But with practice and time I will make good use of this.  From my chair I can grasp the bar with my right hand, but my left hand I can't. So I will try to use the rope for my left hand to pull on. My thoughts right now are:  basic pull up's to strengthen my arms. But also I hope that if I can use the bar to pull myself forward a little that I can practice standing up and do squats to strengthen my legs.  I am also thinking of attaching exercise bands for other exercises. Please let me know of any ideas / exercises that you think of for me. Thank you