Still moving

I havent posted in a while. I have still been working out, even when I've gotten in short funks I've broken out and continued exercisig.

I've been mostly consistant with using exercise bands. Whether I see big improvements or not exercising regularly is certainly good for the mind and health over all.

I started standing up and doing squats again slowly but plan to continue. Surprisingly it was not nearly as difficult as I thought it might be.

Yesterday and today I got on the floor for about 30 minutes to stretch out and figure out what else I can work on and it went well, today better than yesterday.

Interestingly a friend at work that I never mention my goals or potential to in the past and today keeps persistantly telling me about her aunt that broke her neck and is now doing so well and she just wants me to meet her and talk to her because she truly believes I can go much further. I have always believed that. Anyway, I decided that I should at least meet her aunt. Funny that from time to time I pray that God would bring the right person into my life to further use this potential that He's blessed me with. We will see.

Is anyone still getting this blogs updates?

I am still walking once a day usually with the walker.

Feeling good.

I just started using google calender to log what exercises I do, it's a big help and motivator. I can color code different activities. Walking is red, so I can look at each day of last week and push myself to walk further this week. I had walked over a hundred steps from time to time this year, but up and down and it didn't stay at a hundred. The last 3 days I've walked a hundred steps, I think the first time this year I have 3 consecutive days. It was not that easy but I know it's important so I pushed myself to reach a hundred.

The pain that halted my exercise for a few weeks, maybe 2 months, has gotten less, still some but am happy to be able to be exercising and pushing myself again.

Like I said the google calendar is great, I've started adding little thins that I can do during the day, before work and at work. I've started doing crunches at night before bed. It's so easy to not feel like it and just not do it but consistancy pays off. I keep looking for other exercises to add that will pay off.

I haven't made it to the floor yet other than falling Saturday afternoon, and just being there sitting felt so good stretching my legs out, so i will find a way to get there consistantly.

hang in there and thank you,

ian

Motivation

I have been lacking energy and motivation and feeling discouraged. My walking distance declined drastically over a weeks time. But I hung in there and this week has started off better. A good friend sent me a word of encouragement and reminded me that God is always there with me. It's so cool how God uses others at various times to remind us of His love and purpose for us. I know this is not a religious centered blog but I am a faith based person so at times my Christian faith will be referenced in my posts. I am thinking on psalm 37:4 that says: Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

I know that people accomplish many things without any thought to God, but I much rather walk 50 steps with God than a thousand without Him. He has blessed me much and I wouldn't trade it for nothing.

Today I did a set of 20 squats. My right leg is still a constant battle but I don't let that make me give up. I think that I will try to do a few different exercises at least 3x a week to keep some consistancey yet not feel over whelmed. For example, pullups, squats, chair exercises - instead of feeling let down if I don't do things every day I might much better benefit by several sensible routines 3x a week.

I did make a video a few months back of me exercising in a chair, I need to post it so others can tell me how to improve / modify / add to it.

Thank you for checking in, hang in there, in exercise and in life.

Ian

Still trying to hang in

It's been a while since I posted. I had and am still trying to get over some health set backs. I have a problem with something called referred pain. Since I'm not always aware if I'm hurting or not I could have a problem with my right leg but I could feel it somewhere else in my body.

I did feel like giving up because I haad been doing so well making progress and then I started having pain that wouldn't even let me stand up.

I have a problem with my right leg, from always sitting, always favoring my right stronger side, that leg has gotten chronically tight, and eventually began effecting my overall ability.

I'm trying to work on it and it has gotten better but it's a constant battle. But we should never give up on a battle just because it's rough.

I have walked 10 consecutive days in a row, yesterday walking 134 steps, farthest in a long time. I started doing pull ups again. I'm trying to get going with squats again but my right leg is fighting me, but I will continue.

I'm looking at making something like this: http://www.mybottomsupbar.com/ so I can get to and from the floor with little help. I'm also hoping to get in the pool and see what I can do in there.

I'm still working on it. Thanks for the support.

Ian

Nice to see progress

Hi all,

I am doing pretty well. The last two weeks have been busy so only got to do squats twice a week, going to plan to do 3 or 4 x this week. I've been keeping track of what I do in a daily planner and that's a big help.

I did stand up myself once:) With zero assistance from anyone, but I did use the bar, but that is fine, that was my goal. But I did it once so I can do it again, eventually I want to stand myself every time. At first I tried with just my right hand on the bar, and I started standing but I started falling to the right because of very weak core muscles. Still looking for that solid effective core exercise to add to my steady arm (pullups) and leg (squats) routiine.

I have been able to continue doing pullups reguarly (5x a week.) My left arm /hand (weaker) I have to always struggle to get my arm up and tight fingers wrapped around the bar, a real struggle sometimes. But yesterday it was pretty easy, got it almost all the way there without using my right hand. My left arm is still weak and stiff but this was a great improvement. So if you keep with it you will be rewarded with progress that will make you smile:)

Thanks everybody!

Ian

going pretty good

I've been sticking to my routine pretty steady the last 2 weeks. Squats are going good. I set a goal of standing up by myself. I'm really close but the mental part / safety net of my wife holding my arm is hard to get past. I set my goal for this year, but I think I can accomplish it in a few months or a few weeks, just need to get past the mental.

I did pullups today, I really like working my arms this way and really hope to make more time for it, twice a week would be better than once a week.

I usually walk about 70 steps but had recently set a goal for 100. I reached that goal twice this week, 122 and 140, felt awesome! :-) God rocks all the time.

Thanks for all feedback.

Ian

Feel good starting the new year

I've been keeping up with my squats pretty good and trying some other things. Tonight I did 3 sets, 10, 25, 14, the best I've done in a while and feel really good. Time still seems to be my biggest challenge but trying to figure it out. I joined a strength fitness forum and am getting some good ideas from there. I'm so specific orientated, I can't just do it, I need to know exactly what and if it will improve / strengthen. Since my time is limited I look for only effective exercises to add to my routine.

Anyway, that's it for now. Thank you for your ideas.

Ian

4 days!

I have used the pullup bar to do squats 4 days in a row now. Form better today, 2 sets of 20, and a couple times almost sitting and powering back up. It's amazing and cool the difference that I can see in just 4 days, it gives me hope. Tomorrow I will have to take a break since I won't be home. I'm excited though, taking a two hour drive, the longest since I started driving. Hope to continue back with the squats on Thursday.

I leave the house before 8:30 mornings and never get home before 6 evenings. I need some help putting together an effective workout schedule if anyone has any ideas. Saturday and Sunday I don't work so that's two days but I need more.

Thank you, bye for now,

Ian

3 days in a row

After work I asked my wife to help me use the pullup bar before it got any colder. Definatley not the best form on my squats but do feel good for doing them. 2 sets again, more than 10 each.

I haven't been feeling good for a few day, sinus or something. But still pushing through that to keep consistent.

2 sets of 10

For the second day in a row I used the pullup bar. 2 sets of 10 squats today. My pullup bar is outside and it's supposed to be very cold this week, I will try to keep at it despite the cold.

Thank you Katja, I was actually thinking yesterday before I even posted about getting some insight from a trainer to steer me in the right direction. But before I spend the money I want to be sure I can convey my purpose so my money and time with a trainer will be utilized effectively for a long time to come.

I forgot to say merry Christmas yesterday. One of my favorite Christmas sayings is: wise men still seek Him.

So close yet so far, though giving up is no option.

Still trying

I hadn't used the pullup bar in 2 weeks at least. I'm trying to get a program together that will effectively work and strengthen the most basic / important muscles to increase / improve my ability and stick to it faithfully for 12 weeks. I think if I can do this I will see improvements, wether big or small, but effective and worth while.

I felt good about taking the time to use the pullup bar today for the first day in a long time. My legs powered me up pretty good. I thing taking the time to do the leg presses from a chair has paid off.

I recently got a "flip" camcorder. What's everyone's opinion of my posting video on my progress rather than text?

Thanks to all. And thank you Katja, your response was very encouraging.

Ian

Trying to break the funk

Lately I've been struggling with finding / making time for exercise / therapy. You might know that when you get out of that routine it's hard to get back in and it can be very discouraging. I was doing so well with my standing and I got away from it, it almost makes me feel like giving up because I know I was so close to a break through.

But it is never worth it to give up. For a long while my right leg (my stronger leg) has had issues, a ever tightening muscles fights against my strength and ability in this leg. It drives me crazy! :) Yesterday I tried doing squats and I couldn't get any weight to bear on it. Kinda hard to do squats like that. So after 6 I got frustrated and was done with that for the day.

Thankfully I tried again today and though still a struggle it was a little better. Did a set of 7 then a set of 10. Then I walked over 60 steps, the squats do seem to stretch my legs pretty good and improve my walking. My left foot that I consistently drag when walking stepped through better than it has in a long time. As far as bearing weight on my right leg, weirdly when walking (and thankfully) I can bear weight on it. It still feels very tight. Any ideas for stretching that tight group of muscles greatly appreciated.

Not keeping up with my squats has brought me down lately but I have taken the time to focus on my arms using the bar to do pull ups. Also focusing on my left obliques to hopefully improve my weak balance. And getting in a chair still sometimes to do leg presses and not neglect my legs totally.

Anyway, I'm working on and trying to break the funk. To you I say, never give up.

update

The last two weeks have been a little busy so I haven't been able to exercise as much, but it's still going good. Driving has gotten much easier and it's helping my arms get stronger so a very good thing all around.   The standing up with very little help was no fluke because I have repeated and even stood up better since then. It still needs much work but very exciting.   Whenever I do squats then walk later on my walking always seems like more of a struggle. I did no squats yesterday and my walking seemed better. I need to organize my exercise without cutting anything out.   Since being so busy I haven't been able to use the exercise bands very much but when I do I know tht they are very beneficial.   I started my Monday off right by transfering to a chair and doing my leg presses and abs (side ab muscle) exercises. 3 sets of 20 on everything.   Just wanted to give a little update. Thanks for all the encouragement.

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.