How do I get a flat stomach while in a wheelchair?
I keep reading about cardio exercises and how that’ll help get a flat stomach. But those don’t seem to apply to people with wheelchairs. I can’t get on a treadmill or a bicycle and I can’t "step up." I am paralyzed from the waist down completely. What do I do instead?
Tagged with: bicycle • cardio exercises • flat stomach • treadmill • wheelchairs
Filed under: flat stomach
1. People in wheelchairs need a slightly different diet. It is really easy to pack on more calories than you need if you eat ‘normal’ diets. A dietician or nutritionist with experience in this area can help.
2. Any exercise is better than nothing. Pushups, small barbells, chin ups, swimming, pushing the chair uphill, etc. Look for the harder way to do things. Get your heartrate up for several minutes in a row several times a week- the more the better.
For some interesting workout ideas, search for ‘Kettleballs", "Shovelglove", and so on. Each of these will probably take you to other helpful links- like the water tube and more. You can also make a great home gym from bungee cord and other stuff laying around.
3. ‘Flat stomachs’ are partially a scam. The stomach of a healthy, fit, normal person is generally not flat, but we have become convinced that the stomachs of fitness models is the ‘norm’, when it is really a little bit of a freak of genetics. A ‘6 pack’ is even less likely for most of us- we just don’t have the genes.
Lipo
I assume you can do this. This is one of my favorite exercises. It doesn’t take long at all and is very effective. Take a deep breath and hold it. Tighten up your abs as hard as you can while slowly exhaling. Keep your abs REALLY TIGHT for 30 seconds if you can (being sure to exhale throughout — and inhaling as needed — you don’t want to pass out by not breathing). Repeat this a few times. Later on in the day, do it again, only this time from a slouching position or lean forward. Just do these 2 exercises daily. You can even do them again at odd moments of the day if you want. These are ISOMETRIC exercises, and I think you’ll soon feel and see the results. Isometric exercises don’t require any movement whatsoever, so this may be the way to go for you. (I know it’s my method of choice.)
Hey Elizabeth, I’ve only been in a wheelchair for two months actually, and I’ve only been home from rehab for about two weeks, but one exercise they told us to do a lot of is sit ups…also do a lot of push ups by laying flat on your stomach and pushing up your upper body with your arms. And chin ups. BUT the best thing to do is probably swimming. Many paraplegics swim, as it works all your muscles