BlindAlive.com

Accessible Fitness, more choices for more people

Fitness has always been a concern with regard to both mental and physical health regardless of age, gender, or any other variables that make each one of us unique. And for those in the blind community, fitness is every bit as much—if not more—important.

Exercise for the visually impaired is something that should be incorporated into a weekly, if not daily, routine for a variety of reasons that are both similar and different from people within the sighted community. For those with total loss of sight as well as for those who are low sighted, a lack of regular exercise can bring on a host of other issues, including weight gain, sluggishness, and perhaps worst of all for many, insomnia or a circadian rhythm that has been thrown completely off track.

A quality workout done at the right time of day and at the right pace to meet your unique physical and mental needs is just what the doctor may have forgotten to order. For many blind people, fitness has been a challenge: without someone to guide you and without the ability to drive yourself to the gym, it becomes obvious why so many visually impaired individuals give up—but with the BlindAlive line of Fitness Workouts for blind people, you’ll never have to depend on anyone else again.

Yoga and Strength Training with wieghts for blind people along with a variety of other cardiovascular exercises help our bodies stay toned, help us gain muscle mass and lose weight, but most of all, can help lead a blind person away from a sense of helplessness.

Are you ready to sweat? Come get healthy and leave all your notions of not being able to get fit due to your visual impairment behind with BlindAlive!

To balance ball or not to balance ball… is that the question!?! No, not really…

January 29, 2017  /  Dee Leverenz

This week, we are pleased to feature another Honorable Mention from Dee Leverenz. While her previous post inspired us to get out there and move, let’s just say that we could truly relate to this one. And of course, if you are looking for a safe, accessible workout you can do with a stability ball, please take a look at ours; it’s called Stability Ball Body. And now, here’s Dee:

First let me say that I love my balance ball. I have had several now, and just enjoy them. I sit on it while at the computer or watching TV. Don’t get me wrong -- not all the time, but if I feel I’ve been “non-sitting” Too long during the day, I will then grab the ball and do some “active sitting.” Perhaps those are not “real” fitness words, but they make me feel better for sure! Hey, let’s face it -- part of health is feeling good about self, right?  Moving on…

Actual workout things I do on my beloved ball are: push-ups using those push-up handle thingy’s because for some reason using those is less stressful on my wrists. Don’t be thinking I’m doing some sort of crazy military push-up, because I’m absolutely not. It is just that I can lower myself with less wrist stress. I’ll also sit on it while doing upper body weight exercises. I use it while doing some floor exercises too, as in side leg lifts. Sit-ups are also an exercise I enjoy doing with the balance ball, because for me it’s less stressful on my back.

So for those of you who enjoyed the TV show “Golden Girls,” like Sophia said… “picture this…” circa 2005…

There I am lying on my back, hands resting on chest, finishing up sit-ups.  While in the lying position, resting and breathing, I think, “Self, wonder what a leg lift would be like on one of these things?” So I positioned the ball closer to mid-back and shoulders and began lifting one leg up and then the other. Then I got fancy and lifted higher, circling one way then the other. “This is great!” Self says to me. Then self thinks, “Hey, wonder if I can do a “real” leg lift?” You know, both legs up and perpendicular to the floor…”

I did say picture this right??? Well I’m here to tell you Don’t. Try. This. At. Home! Both legs go up, ball begins to move towards my butt, and heck no! It doesn’t stop there; it just continues moving in one direction while moving me (at a rather quick velocity), in the opposite direction -- tossing me off the back end in the air, arms and legs flailing like a spider on crack, slamming my little pumpkin head into the wall behind me! I have no idea what I was thinking! Sure, let’s balance yourself on a round object on your back while arms rest on your chest, lifting both legs straight up in the air! What am I!!?!! A circus act?  So I was laid out on the floor, rubbing the top of my head and giggling, really giggling, because how could I not!?! As my loving husband Rick is famous for saying, “I believe in acknowledging stupidity even when it is yourself!”

So although this failed circus act gave me a laugh and just a bit of a sore head, I don’t recommend this total leg lift exercise at all… unless that mild-concussion-dazed look is what you are after, or you are trying out for the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey’s Greatest Show On Earth! And if you are… carry on!

If you have your own funny fitness experiences to share, You can comment on our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.

categories / Writting Contest 2016
 

BlindAlive - Creator of Eyes-Free Fitness® - Doylestown, PA 18901

COPYRIGHT © BlindAlive All Rights Reserved. Eyes-Free Fitness is a registered trademark of BlindAlive