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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!

The Two-Minute Toothbrush Workout

August 19, 2018  /  Lisa Salinger

Recently, I got an electric toothbrush with a two-minute timer. This, according to the American Dental Association, is how long we should brush. This particular toothbrush is unique because it pulses at 30-second intervals. Basically, you can divide your mouth into four sections, and it will let you know when it’s time, for example, to move from brushing the upper to the lower left side.

I’m sure I’ve brushed my teeth for two minutes without such a toothbrush, but knowing it was going to take two minutes just made it seem longer. I’m always trying to maximize my time. Like most of us, I often feel that the days fly by, and that there isn’t enough time to get done everything I want and need to accomplish. Also, as a blind person, some things just take me longer, so I look for productive ways to equalize the difference.

Thus, the Two-Minute Toothbrush Workout was born. During the first 30 seconds, I hold a squat position. For the second 30 seconds, I concentrate on tightening my abdominals and making sure I am standing correctly. For the remaining two sets of 30 seconds, I first stand on my right leg, and then on my left. I am not very good at this yet, so I may have a few attempts during that time.

Of course, if you don’t have an electric toothbrush with a timer, you can always set a timer, count in your head, or find other blocks of “down time” you can maximize. Many people have mentioned doing some sort of workout during commercials or while waiting for their food to heat. In my mind, the biggest benefit of doing these mini workouts and pairing them with everyday tasks is that we get continual reminders to focus on our health. And of course, this is limitless. You can do other mini workouts than the ones I’ve listed above, or you can improve your mental and emotional health by listening to a favorite song, listing things for which you are grateful, praying or meditating, nurturing yourself by applying a favorite lotion – the possibilities are endless. I love thinking about ways to transform something as ordinary as brushing my teeth into a brief window of time that is restorative and maybe even sacred.

If you would like information on quality, full-length workouts, I invite you to visit BlindAlive for more information.

 

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