Treadmill Workouts: Special Physical Consideration
(page 3)
Amputees
I took a cardio kickboxing class and noticed that a woman, perhaps 50-something, did just about every kicking routine while holding onto the top of the striking-bag. I had never seen her before and concluded this might be her first class ever. She really had a hard time executing rudimentary kicks and was always holding on with one hand.
I don’t expect a middle-aged, out-of-shape woman to magically deliver kickboxing moves without balance difficulties. But I also couldn’t help think that if she removed her hand from the bag, and executed LESS effort with the kicks, she’d trigger far more neuro-adaptation and learn at a far quicker pace. Something also told me that she was a treadmill-holder.
After class, I asked if she used a treadmill. She said yes. I asked, “Do you hold on?” She said yes. I wasn’t surprised. I went into my standard spiel about how useless it is to hold onto the treadmill.
She explained that the toes of her lift foot were amputated. This immediately reminded me of Evelyn, discussed above, because Evelyn was unable to put pressure on her toes when walking.
I told the woman, “You are going to walk out of this gym without a cane or walker, and walk across the parking lot, which is full of slush and ice, without assistance. You do not need to hold onto the treadmill. When you do, you downgrade and perform below baseline, and will never get results.”
Toe amputation is no excuse. Again, she walked from the kickboxing room to the locker room without so much as a limp. She was able to do the cardio routines that didn’t involve kicking, without holding to the bag. She had no excuse for holding onto the treadmill.
Just because you have a physical condition that prevents you from running or jumping, doesn’t mean you should hold onto a treadmill when walking. It’s also interesting to note that this women never said anything like, “Oh, I’ve tried letting go, but every time I do, I stumble and start falling.”
Instead, she said, “I never thought of that (not holding on) before.” Very interesting indeed.
| 1 2 3 |