Training for a Paraplegic

[Haggit]

While I was pressing this morning I got to talking with a friend of my wifes who is a parapalegic (just below the diaphragm) and we got on the topic of barbell training and he asked me to show him the ropes. I was able to help him set up on bench and walked him through the moment with a couple sets of three. I feel like he can progress on bench pretty well but there are some concerns I have as far being able to stabilize as the weight increases and what kind of exercise restrictions there would be. (seated overhead press or incline bench?)

Do you have any experience with training someone in his situation? What kinds of things need to be restricted? Any tips?

[Mark Rippetoe]

This depends on how much control he has over his lumbar spine, which will vary with the particulars of the case. You'll have to figure this out as you train him. Both of you will learn from this.

[Haggit]

I told him the same thing, that we would just have to see what we could do safely. I gave him my number and we are supposed to go over some things Monday, so we will see. He did mention he doesn't think he can even hold his hands above his head without holding on to something for balance.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It will be very good if you can help him.

[jillingworth]

There were a series of articles/interviews a few years ago on Elitefts (I actually bookmarked one of the articles and, if it's o.k., here it is: http://articles.elitefts.com/trainin...-hard-part-ii/) about a female lifter with lower body paralysis and her training challenges. It may be helpful.

[dpinsen]

That electric stimulus they do with paraplegics so they can ride a stationary bike - has that been tried with resistance exercises too? Maybe something simple like a leg extension machine?

[Mark Rippetoe]

That electric stimulus they do with paraplegics so they can ride a stationary bike - has that been tried with resistance exercises too? Maybe something simple like a leg extension machine?

What does this have to do with anything in particular? If a person's central nervous system is damaged, they can't train the affected parts. You tend to just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Work on that, okay?

[dpinsen]

What does this have to do with anything in particular? If a person's central nervous system is damaged, they can't train the affected parts. You tend to just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Work on that, okay?

That's the point of the electrical stimulation, to enable someone whose central nervous system is damaged to exercise muscles they can't control. Does the trainee have access to that sort of therapy? Do only some paraplegics get it? I don't know. Do you?

[Kyle Schuant]

I have done this. The cable machines in the gym will be useful.

People vary hugely in what they can do here, and not all of it's intuitive, eg the person could have the delts and biceps working, but not tris - but have full arm movement on the other side.

[Haggit]

It will be very good if you can help him.

I sure hope I can. He has the motivation.

I have done this. The cable machines in the gym will be useful.

People vary hugely in what they can do here, and not all of it's intuitive, eg the person could have the delts and biceps working, but not tris - but have full arm movement on the other side.

As I mentioned above, he has the drive. My wife is the manager at this gym and he is in there four or five times a week doing anything he thinks he can do, mostly machine and cable work, but I think that's a huge step and even if he can't put a barbell above his head at least I'll be able to introduce him to progressive overload.