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Thread: Training someone with a major disability

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    Default Training someone with a major disability

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    Rip,

    I dug around and found nothing so forgive me if this has been discussed already. To keep this from getting too lengthy I'll skip the details, but basically I have a friend who took a major decline after highschool. Totaled four cars drunk off his ass, his last accident leaving him lucky to be alive. He hit a church so hard it knocked it off it's foundation, and parked his car in the hallway leading to the basement. Three years and several surgeries later he still has no use of his left arm. He is able to shrug his shoulder but that's it. He's expressed interest in some form of lifting to make the best of what he has, so my question to you is if you've had experience with people in similar situations, and if so how did you approach training someone with such an imbalance?

  2. #2
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    I've had experience with severely injured people, and they are trained on a case-by-case basis. No generalizations are possible, and no one will ever write a set of instructions. You'll just have to figure it out as you go, applying the general principles of stress/recovery/adaptation.

    I've also had experience with sorry motherfuckers. My policy is to figure out what they are, to not associate with them personally, and to keep them the fuck out of my gym.

  3. #3
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    Definitely something to consider, being that he is as you say, a sorry motherfucker. My thinking was that some black iron would do him some good mentally, though I do have reservations whether or not he would commit. Thanks for the insight.

  4. #4
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    Cut your losses, baker. If he's worth a shit, let him prove it first, since his is now the burden of proof.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jbaker91 View Post
    Definitely something to consider, being that he is as you say, a sorry motherfucker. My thinking was that some black iron would do him some good mentally, though I do have reservations whether or not he would commit. Thanks for the insight.
    If he's been able to do something about his drinking problem, then that would be a positive sign of his ability to commit. If not, then there's no way in hell you want to deal with someone who's drinking like that. Odds are he just wouldn't show up at the gym at all, but what if he shows up drunk? Bad scene.

  6. #6
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    I'm trying to coach people (friends, co-workers, family). Anyone. Free use of my gym in my garage and free coaching from me because I need the experience as much as they do. Smartest idea? Maybe not, but it's what I'm working with.

    Hardly anyone sticks with it longer than four weeks, even though everyone has reported feeling far better in numerous ways. I asked the question a while back and now I've lived it: free training doesn't get or keep people training. I may as well pay my money, hit up a seminar, and start peddling my services to the dozens of MMA/Crossfit gyms in the area for money.

    Long story short: if they don't get to a point where they'll do this with or without your help and guidance they're not going to fucking do it.

  7. #7
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    Thanks guys this is all helpful, and yea I need to get to a seminar too. Liz, he did initially do something about his drinking, but has since fallen back into the same old routine. For me personally, resistance training in general, but starting strength specifically has forced me to prioritise the important things in life and evaluate poor life choices in the past. Ditch complacency for intensity, and earn the goals I seek out rather than speculate how hard it might be. This change in myself is what I see as potential people around me, though in retrospect not everyone wants change in the same fashion as myself.

  8. #8
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    Sep 2011
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    Jbaker91, I've had a similar experience with a friend.

    Long story short.. on a highway going a stupid speed on a motorbike, hit a truck. Horrific injuries, skin grafts, multiple leg surgeries and complete loss of movement and feeling in his left arm. 2 years on, he had the arm amputated. The injuries I wouldn't wish on anyone, but truthfully nobody was shocked to hear it had happened. It was a long time coming.
    u
    Obviously struggled for a few years, especially being a tradesmen prior to the accident and with no prospect of returning to work. Anyway, a few years on.. He's married, and studying software engineering. Started running and playing soccer, not sure about lifting but hey it's a start. After that slowly got his life together.

    So overall, some kind of training is probably a good stimulus, especially mentally. But he has to want to do it, you can't force him, and if you try I fear you're wasting your time.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post

    I've also had experience with sorry motherfuckers. My policy is to figure out what they are, to not associate with them personally, and to keep them the fuck out of my gym.
    This. Its a painful lesson to learn.

  10. #10
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    May 2010
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    Murphysboro, IL
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    starting strength coach development program
    This guys life problems aside for a moment. Which is odd as Hell for a judgmental old asshole like I am.

    There's another semi-elderly guy here with one, count em, just one arm who trained, and competed in a powerlifting meet. One handed squat, one handed bench press, one handed deadlift. Name of whities. He even posted images of his efforts.

    It could inspire this other guy. Or not. He may need a boot in the ass to get him to get under the bar and try to get his shit in order. I dunno. I've seen plenty of his ilk fail. But I have also seen the few or so improvise, adapt, and overcome.

    In the end, you too need to know when to say when and cut bait if need be, OP.

    Best wishes.

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