Happy Halloween!!!!

Hey Team,

I received an awesome email from www.spinalpedia.com today and wanted to share it.

Not many people dress up for Halloween.... I love Halloween (other than the fact it's my birthday) it's such an awesome day to just be young and have fun.  I think all of us could benefit from slowing things down a bit and just enjoying something small and silly like dressing up in costume.

I'm sure all of you have numerous great memories of your past Halloween adventures, anyway Check it out here http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=e91567037e4b5ed54a0dee386&id=8fdddcabd0&e=af83f95cb9

Bonus....They touch on Wheelchair boxing which for  those of you who know me know that I am a huge fan of Boxing Fitness at any level and implement with almost every client of mine, the benefits. are. endless.

Check it out here http://www.spinalpedia.com/blog/2013/10/brits-women-quads-take-wheelchair-boxing/

If you haven't checked out www.spinalpedia.com yet please do so, a great online community and a great resource for everyone who is living with a spinal cord injury.

Lastly, an update on the Disability Fitness Handbook.....Editing has been completed and formatting for Amazon Kindle and Barnes and Noble is currently in process. 

I am so proud of this work, and can't wait to share my insight as an Adaptive Fitness Specialist with you.

I'm hoping It will be ready for release by mid November, please stay posted....

Happy Halloween!!!!

Me in my full Super Trainer costume for Halloween!!!

Update on the book....Disability Fitness (A Fitness Handbook for those living with Stroke, Spinal Cord Injury, Amputee or as Seniors)

Hey Team,

Things have been a little hectic.....I'm in the process of taking on more Adaptive Fitness Clients and cutting back hours in the PT clinic.

I'm looking to keep my Therapy License active, but there is such a need for Adaptive Fitness Trainers, that I decided to go out full time and make myself more available to help those interested in continued fitness after injury or illness.

Exciting times....

I  also
wanted to give a quick update on the book.

Editing pictures took much longer than expected, but it was definitely worth it.

The next step is to send off for Formatting so that it can be viewed on Kindle, Nook, or on any other electronic device.

I'm also in the process of obtaining copyright status, and building a website (www.disabilityfitnesshandbook.com) where you will be able to view a sample chapter of the book, take a look at the book cover and description and table of contents.

The site is not live yet, but once it is I will let you all know.

I've also contacted a company about possible having a printed copy of the book made, depending on how the electronic version does.

I really am excited about presenting this book and sharing my knowledge on adaptive fitness to the public.

Stay tuned for continued updates and an official release date.

Thanks for the support!


-Devon

I want you to be prepared.....What to expect during your fitness assessment

Hey Team,

I want you to be prepared.....

I've recently been completing a lot of fitness assessments for adaptive training as well as personal training and thought it be a good idea to list what you should expect out of your initial visits with your personal trainer/adaptive trainer so that you can make the most out of your first visit and make an informed decision on committing to sessions with your new trainer.

So you've found a trainer and have set up an initial visit, here are some things to expect out of your first visit.

• This is an information gathering meeting: Be prepared to have information ready to provide to your trainer, this includes: Emergency contact info, your medication lists, recent injuries or ailments, etc...

• You will be presented with release forms to be signed before any physical activity begins: Consent forms, confidentiality forms, and medical release forms are the norm.

• The trainer will conduct a question/answer period including your past exercise history, medical history, current nutrition habits and will discuss realistic short term and long term goals that as a team you will strive to meet.

• You may have your baseline body fat, heart rate, blood pressure, and body measurements checked.

Once you have completed the above, you will now move onto the physical assessment portion of the visit.

This will include an assessment of your current strength and endurance (ie, push up test/sit-up test) form and function (squat test) Balance and cardio endurance (Step test)

If your living with a disability an adaptive training assessment will be performed. This will include an assessment of your abilities to perform tasks such as sitting balance, transitioning from sit to stand, your ability to get down to and up from the floor, and your upper body strength and endurance

(Adaptive training assessments will really vary per the individual and the disability)

Now that all of the above have been completed, your trainer will schedule some follow up visits with you and will implement a program based off of your assessment designed to meet your goals and your trainers goals for you.

As mentioned in previous posts, consistency is key and is instrumental in achieving progression towards goals.


If your completing an assessment in your home try to do the following in preparation for your assessment:

• Have an open space dedicated to the assessment

• Wear workout clothing (your going to be moving around aren't you)

• Bring your water ahead of time

What to look for in an adaptive fitness trainer:

• Many of the accredited certifying agencies are offering certifications for exercise therapy or adaptive fitness. This is a specialty certification, usually in addition to a Personal Training Certification.

• Ask to make sure your trainer is insured (just in case)

• Ask about your trainers background working with similar clients.

Keep an eye out for my book coming out the end of this month, in it I will touch on fitness that can be completed at home with supervision for those recovering from Stroke, SCI, Amputation, or who are Seniors, it will also cover self assessments, nutrition, and adaptive sports

The book is a real comprehensive guide and I'm excited to share it with everyone.


That's all for now Team,

Keep Fighting and Never Give Up!

-Devon