[Sportsandrec] 'Exercising Your Right to Fitness'

[Gaston Bedard]

Hey guys,
I know the feeling and difficulties of making a fitness comeback after going
blind.
I was a sighted runner for many years, then gradually lost all my vision.
I had never been in a fitness gym when I was a sighted runner.
In December 2008, I connected with the gym owner, of a local gym, 2 blocks
away from here.
In his 20 years as a gym owner, Ken told me that I was the first blind guy
to purchase a membership.
Today, June 2016, I am still the only blind guy in the gym.
It took me a few weeks, to memorize the entire layout of the gym, the
location of the machines and equipment.
I am totally independent as I move around from machine to machine in the
gym, the other gym participants know me quite well, which helps.
I am a runner and cardio guy, so I do treadmill sessions, and work on the
weights, also do sit-ups.
I started my running comeback in local road races in May 2012, with sighted
guides.
I have now completed more than 30 road races from the 5 km, to the full
marathon.
I ran and completed the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon in May 2014, with 3
sighted guides.
It was a great run, I qualified for the Boston Marathon, at age 61.
I ran and completed the Boston Marathon in April 2015, at age 62.

When you have good people around you, it is amazing what you can do.

Gaston


-----Original Message-----
From: SportsandRec [mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of J
Steele-Louchart via SportsandRec
Sent: June-26-16 10:15 PM
To: Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List
Cc: J Steele-Louchart
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] 'Exercising Your Right to Fitness'

Michael,

Thank you! I have a Planet Fitness literally right around the corner.
Stopping in will be on tomorrow's to-do list.

Just curious, what's your system for knowing how much weight you have
on a rack/machine?

Warmth,
J


On 6/25/16, Michael via SportsandRec <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Good afternoon,
> I was a bodybuilder for ten to fifteen years in my younger years so I am
> very familiar with gyms and fitness equipment.  When I lost my vision
> completely over several years I went into a complete withdrawal and, once
I
> got through the grieving process, picked myself up and began to plug
myself
> back into as many things I could do as a sighted person, and even some I
> couldn't do sighted.  I called the manager of the gym I had worked out at
> and he encouraged me to come in.  So I called the vocational rehab O and M
> person and met her at the gym.  We spent about two hours getting a good
> mental map of the gym floor and equipment location and tips for using the
> settings on the equipment.  By the end of this session I could move
> independently in the gym.  I asked the manager to allow me to mark a few
of
> the pieces of cardio equipment with bump dots and met no resistance.  The
> only section of the gym I have a challenge is the free weight area, and,
as
> the article indicated, is not due to my lack of knowledge, but more due to
> other individuals who don't put weights back when finished with them.  The
> dumbell rack stays out of order.  I generally work out with a partner in
> this area as much for a spot for safety reasons as for the general
> condition
> of the area.
>
> The article referenced is fairly complete if not a bit too complicated.
> For
> general fitness, there doesn't need to be complicated algorithms
> for working out.  For example one of the most popular techniques is
> interval
> training.  Just set a piece of equipment at a comfortable resistance and
> alternate between thirty to forty five seconds of as fast as you can go
and
>
> then the same amount of a normal pace, doing these intervals over half an
> hour.  Not complicated.  I now work out at Planet Fitness.  It isn't the
> hardcore gym I worked out in the past but meets my needs at my stage in
> life.  It costs ten dollars a month and has over 1000 gyms now across the
> United States.  The manager of my gym tells me that they encourage blind
> individuals to come in.
>
> Michael
> -----Original Message-----
> From: J Steele-Louchart via SportsandRec
> Sent: Friday, June 24, 2016 2:30 PM
> To: sportsandrec
> Cc: J Steele-Louchart
> Subject: [Sportsandrec] 'Exercising Your Right to Fitness'
>
> Good afternoon, Everybody,
>
> I've just found this excellent article for blind gym-goers. I have to
> admit, I'm intimidated by the gym and I'd love any additional tips or
> tricks you've found to do it independently.
>
> The link is: http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw080603&Mode=Print
>
> Warmth,
> J
>
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