[Sportsandrec] 'Exercising Your Right to Fitness'

Mon Jun 27 13:20:24 UTC 2016

Re reading my post I see that I ran Bramma's marathon, it was actually
Gramma's marathon. It  is not considered a difficult marathon by comparison.
Pretty flat for the most part 

-----Original Message-----
From: SportsandRec [mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Robert Moore via SportsandRec
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2016 7:49 AM
To: 'Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List'
Cc: Robert Moore
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] 'Exercising Your Right to Fitness'

Good morning Gaston, 

I applaud you for your efforts and your accomplishments. 
I ran Bramma's marathon  in 1979 when I was just 18  and have never run
another one. I ran cross country when I was in high school but after that
and having completed one  marathon, I was burned out  on running. Just did
not want to do it anymore. I played beep baseball for another  several years
but have been athletically pretty dormant since the early 90's My wife and I
now  have a tandem recumbent trike so I have  been trying to put as many
miles on it as I can. I have always enjoyed getting out and moving.
I think the biggest restrictions in sports and reck for the blind are
self-imposed. I am not pointing fingers at anyone, I have been guilty at
times myself. But have also done a lot of sports as a blind guy. Keep up the
great work. 

-----Original Message-----
From: SportsandRec [mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Gaston Bedard via SportsandRec
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2016 6:02 AM
To: 'Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List'
Cc: Gaston Bedard
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] 'Exercising Your Right to Fitness'

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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