Sussex Exclusive Magazine Edition II 2022

So just don’t
sit there. Start
readying your
mind and get
motivated.
And finally,
just remember,
there is
somebody
ALWAYS
worse off
than yourself.
Chris Smith (not his real name), a
former Paratrooper, was injured
during active service and lost his
sight in 2001. Battling depression,
he took up exercise and, in his
words, “discovered a new me”. Still active, he
shares his thoughts on how to get started.
Motivation can be defined as the force that
energises and directs behaviour, but all said and
done, if you are disabled, you still have to feel
the need to energise yourself to improve your
mental and physical abilities and to extend your
independence. So basically, it comes down to
the fact that you have to be in the right frame
of mind to initiate a course of suitable fitness
depending on your disability.
Consult your doctor
This first action is always a priority, and you
should consult your doctor to ensure your blood
pressure and heart are functioning correctly and
within limits and to take advice about what is
possible for you. Your physical instructor will
need to know your limitations so a programme of
fitness can be structured around them, whatever
they may be. Additionally, if you are a diabetic,
you should make sure your bloods are in the
green zone. But the positive aspect of having
diabetes is that you can turn the sugar in your
blood into energy which will reduce your blood
sugar levels and any need for insulin or tablet
medication. Although as always, discuss this with
your instructor and doctor.
Work with a physical instructor
A lot of exercises are or should be supported
by good breathing and the regulation of your
vascular system. Before committing to any
exercise regime, you must get a feel for your vital
signs and ensure they are all in the green, then
your instructor will focus on the most relevant
part of your body that needs improving, for
example a limbless person might spend time
concentrating on upper body strength in order
to enable them to manage themselves on and
off various platforms. A person who is severely
sight impaired has to be managed on and off
any exercise equipment and be monitored by
instruction or staff while they are exercising.
Setting goals
When one is physically disabled, or sight
impaired it is very difficult to motivate
oneself into thinking about trying to get fit or
improving one’s overall mobility. Being blind
and physically disabled myself through military
service, I got to the point where I needed to
make certain changes to improve my overall
ability and general wellbeing. It was hard
enough just thinking about it let alone doing
it, but I managed to set myself small objectives
and gradually went from strength to strength
as I started achieving them. Again, I stress it’s
important to take advice from a professional
instructor so you can comfortably work within
an envelope of your capability, without causing
stress or pain to an existing disability (your
limitations). But by setting yourself objectives
and reaching them, as you progress it’s very
satisfying and soon, you start to see the benefits
of the exercise that you have undertaken.
Getting motivated
In the military it was always mind over matter
(we don’t mind, and you don’t matter). And this
holds firm, as we all know the mind controls the
body and it’s important to get that balance right.
To generate the right motivation, you have to
want to improve your overall wellbeing and
mobility and in turn improve your overall
confidence and stress levels, making it possible
for you to achieve more.
But what triggers motivation? A look in the
mirror or weighing yourself is a norm for a
reasonably healthy person, but if you’re disabled
that often doesn’t apply. Your motivation will
need to come from your own determination
to improve your overall wellbeing and
independence, without relying on anybody
else for your daily routine unless it’s absolutely
necessary. This comes from deep within.
But once the mind is switched on it enables you
to focus on the programme of fitness that has
been designed specifically for your disability,
and this will allow you to set your objectives
and achieve them. Gradually, and over time,
you will be able to extend your objectives as you
progress. You will of course, encounter pain and
exhaustion to begin with but they say there is no
gain without pain. As you find yourself getting
more flexible, there are other options you may
look at too, like Yoga and Pilates, which involves
using muscles that you never knew you had and
I have found personally this has worked wonders
for me.
Working with others
You may also find it helpful to join a group
which can work quite well and injects fun into
the activity. As the saying goes, together, we
can do more.
So just don’t sit there. Start readying your
mind and get motivated. And finally, just
remember, there is somebody ALWAYS worse
off than yourself.
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