Hi Everyone,
We’ve been dealing with Corrine’s evil twin this week but today managed to have break through sessions with Anne and Natalie.
Anne is so pleased with Corey’s range of motion she is ready to push her with strength training.
We have been working at home with a wooden curtain rod (left over from my interior design days). We showed Anne the exercises we do at home and she has added a twist to the routine…an elastic band.
We tied the band to each end of the wooden rod. Then Anne, sitting across from Corey, held the band to add resistance. Corey successfully completed several new exercises. The exercises I remember were two that mimicked the motions of rowing (palms face down on the rod, extending her arms out then pulling the rod back to her chest) and curling (palms up, elbows bent, elastic band under her feet, pulling the rod up to her chin).
Corey did a great job fully extending both her arms, but more importantly adjusted her right arm to allow her left to help with the resistance from the elastic band.
Natalie was equally impressed with Corey’s timed tests for walking, sit to stands and stair climbs. Corey also showed off our newest exercise at home; sitting on the side of the bed, Corey extends her right arm to help her recline, she uses her right foot under her left heel to lift both legs up onto the bed. Once she clears the side of the bed she rolls to her back. She clasps her hands, extends her arms and as she bends her right knee she lifts her right leg over her left and rolls onto her left side.
Next she uses her right arm to push off the mattress lifting her right leg as she rolls onto her back. (Now comes the hard part…getting out of the “turtle position”) At home she grabs her sheet, but at the gym she reached for the side of the matte and as she pulls up with her core (stomach) muscles she uses her right foot to scoop the left foot and swings her legs off the side of the matte to sit back up. This is not a quick fluid movement; in fact its slow and painstaking to watch, but at the same time its an incredibly HUGE accomplishment!
These exercises are just a few we work on multiple times a day. Each stretch, reach, bend, pull and twist moves her closer to physical independence. I tell Corey this is not forever it’s just for now. Her response is, ‘how long is for now’? I don’t know how long or when everything will finally click but somehow, someday it will.
…now if only I could figure out how to get rid of Corrine’s evil twin, we’d be in great shape! xoxo