Fitness

More than just a workout: CNN Hero helps athletes with intellectual disabilities get fit and build connections | CNN

Published

1 year ago

March 24, 2023

More than just a workout: CNN Hero helps athletes with intellectual disabilities get fit and build connections | CNN

Houston
CNN
—

When John Watson leads a health class, he lights up. As he places college students via their paces, his vitality is palpable. And the athletes in entrance of him reply in form, typically breaking into cheers.

However what units his courses aside are the scholars he teaches: All of them have mental and developmental disabilities, starting from Down syndrome to cerebral palsy to autism.

Serving to this inhabitants uncover the bodily, emotional, and social advantages of train is the mission of Watson’s nonprofit, Bloom Health. Since 2016, he and his staff have helped greater than 900 folks with cognitive disabilities develop stronger, obtain targets, and really feel a way of group.

“Wellness and motion – for this inhabitants, that’s vital,” stated Watson, whose 26-year-old daughter, Emma, has cerebral palsy.

People with these disabilities usually tend to have larger ranges of weight problems than the overall inhabitants and face a a lot higher danger of heart problems and diabetes.

However serving to them get match isn’t Watson’s solely aim. He desires to attach with the adults in his courses on an emotional degree.

“All of us wish to be part of one thing. They only don’t get the chance that usually,” he stated.

“We create a way of pleasure, belonging and love. … Once we (do this), they’ll present as much as train.”

Bloom Health companions with applications that serve folks with mental disabilities, like grownup daycare facilities or residential properties, the place Watson’s educated, volunteer instructors lead courses like biking, yoga, Pilates and dance. Lessons are free to the athletes, a lot of whom are low-income, they usually’re designed to be accessible to anybody.

“There’s a variety of skills of individuals with mental and developmental disabilities. … We serve that entire vary,” Watson stated. “And we name everybody an athlete, it doesn’t matter what your means is.”

The work doesn’t finish when class is over. Afterwards, the athletes collect at a big wall chart, often called ‘The Champions Board,’ the place they put a sticker subsequent to their title – a public file of their attendance and laborious work.

“Many of those people are visible learners,” Watson stated. “They see their title on the board. … And we are saying, ‘Look what number of stickers! Look what number of courses you’ve gone to!’”

It’s additionally an incentive system. Athletes earn gear – water bottles, t-shirts, hats – based mostly on their attendance and in addition to completely different titles, like ‘coach.’ Each few months, athletes are acknowledged at a celebration.

“After they stroll up they usually get their award, they get cheered for. That’s the place that pleasure sticks in. They know they’ve earned it,” Watson stated.

The system works. Bloom claims its retention price for contributors is greater than 90% and in surveys, most report that this system has helped them drop a few pounds, acquire energy, and really feel much less lonely.

Amy Crane, 42, is susceptible to coronary heart issues due to her Down syndrome. She had open-heart surgical procedure when she was 10 and nonetheless sees a heart specialist. However since doing Watson’s very first Bloom class in 2016, she’s develop into an advocate for wholesome dwelling. She stated she’s misplaced greater than 25% of her physique weight via weight-reduction plan and train and is now a proud chief in her class, having earned the rank of ‘captain.’

Watson delights within the progress of his athletes. However for him, it’s about far more than kilos misplaced or weight lifted.

“We wish to lead folks to a lifetime of health … and for them to wish to do it,” Watson stated. “We would like them to simply be all the pieces they are often.”

CNN’s Kathleen Toner spoke with Watson about his work. Under is an edited model of their dialog.

CNN: How did you get the thought for Bloom Health?

John Watson: A toddler with particular wants, once they get out of highschool, there will not be quite a lot of applications for them. They sit dwelling. So, I retired from my trade as a result of Emma was getting left within the mud and I used to be in search of companies for Emma and methods to assist different dad and mom.

My authentic concept was to attempt to get employers to wish to rent people with mental disabilities. I used to be working with a company, strolling round one in all their locations they usually had a room with broken-down health tools. And I stated, ”Hey guys, what occurs right here?’ they usually stated, “Nothing occurs right here.” And even once I had an actual job, I used to be a health teacher an evening or two every week, simply because I obtained a kick out of it. So, I stated, “Do you thoughts if I purchase some bikes?’ And in order that’s the place it began.

CNN: How did the pandemic influence your work?

Watson: For a inhabitants that feels remoted already, you set the pandemic on high of it, folks have been getting depressed. And so we stated, “Effectively, how about we attempt a digital class?” We didn’t even know if anyone would dial in, however the first time we had 50 folks! And I’m identical to, “Oh my goodness. They need this!”

We additionally realized that if we will do issues nearly, in addition to in particular person, we will attain extra folks, so it drove us to create a digital platform. Now we’ve got Bloom Reside, which is our digital class, with a dwell teacher on the opposite finish. There’s interplay – you may see the athletes waving to one another. It’s so vital. But it surely additionally pushed us into making a library of movies that you would be able to view on the app. So, we now have 24 areas in Texas and North Carolina, however this offers us a glimpse of what we will do going ahead.

CNN: What position does Emma play in your work?

Watson: Being a mother or father of a kid with particular wants, typically you panic. You are worried. And then you definitely transfer on. It’s straightforward with Emma to deal with the nice elements. However folks come as much as me on a regular basis, “Oh, you’re doing this for Emma.” And I’m going, “No, however she led us right here.”

With out Emma, I wouldn’t know the great thing about this inhabitants. And what they do for me, I can’t carry phrases to it. It’s a present to me.

Need to get entangled? Try the Bloom Health web site and see methods to assist.

To donate to Bloom Health by way of GoFundMe, click on right here

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Fitness

TOI Health News Morning Briefing | AstraZeneca withdraws COVID vaccine, West Nile fever outbreak, pregnancy guide for summer season, fitness tips and more – Times of India

Published

1 hour ago

May 9, 2024

Press Room

AstraZeneca withdraws COVID vaccine worldwide
AstraZeneca, the British pharmaceutical firm, is presently pulling its COVID vaccine from global circulation. This action follows months after the company acknowledged, for the first time in court records, the potential for a rare and hazardous side effect associated with the vaccine. The withdrawal request was submitted on March 5 and became effective this Tuesday, as reported.
“Have disclosed all side effects in packaging”: Serum Institute of India
In response to the side effects of the vaccine, the Serum Institute of India has said that they have disclosed all the rare to very rare side effects in its packaging since 2021.”We fully understand the ongoing concerns and it’s crucial to emphasize our commitment to transparency and safety. From the outset, we have disclosed all rare to very rare side effects, including Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, in the packaging insert in 2021,” the SII spokesperson said.
West Nile fever spreads in Kerala
In three districts of Kerala—Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Thrissur—more than 10 cases of West Nile fever, transmitted by the Culex species of mosquitoes, have been reported. Responding to the increase in infections, the State Health Department has issued an alert and directed authorities to intensify pre-monsoon cleaning efforts.
7 diseases linked to asthma
Although asthma is a common respiratory condition marked by airway inflammation and narrowing, it often coexists with other illnesses, worsening symptoms and complicating treatment.
Summer pregnancy survival guide
Attention expecting mothers! With rising temperatures, it’s essential to focus on your health for a comfortable experience during the sunny season. Keep hydrated by consuming water-rich foods such as watermelon and cucumber. Take shelter indoors during the hottest hours to prevent fatigue. When outdoors, protect yourself from the sun’s rays with loose clothing and sunscreen.
Best diet to give children for their eyes
Consuming a balanced diet is crucial for the growth of a child. The developing eye requires specific micronutrients like vitamin A, essential fatty acids, and zinc. Deficiency in these nutrients can lead to various eye conditions such as keratomalacia and night blindness due to lack of vitamin A, repeated bleeds in the conjunctiva due to vitamin C deficiency, and impaired brain development due to essential fatty acid deficiency.
Easy tips to increase walking speed
Speeding up your walking can enhance calorie burning, enhance cardiovascular health, and make your walks more effective. Whether you’re walking for fitness, transportation, or daily errands, here are some simple pointers to help you increase your walking speed.
5 warning signs of ovarian cyst to know
Ovarian cysts, characterized by fluid-filled or solid sacs forming within or on the ovary’s surface, are frequent occurrences in women of reproductive age. Often, these cysts go unnoticed and resolve independently without any symptoms or complications. Nonetheless, specific warning signals should not be disregarded, as they may signify a more significant problem necessitating medical intervention.
While walking do these 3 exercises to lose arm fat
Regardless of whether you’re walking outdoors, on a treadmill, or simply around the house, we’ve compiled a list of arm exercises that you can integrate into your walks. Remember to proceed at your own pace and prioritize walking over arm movements. Focus on maintaining balance and controlling your upper body. To engage your core and enhance stability while walking, draw your navel towards your spine.

Fitness

Does walking really count as a workout? Here’s what an expert trainer says

Published

9 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Press Room

Does walking really count as a workout? Here’s what an expert trainer says

As a dog owner and a fitness writer, I do a lot of walking. While testing out some of the best walking shoes recently, I wondered whether or not my stroll counted as a workout. My heart rate was elevated and I was breaking a sweat but I wasn’t sure I was doing enough to improve my cardio fitness.

I decided to speak to NASM-certified personal trainer, Ellen Thompson, the head personal trainer at Blink Fitness NYC. Not only did I want to know if walking is technically cardio, but I wanted to find out if there was a minimum pace I needed to hit to turn my walk into a cardio workout.

I’ve also seen walking workouts trending on my social media (usually on a treadmill) and wanted to get Thomson’s insight on how valuable these are. Here’s what she said.

Ellen Thompson

Ellen Thompson is the head personal trainer at Blink Fitness. She has dual NASM certifications in personal training and corrective exercise, a fitness nutrition specialist certification, and expertise in functional movement screening, TRX, and Schwinn Cycling.

“Yes! Any activity that increases your heart rate can be considered cardio. Walking at any intensity—but preferably a moderate or high intensity—checks that box,” said Thompson.

Two women doing walking workout in forest

(Image credit: Getty Images)

What are the benefits of walking as cardio?

“Walking is a great form of cardio because it’s accessible. [It] doesn’t require any gym membership, any special equipment, or any special skills, almost anybody can just go outside and walk,” she said.

“It’s a great way to work the heart and blood [circulation] together, and it can be a great way to burn calories, all while having low impact on the body. Compared to other forms of cardio, it can also put less stress on the joints.”

Do you need to go at a certain pace for your walk to become a ‘workout’?

“No. Go at your own pace. Any walk for any duration of time will burn some calories, and still get the heart to work at higher levels than just staying sedentary.

“However, just like anything, the more effort you put into your walk, the more benefits you reap. If one person walks on a treadmill four times per week for 20 minutes at a 2.0 speed and a 1.0 incline, and another person walks on the treadmill the same four times per week for 20 minutes but at a 3.5 speed and a 3.5 incline, the person at the higher speed and incline is going to burn more calories throughout the week as well as grow their cardio capacity at quicker rates [all else being equal].”

What’s the minimum pace that people should aim for weight loss?

“Instead of thinking ‘pace’ think heart rate zone,” Thomson said. “To get results you need to at least get out of zone 1 heart rate into zone 2 heart rate which is 65-75% of your maximum heart rate max.”

To find your heart rate max, you subtract your age from 220. So if you’re a 27-year-old, your heart rate max is 193. If you want your heart rate to reach at least 65% of that, the minimum pace you should be going should bring your heart rate up to 125 BPM.

“If I had to estimate what pace that would be, it would probably be around 3.0-3.5 MPH,” added Thompson.

What do you personally think about the trend for ‘walking workouts’?

“Whenever you see a fitness ‘trend’ or ‘fad’, chances are it is a gimmick, overcomplicating things for no reason,” said Thomson.

Her advice for anyone who wants to use walking for their workouts? “Keep it simple. Walk at a pace that challenges you for the time that you have in the day, for as many times a week as you can.”

Fitness

Your body needs these three forms of movement every week

Published

16 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Press Room

Your body needs these three forms of movement every week

Walking has earned a reputation as a great form of exercise that’s easy and accessible for many people, and scores of studies show the popular activity has numerous health benefits, too.

Getting at least 2,300 steps per day reduces your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to one study published in a 2023 edition of the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

In addition, weight-bearing exercises such as walking help prevent osteoporosis, according to another study published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.

Yet some experts in the health and fitness fields assert that while walking is certainly good for your health and fitness, it’s not really high-quality exercise. One such expert is Melissa Boyd, a certified personal trainer and coach with Tempo, an online personal training platform. Boyd is based in San Francisco.

“Our lives have gotten so busy — we commute, sit all day, then are exhausted at night — that getting a short walk in makes you feel like you’ve done this big, exponential thing,” Boyd said. “But walking is really a baseline movement your body requires to function well, to help with things like circulation and digestion, and to decompress.”

To help her clients better understand why a daily walk won’t result in a beach body — something many of them believe, thanks to various social media influencers — she discusses with them the three types of movement that are beneficial for overall health and fitness.

First is the movement your body is owed or requires every day, such as walking, stretching and bending. Second is athletic movement, which you can do a few times a week to improve your fitness or to train for a sport. Third is social movement that you do for fun or to connect with others, such as dancing or playing volleyball.

“It’s important to think of movement in these different categories because not moving throughout the day has become normalized,” Boyd said. “Our lives are so sedentary, many of us are trying to dig ourselves out of a movement deficit. But exercise is different from physical movement.”

Our bodies need to move in many different ways

Walking is great, but it’s just one, unidirectional form of movement, and our bodies need more to be functionally fit, said Dr. Carl Cirino, a sports medicine surgeon at HSS Orthopedics with Stamford Health in Connecticut.

People use the muscles and tendons in their bodies to assist with all the bending, twisting and rotating they do in their daily lives, Cirino said, so they need to work and stretch them in many different directions. Yoga and Pilates are two activities that are very effective and healthy in this regard, he said.

“Stretching is also incredibly easy, and something you can do when you wake up and before you go to bed,” Cirino said.

Having loose, pliable muscles also means you will have more balance and stability, which helps prevent falls and injuries in all physical activities, he said. It’s also good to get your heart rate up several times a week for cardiovascular health.

Time for an exercise snack

Ideally, you should create a plan that incorporates daily “owed” movements, such as walking and stretching, with some cardiovascular work, strength training and social activity sprinkled throughout the week, the two said. That can seem overwhelming for many, however.

Breaking down all these different movements into exercise snacks is one way to sneak in the movement your body needs, Boyd said.

“Maybe get a walking pad and do some of your meetings while walking slowly on the pad,” she said. “Maybe every time you go to the bathroom, you do 20 squats, or every time you get water, you do 10 push-ups against a wall. If you attach these exercise snacks to something else you’re already doing, you can make it more of a habit. I’ve seen huge success with this.”

Boyd also encourages her clients to find some form of movement they enjoy that doesn’t seem like a workout, such as playing kickball or pickleball. That way, you’re having fun and being social while getting fitter.

Cirino agrees. “We see kids here in sports medicine whose parents want them to play baseball, but they don’t want to do it,” he said. “It’s the same with exercise. You need to find something that’s interesting and easy — maybe an activity your friends are doing — and use that as the basis to build good habits.”

Start slowly and build from there

Rethinking exercise as regular movements your body needs for functionality, fitness and social connection also can be a means of giving yourself permission to carve out time for working out, Boyd said.

It’s also helpful to keep in mind that creating an exercise plan doesn’t require an immediate, massive change in your lifestyle. In fact, it’s better to start slowly with new, little chunks of movement.

“What I usually see is that people love the way this starts to make them feel,” Boyd said. “Then the stronger they become, the more they want to move even more. Movement inspires movement.”

Melanie Radzicki McManus is a freelance writer who specializes in hiking, travel and fitness.