I have this on my blog

[LACHopeful]

I'm sure that there are posts about this somewhere in the forum but I really don't want to look through over 100 posts to find it.

Lets make this unique by saying that I'm a disabled athlete and that I need to increase my exercise level a lot more then the usual person.
Walking burns a lot of calories and gets a person in shape but obviously I can't do that:
THAT being said, here you all go:
I have to remain consistant!
I have absolutely nothing to say today except that I started swimming again and it feels good!
So I'm hearing five million different stories about the things I'm doing.
One day I ended up doing 400 push ups in one day (not everything all together) and then a friend of mine says I shouldn't do that because I'll stretch out my muscles.

He said to do less reps and more weight but I don't want to be big and bulky, I just want to improve my endurance and be quick but look feminine at the same time.

Ok, well...some has to help me solve that problem because I really don't know if what I'm doing will help me and I'm sick and tired of going to WW meetings and hearing this one lady who works there go "no celebrating birthdays" everytime I gain a pound.

[delamusica]

I don't know the nature or extent of your disability, but the wheelchair dancers I've known have said that improving their core strength (abs, back, etc.) made a big difference in their dancing. So if that's something that you are able to do, you might look into it.

[LACHopeful]

Yes, I am capable of doing it. I just don't know what routine is the best and healthiest for me.
What I need help with is which ab exercises are the most effective to remain strong but look like a dancer.

[waltzgirl]

Try Pilates.

[Another Elizabeth]

This site (http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php) is a great place to start for accurate information on weight training for women. You probably will have to modify her recommendations for your disability, but she has great explanations of why she does different things, not just what to do, so it should be relatively easy to adapt.

You might be able to do Shovelglove (http://www.shovelglove.com/), which is supposed to be great for the abs.

[samina]

This site (http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php) is a great place to start for accurate information on weight training for women. You probably will have to modify her recommendations for your disability, but she has great explanations of why she does different things, not just what to do, so it should be relatively easy to adapt.

You might be able to do Shovelglove (http://www.shovelglove.com/), which is supposed to be great for the abs.

Elizabeth, what cool sites! I'm in love with Shovelglove... the guy is just my kind of inventive. LOL

Thanks for sharing. I bet LAC could definitely adapt Shovelglove movements...

Samina

[LACHopeful]

Thanks so much for this!
I've been dieing to figure out why people who to less reps. get a better quality workout and this website helped me!

The Barbell route sounds like a good one but definetly sounds difficult also.

I'll see what I can do with these but they all seem like I could easily do them.
Most things don't need to be adapted for me unless it requires a lot of standing but I'll manage!
THANKS AGAIN!

[LACHopeful]

I know, I just thanked you...but for the first time in a while, I've looked through the whole entire site.

I love the way she uses her sense of humor to get a point across.

She's got a lot of great information for a great diet and a great healthy lifestyle which is really what I need, plus the ab workouts are awesome.

[mamboqueen]

I asked my p/t about your query yesterday and she recommended using a rowing machine for endurance/stamina. Have you tried using one? She recommended lower resistance for longer periods if you're looking for calorie burning.

[chandra]

Im curious about the higher resistance less reps for LESS bulky? Ive always heard the opposite - high reps lough resistance for less bulky?

[LACHopeful]

This is what I've heard:

The more resistance you use the bulKIER your abs become.
I think women have less of a chance of gaining bulk unless you add a lot of resistance.
If you do less resistance and more cals, it just makes the stomach smaller, and you burn cals.


Hmm, no I've never used the rowing machine.
I'm assuming it's at every gym, I have two that I go to depending on what day it is and I can see if they have a rowing machine.

Thank you so much for your help!