Mmm-Bop!

Another brutal workout today. My abs are sore already, both of my arms hurt, and my legs are majorly tired after todays torture session. ;) With the workouts I'm doing, my body is without a doubt developing so much strength that I didn't even know I was lacking. It is awesome to see my thigh muscles, for example, go from a mushy pile of muscles and fat, to a firmer, more toned beauty! My legs are looking ready to walk...it's very encouraging I can actually SEE the progress I'm making in both my arms and thighs. Besides the wheelchair, I'm lookin' gooood! ;)

So today, Nicole wanted to give me a full-body workout. We started with a resistance band, working my arms and abs. I grabbed the middle of the band with my wrist facing up, Nicole held the ends, and I pulled the band in (bicep curls). I felt my abs engage every time I pulled in. I was told to focus on pushing my lower back into the backrest of the chair. This would help me prevent my upper body from falling forwards. I switched over to the right arm, which impressed Nicole with its strength and sturdiness in the wrist! It was an awesome feeling to have my right arm be so reliable! My right hand found a strong grip  on the resistance band, my wrist didn't give-out and bend, and my right bicep is sore now from working so hard!

  Then, Nicole tested to see if I could use my abs to lean me forward and sit straight back. She had me place my arms/hand out in her arms/hands. She had me use only my abs to move myself back 'n forwarth. I could use my arms to push me back.

Once I passed Nicole's test, she said that she could use a resistance band, instead of standing next to me. holding my arms. She would hold the resistance band from behind me, while I gripped the center of the band, holding the band with arms straight out. Keeping my arms relatively straight, I lowered the band, bringing my core forward too. Unfortunately, doing this exercise with my arms straight up, gave me a painful kink in my neck. So, we ditched that exercise and went back to the "test" exercise.

Next, we leaned my chair back (not all the way) and worked on sit-ups. At first, Nicole had me working on engaging my abs. Nicole put on a lil Hanson, Mmm-Bop, to inspire me. I was just crackin' up every time Nicole sang along...which apparently, is good for your abs during sit-ups!

 Then, she had me raising my legs out straight while I sat-up. And to make it super challenging, she had me pulling on a resistance band. I wasn't allowed to pull myself up/forward with the r.band using my arms, not until I got past a certain point using only my abs. Once Nicole gave me the green light to use my arms, I pulled on the r.band give my abs some assisstance on sitting me up.

Holding my legs up during all of that was SO hard on the right leg. I don't think I even had to give my left leg a second thought! Bringing it up was easy, and keeping it up cake compared to my right leg. My right leg struggled to come up, and then once it was up, my leg was just super heavy to keep up. I fought the feeling I had to just let it drop, and pulled out a good number of those impossible sit-ups!

We ended our session on a good note. I raised both of my legs up, and Nicole had me bend my left knee. Now, I know this is going to be hard to imagine, but I was able to bend my knee up the farthest I've ever seen it! And, I bent it like a champ WITH my right leg out straight! Impressive, I know. ;)