Let's Get Physical

Jodie Marsh - just give me time....

I had a really pro-active day today however it has left me feeling wiped out!

At the moment i'm focusing on the importance of building strength and manipulating my body to regain all feeling as soon as possible.

I see a Physio and Masseuse once a week, a personal trainer twice a week and I go to the gym 6 days a week. It sounds like a lot but it's about getting physical structure into my life even if it means little and often.

Some days, like today, I go to the gym and walk on the treadmill for 30 mins at 5% incline and between 4 and 5 mph. A great trick to working your body without getting too hot or breaking into a jog/ run is to increase the incline of the treadmill. 

Some days I will come home and do my mini home workout consisting of:

Squats x 20 reps

Press up on finger tips x 5 reps

One footed balance and lean forward reaching out with opposite arm x 10 reps each leg 

Mountain climbers x 20 reps

Tricep dips x 10 reps

Plank 30 seconds

Repeat 3 times

This is great as it's simple but effective. It's working my balance,arms and even building strength in my fingers as this is a huge area of weakness for me.

REMEMBER: 

• Always do this in a cool environment
• Drink plenty of water
• Stop if you need to
• Eat AFTER not before..but make sure you eat.

If you struggle with your sensory system, feeling and control in your hands and fingers then my Physio gave me some great ways to challenge myself and also test my balance.

1. Interlock both hands with each other... now shake your hands out and try doing the same again with your eyes closed. 

2. Using a stress ball, (there are some pretty funky ones out there), squeeze as tight as you can making sure all your fingers are engaged with the ball and hold for 10 seconds. Then try squeezing repetitively 100 times. Challenge yourself everyday with this and to begin with use your eyes to cheat and focus on your fingers. If the message isn't getting to the fingers quick enough without you looking, help it along by using hand eye coordination to assist you.

3. Stand on one leg and using the other leg spell the alphabet in the air below you with your foot. This will get you testing your balance as well as coordination. Then try on the other leg. Eventually you can try doing this with eyes closed (I haven't reached past the letter L yet without falling over with my eyes open but i'll get there)

P xx