What do your sessions together involve?
Where do we start! Garth has many challenges that he has already overcome, and many he will face in his future. Our sessions provide a magnitude of benefit for Garth, both in the short-term, and most certainly for his future.
We work on everything, from balance and proprioception training, gait analysis and postural awareness, through to general strength and functional training. We also prioritise his aerobic fitness, helping to manage and control his weight and metabolic risk factors also.
We always aim to complete a variety of both resistance exercises including free weights, machine weights, swiss balls, etc., and aerobic-based exercises such as incline walking, stationary bike, boxing and have even kicked the footy around the parks during COVID-times.
We are fortunate enough to have multiple sessions together each week, allowing us to include resistance strength exercises for both upper and lower body, static and dynamic balance drills, core strengthening progressions, functional movement patterns, and of course aerobic training, each week. Extensive stretching is also a core component to managing Garth's body each week.
Our program and sessions always vary, as there are many components of an overall health and well-being program of which we need to cover. In addition to this, ongoing changes or alterations to his prosthetics, inclusion of newer limbs and any ongoing surgeries, requires us to work hard ensuring we quickly adapt to each new obstacle that presents.
Adopting an ‘outside the box’ approach to the gym/studio has allowed us to incorporate a rich diversity of training styles, helping to keep all sessions challenging, rewarding and enjoyable.
Garth, can you sum up your Exercise Physiology journey with James?
It has been awesome reconnecting with James again to commence a slightly different “health journey”!
Working with an experienced AEP has been critical in improving my overall health and strength. I require very close one-on-one assistance getting on and off machines and around a gym, not just someone training my technique and pushing me harder! We have had to research and find attachments for my prosthetic limbs – giving me a left hand to lift weight, push/pull, etc. James and I have worked hard on building my balance and coordination, not only to exercise to greater levels, but it ultimately enables me to independently access the community and do the things I did prior to becoming an amputee.
James has been great at sourcing exercises and tasks which aim at increasing my aerobic capacity, especially due to my left lung which was damaged when I fell ill.
Working with James each week is now “part of my life!”
Thank you to James and Garth for sharing their story with us. They would love to hear from any AEPs across Australia who may have a similar story, or are exercising in similar circumstances to Garth! You can find them on Instagram:
@epiactivehealthcare or email James at
[email protected].
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