Yes, it's Spring and it is time to get of the couch and hit the trails. My daughter and I engaged in our favorite warm weather workout--a long ride on our tandem bike.
It's Spring, time for a ride!
My daughter Shana was born with Down Syndrome. I still remember when the doctor walked into the recovery room, I had my new born daughter in my arms and he announced "Well it looks like you have a Downsy." I asked, "what does that mean?" The doctor explained it this way, "she will be as tall as an eight year old, as smart as a 6 year and die before she reaches 20." What a thing to hear on you first day as a new parent.
Well sometimes doctors are wrong! Especially in this case. Yes, Shana is short, I don't think is quite five feet tall and she doesn't talk a whole lot but she reads well and she remembers everything. She is smart in her own way. ( she is also quite to practical joker) And oh yeah, she turns 21 this year!
The challenge for us as parents was to figure out what Down Syndrome was, and how best to help our daughter get the most of her life.
The Challenge
Down Syndrome people tend to have low muscle tone and low metabolism, so the challenge is--how to do create a meal and exercise program to combat these limitations?
I will cover the meal plans later, for now, let's talk about the exercise program. We take Shana on long walks - 2 to 3 miles long and bike rides. We go up to 13 miles per trip. She absolutely loves the tandem bike.
We didn't start with the tandem bike, once she was old enough we tried to get her to ride a bike with training wheels. As long as we (her mom and I) were along side her she was fine. We even gave her bike lessons, didn't go.
Then we got a three wheeled bike. Great! she loved it we would get on the trail and she would pedal away. Problem: hills, and other people on the trail. She would steer okay but would just keep going and run into people and she really could figure out the brakes so down hill was a problem. Solution: I tied a rope to the bike and myself. I became the brakes. The problem, I can only run so far and so fast and eventually I could not keep up with her.
Next, the tandem bike, great but will she like it? That is what were wondering. Yes. It now has become her favorite past time and a great way for her to stay in shape. Winter time she rides a stationary bike but summertime we are on the tandem together hitting the trails.
The point, the first solution doesn't always work, be persistant and keep looking for solutions, you will eventually find one that works for you.
Do you know someone with special needs or requires a special workout program? Leave me a comment below I would love to hear from you. hey It's Spring so hit those trails and take in some of that sunshine.
Timothy Valentin
Team Beachbody Coach
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