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Watch online here or read the transcript:
CC- Inclusive Fitness
A link to Luke’s fitness video with Positive Changes can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqiVRzu83Dc
CC- Welcome to Chris’ Chats. Please may I welcome my special guest today Luke. Hi Luke
L- Hello
CC- Hi
L- My interesting fact is that I’ve done a video which is part of Mencap which is part of the Positive Changes Group. We’ve had this pot of money to give out to people and local charities that need it and stuff like that. It’s really good and rewarding.
CC- You mentioned your video. Would you like to talk to us about that?
L- Yes. It’s seeing, what it’s for, is for people with disabilities to use a gym and that anyone can use a gym, so it was to put it out there that any disability can use a gym. It doesn’t have to be machines or anything. You can just pick up a weight and off you go. But there are some machines I use my arms with. It was about awareness that people with disabilities can use a gym.
CC- Can you tell us how the video came about?
L- It come about because they want us to do a, then film and promote that skill. So Si came up with a gym video that promotes the skill of using a gym for disabilities. So that’s how it come about. It was part of the Positive Changes Group that we’ve done all these videos to show different skills that we’ve got already.
CC- At the gym did you see anyone else with disabilities?
L- I see a few people but not as many as I would like to see. But it’s about confidence with a gym because some people aren’t confident enough use the gym because some people haven’t got the confidence to do that. But that’s why they chose me for the video because I’ve got bags of confidence and if you’re in that frame of mind you will do it but I hope more people use a gym with a disability. Because they can do it, it’s just about confidence and about people not caring about what you do. Like, when I first went to the gym, I thought people would be staring but they’re not. They do their own workout, and you do your own workout, so people don’t stare. People just see you as people and that nowadays so I just feel more confident doing that.
CC- So Luke, you do a lot of exercise in the video- can you tell me what is your favourite exercise that you do?
L- My favourite exercise is using the arm machine and arm weights and stuff like that, so that’s my favourite exercise.
CC- You mentioned you did free weights which was at a 9 (kg). Are you still at a 9 or have you gone up?
L- Um- well, can I be honest I haven’t been to the gym for a while cause I’ve been doing other stuff like doing Positive Changes shoots and interviewing and everything else. Obviously, I need to get back to it but it’s just getting the motivation. But I’m being honest I mean- I’m not going to lie to you and say I go every week or anything like that. I just want to get back into it, but it’s just finding time. But I can start light and work my way up to 9, but I can still work up to 9. But because my right arms weaker, I can still move it up for a lot. But I can still move it up to a lot- but I can move it up to 15 on my right arm and it’s good for my arm and stuff. And on my left arm I can go up to 20-25. But I haven’t done it for a while to be honest.
CC- So how are you finding the machines.
L- I ask Felix (Support Worker) first, because Felix will help me with the grip side of it because obviously if it drops, I’m not really getting control of it. So, he helps me get control and then he encourages me to do it and stuff like that.
CC- Were you nervous, using the machines?
L- Um- that’s why I’ve got my assistant there, because he can help me use the machines, so I don’t have to worry about that side of things, cause I’ve got my expert! You can always ask the gym instructors how to use them too, cause the first time I used it I had to do an induction of the equipment that I can use. People show you which equipment you can use and then you can go and use it.
CC- So what is your least favourite exercise?
L- Moving my legs, I find it really difficult. I move them as much as I can but it’s really difficult, but I do it anyway.
CC- So Luke why is it so important to work on the exercises we find difficult?
L- Because if you don’t work on the difficult areas, you can get stiff in your legs and stuff and then if you don’t move them at all then you get stiff.
CC- So Luke why is it so important to control your muscles?
L- Because you can get more resistance, if you do it slowly you get more resistance. If you do it fast there’s like hardly no resistance there I don’t think if you do it fast. Not much muscle tone.
CC- Tell me how it helped your life when you were going to the gym.
L- It helped me a lot because it made me feel good to move my muscles and helped me get motivated and stuff like that. It helped me move and stuff like that.
CC- What do you hope the video will achieve?
L- I want it to achieve helping people want to go to the gym and get an active life, get their morale going. Keep active.
CC- I think it’s really amazing- keep going! Really amazing! So we’re coming to the Chat today and I’d like to thank my special guest Luke! Thank you very much!
Tune in next time for Chris’ Chats and you know what’s coming? Let me tell you- I’m not going to tell you what’s up next!
