New Mobility: The magazine for active wheelchair users

Roll on Capitol Hill
Washington, DC
Jun 16 2013
Kids Sports Spectacular
Philadelphia, PA
Aug 17 2013
Submit an event
See all events

Spin 2.0

Wheelchair boxing is calling my name

Mar 19 07:45

They say one of the best cardio workouts out there is boxing. As a quad, I never really respected this this until I bought a Wii 3 years ago and played Wii Boxing. Even while sitting on your butt, boxing is a seriously hardcore cardio workout, which is ironic because able-bodied boxing requires immense leg strength. After only a minute of playing the game, I was huffing and puffing, and I loved every second. Who knew I’d find my best workout post-injury in a video game?

But like all fun, it must end. The recession forced me to sell my Wii a couple years ago, but I’ll be getting one again soon. You just can’t beat Wii boxing and the like whoa “Runner’s High” inducing workout it gives no matter who you are. When you can only move half the muscles in your arms and nothing more, exercising them in such a way that a) isn’t tiring right away and b) can still produce an effective workout, is like the Holy Grail for quads. But what about REAL boxing? I never considered it until the other day, when I read Wheelchair Boxing Is Next Best Thing.

Ian Cannon, a freshmen at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, has spastic quadriplegia CP and has been running the wheelchair boxing program, Roll with the Punches, for 3 years. He’s currently practicing for an upcoming exhibition and his “peek a boo” defense style that will take place at a Hartford Colonials football game October 16th. He credits boxing for increasing his arm movement, reducing spasms and even helping permanently delay a surgery. You can read more about his program here

A part of me wants to buy a punching bag like this hardcore para chic (love her blog), but the lazy quad in me wants to stick with the Wii. What say you? Bag or air?

Post a comment about this blog!

Screen Name Please enter a screen name.

Contact Email Please enter a valid contact email.

Add your comments in the field below. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted. Please limit your comments to under 1,000 characters.
chars
A value is required.

Security Code : 405
Re-enter security code :

1. Tara | Apr 01 02:19

There's nothing like Boxing with the Wii the workout is awesome. I love it..

2. Mindy | Apr 01 04:26

I just read that article, too. I'm in a wheelchair myself and have thought about boxing ever since I played it on the Wii lol. I ended up buying a speed bag a few weeks ago and just got it put up. I love having it! However, it can be loud and annoy others easily. So if you have to worry about noise, I would say stick with the Wii. However, if it's of no concern, then the boxing will, eventually, give you a better workout, because there's resistance there. It takes time to learn it, though. I know I'm still trying to figure out how to wrap my hands! lol

3. Tiffiny | Apr 01 09:14

@ Mind - omg so jealous! Is it hard to get close enough to the bag to hit the bag the way you want to, even if you're in a wheelchair?

Spin 2.0

By Tiffiny Carlson

Tiffiny Carlson Disability buzz, travel, fashion and dating — fun things to amp up everyday wheeling life.

Tiffiny Carlson is freelance writer and writes the “SCI Life” column for New Mobility. She's also a C6 quad from a diving accident that occurred when she was 14 years old. A lifelong resident of Minneapolis, Tiffiny has been a writer in the disability community for over 10 years and writes for several publications and blogs, as well as her personal blog BeautyAbility. Her work has also appeared in mainstream publications such as Nerve.com and Playgirl.