Comments on: Shaky man in the gym 2: Keep on shakin’ http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:03:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Lieke http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-5398 Lieke Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:42:52 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-5398 Neil, I always look out for more of your updates from down under, you're an inspiration to all. I will show this to my dad who just had successful heart surgery to finally get him to weight train at 71. Thanks again! Lieke Netherlands Neil,

I always look out for more of your updates from down under, you’re an inspiration to all.
I will show this to my dad who just had successful heart surgery to finally get him to weight train at 71.

Thanks again!

Lieke
Netherlands

]]> By: Andy Bennett http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-5367 Andy Bennett Sun, 12 Dec 2010 22:49:21 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-5367 Krista--thank you for including this. It is inspirational as well as educational. Neil--thank you for sharing. Thanks particularly for the link to the Center for STRONG Medicine's web site. I found a lot of material there, or through links on their site that is most useful to me as an aging doctor. The truth is that there is almost no one who cannot benefit from vigorous exercise. Krista–thank you for including this. It is inspirational as well as educational.

Neil–thank you for sharing. Thanks particularly for the link to the Center for STRONG Medicine’s web site. I found a lot of material there, or through links on their site that is most useful to me as an aging doctor.

The truth is that there is almost no one who cannot benefit from vigorous exercise.

]]> By: Neil Sligar http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-4606 Neil Sligar Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:26:35 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-4606 Carol You may be interested in the Centre for STRONG Medicine, a Sydney hospital clinic prescribing exercise (especially resistance exercise) for common maladies of the elderly. This clinic is inside the public hospital system in New South Wales. It’s not a private clinic targeting the wealthy. I love the remark, “The frailer the better”, when outlining eligibility criteria. Patients’ average strength gain has been calculated to be 30% after their first three months. http://www.cs.nsw.gov.au/balmain/strong/default2.htm Carol
You may be interested in the Centre for STRONG Medicine, a Sydney hospital clinic prescribing exercise (especially resistance exercise) for common maladies of the elderly.
This clinic is inside the public hospital system in New South Wales. It’s not a private clinic targeting the wealthy.
I love the remark, “The frailer the better”, when outlining eligibility criteria.
Patients’ average strength gain has been calculated to be 30% after their first three months.
http://www.cs.nsw.gov.au/balmain/strong/default2.htm

]]> By: Carol S http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-4598 Carol S Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:54:32 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-4598 My son gave me the link to this site because he has been helping me build back my strength after a flare up of rheumatoid arthritis (I've had RA for 12 years but kept it in check before with exercise). It is not just for Parkinson's that the medical community is reconsidering its attitude towards 'light exercise' ie stretching and plenty of rest. Research in Wales shows weight-lifting helps people with Rheumatoid Arthritis feel better and deal with the condition more effectively. As most sufferers are women, we have still some way to go to persuade them it is not the purple dumbells but should be significant weights but at least its a start. A fantastic site, I've enjoyed it all. My son gave me the link to this site because he has been helping me build back my strength after a flare up of rheumatoid arthritis (I’ve had RA for 12 years but kept it in check before with exercise). It is not just for Parkinson’s that the medical community is reconsidering its attitude towards ‘light exercise’ ie stretching and plenty of rest. Research in Wales shows weight-lifting helps people with Rheumatoid Arthritis feel better and deal with the condition more effectively. As most sufferers are women, we have still some way to go to persuade them it is not the purple dumbells but should be significant weights but at least its a start.
A fantastic site, I’ve enjoyed it all.

]]> By: Neil Sligar http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-4558 Neil Sligar Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:08:43 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-4558 Katja Sorry for not responding sooner. I read your Stumptuous piece and missed your query on mine. Fatigue and difficulty sleeping are among the most disabling of Parkinson’s symptoms. Many of those living with the condition say they are more troubled by these non-motor symptoms than by the better-known Parkinson’s symptoms of tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement. In responding to your entry on Stumptuous, I described the exhaustion that sometimes overcomes me. Fatigue has noticeably increased in 2010. I work full time (and have to pass monthly knowledge tests to retain my professional accreditation), belong to a networking group and the Chamber of Commerce, and select speakers for my Parkinson’s support group. Additionally, I’m a soft touch when invited to speak about living with Parkinson’s. This month I’ll address pharmacology students at UNSW. I’ve also arranged and am promoting a talk and clinics in outer Sydney conducted by two eminent neurological people from Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Currently I’m pursuing sponsorship for a walk on 29 August in aid of Parkinson’s support and research. My aerobic performance has declined this year. Late in 2009, when rowing flat out I’d move at around 1 min 42 secs/500 metres pace. Now I’m having difficulty breaking 1 min 50 secs. Training intensity is lacking. My heart rate isn’t climbing to the 150s. Sweat no longer invariably streaks my T-shirt. Understandable, perhaps, given my 4 – 5 hours of nightly sleep. It would be easy to blame this decline on Parkinson’s and to accept it. Instead, I’ll seek help with technique, improve my strength, lift my training distances, and try to increase my sleep. My aim (it may be a dream) is to crack 1 min 40 secs for 500 metres indoor rowing. A horizontal bench press of 115 kgs (253 lbs) would be nice, too. Slowness of movement is a major symptom of Parkinson’s. Probably most in the Parkinson’s community would think it preposterous to enter an athletic competition with “normal” people. I do. My experience is that Parkinsonian slowness greatly affects activities of daily living but, when approaching maximum physical exertion, performance is minimally affected. At present I’m doing a lot but nothing terribly well. As you found for yourself, it may be better to cut back on activities so as to be more successful at something. Several days ago I met an extraordinary woman, originally from Toronto (Krista will have us believe that being “extraordinary” is normal for Toronto girls). Carol Cooke was diagnosed with MS in 1996, not long after marrying an Australian and moving here. She was told by the neurologist to “go home and put your affairs in order.” Rather than doing so, Carol took up rowing and represents Australia in disabled rowing. Carol gave me a better understanding of MS and added to the list of people I deeply admire. All the best Neil Katja
Sorry for not responding sooner. I read your Stumptuous piece and missed your query on mine.

Fatigue and difficulty sleeping are among the most disabling of Parkinson’s symptoms. Many of those living with the condition say they are more troubled by these non-motor symptoms than by the better-known Parkinson’s symptoms of tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement. In responding to your entry on Stumptuous, I described the exhaustion that sometimes overcomes me. Fatigue has noticeably increased in 2010. I work full time (and have to pass monthly knowledge tests to retain my professional accreditation), belong to a networking group and the Chamber of Commerce, and select speakers for my Parkinson’s support group. Additionally, I’m a soft touch when invited to speak about living with Parkinson’s. This month I’ll address pharmacology students at UNSW. I’ve also arranged and am promoting a talk and clinics in outer Sydney conducted by two eminent neurological people from Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Currently I’m pursuing sponsorship for a walk on 29 August in aid of Parkinson’s support and research.

My aerobic performance has declined this year. Late in 2009, when rowing flat out I’d move at around 1 min 42 secs/500 metres pace. Now I’m having difficulty breaking 1 min 50 secs. Training intensity is lacking. My heart rate isn’t climbing to the 150s. Sweat no longer invariably streaks my T-shirt. Understandable, perhaps, given my 4 – 5 hours of nightly sleep.

It would be easy to blame this decline on Parkinson’s and to accept it. Instead, I’ll seek help with technique, improve my strength, lift my training distances, and try to increase my sleep. My aim (it may be a dream) is to crack 1 min 40 secs for 500 metres indoor rowing. A horizontal bench press of 115 kgs (253 lbs) would be nice, too.

Slowness of movement is a major symptom of Parkinson’s. Probably most in the Parkinson’s community would think it preposterous to enter an athletic competition with “normal” people. I do. My experience is that Parkinsonian slowness greatly affects activities of daily living but, when approaching maximum physical exertion, performance is minimally affected.

At present I’m doing a lot but nothing terribly well. As you found for yourself, it may be better to cut back on activities so as to be more successful at something.

Several days ago I met an extraordinary woman, originally from Toronto (Krista will have us believe that being “extraordinary” is normal for Toronto girls). Carol Cooke was diagnosed with MS in 1996, not long after marrying an Australian and moving here. She was told by the neurologist to “go home and put your affairs in order.” Rather than doing so, Carol took up rowing and represents Australia in disabled rowing.

Carol gave me a better understanding of MS and added to the list of people I deeply admire.

All the best
Neil

]]> By: Katja http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-4412 Katja Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:48:41 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-4412 Neil - thanks for your article. What's blowing me away is that you are working full time and getting to the gym 3-4 times a week - I found as a person with MS that I just couldn't sustain that kind of activity level, and my ability to train effectively didn't really kick in until I reduced my workload. Does PD have a fatigue component? Neil – thanks for your article. What’s blowing me away is that you are working full time and getting to the gym 3-4 times a week – I found as a person with MS that I just couldn’t sustain that kind of activity level, and my ability to train effectively didn’t really kick in until I reduced my workload. Does PD have a fatigue component?

]]> By: Neil http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-4275 Neil Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:23:32 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-4275 Thanks Miranda. It’s through impatience in trying to reach 50 of the “normal” type and wondering what good they were doing me. Be careful not to make your shoulders sore by doing the same “tough” pushups too often. Read Mistress Krista’s training notes on how you can add variation to pushups. Altering your hand placement (e.g. palms wide or narrow) helps. Doing pushups with feet on top of a fitness ball and palms on the floor is fun. (Many people with Parkinson’s have balance problems. Including a fitness ball adds challenge). Thanks Miranda. It’s through impatience in trying to reach 50 of the “normal” type and wondering what good they were doing me. Be careful not to make your shoulders sore by doing the same “tough” pushups too often. Read Mistress Krista’s training notes on how you can add variation to pushups. Altering your hand placement (e.g. palms wide or narrow) helps. Doing pushups with feet on top of a fitness ball and palms on the floor is fun. (Many people with Parkinson’s have balance problems. Including a fitness ball adds challenge).

]]> By: miranda http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-4257 miranda Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:52:53 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-4257 Neil, those weighted pushups are impressive---PD or no PD! Neil, those weighted pushups are impressive—PD or no PD!

]]> By: Neil http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-3352 Neil Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:01:46 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-3352 Thanks, Rachel. It’s uplifting to read that I might be of help to someone living with Parkinson’s. Melanie, Elizabeth, Jill, Kin, Mwangi, Lisa, Charlotte, and Robin. Please accept my belated gratitude. Reading your remarks means a lot to me. The possibility of being thought conceited has deterred my replying individually to each of you. The possibility of being thought rude in not doing so has just occurred. Charlotte, it’s tremendous to hear that your 89 year old grandmother is still pushing on, 20 years after PD diagnosis. My best to all Neil Thanks, Rachel.
It’s uplifting to read that I might be of help to someone living with Parkinson’s.

Melanie, Elizabeth, Jill, Kin, Mwangi, Lisa, Charlotte, and Robin. Please accept my belated gratitude. Reading your remarks means a lot to me.
The possibility of being thought conceited has deterred my replying individually to each of you. The possibility of being thought rude in not doing so has just occurred. Charlotte, it’s tremendous to hear that your 89 year old grandmother is still pushing on, 20 years after PD diagnosis.
My best to all
Neil

]]> By: Rachel http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin/comment-page-1#comment-3340 Rachel Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:21:20 +0000 http://www.stumptuous.com/?p=3602#comment-3340 Hi Neil, Great to hear your thoughts on exercise. My dad has PD and I have showed him your blog and he's going to get into it!We are in Liverpool England, there is a really good personal trainer based at my gym who is going to meet my dad and put together a program for him. I'd been on at my dad to try exercise for a while but reading about how someone else living with PD has found exercise so beneficial was the final push. Thanks and all the best Rachel Hi Neil,

Great to hear your thoughts on exercise. My dad has PD and I have showed him your blog and he’s going to get into it!We are in Liverpool England, there is a really good personal trainer based at my gym who is going to meet my dad and put together a program for him. I’d been on at my dad to try exercise for a while but reading about how someone else living with PD has found exercise so beneficial was the final push. Thanks and all the best Rachel

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