For someone who can't walk...

[PHILBERT]

I have a friend who is confined to a wheel chair and I was wondering if there are any exercises such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Baguazhang or Xingyi that she could learn without using legs? Such as are there forms in those 3 internal arts that do not use legs? Thanks.

[PHILBERT]

ttt

[jon]

Personaly...
If i was Wheel Chair bound i would actualy go for Wing Chun from a self defense perspective. Its one art i can imagine being easyer to addapt to a seated position. Its also a fairly upfront art and is good at defending and attacking from the front. Plus the speed is of benifit if your immobile.

To answer the question directly, the internal arts tend to use the legs to generate power quite a lot. A good sifu should be able to adapt the art to your friend but there is no gaurantes. The internal arts are also pretty big on hip and spine based power generation. Hence your friend may have trouble putting it to practical use and still generating enough power.
If its just for interest then just go with whatever takes his fancy.

[red_fists]

Philbert.

I am aware of some TCC Schools that teach elderly using Chairs to sit on.
Not sure if that is what you are after.

As for effective fighting from a wheelchair, yes, it can be done but the style will need to be adjusted for this.

In most MA, Qi-Gong, Yoga you will find a fair use of the legs. This also counts for the internal Arts.

On the other hand nothing prevents him from only learning the arm movements and skipping the leg ones.

Your question is kinda open which makes it hard to answer.

[PHILBERT]

She has some, very, very little movement in her legs. She can sort of twitch them and thats about it. She wants to get into better shape and I told her to swim (with a life jacket) but she is terrified of swimming. She even owns a pool, but refuses to go near it and hasnt gone in a pool in 6 years. I was wondering if it were possible to choose a MA to get in shape and thought maybe internal arts was the way.

jon, I dont see how Wing Chun would work since you got to be able to turn pretty fast and step forward to punch with chain punches. Then again I aint that good in the art yet and haven't learned too much.

[red_fists]

Hi Philbert.

If she wants to get into shape Internal Arts might suit her.

On the other hand a lot of places offer kinda aerobic classes for people in wheelchairs.

Main problem I think will be finding a place that will allow her to partake in a regular MA class.

So I think best would be to contact other challenged People around her to see what is available.

[PHILBERT]

Well I managed to find an Aikido and Kung Fu school in her area. I told her to call the Kung Fu school and ask if he teaches internal arts and also try her local YMCA for Tae-Bo and Yoga. Like I said, its to get in shape, not to fight.

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

Philbert,

There's not much kung fu you can practice in a wheel chair. you do build up quite a bit of arm muscles pushing yourself around unless he's like me and opted for the motorized variety. Ever since then i've grown to be a fat slob and an all day eating machine.

My doctor says that i've a heart condition and should not try to stress out too much on trivial things on the kung fu forum.

[jon]

"My doctor says that i've a heart condition and should not try to stress out too much on trivial things on the kung fu forum."
* Then you should stop trolling and start using that mind for the forces of good instead of evil;)
Not saying this post is a troll, just that its kinda your style.

[anton]

She could try Raja Yoga - although Im not sure if this has any physical benefits.

[mantis-1]

Why doesn't she look into chi kung, a lot of exercises that I have learn't have been from either a standing stationary position or sitting position with emphasis on arm movement very gentle and relaxing and very good for you, but depending on what you are like it could get boring esspecially if you have little patience.

[sticky fingers]

a loong time ago, when I was in elementary school one of my classmate's wheelchair bound uncle did a MA demo at my school. He was a black belt in some art I can't remember but he had 2 broadswords attached to the armrests of his wheelchair. He did an awesome display where he would swivel the wheelchair using one hand while weilding a sword with the other. When the swords were put back, the wheelchair looked justr like an ordinary one.
IMHO, a weapon would be the way to go for a wheelchair bound person in a self defense situation, not to mention the benefits in developing arm and upper body strength.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

tell her to roll her ass up some hills.

seriously.

[shaolinboxer]

http://fightingarts.com/content02/wheelchair_tech_1.shtml
http://fightingarts.com/content02/wheelchair_tech_2.shtml


Also, there are many people who practice aikido from a wheelchair, but the dojo must accomodate them.

[Badger]

What about Kali or some other stickfighting art??

I believe stick training would benefit real well-whether it be exercise or self-defense.





Badger

[Black Jack]

Carry a firearm.

A good firearm school for combative shooting would be your best bet.

[Badger]

Yea...that too.



Badger

[PHILBERT]

I have said this several times, SHE WANTS TO GET IN SHAPE AND LOOSE WEIGHT. Not self defense. I figured that there might be some kind of martial art she can practice to get in shape.

[Black Jack]

Why not self defense? What is the attitude with self defense?

Martial arts are not going to do the job of getting her in shape any way, send her to a gym, get a personal trainer.

[Mr Nunchaku]

I practice the martial arts and have been in a wheelchair sense birth. I train in tae kwon do and have trained in shotokan with no problem. Adjustments can be made and just because a form has kicks in it there is no reason to count it out.

I love weapons, especially the nunchaku obviously, but I would rather not carry a weapon on the street and if I had to defend myself I'd use my bare hands.

BTW, tell her to do what GDA said. Start pushing that chair up some hills. I have to go all around campus in my manual wheelchair every day with plenty of hills.

[Black Jack]

Just for the sake of discussion,

Why would you not want to carry a weapon on the street? Why would you prefer to disadvantage yourself to handling the situation with bare hands?

These are honest questions, I am trying to fathom why someone who is already at a disadvantage would want to hinder themselves further, just so you don't think I am focused on the handicapped, I think everyone who is serious about their self preservation should learn and implement tools...i.e. weapons for the practical issue of survival in a dire need.

[Chang Style Novice]

Black Jack -

You ever notice that some people just don't know how to listen?

[Black Jack]

Are you in regards to me????

I know the original post was about exercise, though it drifted away from that topic before I got to it, I am just curious to be educated on the reasons why someone would limit themselves in that situation.

[Chang Style Novice]

The person in question is not interested in that situation, for whatever reason. She's not even neccesarily interested in martial arts. A gun won't help anyone get in shape or lose weight, wheelchair or no.

Allowing the topic to drift further reduces the utility of the thread, just as this post does.

So, I'll change the subject back.

Perhaps a 'low impact' regimen along the lines of Pilates or Alexander methods would help your friend, Phil.

[Black Jack]

First off, the last post was not directed to you, nor the member who posted the question.

Besides that, it must be the gun aspect that bothered you, as it is common knowledge that a vast number of posts here on KFO stray from time to time on the topic at hand, my response to a gun as a self defense tool, a lot more of a logical and practical answer than to undertake a martial art system for the goal of self defense in this case, a point as stated before, brought up by others before me.

Second Chang, I did address the post topic, I informed him he should tell her to go to the gym and get a personal trainer, someone qualified to instruct her, not second hand info on a martial arts forum.

[Serpent]

Someone p!ss in your cornflakes this morning Black Jack?

;)

[Black Jack]

Serpent,

No, I was just bummed by the crappy run of Smallville today:D

[Serpent]

:) :D

[Mr Nunchaku]

My post was getting pretty off topic as well and I think that's why Black Jack asked about not wanting a weapon, because I was the one that said that. Just to clarify, it isn't that I want to hinder myself in a fight by not carrying a weapon. That's not it at all. I simply do not wish to carry a weapon. If I was in a fight I'd do better with a weapon, but I'll risk not carrying one and continue to roll the streets, as it were, with nothing but my bare hands simply because I don't want a gun or knife or whatever on me.

Back to topic, if she wants to get in shape then she doesn't need to take a martial art unless she wants to. On TV there was a guy in a wheelchair doing tae bo. Of course, its not martial arts, but if she wants to get in shape I heard that tae bo is good.

[Black Jack]

Fair enough Nunchuka,

I hope my post was not insulting as it was NOT supposed to be so, I was just curious to your viewpoints, thanks.

[Mr Nunchaku]

No problem, and no offense taken.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

Mr Nunchaku, why don't people listen to us?

[qguy]

though most wouldn't consider a matrial art, you can try fencing. there is wheel chair fencing. They even have tournaments. Absence of foot work makes blade work really intense.