Strength Training for North Carolina Social Security Disability Success
What’s the best kind of exercise for someone who is out sick on North Carolina Social Security Disability?
This seems like a pretty simple question, but you might be surprised by the complexity loaded into the answer.
Most people tend to think of exercise in a broad, somewhat undifferentiated way. It’s something that we do to “get in shape” or to “lose excess flab” or to “feel better.” We tend to think that any old exercise will do, as long as it gets our heart rates up, stretches us out, builds a little muscle, and doesn’t overwork us or harm us in the process.
Along those lines of thinking, Tai-Bo equals running at the gym equals walking around the neighborhood with friends equals swimming laps at your local pool equals weight lifting, etc.
This mindset, however, may actually significantly oversimplify the problem. Specifically, emergent research in exercise physiology suggests that most people — including hardcore “gym rats” as well as regular work-a-day folks who are out on North Carolina Social Security Disability — may be dramatically underestimating the importance of strength training and overestimating the importance of so-called cardiovascular exercise or aerobics.
Again, not to get too controversial here, but the strength training element of exercise may be more important than the “cardio” element – perhaps, vastly so. New York City strength trainer, Fred Hahn – who runs a blog at www.seriousstrength.com – likes to talk about how muscle weakness may contribute to problems that we normally associate with a lack of cardiovascular training.
For instance, imagine you are a diabetic, 220 lbs. woman who is on Social Security Disability because of advanced complications due to your diabetes. You get winded every time you walk up the stairs of your apartment. You might think that you are getting winded because you are “out of shape.” And then you might go to the gym to run a few times a week to “build up your endurance.” You do that regimen for a few weeks. Lo and behold, getting up the stairs gets easier and easier. But, Hahn would argue, you are having an easier time not because you built up your heart and lungs through running, but because you’ve strengthened your legs so that your leg muscles have an easier time getting up the stairs. The cause and effect is reversed.
If you go by Hahn’s logic, one of the master keys to success with any kind of exercise or training program is building muscular strength in a safe and effective and manner – ideally overseen by a trainer or doctor, particularly if you have an illness or an injury.
Of course, SSD beneficiaries (or would be beneficiaries) need more help than simple strength training exercises. They often have legions of legal and logistical questions. To that end, you might want to connect with a qualified North Carolina Social Security Disability law firm.
More web resources:
Fred Hahn’s Serious Strength Blog
Which is Better: Strength training or cardio?
