Coaches: How would you program one to three hour classes for a rehab/inpatient ward setting?

[mamaafrica]

One of the things lacking during this sorta focused treatment is exercise which is typically desperately needed (you’re jacked up on cortisol and adrenaline and rarely burn them off).

You can’t jump rope or use bands, limited on weights if any at all, and have no machines. You probably don’t have a pull up bar. Assume you still have a clock (a front-line m.h. worker could call a watch).

How would/could you program 3x week hour long WOD of warm-up, strength, and metcon to get that “after the WOD” level of exhaustion?

(General to specific thoughts are welcome. Just have my thoughts thinking about the mental wellness aspect of the sport.)

Edit: I think it’s important to state that some facilities have some of these things, and would allow some of these things under supervision (e.g. jump rope), but many are limited and have rigged rules

 

[dawn16]

@mamaafrica CrossFit style workouts aren’t appropriate in that setting. Many of the patients won’t be medically cleared to for strenuous activity due to detox medications, etc. for a longer period of time. Think fall risks and seizures.

I would avoid programming anything that excludes (or could be conceived as excluding) anyone. Many of these people already feel like they don’t fit in and they’ve been beat up by life, and you don’t want to add to that feeling. I also feel like the competitive aspect of CrossFit would be harmful for some individuals.

I would lean towards programming activities like yoga or kickball, that have a mindfulness or teamwork focus and the barrier for entry is very low. I would have a fitness room with weights and bikes for people to use as they wish, rather than providing programming. That way, if they’re motivated, they can choose their own adventure and figure out what they like, instead of being turned off by fitness because today we programmed something they didn’t like.

(Sources: I work in healthcare, went to rehab, and volunteer with an organization that brings fitness to people in recovery.)

 

[mamaafrica]

@dawn16 Ok. There’s an entire element to this I wasn’t thinking about. Appreciate the detailed thoughts.

 

[dawn16]

@mamaafrica I wouldn’t. Heavy glycolytic exercise furthers the neural issues associated with addiction. I would take that one to three hours to balance them out with some steady state aerobic work.

 

[mamaafrica]

@dawn16 Interesting. What would be my pubmed search if I wanted to go down that rabbit hole?

 

[dawn16]

@mamaafrica Some combination of anxiety, brain, and lactate.

EDIT: Frontiers in Physiology (?) had a thematic issue on the topic not too long ago