my brother

[JDid23]

hey... i have posted about my brother once before and would find the old topic if i had time.

Anyways, he is 14 years old, about 5'3 or 5'4, and is probably around 100 pounds. He has ADHD, as well as severe problems with functional strength. He can't write legibly, and when he takes his shirt off you can basically see his bones. He takes medication for his ADHD (which has helped a lot) but it makes him less hungry as a result so he doesn't eat as much... He even struggled to press 5 pound dumbbells over his head while standing up.

He loves basketball though.. and he wants to play in high school next year- he has a great shot, can play defense, but his dribbling sucks too (from what i've noticed it has to do with his motor skills).

Does anyone have any ideas on how i should go about training him? I would love to teach him to squat and deadlift, but i feel that at this point he would need to do some exercises prior to starting with those lifts to get some functional strength (something like hypers for lower back strength, maybe lunges or leg press for legs?)... His confidence is also pretty low when he isn't on the court as far as his strength goes and he is really self-conscious about it. Whenever i ask him to come to the gym with me, he gets really scared. I have tried everything to get him to go, and he has agreed to go saturday. I just need to make up a routine for him, and i want to be as cautious as possible because his basketball season (rec) is starting soon and it means the world to him to play well. He isn't a bad player, just the fact that his strength and motor skill problems really play to his weaknesses hurts him.

Any advice on how to handle this is greatly appreciated!! It would mean the world to him to play basketball next year

Thanks a lot

 

[timtim]

hey... i have posted about my brother once before and would find the old topic if i had time.

Anyways, he is 14 years old, about 5'3 or 5'4, and is probably around 100 pounds. He has ADHD, as well as severe problems with functional strength. He can't write legibly, and when he takes his shirt off you can basically see his bones. He takes medication for his ADHD (which has helped a lot) but it makes him less hungry as a result so he doesn't eat as much... He even struggled to press 5 pound dumbbells over his head while standing up.

He loves basketball though.. and he wants to play in high school next year- he has a great shot, can play defense, but his dribbling sucks too (from what i've noticed it has to do with his motor skills).

Does anyone have any ideas on how i should go about training him? I would love to teach him to squat and deadlift, but i feel that at this point he would need to do some exercises prior to starting with those lifts to get some functional strength (something like hypers for lower back strength, maybe lunges or leg press for legs?)... His confidence is also pretty low when he isn't on the court as far as his strength goes and he is really self-conscious about it. Whenever i ask him to come to the gym with me, he gets really scared. I have tried everything to get him to go, and he has agreed to go saturday. I just need to make up a routine for him, and i want to be as cautious as possible because his basketball season (rec) is starting soon and it means the world to him to play well. He isn't a bad player, just the fact that his strength and motor skill problems really play to his weaknesses hurts him.

Any advice on how to handle this is greatly appreciated!! It would mean the world to him to play basketball next year

Thanks a lot

is he a classified student with an IEP? does he receive occupational therapy? the ADHD and his weak motor skills are related. training will help him alot, but you have to be very patient. as far as a plan, basic core stability and joint stability exercises. i would work balance exercises and grip work. he should be receiving occupational therapy if his motor skills are that limiting. my wife is a special education teacher so i hear about this shit all the time.

 

[Cutiebaby]

is he a classified student with an IEP? does he receive occupational therapy? the ADHD and his weak motor skills are related. training will help him alot, but you have to be very patient. as far as a plan, basic core stability and joint stability exercises. i would work balance exercises and grip work. he should be receiving occupational therapy if his motor skills are that limiting. my wife is a special education teacher so i hear about this shit all the time.

+1

Sounds as though he should be receiving both gross motor as well as fine motor therapies within the school that he goes to. If he is not receiving services than you should speak to his guardian about contacting the special education office to request an IEP evaluation request.

 

[ExtraMile]

just skim read it but just gotta say start off easy with it, dont push him too hard. And let him enjoy it, otherwise he wont wanna carry on, and dont let on to him that the weights he is lifting are light or less than other people. grip work, core work and stability/balance work would be very helpful to him also I think...

 

[JDid23]

is he a classified student with an IEP? does he receive occupational therapy? the ADHD and his weak motor skills are related. training will help him alot, but you have to be very patient. as far as a plan, basic core stability and joint stability exercises. i would work balance exercises and grip work. he should be receiving occupational therapy if his motor skills are that limiting. my wife is a special education teacher so i hear about this shit all the time.

thanks for the response.... he isn't classified with an IEP, but he is going to get one before next year when he goes to high school. he used to go to something called biofeedback, but doesn't go anymore because he doesn't have enough time and he's been doing well in school.

Do you have any ideas on certain exercises i should start with him? Maybe some light DBs and to get the core work, make him do planks?

Also, i understand what you're talking about with the motor skills. I worked with autistic children the last 2 summers and they do exercises with water bottles.

 

[JDid23]

+1

Sounds as though he should be receiving both gross motor as well as fine motor therapies within the school that he goes to. If he is not receiving services than you should speak to his guardian about contacting the special education office to request an IEP evaluation request.

he's normal for the most part.. just a little socially awkward. Only extra help he gets is something like a supplemental class and he also has a tutor... he's going to get an IEP though

as far as training goes though, what would you (or anyone) reccomend i do with him? I really want to help him because i know the confidence boost would translate into his entire lifestyle and since i am going off to college next year, i want to really make a difference for him.

 

[timtim]

thanks for the response.... he isn't classified with an IEP, but he is going to get one before next year when he goes to high school. he used to go to something called biofeedback, but doesn't go anymore because he doesn't have enough time and he's been doing well in school.

Do you have any ideas on certain exercises i should start with him? Maybe some light DBs and to get the core work, make him do planks?

Also, i understand what you're talking about with the motor skills. I worked with autistic children the last 2 summers and they do exercises with water bottles.

its a long time between now and next year, you should see if your parents could rush the IEP along. if they make noise and write a letter the school must respond within 90 days with testing and an IEP in place. hes losing time and services the longer he waits.

i am hesitant to recommend specific exercises because it sounds like he would benefit from basic therapy work for his motor skills. i would start with bodyweight exercises first off. see what he is capable of doing. it takes alot of coordination to do pushups, squats, lunges. see what he is capable of first. try and time him on a bent arm hang, palms facing towards his face. very basic.

the lack of appetite on the meds is very normal. he could try other meds to see if that could be avoided. ADHD is tough, especially at that age. my wife deals with the younger kids but as they age she says it becomes a real impedence to their overall motivation and success. keep him motivated, you sort of inherited the brothers keeper role here. some would say its a burden, others a blessing. im for the latter.

 

[JDid23]

its a long time between now and next year, you should see if your parents could rush the IEP along. if they make noise and write a letter the school must respond within 90 days with testing and an IEP in place. hes losing time and services the longer he waits.

i am hesitant to recommend specific exercises because it sounds like he would benefit from basic therapy work for his motor skills. i would start with bodyweight exercises first off. see what he is capable of doing. it takes alot of coordination to do pushups, squats, lunges. see what he is capable of first. try and time him on a bent arm hang, palms facing towards his face. very basic.

the lack of appetite on the meds is very normal. he could try other meds to see if that could be avoided. ADHD is tough, especially at that age. my wife deals with the younger kids but as they age she says it becomes a real impedence to their overall motivation and success. keep him motivated, you sort of inherited the brothers keeper role here. some would say its a burden, others a blessing. im for the latter.

just spoke to my mom and he does have an IEP (my bad).. What i am thinking of doing is mixing basketball training with weight training and a lot of BW stuff as you said.. just have to be careful with his diet, and not to overwork him too much.

Thanks for the help dude! You mind looking at a routine i make for him and letting me know what you think?

 

[JDid23]

This is what i came up with for him... I think that the sense of being able to do pullups will be an amazing feeling for him, and since he is young doing DB Curls and "Benching" will make him feel like he's working out. The one body part he loves of his are his calves so i want him to feel like he's working those.. When he feels up to it, i am going to take him into the gym at our YMCA or our backyard and do basketball drills with him (like throwing the basketball against the backboard and having him jump and grabbing it at its highest point) and some other stuff..

Any opinions on this? Thanks

Day 1
Squats (no weight)
Dips (Gravitron, high assistance)
Pullups (Gravitron, high assistance)
Dead hangs from the pullup bar

Day 2
Lunges (no weight)
DB Curls
DB Bench
Leg Curls

Day 3
Pushups (on knees and with hands on wall)
Leg Raises (with elbow support) OR situps
Lat Pulldown (I think he will enjoy being able to lift what appears to be a good amount of weight) or machine row
Variation of calf raises

 

[timtim]

This is what i came up with for him... I think that the sense of being able to do pullups will be an amazing feeling for him, and since he is young doing DB Curls and "Benching" will make him feel like he's working out. The one body part he loves of his are his calves so i want him to feel like he's working those.. When he feels up to it, i am going to take him into the gym at our YMCA or our backyard and do basketball drills with him (like throwing the basketball against the backboard and having him jump and grabbing it at its highest point) and some other stuff..

Any opinions on this? Thanks

Day 1
Squats (no weight)
Dips (Gravitron, high assistance)
Pullups (Gravitron, high assistance)
Dead hangs from the pullup bar

Day 2
Lunges (no weight)
DB Curls
DB Bench
Leg Curls

Day 3
Pushups (on knees and with hands on wall)
Leg Raises (with elbow support) OR situps
Lat Pulldown (I think he will enjoy being able to lift what appears to be a good amount of weight) or machine row
Variation of calf raises

it looks good to me. just monitor form and weight. make it fun. listen to what he says and just be encouraging. success for classified kids has alot more to do with the family support system than anything else. you taking care of him could do wonders for him. good for you. youre doing the right thing by your brother. thats great to hear.

 

[SaiBoT]

Here is the old thread:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...ng/please-help-me-help-my-brother-656506.html

 

[joe d]

light weight high rep machine work combined with body weight exercises to start. then ease into the cables/smith then to the free weights. no explosive movements just steady with 100% focus on form and breathing.

 

[JDid23]

alright thanks guys... i'll see which machines he likes to do at the gym and then from there base a routine off of that.. definitely keeping all of the BW exercises though (dips, pullups, squats, lunges, pushups)

 

[JDid23]

wow.. took him to the gym for the first time ever today and he was weaker than i thought if that's even possible.

He couldn't do assisted dips (with heavy assistance.. tried on lower assistance after because he was too weak to get it down) and i didn't even want to have to try pullups with him. dead hangs didn't workout either. My friend was there too and he was really encouraging to my brother which i was really happy with- taught him how to squat, dead, bench, ohp and row today and i thought my brother might have been able to dead the bar, but couldn't get his form right. I had him try to bench the bar as well but it didn't work out too well. We did light machines, but even on those he had a *really hard time!!!* He was able to do light lat pulldowns and tri pushdowns and some other stuff.

However, he was able to do DB Curls with 8 pounders, and flat DB Bench with 8 pounders for a few reps before his arms started flailing all over the place. He loved the DB rows with 8 pounders, and felt it in his biceps. he wants to keep going, and i praised everything he was doing so his mind is in the right place.

I am thinking to do primarily light DBs for a while with a few machines that he can actually do. I'll have to see on adding weight and reps each workout because right now, i just want him to get in the habit of going, but i also want him to see his progression. Today was more of an experiment day, and i guess i can rule out everything i originally had on day 1.

any suggetions on how i should go about training him now? He couldn't even do pec dec with the lightest weight.

 

[timtim]

wow.. took him to the gym for the first time ever today and he was weaker than i thought if that's even possible.

He couldn't do assisted dips (with heavy assistance.. tried on lower assistance after because he was too weak to get it down) and i didn't even want to have to try pullups with him. dead hangs didn't workout either. My friend was there too and he was really encouraging to my brother which i was really happy with- taught him how to squat, dead, bench, ohp and row today and i thought my brother might have been able to dead the bar, but couldn't get his form right. I had him try to bench the bar as well but it didn't work out too well. We did light machines, but even on those he had a *really hard time!!!* He was able to do light lat pulldowns and tri pushdowns and some other stuff.

However, he was able to do DB Curls with 8 pounders, and flat DB Bench with 8 pounders for a few reps before his arms started flailing all over the place. He loved the DB rows with 8 pounders, and felt it in his biceps. he wants to keep going, and i praised everything he was doing so his mind is in the right place.

I am thinking to do primarily light DBs for a while with a few machines that he can actually do. I'll have to see on adding weight and reps each workout because right now, i just want him to get in the habit of going, but i also want him to see his progression. Today was more of an experiment day, and i guess i can rule out everything i originally had on day 1.

any suggetions on how i should go about training him now? He couldn't even do pec dec with the lightest weight.

tough one. have him do bodyweight exercises like bridges, squats, have him do lockout postion pushup holds if he cant push up, crunches, hangs, step ups. start with static holds in most exercises. 3 second holds, low rep sets but multiple sets. do the weights in the exercises he can and he will progress. his form will be off at first, thats normal for any weak young person. dont compromise it too much but allow his joints to build stability. takes time and for individuals with disabilities it takes extra patience and time.

 

[JDid23]

tough one. have him do bodyweight exercises like bridges, squats, have him do lockout postion pushup holds if he cant push up, crunches, hangs, step ups. start with static holds in most exercises. 3 second holds, low rep sets but multiple sets. do the weights in the exercises he can and he will progress. his form will be off at first, thats normal for any weak young person. dont compromise it too much but allow his joints to build stability. takes time and for individuals with disabilities it takes extra patience and time.

thanks dude.. and that's really true lol- took him too long to agree to come with me.