The attitude there was unlike anything we had seen back home or in Atlanta. While all the rehab I had done focused on adapting and upper body work, Project Walk focuses on working on what you don't have. Now, to be clear, I definitely needed the rehab I did in hospitals (Shepherd and Kessler). Shepherd was a great place, especially for an 18-year-old still wanting to lead an active life. My muscles were remarkably weak and atrophied for quite awhile, and I needed to learn how to do things indepently.  Once I felt I had gone as far as I could improvising on how to regain motor function in my lower body, we looked for a place with experience and success with SCI.

I began reading about Project Walk and figured it would be a good idea to go there during my winter break in January, 2006. However, near the end of the summer in 2005, I was convinced that it would be best to go there for at least a week before then after talking to a man named Rick who had a daughter who had shown great improvement at Project Walk. We made plans to go for a week in September, 2005.

We only had a week, and they had a lot to show us. They needed to train Eric, my trainer, to do all of the exercises we would be doing once we went home. There were three main areas of excercise that we would be learning to do.

-Table Exercises

Since I have a lot of tightness and spasticity in my legs, doing active stretching while on my back is usually done first. They sometimes had a cable attached to my ankle so I could work against the weights, but Eric putting resistance on the movement works just as well. We move my legs in all directions, trying to stimulate every muscle. In addition to the stretching, I also work on leg extensions and hip raises. Depending on how long it takes my muscles to loosen up, we spend 30-45 minutes on the table.

-Total Gym

Project Walk is big on using the Total Gym. They probably have about six of them, and most of them are always in use. They had me doing mostly the leg exercises, but I could do the upper body exercises too in between them. The first time I used it I was getting a little bit of a push going, but now after using it for about five months I can do controlled squats through the full range. I'm beginning to move the incline up to make it harder.

-Floor Exercises

The floor exercises mostly concentrate on strengthening the core as well as the glutes (butt muscles). We learned exercises to do while on my back with my knees bent and feet on the floor that work the abs and obliques like side crunches and static twists. I also do sit-ups and bridges, where I lift my butt up off the mat so only my shoulders and feet are grounded. There are many more exercises that can be done on the floor, mostly working on core stability.

While I'm on the ground I also do exercises in the kneeling position, usually with a box in front of me. I try to hold the kneeling position as well as try to come up onto my knees from sitting back on my heels. This again works the glute muscles as well as the thighs. I sometimes do core exercises in this position as well.

-Other Equipment

Project Walk has a ton of machines I was able to use while there, but obviously can't use at home. We were able to get a Total Gym, a spinning bike, and I already had a standing frame. I described the Total Gym before, but the spinning bike we have that they encouraged us to get is like any bike you'd see in a gym. We got a new seat and handlebars, and on good days I can pedal it for a few minutes total. It's a great way to work nearly every muscle at once from your torso down.

I have been using the EasyStand 5000 for awhile now and am now trying to get an EasyStand 6000 Glider which allows me to move my legs forwards and backwards by using my arms. It also allows me to stand by myself easier due to how it is set up. You can see me do this in the videos section. At Project Walk I used their EasyStand, Power Plate, a vibrating platform, a hip flexor machine, and a gait trainer, pictured in that order below.

The time with Project Walk has definitely been worth it. For the spring semester of school this year I'll be working out at home with my trainer Eric doing everything we can with the equipment and space we have. I'm sure I'll be back sometime in the summer but until then, it's time to work here. Ptoject Walk's website is www.projectwalk.org

I want to give a special thanks to Al and Linda Wilson, who cooked us dinner a few times each week, had us over to watch football, let us use the hot tub, took us to the Rose Bowl, and a bunch of other things. Thank you, you guys were/are the best!