It's all about the arms!

Our focus on adaptive sports continues this week as we team up with Mike Boone and Nicholas Bassett to try hand cycling.

The bikes look like recumbent ones you often see on the trail and have the same components as any other bike. They’re just backwards and upside down to allow your arms to do the peddling.

“I think you’ll do just fine,” says Nick. That’s easy for him to say. Nick cycles about 25 miles every Sunday. But that wasn’t always the case.

“I never rode a bike. I never learned how to ride a bike. Bikes hate me and I hate bikes. When I tried to learn, when I was little, I always fell off. I could never get my balance down right and I finally get to ride a bike. And I’m not gonna let my condition slow me down.”

Nick has scoliosis. He was born with it. He typically uses a wheelchair to get around. But when he rolls down the trail on his hand-cycle, he is free as a bird.
“Oh, it’s a thrill. It’s amazing. There’s nothing like it. It’s like people that ride regular bikes. They’re passionate about riding. It’s the same thing. It’s so fun. It’s amazing.”

It’s also amazing – to us – how hard it is to bike without the use of your legs.
“If you haven’t done it before, getting started, it can get pretty tough.”
Nick describes the initial pain as excruciating. The muscles of the arms, chest, back and abs are forced to do the work of the much larger muscles used on a traditional bike.

At one point I said, “I’ve never wanted to get up and walk so badly.” To which Nick responded, "Yeah - it gives you good perspective, doesn't it?"

Maneuvering the bike isn’t easy either. The turning radius is larger, because the wheel base is wider. Nick instructs us to swing out wide, or risk plunging into a ravine. Eventually, we get the hang of it and the ride makes it all worthwhile.
As we tick off the miles, we take in the scenery, the sunshine and feel the exhilaration of a heart-pounding workout.

“I feel ten times healthier, ten times better about myself,” says Nick. “I'm glad I'm finally involved in Adaptive Sports Iowa, because I've never been able to be this active. I’m active all the time now and I love it. It’s given me a whole new outlook on life.”

To get involved with ASI, check out this webpage:
http://iowasportsfoundation.org/Sports/AdaptiveSportsIowa.aspx

Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com