Watch Robb Madison, a paraplegic drummer use 3 sticks to mimic the bass  drum, and watch a famous quadriplegic blues singer from the UK show how he can still play the steel guitar (via his  lap). Gag they’re so smart! Read this entry

And still very much paralyzed, he just signed with the Tampa Bay Bucs last week (yes you read that right). Read this entry

We talk about Jenni’s injury, her work as a motivational speaker, and possibly the most fun part of the show – her new 8 month relationship with another quadriplegic, Blake, who she met years ago after attending his benefit (after his injury). Tune in and hear some powerful, powerful stuff.

Tiffiny also talks about adaptive yoga teacher training weekend, which she just blogged about here

Use the player below to hear the show (37 minute run time). No Free Rides is sponsored by EasyStand.com. (view our show archive)

Links!

- The Site That Breathes (Jenni’s blog)

As you can see, Matt uses a wheelchair. He was paralyzed in a car accident when he was 13 years old and discovered yoga in his 20′s while living in California. He decided to found a studio in the early 90′s to teach to others what he figured out himself, and Mind Body Solutions has been slowly growing since.

I had the opportunity to get into his class through a local rehabilitation facility and have been enjoying adaptive yoga for the last three years. And understatement of the year - it’s made a huge difference in my life, especially in my day-to-day quality of life and being able to feel comfortable while having to sit several hours in my wheelchair (usually 15+ hours. say hellooo to major back pain).

People from all over the globe have been wanting to try the yoga being taught at this studio. I’ve received emails from folks with disabilities asking, Where can I go to learn this??  Sadly, not many places. Adaptive yoga should be available everywhere, not just here in Minnesota (and the good news is that it’s slowly spreading, with great studios popping up in Denver, Philly and others).

This is why Mind Body Solutions started hosting adaptive yoga teacher training weekends to teach the basics of how to teach yoga to someone with a disability, to able-bodied yoga teachers from all around the world.

I gotta say, being able to help out with the training weekends is a huge honor. As an “experienced” student, I get to come in and tell the class my story, hear their stories (and boy do they all have such powerful reasons for being there, all coming from such interesting places to boot) and the whole weekend is a hugely rewarding exchange. Here’s me on the mat with some of the students teaching reference points:

And of course getting down to business  – teaching how the heck you do yoga in a wheelchair, or on the mat, when you’re paralyzed or have any other kind of mobility/sensation-limiting condition – is the most important thing. Here’s a picture of some of the teachers putting themselves in the position of a wheelchair-using student, learning the importance of grounding (one of the core lessons of adaptive yoga):

My studio, in order to spread the amazing thing that is adaptive yoga as far and wide as possible, to veterans, to young kids, to everyone, also just completed a video called Beyond Disability. It shows how to do all of these amaaazing yoga poses that you can do from your wheelchair and they were able to make this video with the help of a grant from The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Myself, as well as two other students, are the featured ‘students’ in the video. You can buy it on Amazon here

And many thanks to Elizabeth Ashton Brewer for taking these fabbie pics. She’s a student at the University of Arizona who I met over the weekend who teaches acro-yoga and is an all-around a pretty rockin’ gal. She’s pictured here (far right) with Matt, and two other lovely ladies from the teacher training weekend:

Spread the yoga love! <3

Learn more about one of the coolest yoga studios ever: Mind Body Solutions

Love this invention! Now where can I find the $119 to purchase one? Read this entry

It’s really too bad this video wasn’t available, showing how a wheelchair-user boards a plane (no you don’t stay in your chair. FAA regulations), when I was freaking in my early days. Had I seen this video, it would’ve calmed almost all of my nerves for sure.

And this video is loaded with wheelchair travel secret after another wheelchair travel secret; shared by seasoned traveler himself, Mark Schmidt, paraplegic and Vice President of EasyStand. What I love about this video is how he shares his tricks of the trade that you usually only figure out yourself.

In his video, you’ll learn about eight solid tips that I absolutely guarantee you won’t find anywhere else. My favorite is his trick in getting a free rental car upgrade. He also shows the process of checking-in (how early you should show up), going through security, arriving at the terminal, fanagling seat upgrades and more. There’s A LOT of tips here, so definitely make sure to take a look if you use a wheelchair.

Watch the videos on SPINALpedia.com

But the anonymity of being just another driver on the road is one of several reasons driving my has become the best form of therapy I‘ve ever run across.

When you’re disabled and depressed, doctors tell you to take pills, or to meditate, but no one ever mentions the therapeutic benefits of getting behind the wheel and being fully in control of a car (and for the life of me I can’t figure out why!).

They’ll mention you’ll be able to drive again, and they’ll tell you the steps you need to make it happen, but no one ever tells you driving can be used as a secret weapon for people with disabilities against the blues. Read the rest of my blog

Hitting on guys when you’re out at the club, real life with your man in bed (“Yes I can have sex. Lots and lots of sex”) to being obsessed with wearing high heels even if you can’t walk, seeing all of this glossified on the small screen is very, very cool, especially for my personally. It’s like my life, but with a way less cool car. I’m just so glad to see a great portrayal of women with spinal cord injuries in the media for once.

In the sneak peak you get to meet the four women starring in this new reality show - Tiphany, Auti, Mia and Angela. My impressions: Auti, a woman I’ve admired in the disability community since I was injured and have always coveted her rock-hard abs, turns out to be surprisingly funny. Who knew? (I think she may be my favorite on the show!).

And it is revealed that Tiphany, a gorgeous paraplegic (who I interviewed for an article I wrote in Penthouse last year called “The Would You Girls”, where I talk about women with disabilities and the men who “go there”), is now dating a woman. Love it!

And Mia is super cute, love the clip were she’s rating guys as they walk by, and well Angela Rockwood is just plain stunning. Cheek-bones to die for….cheek-bones to die for…

Push Girls premieres on the Sundance Channel June 5th. Can’t wait!