This set of exercises are for the third week of our four-week stroke recovery exercise programme. It focuses on building stamina and is aimed at stroke survivors who are in the green group. This group are independently mobile.

 

Nicole: Hello. I'm Nicole Lavin. I'm a specialist neurological physiotherapist and I specialise in stroke rehabilitation. I have over 20 years experience working with stroke survivors following them through their journey from the acute stages, right the way through the rehabilitation process up until discharge. I feel absolutely privileged to be here today, working with A Stroke of Luck in collaboration with the Stroke Association to bring you these activity videos. I hope you enjoy.

 

Mark: Hi, my name is Mark Watterson. I'm also a physiotherapist who specialises in musculoskeletal injuries and neurological rehabilitation. My main passion in life is helping those recover from their stroke. I'm proud to bring you these activities in the videos you're about to watch.

 

Craig: In this set of activities, you will need: two cans of tinned goods or small weights like dumbbells. Before starting the warm up to this activity, it is very important that carers and family members watch the "Advice and exercises for carers" video.

 

Nicole: Ok, Green Group, this is your warm up for the stamina section. So for this section, we're going to do some high knee marching, really fast, as fast as we can go. 15 seconds. And then we're gonna go straight into fast feet. So short, shallow, marching fast feet for 15 seconds. We're going to pause, and then we're gonna repeat it. So it's a whole one minute warm up with a pause in between. Are we ready? So 15 seconds high. Knees ready. Off we go. Get your arms going as well as you can. Really get those knees up as high as you can. Keep going. 15 seconds. Three, two, one and then straight into fast feet. Keep it low. Keep it fast 15 seconds. Keep that going. Fast feet. Keep going. Three. Keep going. Try not to slow down and stop. Okay? So if you're feeling a little out of breath, take a pause before you do the next repetition. Okay? If you're feeling any lightheadedness at all, take a longer pause. Or just leave it at one repetition for the warm up. Okay? When you're ready, let's go into the second repetition. Are we ready? So 15 seconds high knees. Ready? Off we go. Get your arms going as well. If you can really get those knees up as high as you can. Keep going. 15 seconds. Three, two, one and then straight into fast feet. Keep it low. Keep it fast. 15 seconds. Keep that going. Fast feet. Keep going. Three. Keep going. Try not to slow down and stop. Okay? Let's take a short pause now so you can go over the coaching points for the activity we've just shown you.

 

Craig: March with high knees for 15 seconds. Move your arms as you move your legs. Now move fast feet, as if you're sprinting for 15 seconds. Pause and catch your breath. Repeat the whole activity. If you become dizzy or short of breath, sit and rest.

 

Nicole: OK. Green Group. This is the first activity of the stamina series. You need to stand nice and wide, okay? And we are going to be moving your arms and legs and getting your heart rate going with this activity. So you're going to be bringing your knee up quite high like this, but at the same time as raising your knee up, you're going to bring the opposite arm up to the roof. Now with this activity, don't work through any pain or any restrictions. Just go within your range that's available to you. And we want to get your heart rate up on this. So we do want you to do it at speed for one minute. Are we ready? Off we go. So arm, leg, down. Arm, leg, down. Keep that going. Okay. I'm going to pick up the speed, if you can. Keep picking it up, like that. You can put in a little bit of a jog. Keep that going. So it's opposites for one minute. Well done. You're over halfway now. Keep going. About 15 seconds to go. Well done. Okay. And rest. Well done. Let's take a short pause so you can go through the coaching points for the activity we've just shown you.

 

Craig: Stand nice and tall. Bring one knee up towards your chest and at the same time raise your opposite arm towards the ceiling. Swap over and repeat with the other arm and leg. Try to do this at speed to get your heart rate up, but go at a sensible pace. Keep going for one minute.

 

Nicole: OK. Green Group number two activity in the stamina series. For this activity, you need to stand nice and tall with a wide base with your feet pointing forwards. And we're going to do what's called a sumo squat. So for this activity, you're going to lift one foot out to the side, quite wide. Keep your toes pointing forwards. And once you've got that widened base, you're going to squat at that point. Keeping your back nice and tall and your tummy tucked in. Squat down, you might feel it burning here in your thighs. Come back up, back to the middle and then the opposite direction. So out wide, feet pointing forwards, down till you might feel that little burn, back up, in. Okay. Are we ready to go? We're going to do this activity for a full minute. Off we go. Out, down, up, in. Out, down, up and in. Keep this going, nice and controlled. There's no rush with this because we're looking at stamina. You might give yourself a little bit of a challenge to try and go that little bit lower on each repetition. Keep your back nice and tall, and your tummy tucked in. You're doing really well. We've got about 15 seconds to go. Push it. Push down. Push, push, push. Last one. Well done. Let's take a short pause there so we can go through the coaching points for the activity you have just seen.

 

Craig: Stand tall with a wide base and toes pointed forwards. Step right leg out to the side. Perform a squat and then step right leg back to meet left. Now repeat with left leg out to the side. Keep going side to side for one minute. Remember, keep your tummy tucked in. You can always challenge yourself by squatting lower.

 

Nicole: Ok Green Group. This is your final activity for the stamina series. This is a challenge for you, and this is known as a Burpee. So for this activity, you're going to stand with a nice wide base like Mark's demonstrating. You're going to squat down to the floor, putting your hands on the floor like he's demonstrating now. And you're going to step your legs outwards behind you so that you go into a plank position. From there, you're going to step back forwards into this floor squat, and then you're gonna come back up into a stand. And if you can, a jump at the end. Okay, so we're going to do this now, as quick as you can for 30 seconds. Are we ready? Off you go. Down, back, back, in, in, up, jump. Well done, keep that going. If you're finding this particularly easy, you can add in a further jump to go back. So Mark will demonstrate now. So down, jump back, jump in, up and jump. And rest. Well done. Let's take a sharp pause there to go through the coaching points for the Burpee activity we've just shown you.

 

Craig: Squat down and place your hands on the floor. Step your legs out behind you to make a plank position. Bring your legs back in towards your hands, one at a time. Stand up tall and jump. Do this as quick as you can for 30 seconds. If this is too easy, when in squat position, jump your feet backwards to make the plank position and then jump them back to squat position.