How GRIT Riders Stay Active in the Winter

As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, staying active and working out can become tough. Inside time doesn’t have to mean inactive time, though, and if it’s safe to do so, there’s lots you can still enjoy outside! This is of course especially true if you’ve got an all-terrain wheelchair like the GRIT Freedom Chair, but don’t take our word for it!

Every year, GRIT riders show off the activities they’re doing to stay active through the cold season. In this blog, we will share ideas, resources, and tips from our riders and team. Read on to see how to make the most of your winter!

Work Out Indoors

Sometimes, keeping your workout inside is the best way to stay active. Luckily for us, our riders demonstrate every year that they don’t need to leave the comfort, warmth, and safety of home to keep things moving. Many of our riders have assembled unique (and easy-to-make) roller setups that enable them to ride their GRIT Freedom Chairs indoors.

These roller setups are great for endurance training or for squeezing in short workouts to break up your day. Are you on the mend, or just not feeling quite up for an outdoor trail hike yet? Put your Freedom Chair on rollers and pump away!

This link will take you to our Support Center, where you can find more information on setting up your own indoor workout space (CLICK HERE).

Engage with an Active Community

Another one of the best ways to get motivated is to see what other people are doing. Whether you’re an elite athlete or just getting the hang of leading an active lifestyle, find an online community of likeminded folks to get some ideas!

Here at GRIT, we lead a Facebook group called Beyond the Pavement (BTP) for these kinds of conversations. BTP is designed to allow adaptive athletes to share and discuss all things adaptive sports, from promoting great organizations, to sharing savvy methods to stay fit, to asking current GRIT owners about their experiences with their chairs. The BTP community is also a great place for adaptive athletes to share photos and videos of their recent adventures.

Get Creative with Ideas from Others

Here at GRIT, we are lucky to have a devoted community of riders who share their tips and stories with us. Below we will share some of these with you. We hope they inspire some ideas for your own winter activities!

Folks like Cory Lee have gone above and beyond to provide the GRIT community with adventure stories and helpful tips. His latest blog talks about what to know for adaptive hiking in the winter. You can find it here (CLICK HERE). It’s full of great information if you’re itching for a family hike this holiday season.

Here, Bekah and Nate show us an innovative way for the whole family to enjoy the GRIT Freedom Chair:

Take Your Dogs Out

Winter is a great time to enjoy the outside with your favorite companion. Your pup will enjoy the fresh air, and this is an easy way to get some fresh air for yourself! Hundreds of Freedom Chair riders from around the world venture out with their furry friends every winter. People like Kristen (whose chair and pups are shown here) show how they get the job done!

If you’re looking for that extra piece of motivation, look no further than your pets. Suit up and take them to a new park or trail that you’ll both enjoy.

Embark on Bigger Adventures

If you’re feeling really cooped up after a long year, try safely visiting a completely new place. Whether you choose a national park or local lake trail, riding in a new area makes for a totally unique experience.

Tommy and Dara recently explored a vast winter wonderland with their Freedom Chair. The pictures are breathtaking.

Tommy and Dara are shown above. Below, another rider enjoys a snowy outing at Staunton State Park in Colorado.

Going to a completely new place can feel daunting, so do your research ahead of time and focus on what makes you comfortable. No matter what you do this season, or this week, or this afternoon, to stay active, find some fun in the experience.