Part 1: Wheelies and Curbs

[@magnoliasmile1]

Brian is the kind of person i appreciate. He’s been through a lot and his personality shows it. A no sh*t type of man, straight to the facts.

[@caivail4614]

Please keep these coming! I’ve been a wheelchair user for about a year and a half but still haven’t even mastered the wheelie - I find these kinds of videos so helpful. Because I have a progressive SCD and not a single-event traumatic injury, there was no ‘rehab’ info or training on wheelchair skills. They should really train OTs to teach these skills, or have an experienced wheelchair user with a similar condition offer training for all new manual chair users. More than a few times I’ve nearly bit the dust in a busy street or parking lot because of my lackluster chair skills. It’s not just for showing off, for sure. Thank you as always for the helpful content, Brittney, and thanks to crazy Brian!

[@Charles-re4vd]

Hey Brittany ❤ I'm so very pleased to see you happy & putting out great videos.

[@tammywest960]

Brittany, I chuckled at your comment about not learning specific wheelchair skills. I have CP and neglected or refused to learn how to go down stairs with crutches with no railing. I curse myself every time I see a set of stairs with no railing. I can get up no problem, down is another story.

[@blackbelt721]

Im in Texas and run a Martial Arts School and am a 4th Dan BlackBelt and have been paralyzed since birth. Keep up the good work People in in wheelchairs need to know that there are others like them that have overcome adversity and can lead happy productive lifes.

[@opentolerance]

Brittany, you did great! Don't beat yourself up.

[@charles_wipman]

You're a teacher and a mother, not the damn Tony Hawk!, don't feel ashamed; i bet that this is harder than it looks specialy if one can't use all the torso muscles to push or balance, but seems like a really useful skill to have to navigate by any enviroment and have it sure helps to the self-independence.

[@pieterselst9678]

Thanks. As a new wheelchair user it’s something I want to master.

[@bubbastuessy1139]

Excellent training. I've been doing all this for years & it is just natural. Never thought about any of the body control. This will help many, many people where these things don't come naturally.

[@brittySS]

Thanks Britt & Brian, very informative. I don't use a wheelchair but one day may have to due to decreasing mobility so I think its very helpful to have videos on skills like these I may need in the future.

[@inmamartin8334]

Dear Brittney , you are not pathetic at all. I relate so much when you were trying to go down the curb. I can do it but only is someone is standing behind, I am so scared. I loved the video and Brian tips, as keeping the body upright for instance! The best teachers for wheelies are wheelchair users. My goal for this year is gaining confidence to do the wheelie going down curbs and ramps on my own. My wheelchair user friends also recommended me to do the wheelie on the spot as long as I can. we'll do it!! Cheers from Barcelona

[@Wheeled_Fighter]

I got to help teach a wheelchair skills class locally Wednesday night. I think one of the new comers was scared to tip back in her current chair. We tipped her back without the anti tippers with one on the front and one on the back and then i showed her where the anti-tippers stopped her at. It opened her eyes up to learn how to do them and then it was like opening up a bunch of new doors for her. I told her she could use the tippers to learn how to balance. I wish wheelchair skills were taught more to everyone who is going to use an everyday wheelchair. A few months ago i couldnt get up or down a curb. Today its not even a thought, but i do size up curbs before i attempt them, some around here are 6"-10" high and those are out the question for most people going up.

[@brucekerl5139]

Hi Brittany! I've been working on my WC skills. This was a good one, thanks!!!

[@LolliPop_Farm_VT]

Awesomeness, can’t wait for the stairs. That’s a critical skill I need , working in an old 1850’s school house, we have an elevator, but in case of a fire I need to get out safely without the use of the elevator .

[@rexjerome5931]

I’ve been in a wheelchair for over 40 years. It is sad that there are institutions out there that’ll prescribe a wheelchair for a user and then just turn them loose with it. The rehab that I had included learning all types of wheelchair skills as well as how to ask for help when needed and how to instruct a helper to avoid injury to the wheelchair user or the helper. Wheelies are a vital skill but before that a user should learn how to fall! If you fall forward you’ll naturally protect your head but if you fall backwards you have to think not only of protecting the back of your head but you should also think of protecting your face. When you fall backwards the next thing that’ll happen when you hit the ground may be your knees hitting you in the face! I was taught during a fall to keep one hand on a hand rim and lean forward and cross over with the other hand and grab that same hand rim or the seat frame to attempt to keep your knees out of your face. After a fall there’s also the need to get yourself up. I learned how to get up while sitting in the chair tipped backwards or on its side. If it’s tipped forwards you’ll need to right it and then get back into it. I learned how to go down stairs forward or backwards and how to go up stairs. Also, up and down escalators, ramps and curbs. Anyone that’s new to using a wheelchair should be properly trained to perform these skills as well as how to instruct anyone that might provide you with assistance with any of these tasks. Get a padded mat and with an able-bodied helper practice falling forward, backwards, sideways. Learning how to fall as safely as possible and how you’ll right yourself after a fall occurs will take away a lot of the anxiety of a fall.

[@outbacktraveller58]

I’m watching the start of at the top of your ramp and I gotta tell you that I would be scared shitless!!!!!!

[@EmpoweredPara]

I doubt that lol. Most men are pros at wheelies in about 2 seconds haha

[@brin57]

Hey just a tip - On the driveway, your bag on the back was swinging a lot and that dynamically changes you centre of gravity making it harder to get the balance. 47 year veteran para here. Another tip I would give anyone, is if you are able to be generally independant, don't get too comfortable with someone pushing you or helping with kerbs etc, especially if you have handles, as they tend to encourage people to just step in and help even if you don't need it.. Independance is king, or queen. Great video btw 👏👏

[@rollwiththepunches5932]

Legends!

[@cpr58]

In the first two minutes, I knew I was going to be in trouble. I can not reach the center of my wheels. My wheels set too far back to be tippy. Baiscly I was given a hospital wheelchair. and told to go out into the world. Later I was fitted for a big powerchair. It's great. only if I plan on using it in the house and to the end of the driveway without help to have a ramp installed in my van it's great to go out and get the mail. I go anywhere else It's back to this crappy wheelchair. This is the hand I was delt and it is the hand I will play.

[@outbacktraveller58]

I was gonna mention that wheelies would be hard on the front end….which Brian confirmed…….one thing that you learn when you operate machinery (in my case big trucks) ……be gentle on your gear and it will look after you.

[@MohanSingh-lk8ig]

That's a great job

[@pb8569]

Great tips thank you so much1

[@CinkSVideo]

There should be regular clinics for these skills. I can jump small things but still can’t hold a wheelie. I thought I had it once. Got excited and the back I went. Sore shoulders from that tumble. There are some steep jetways that would be much safer if I could wheelie down the transition.

[@FreddotheWheelchairGuy]

Nice to see Brian in another video! It does surprise me that you haven't mastered those wheelies yet mate, I hope to see some improvements in the next video 😉

[@morgancalvi6675]

Great video Brittney, thanks. I notice since I got Frog Leg casters, I can do a wheelie much better. What no one covered...is, if the front end is heavy...forget any chance of a wheelie I'm not talking about the centre of gravity, I'm talking about weight. My regular casters were steel and quite heavy. These Frog Legs are part carbon fibre. You guys say balancing with the head is important...and I get that. My problem is, my neck has a LOT of damage. Quadriplegics out there will find as they age, the neck damage they have will get a million times worse. Besides, I saw Brian do a wheelie without his head being back. I honestly don't get bicycle helmets...they have zero protection for the neck. I actually know a couple of people that broke their necks with a bicycle helmet on. If you eve follow the Tour de France, you'll see a biker went over a cliff, broke his neck and died. He was wearing a bicycle helmet.

[@billgoodwin8742]

Nothing wrong with wearing a helmet. Safety is important. You'll get the hang of it.

[@WheelchairWonders]

Good Morning Britney.. May I suggest tightening your back pack up to stop it swinging. It will give you a more stable balance.. Well done BTW.. (Phil)

[@johnvelas70]

A gymnast who's trying to teach me a planche for to do a planche push up hooked me up to a gizmo to see which muscles fire off. I have 0.00% stomach muscles so I use my back for everything. She has no idea how I stand upright. EDIT: tell Brian I'm 1000001% certain I "out dumbed" him in the Fleet, which is how I folded my right foot over my shin.

[@outbacktraveller58]

Girl,being fearful is directly proportional to self preservation, so don’t EVER second guess being fearful, because developing skills will reduce the fear of, well, fear!!!! At least for idjuts like me

[@kazzie72mcd]

Hi. I’m from the UK. How do you transfer into a car when the seat is much higher. I have a 2012 Chrysler grand voyager and find it really hard to

[@ricktweedt3662]

Does Brian have a KZbin channel? If not, I think it would be very entertaining!

[@christopherabdiel6780]

POSSIBLE FUTURE, PATH WITH MORE BLOCKAGE AND ALTERATIVE PATH WILL BE DIFFICULT AND YOUR LEARNING FOR PATH, EXAMPLE YOUR SINGLE CHAIR WHEEL WILL BE BLOCKING STREET AND ALTERATIVE DIFFICULT PATH,,, YOU ARE NOT AFRAID AND TRAQUILITY WILL BE DIFFICULT PATH WITH CHAIR WHEEL

[@samanthatremellen7640]

I keep falling and hurting myself, howo you suggest I stop this cycle?

[@EmpoweredPara]

Practice around people that can spot you!

[@benjohnson3022]

Dude, Brian should be a hitman with such a cool voice! Imagine the one-liners before the 'whack'!

[@EmpoweredPara]

He totally has a hit man voice lol

[@JamesSmith-pm9gp]

Gawd, it scares the crap out of me to think of you falling forward out of your chair! Have you ever fallen out forwards? I hope not.

[@EmpoweredPara]

oh yeah lots

[@JamesSmith-pm9gp]

@@EmpoweredPara I understand from a friend that the casters can cause problems. Odd that no one has re-engineered them. I hope you never hurt yourself.

[@christopherabdiel6780]

[@westiepower2020]

Still a rental? Hmmm. Doesn’t your knapsack/bag on the back of your chair affect your balance and the fact that it seemed to scrape the ground at times? As far as other chair skills, I feel odd asking, as I’m not currently a chair-user and I don’t want to appear insensitive in any way, and I have the utmost respect for you, but are escalators even possible in a wheelchair? I thought I once saw Riccardo use one, but now I’m not sure. Brittney and Brian, we want to thank you for this video, and Brittney, I think your reluctance to try certain manoeuvres is perfectly understandable.

[@edl5731]

Not only won’t I make fun of you for wearing a helmet, I am going to to criticize you for taking it off. You should wear it any time you are learning/practicing something where banging you head is a possibility. Also don’t practice new skills when you are alone. You absolutely should learn new things and strive to be more independent, but do so as safe as possible. I assume you require your kids to wear a helmet when bike riding, that doesn’t decrease their independence, but it does make them safer. Anyone who would make fun of someone for wearing a helmet is not someone whose opinion I value.

[@threewins3]

Wow! So well said and so true. Thank you for this insightful comment.

[@samanthatremellen7640]

OMG

[@montereycalifornia]

Does crazy Brian or anyone on Push have a KZbin channel?

[@EmpoweredPara]

No unfortunately 😪. I keep telling then to start one!

[@marcofacen9564]

Brittney... I think you didn't do yourself a favour in trying to wheelie with a swinging bag on your back. Those things move your center of gravity all the time. Now we all know that somethime we have to carry things around. If you do, try to hang it as close as possible to the backrest with a minimum of movement, and as highly mounted as possible. I travel with backpacks, tightly attached, or sportbags, attached to the backrest using the short handles, so basically vertical to the backrest.

[@EmpoweredPara]

totally agree, I had no idea how much it was interfering until u watched the video back!