As my training has developed over the years, the major hurdles that I’ve needed to change from a physical perspective has not only been working around “standard” equipment and being patient with learning what fits but to understand my body to greater degree as it gets older.

Throughout life, you will face obstacles - either physical barriers or stumbling blocks from some who say you can’t achieve something because of a hurdle.

I tried to change that mindset into what CAN be done, ask what is possible and trying to let the creativity flow.

You Can!

We Can!

Every Day!

Awareness

Accessibility

Assistance

Can we do more? What can be done? I’m opening up a broader discussion to see how improvements can be made, to make things more accessible in the future. How can we access more individual tailored plans that can help everyone’s unique path in fitness and invite contributions into how this can be achieved.

Delving into the challenges of muscle building and development presented from dexterity issues.

From battling fears to finding solutions with attachments and lessons learnt!

Continuing with a look back at some lessons learnt from growing up with cerebral palsy, a huge part was adapting to life with splints.

In all weathers day and night, these were created to bring stability to my growth but I can now understand their importance, what it means in my life now and how grateful I am for people around me who supported me to make me realise how much they would help...

A podcast that helped me begin to unpick some lessons I’ve gained from revisiting the often challenging place of thinking about my regular physio appointments in my younger days & learning to grow, live & thrive with and around cerebral palsy.

Though these appointments were seemingly obstructive at the time, the daily practice of the exercises I was given helped develop some key lessons to take with me and use into adulthood - from learning to use things at home, work & within the gym & fitness.

On the podcast today...

Day One. For a fresh start, a renewal, a new springboard - today I start to unpick how to keep that drive of the first day going - on & on.

Discussing the moments I fell back and how I continued to tweak things to keep my routines fresh.

Discussing learning to understand that my way was a different path, quite different from expectations.

As I grew, I found it a great challenge to explain my ‘difference’. Cerebral Palsy is difficult to hide even if you want to, and pull attention away from it.

Doing things differently, I’ve found, fascinates.

That I’ve asked myself regarding my disability, that I’ve asked regarding the situations I’ve been faced with, but also moving forward with an amazing group of people in the disabled bodybuilding category & the fitness community as a whole. To challenge, to change and to help drive inclusion at all levels!

Enjoy!

The roar of support. Coming together to cheer everyone on & binding all the collective efforts, can work wonders.

In this mental health awareness week, I reflect on different communities I have loved being a part of. Communities that help each other, build each other up.

Full of love, respect and support.

I thank them for that.