WHAT MOTIVATED HIM TO START?
“Whilst in Hospital, following my amputation, I underwent over 20 operations in just 10 weeks, which caused me to lose a great deal of weight and muscle in a pretty short time, to the point where friends and family no longer recognized me. In total, I lost almost 30kgs in body weight. Dropping to 61kg at my lightest.
Seeing myself that ill, upset me more than losing my leg and I promised myself that I’d never look that ill again and as soon as I was given the okay to go back in the gym, I started training again, determined to be looked at for my physique rather than being an amputee.”
HOW DOES HE TRAIN?
“I have tried each and every exercise/movement that anyone else would do, some I am fine with, others I have struggled with. All that meant, was I had to find a way to adapt them so I could do them.
So, for leg days, I have to use a Smith machine to squat and during lower back sessions, I deadlift using the Smith machine. I also tend to take my prosthetic leg off for both these movements, as my leg can dig in quite uncomfortably if I keep it on to squat or dead lift.”
WHAT IS HIS DIET PLAN?
“I can’t go too high with carbs, as I seem to bloat pretty quick, so the highest I’ll go will be about 240g carbs, so 30g carbs per meal, spread over 8 meals. My meals will tend to consist of 100g turkey, 100g rice, 1 cup of spinach.
Closer to a competition and during a cutting phase, my carbs will gradually lower to 30g a day.”
WHAT PROBLEMS HAS HE FACED?
“Although I have now been an amputee for four years, my operations on my leg are still on going and each time I have an operation, it means I’m unable to wear my prosthetic leg for around 6-8 weeks, which limits what I can do in the gym, especially standing exercises! I’ll still train, but I’ll have to get about on crutches, which makes plate loading interesting!”
