A new season is upon us…

Having the opportunity to compete as an athlete amongst many different categories wasn’t something I thought was possible up until a decade ago.

I’d love sport growing up, but whether it was accessibility issues, my own self belief or lack of awareness of the availability – all that changed when I found bodybuilding.

The start of that journey and discovery of the mixed disability category with the PCA opened a path for me to have a once unthought of goal. An amazing target to aim for, to get on stage with my peers as an athlete, a bodybuilding platform in my own category.

Breaking through my own limiting barriers first and speaking up when I developed the confidence to suggest changes to help the industry was such a game changer not just in a physical sense but throughout other areas of my life too.

This 2024 season, I’m once again looking forward to competing but witnessing the growth in our mixed disability category continues to provide a sense of collective pride. Those barriers continue to be broken down, access and awareness of the sport is soaring and more people are having the opportunity to get stage in 2024…

There are two shows to kick off the season both here in the UK and in France this past week – and the first category to start things off as ever is Mixed Disability 👍💪

Let’s have a great season, wishing everyone all the best and I’ll be cheering you all on…let’s do this!

With Gratitude,

💚

My mix of expectations of my life with CP

One of the challenges I’ve experienced over the last goodness knows how many years is the different set of expectations I’ve set myself with Cerebral Palsy.

From taking the “I’ll show you, I can do anything approach” to “I just want to fit in” mindset. I’ve swayed from one to other quite often. What I have found in my years of development is that I think it’s ok to sit wherever you want to!

Having a physical difference made my appearance, be it my hand or my limp, stick out during school and oftentimes I just wanted to hide it. Other times it was to say, “hell yes I want to be included!” Why not?!

Lower expectations that, I like to think well meaning teachers set for me, sometimes made me feel inferior, but it also ignited that internal fire that I will prove that assumption wrong. Even if it meant exerting more energy just to hit a particular standard others could do with existing effort.

In a way, it’s helped create my path / be it driving, bodybuilding or through work. It’s learning not only what I can do but also, through practice, learning the challenges and adaptions needed. I think over my life, it’s taken time for me to speak up more and in turn build that confidence to develop an understanding that I need to raise my voice if things need to change.

That’s one of the reasons why I love my bodybuilding. Whether it’s a personal challenge to continue to build my physique, or helping the category open more doors to help people that are in my position I was in not too long ago.

In the end if we continue to help each other and continue to build the understanding of individual needs – collectively we can change a lot!

With Gratitude…

💚

Another Day One…

With the 2023 season complete and full swing into 2024, it’s been a period of reflection and a reset with the recovery structure well under way in terms of training.

Along with a focus on what went well to repeat into the new period, thoughts also turn to the element that could change and improve.

I can’t turn the clock back on an incredible trip to Malaga in Spain with a new city and culture explored and spending time with friends in the sun – but I can look forward to new adventures…

A new day can be set at any time of year, of course they appear every 24 hours but in terms of goals – I can set kickstart the process at any time.

Recovery as I get older, especially with cerebral palsy is crucial now more than ever.

I love to achieve a goal but a renewal can be very refreshing after a rest period…

With a full recovery phase in the bag…

Here’s to Another Day One.

PCA World Championships 2023

Back to work this week after an incredible few days in Spain representing Team GB in the Mixed Disability Category PCA World Bodybuilding Championships.

This continues to be more than just a hobby, it creates space to build awareness of inclusion, openness, accessibility and opportunity. Each of us throughout the different classes went through Regional & National events to compete in Malaga and our mixed disability division saw record numbers this year.

As we continue to build awareness on every platform, I’m reminded of the challenges faced but also witnessing the continued work being done to help improve access & the great moments that we had have and opportunities to share & help each other through our adaptive category in the sport! It’s been a privilege to see it grow to a position where we have over 40 events a year with a mixed disability class and I’m really proud to be part of this amazing movement within the sport! #Disability #Accessibility #Inclusion

The balance of what I have…

Balance. It’s never been my strong point from a physical perspective. It’s a challenge! ‘Regular’ muscle growth in my right as opposed to feeling I’ve often held this that my left side is left catching up.

Mentality wise, the challenge of balance has been one of a) being incredibly thankful for what I have VS Going through obstacles to prove I can find a way and that can be tiring in itself!

I find myself shifting between the two. I want to have this satisfaction of achievement and pushing through (when training for example) and wanting more and more goals to set, whilst reminding myself in many ways, that I have to balance this notion with how far that journey has taken me. It’s easy to look forward and not reflect too much on what I have had. It’s part of my lived experience to navigate the delicate balancing structure / both on the physical and mental side of things. Balance has been a challenge in both sense of the meaning, but again it is all to discover, navigate and create things on this continued journey!

Looking to Build for Longevity with CP…

I’m not sure if it’s my age, my current perspective on life or certainly a greater appreciation of it, that has seen me look more towards putting practices in place that will help me mould a greater present and future.

It’s in the back of my mind that there are sone unknowns for me about whether or not my disability may accelerate a physical decline later in life. The more research I undertake about physical performance suggest that, for muscle tissue at the very least, there is an expected decline from where I’m just about right now (38).

That’s not to put a negative element to my possible longevity or quality of life, but increases an eagerness to discover more and therefore provide my body with the best chance to sustain a good level of health and fitness.

This year I’ve found myself drawn towards series like Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, an incredible series about so many aspects of peak performance and discovering what the body (and mind) are capable of. Now, I’m not suggesting I’m at his level of fitness! but in terms of age it was fascinating to uncover sone of the benefits to practices he took on in the series.

The Huberman Lab podcast is another great resource for this, I’ve enjoyed and learnt so much from a variety of topics that Andrew Huberman delves into from Fitness and Supplementation protocols to the body’s reaction to many different actions you may take during the day.

I’m also finding in the book “Outlive” by Dr Peter Attitia, a treasure of discovery about what I could / need to look at when exploring the prospects of greater health as I age. My gut feeling is that this whole phase of learning is going to be so important the older I get and throwing my cerebral palsy into the mix increases my desire to learn more now as the drive for mobility and my quality of movement was instilled in me at a very young age.

I’ve been given gift to do so many things I do today, I just don’t want to waste it.

Making the best of my Present Day…

Will it get different (or worse) as I get older? I remember that recurring question. So much was done through my youth to ensure I could have the best quality of life I could have in my present day with Cerebral Palsy.

Daily exercises with weekly physio to adapt around my growing body, splints, more splints and together with more annual checks, it had to be accepted that this was going to happen well into adulthood.

Looking back, The sessions were designed to keep my muscles supple and and grow in a way to give me as much movement as it would allow. I understood the theory behind it. That being said, to me at that age, the application was long and the results not apparent day by day.

However, it helped me understand the meaning through which to guide me to plan for my future movement. I didn’t know how CP would be at 38 back in the 1990’s. I now take every day as an opportunity that was worked on by many people to help me get to this stage and I feel I owe it to them to make something every day I get up.

If I can share some of my journey at the stage I’m at now and document it, it might just help someone who was in my position all those years ago, as I look to provide an insight into what CP is like in adulthood.

Thanks everyone,

With Gratitude,

Matt 💚

Adapting to a World with endless possibilities….

I had quite a restrictive mindset presented to me at times growing up. There were barriers and limitations at points, some of which were for my own safety in case I fell, but oftentimes it would leave me with a sense of being less than. I had to push (and my friends & family fought for me too!) to make things possible, to trial and test out ways through the obstacles and see what could be done.

This past week I, along with my fellow disability competitors and a number of other athletes across many classes, were invited to a bodybuilding world championship. On an equal platform, with an opportunity to represent Team GB in my own category. I felt FAR from being isolated in the amazing environment.

THIS is what I love about the bodybuilding and fitness community. It is such a positive, welcoming atmosphere in many ways. Everyone is on their own Journey but there is such a collective energy of trying to develop a challenge. Everyone will have their own hurdles and not the same ones, but the journey to get there is a positive drive by everyone who, by their own commitment, becomes an athlete – in every class!

Thank you to everyone that helped push for that opportunity to become an athlete,

With full gratitude,

Matt x 💚

Lights, Camera, Adaption!

Reminders of why I compete…

This weekend, the collective atmosphere, energy and general vibe at FITX were all reminders to me as to why I compete in Bodybuilding.

I love the community feel within bodybuilding – being able to meet with as many friends as I could, meet new ones and having the opportunity to take to the stage once again provided a real boost that I’ve missed.

I had the chance to take a bit of rest after the long drive to Manchester but had plenty of time to get myself ready. Most of my planning involved in show weekends brings with it some nerves and excitement, so it was lovely to see everyone in the audience, throughout the expo & backstage over the course of the 2 days at a slower pace having got there early.

As I get older I’m more of aware of my fatigue with CP, so I’ve had to my best careful with my energy (I’ve certainly felt it in the days since!), but to take to the stage again after a while away was filled with gratitude and pride of having an opportunity in the disability category with many federations providing that platform now.

The energy levels are starting to return / ready for the PCA Universe weekend in a couple of weekends time!

Managing My Energy / Fatigue (with CP) Close to Show Day….

I’ve become more aware of my energy levels upon discovering research that cerebral palsy can lead to more fatigue, particularly toward the end of the day.

This has explained a lot in my youth – I’ve gained more knowledge in this area as I aged and now have a lot of lived experience with how my body reacts to certain activities.

This could help clarify why I prefer training in the morning to the evenings. The bursts of power needed (aided by coffee and my favourite pre-workouts!) sustain the challenges of my programmes. That said, I am very careful with my equipment selection & nutrition timing to support this.

I’ve also put sleep at a higher position of priorities as I’ve got older – long gone are the days of lots of very late evenings as this interferes with how much I can put into my training.

I understand further still that my disability uses more energy to generate movement, so my selection throughout the day is key. If more is needed later in the day, I can plan for this earlier in the week. Becoming more aware of the energy expenditure during the competition prep too helps me plan how many weeks I’ll need to get to where I want to be physique wise.

It’s one of the reasons why I’ve decided on a longer prep this year, to allow smaller changes, more often, that can aid my strength and shape into the show.

As I write this, I’m a few days away from my opening event of the season and as such the timing of my training & nutrition can really help determine my stamina. I want to ensure I can perform, but to a level where I can push, accounting for my structure with my CP and give my best as a Dad, colleague & athlete – it’s a great balance and challenge but the goal is worth it! 😀💚👍