DisabilityBodybuilding.com

So here is the 2017 plan, put into action as from this week…

You could say I’m in prep already, however, 7 months away from a potential disability bodybuilding show it’s more a structure in which to achieve my ultimate goal.

By my own admission I had been a tad woolly when stating a time to compete (by Sept 17) What I’ve done now is to put a map in place with the help of the coaches at ProteinCard week by week, firstly to build / bulk then to use the cutting transformation to get into my best shape with the same method from March of this year.

Only this time there will be that ultimate step for me to get on stage at an as yet to be chosen show at the start of April with a bigger step to continue to the PCA disability bodybuilding show at BodyPower in May next year.

It’s something I have wanted to do for time so I have listened, watched and learned and will continue to do so over the coming months as things start to literally take shape.

Thank you to all the guys who have inspired me in the catagory and the guys at Proteincard…you have given me that belief, that push and knowledge to get this in sight – I owe a lot to the growing community of disability bodybuilders, I’ll see you all in April and May!

Let the games begin!!

I hated that part of the song 20 years ago! 🙂 But I did it, I didn’t care, it was part of the song, that arm was being used…Same goes at the gym, my left arm is part of my body, it’s gonna grow, one way or another!!

Recently, as I sat for a few moments on the bench, I gave out a huge sigh, my left hand had let me down – my wrist had buckled in an attempted lift after applying an extra 2.5kg.

I sat there in frustration for 10 seconds. Lamenting the fact I have lower muscle tone on that side. 10 seconds…Then I got my **** together & remembered why I was there, because I had got it together, 3 years ago – and reminded myself how far I’d come and in a split second after that pause, I got back to what I (and countless others) have always done – working out how the bloody hell I was going to get round this. That’s the way. Previously my hand would always give and slip during deadlifts, BUT, apply some liquid chalk to rid my smaller palm of the moisture and suddenly it’s a different equation!!

At the moment my max is around 20kg plus the bar on the bench – strong in the belief I can go heavier on my right side. Who cares?! Folks aren’t going to judge me for that, My delight is getting any muscle growth on my left too, if it’s dragging itself behind then so be it, I’ve found both sides are built at separate rares. And if my wrist gives way, well I get my strap, attach it to my forearm & get on the cables – There’s always another way forward for each muscle group.

I used to worry I’d get lop sided abs when I first started out, I used to worry about back problems, my leg being shorter, WHO CARES?! The difference is the will and the mindset – I had (and will continue) to push my left & right side to the absolute limit…that is how boundaries are smashed and progress is made, not by self pity on my backside beneath a bar that needs lifting!

The wrist giving way isn’t an extra problem, Everyone is pushing, everyone has an obstacle and everyone will find their own way to pass it….

Whether I need some liquid chalk, a wrist strap, a bit more patience or a little more grit in my teeth, that muscle will grow in both my left and right just as you would tweak your diet, tweak your programme or even your thinking for any type of progression.

So, you pick yourself back up, keep tweaking and never think that you are done….Time to Step Up…AGAIN

The reality is this – I haven’t got on stage and competed…yet.

BUT….
As I continue to face different challenges about the possibilities ahead, the mind is always there to make or break a session, a week or even a vision. Are you good enough? can you actually do this?

My mind is the same vehicle that conceived the idea of getting on the stage by September 2017 and continues to push my boundaries.

What I’ve decided to do is to mentally place my body on that stage, to think like a bodybuilder – after all, my training, my nutrition and my lifestyle is gearing toward this event. Yes, the date and location are yet to be confirmed – however – the mental switch has changed the thinking and going a long way to silence self doubt.

In the early stages, steps which I am still embarking on, I can look at my body and confront those doubts, everyone has the them. BUT the focus cannot be put off by what I can see now – it should be centred on the potential – and even I don’t know at this stage where I can take it, that’s the exciting part!

The difference is now I can see the ‘steps’ leading to that stage, yes the mind can play tricks and place doubt from within, HOWEVER, it can also provide me with the tools to push my body to extraordinary heights – it’s what creates our success. I can learn a huge amount from those folks that have been there, experienced what I want to be a part of, listen, read and practice, every single day.

So, to conclude – I don’t want to become a bodybuilder, To me, the reality is am a bodybuilder…. in training.

With the help of my coaches, I know what physical tools are needed to prepare my body, where I want to be before stepping up there – One of the biggest pieces of the jigsaw, the mental preparation, is that final personal hurdle to jump over for each individual & I plan to push the boundary of every rep of that set!

Last weekend I embarked a road trip, it would take in a drive North, to the South and back home to Bristol again – for 4/5 key hours.

I’d be invited to attend a “Reaching out to Inspire” Seminar at Steve Johnson’s Tops Gym in Wakefield, a wonderful fitness & rehabilitation centre.

Now yes it was a few miles on the clock, but the journey & time the panel (Josh Goodfellow, Dean Bromley, Sam Watson & Darran Pytlak-Stanesby) had taken to share their stories (for free I may add) was priceless. These amazing individuals spoke candidly of their challenges in not only day to day life but also pushing boundaries to get themselves to an incredible state of fitness & to become beacons of the growing sport of disability bodybuilding.

Each opened up to the group, documenting their tremendous fight, spirit and drive to live a full life & to push themselves higher and higher.

I’ve had contact with Josh for a while, sharing his knowledge and passion – something I’ve really been able to relate to, but to actually meet him & the others, hear them talk so passionately, was one of the most inspirational afternoons of my life, they have set the bar, growing the sport of disability bodybuilding – I cannot thank them enough for their time, I will see them again, no doubt about it, within the sport and one stage – one day. They are my hero’s.

That motivation then got me through a charity 10k in fancy dress the following morning in Southampton – it was the end of great weekend, full of empowering inspiration – you couldn’t put a price on the significance of what it has meant to me – watch this space.

Finally, a heart felt thanks to Steve Johnson for setting up the space and providing the platform for such an amazing event!

So next Sunday I’ll embark on a little stroll around Southampton with a bucket in hand, dressed as a moose.

Sounds bizarre at first, but as you may have spotted on my social media, I’ll be running for a great charity, Hemi Help. I thought I would use this piece to explain the background & to raise awareness of the great work they do.

Hemiplegia, which my parents discovered I had at a young age, is a neurological condition that affects children and adults in a similar way to a stroke. It is caused by injury to the brain and it results in a varying degree of weakness and lack of control on one side of the body. Hemiplegia affects one child in 1000. (http://www.hemihelp.org.uk)

It started with a fun protein bake off competition Muscle Mousse ran in the autumn last year, so much so that I ended up in the final ‘showstopper’ challenge😃.

With that approaching, my brother Chris – based in Southampton – had suggested that if I win it, I should do a 10k, and as a bet, run dressed as a Moose! – so, having won with this cheesecake…

…The bet was on! Now, a 10k was not in my training plan at all this year, but I thought It could provide a decent platform to raise some funds for a organisation that help so many.

Hemihelp, celebrating their 25th anniversary, was set up by a group of parents to bridge the communication and support gap they had regarding their children’s Hemiplegia.

Their mission is “To use our specialist knowledge and supportive networks of families and professionals to create awareness and understanding, in order to empower children and young people affected by hemiplegia across the UK to reach their full potential,”

So, I’ve upped my cardio recently to get me around the course, so, with a few days to go, the hoofs and antlers are packed, the bucket is getting ready and the Just Giving page is set up! It’s time to get my running shoes on!

https://www.justgiving.com/MattElson

How do you see challenges when they arise? When faced with a monster task, is the first thought ‘No Way’ or How?

It dawned on me reflecting back when I first got a gym membership – when I did the notorious intro tour (here’s the cardio area, machines, free weights etc) I took the view of focusing on the things I couldn’t do at the time – can’t do that, unable to this, I’ll stick with what I know…etc

Yes, after a couple of years curiosity gets the better of you and you try all the equipment, leading to questions why you didn’t do it in the first place. Yes, I have a disability and learnt adapt around things – however – EVERYBODY is in the same boat, some will find different challenges harder than overs, it’s completely natural.

My point is this – Everyone will have their own way of looking at what’s in front of them, how you set the limit or how you adapt and get around – that lies within you.

I can’t do push ups…well…enough…yet. I will do it in 5 weeks, by the end of my current training plan…in my style! 😀

All the best folks

The battle for muscle balance is a key issue for me. I strive for symmetry between left and right like everyone else. However, a major challenge with hemiplegia is the muscle development (or difficulty of) one side of the body.

The danger of ignoring this problem is that my right side grows far quicker than my left (my affected side) so I have to pay careful attention in my training and to maintain correct posture.

That being said, it would be naive of me not to question how realistic it is to expect muscle to be equal on both sides, the thing is, one of the greatest things about my strength development is seeing and feeling my left side get stronger.

So, yes my right side in general is bigger than my left but it always has been and knowing the lifelong condition, it probably always will be, BUT both sides have got stronger and will continue to do so if I keep my focus.

Everyone wants to develop and grow in some ways, mine is just a particular path.

When I finally get on stage in a disability bodybuilding category (I have a target in mind) I may not be completely symmetrical at the first but I never have been. But the goal is for the gains on both sides to be seen.

A bodybuilding show actually! 😄

I’m sat with a coffee in a tescos in Port Talbot. (The morning after Wales have beaten England in the World Cup!)

I’m not competing today, far from and off it, but it’s chance to see up close what it takes, to take inspiration from the guys and girls up on stage.

The Welsh Bodybuilding Federation also have disability category open today and whilst I’m yet to discover if anyone is competing in that, I want to support the commitment to the sport.

I’m a long way off competing, it’s there as a long term dream. BUT the ever growing knowledge and confidence gained from listening and learning has helped me put a plan in place.

I want to be here, feel the atmosphere,
Speak to the people that have made it, ask questions, that it is part of moving this forward.

When I took the decision towards the end of 2013 to ‘get fit before I’m 30’ it was with an idea in place to finally put a structure together to realise a long term dream throughout my 20’s to commit to seeing some muscle and stay healthy. With my 30th in Feb 2015 I wanted to test myself to see how fit I could get and set some goals.

Over the next few lines I hope to take through the challenges and celebrate what has been an incredible year.

Goals

I had set out 3 main goals last year, some evolved and others were a constant motivation to stay on track.

1) to have ‘defined’ muscle tone
2) to get somewhere between 10-12% body fat before my 30th
3) to run a distance race of some sort

What I didn’t expect was that with the muscle definition becoming such an exciting process my running goal concluded with a 10k in May with a time of 55 minutes 👍 – I then switched my focus to muscle strengthening for the rest of the year. I realised by the end of this year that the muscle definition goal was a bit vague but I knew that if I kept pushing with the right programme and diet, I would naturally achieve what I wanted. In terms of BF – I started at 26% and managed to get 12.6% during my latest programme , but I realised early on it was an obsession at the start and as training evolved and I was more body confident, the less I worried about the figures.

Hemiplegia Help!

My early concern was centred on any possible muscle ‘imbalance’ and being faced with lop sided abs due to my left hemiplegia. What a load of rubbish now! It was all in my head – in fact I’m proud of the muscle I’ve started to build on both sides.

A summer personal training session helped me break my own barriers when using gym equipment and I now use all of the tools available in the weights area, I’ve just adapted and found my way with the support of wrist straps. Getting body confident on my left side has, I feel, been my greatest achievement this year. I bench press, I lift, all things I thought I couldn’t do throughout my 20’s.

Seeing folks such as Josh Goodfellow of JG Fitness get on stage and highlight disABILITY bodybuilding has been inspiring. Who knows? If the first part of 2015 goes well I’d love to join them on stage one day!

My recent training programme created by Dr Jim Stoppani really highlighted the need to define your goals, training & diet and hone in exactly what you want. I’ve just completed a great shred programme to finish my first year off and intend to get straight onto a bulking course in a few days, designed to build more muscle and size.

What I initially thought was a year long dedication has developed into a great lifestyle where I have built confidence, a bit of muscle and focus with my future goals.

Il keep you all updated but thanks to everyone – family & friends for being part of this ongoing journey.

On to 2015, let’s make things happen!!

My first year of progress…