In 2006 my best mate Brad Thorn and I uncovered something remarkable.

We were relaxing at Brad’s house in Brisbane and the two of us were talking about what I could do to build my physical strength up to try to improve my overall health and wellbeing. We were trying to work around the obvious weakness in my skin to work out a gym routine that my body could handle.

We quickly realized my upper body was already very strong. Due to all the years of being wheelchair bound I guess my shoulders and arms have always had a fair amount of hidden strength that I had previously not realized.

A week or so after that day Brad got me into the Broncos gym and to our total amazement my body and my skin could handle everything we tried with zero negative side effects.

Brad then started preparing and mapping out a regular gym program and the rest as they say is history.

What I have been able to achieve in the gym is nothing short of absolutely amazing. I believe I am the only person in the world with Epidermolysis Bullosa that is able to do what I can do in the gym.

But even going beyond that fact. My current record bench press puts me at 200% or double my body weight ratio. Lifting double your body weight is no small feat let me tell you. I’m told that very few people can in fact bench press double their body weight.

It is something that I am amazed at and very proud of. I’ve worked very hard to go from once being very sick and weak to now being very health and obviously strong. If you ask me the reason I am as healthy and in such good general health these days is due to the gym work.

I owe a lot to my good mate Brad for taking the time to coach me and guide me on this amazing journey.