Mike Waller

Mike Waller

Doing what I do I get to hear the full range of reasons why people can’t make the time to exercise their body. Now reasons are real and are unavoidable. The car breaks down, you got locked out, someone’s in hospital.

However, excuses just waste YOUR time. 95% of the ‘reasons’ I hear for someone not exercising end up being ‘excuses’.

Let me share someone’s story with you that might make you reassess next time you think of turning an excuse into a reason and skipping your session.

On the 19th of December 2012, Mike was riding his motorbike, on the way to visit his mother. Mike was hit by a lorry and suffered multiple injuries, including 3 open fractures in his left leg. The medical team decided that it was in Mike’s best interests to amputate and the leg was removed above the knee.

Mike had been in a coma and woke up on Christmas Eve, in Frenchay Hospital, near Bristol. He was in hospital until the following March.When I went to visit Mike his strength of character surprised me, he wasn’t down, he was just bored with being stuck in bed. Receiving a prosthetic leg at Easter in 2013, Mike received extensive physio and walking training and was back walking with sticks by June 2013. By September 2013 Mike was back at Progress Gym for one to two sessions per week and by Christmas was up to three sessions per week. Thanks to the unrelenting friendship and assistance of Andrew Brückel Mike had decided that this wasn’t going to stop him from doing something he enjoyed.

By April 2014 Mike had already returned to work, training and was able to walk unaided. Unfortunately the physical stress of work meant that Mike was suffering with pain to his lower lumber area. After several chiropractic adjustments Mike discovered there was an underlying issue in his shoulder which was causing a weakness to his arm. Mike took a few weeks off the gym to right this issue and has returned to the gym.

Mike now gets down to Progress three to four times a week. He’s lost a stone since the turn of the year, his waist size is down from a 40 to a 36 and he’s out-lifting what he was doing prior to the accident…and THIS is why Mike is Progress Gym’s Member of the Month for June 2014. Resilience and determination. Mike, you inspire me.

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