Train for Gain

By Kathryn Lekas

When you think of a bodybuilder, what image comes to mind? Perhaps that of a large man, with massive muscles bulging from every inch of his body, and veins in his arms and legs that look as though they are going to explode? With the introduction of “natural bodybuilding,” that look has changed – and so have the athletes who participate in this increasingly popular sport.

Ana Mera-Johnston, 30, of Toronto stands five feet tall and weighs in at about 110 pounds. Ana is a bodybuilder. Such a good one, in fact, she’s managed to snag a number of championships and titles since she began competing in the sport three years ago. Ana is among a new breed of bodybuilders who come in all shapes and sizes, and from very different backgrounds. These athletes are not popping steroids to get results and respect in this intense sport. Natural bodybuilding athletes like Ana prove it is possible to achieve an incredible physique through good old-fashioned hard work and sweat – even when you have a disability.

Ana’s left leg was amputated at the knee after a car accident when she was younger. She endured a long period of depression – that is, until she discovered bodybuilding. Ana says that getting involved in the sport completely changed her life and how she felt about herself. “People used to tell me that my body and performance would never be the same,” she says. “Well, they were partially right. My body and performance are not the same. They are much better than before!”

Ana says she is much more active now than she was before the accident and she feels great about her body. She claims bodybuilding is the best sport she could have been involved in, as it has given her confidence and the chance to rebuild her self-esteem like nothing else in her life.

And people notice. “People see me differently. They see a strong, dedicated and determined woman. If I hadn’t found bodybuilding, I probably still wouldn’t dare to appear at the beach or the pool and show my leg. Before bodybuilding, I was embarrassed to show who I really was.”

Ana is just one of many athletes with disabilities who have taken up this dynamic sport, finding a great sense of pride in themselves.

Ryan Ortizo is a young man from Montreal with a big dream. Ryan, who has scoliosis, aspires to grace the pages of health and bodybuilding magazines, proving to everyone, including himself, just what he is capable of.

“I wanted to show people that I can do whatever a person without disabilities can do, and earn respect,” Ryan says. “I call myself the underdog of underdogs. I wanted to prove to myself that I can take the sport of bodybuilding to another level.”

And it has gone to new levels. Thanks to groups like the World Natural Sports Organization (WNSO), who strictly run drug-tested, natural events, Ryan is getting that much closer to realizing his dreams. The WNSO is Canada’s largest natural bodybuilding and fitness organization, operating events such as the national Fitness and Model Expo (FAME).

Jeff Kippel and Mindy Blackstein, co-founders of the WNSO, say it was important for them to add a disability division to their competitions so that all athletes who train hard can participate, having the opportunity to compete in a comfortable, rewarding atmosphere. Ana finds the support encouraging, saying that organization staff “help you relax and have fun when you’re about to step on stage. They make the event that much more enjoyable.”

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of FAME 2003, held in May, was when Lauren Stromme, a bodybuilding athlete who uses a wheelchair, brought the audience to its feet in a standing ovation.

Nicole McGrath, competing in the Fitness Model Search at FAME, remembers how that moment impacted her: “Seeing Lauren Stromme on the stage brought tears to my eyes – because finally, people like my sister – who has a severe mental disability – are getting the opportunity to shine in the limelight.”

Now that the opportunity is available, how does one get started in bodybuilding? It certainly requires a great deal of dedication and knowledge – the more you learn about the sport, the better prepared you’ll be. And the first thing to know is that starting won’t be easy.

Ryan says he had many obstacles to overcome when he first started. “Due to my disabilities, I would get constant pain,” he explains. “My body was not ready for the kind of physical stress I was about to put it through. Physically, mentally, emotionally, I was fatigued and drained from each workout.”

Due to the intensity of the sport, Dr. Anthony Michael Galea of the Institute of Sports Medicine, says it’s important to go slow. “Do not do too much too fast,” he cautions. “The muscle grows at a certain rate and you don’t want to overload the tendons. Gains will come and definition will come, but you must be patient to see results.”

Dr. Galea says that in addition to the self-esteem gains, there are many physical benefits that come from actively pursuing this sport. One of the best things about bodybuilding, which you may not find with other sports, he says, is the focus on symmetry and balance. Bodybuilding sculpts the entire body to create a unified look, therefore developing all muscle groups, whereas other sports may isolate and improve only particular areas of the body.

Dr. Galea contends that bodybuilding also helps with bone density issues and decreases associated joint injuries. A physical disability may make one more susceptible to injuries, so he recommends bodybuilding as a great strengthening and conditioning activity for the entire body.

The most important advice when starting out, though, he says, is to work with a trainer in order to learn the proper basics.

Personal trainer Brigitte Blais says being prepared is the key to success in this sport. Brigitte says it’s important to consider your own particular needs. Learn what exercises and equipment work best for you. And, of course, consider nutrition. Brigitte recommends that athletes “take inventory of your eating habits. Make changes gradually, but change them for good.” If you stick to your program, she says, you will see results!

Is all the hard work worth it? According to Ryan, he couldn’t be happier. “People say the mind is a powerful thing. By competing, I try to prove to them just how strong it really is. Bodybuilding gives me discipline and makes me physically and mentally stronger, making me more focused and determined in anything I do.”

If you are interested in competing, you can begin by entering regional competitions, to gain some experience. The WNSO operates shows in most major Canadian cities (Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Halifax) that lead up to the national competition at FAME in Toronto. And once you’ve conquered those stages, you can hit the world championships!

Keep yourself informed. Visit forums on the WNSO website (www.wnso.com) to talk with other athletes about your experiences, and share ideas and tips! It’s a great way to meet people with a common goal.

Ryan Ortizo is continuing to reach his potential. “People see my disability as a weakness; I see it as my strength,” he says. “It’s what keeps me going.”

(Kathryn Lekas is the media contact for the World Natural Sports Organization. She can be reached at (416) 835-2534.)


CHARLES ATLAS KICKED SAND IN MY FACE

BY MICHAEL P. AMRAM

At the age of ten I began lifting weights with my dad. Every night we would spend an hour doing the exercises, step by step, out of a book. We would take turns spotting each other on the more difficult or dangerous lifts. As precarious as a tightrope walker, I would brace myself over my dad to spot him. The reality was that I probably would not have been of much help had he dropped the weight. I had sustained a brain injury at the age of five from a car accident, resulting in ataxia, or reduced muscular coordination.

When my dad brought home the video “Pumping Iron,” I was hooked. I knew from that moment that I wanted to be like these guys. I admired the discipline, the personal satisfaction, the look and feel of a well-developed body, and even the dream of being before an auditorium of people, showing what you had worked so hard to achieve.

As I entered junior high, in some attempt to elude bullies, a friend and I would ride our bikes the half mile every day to the YMCA. There, we would go through our routines. I would see those who were bigger than me, as big as I might be one day.

The patronizing admiration of fellow lifters would at times make me mad, like my humble pursuit was being applauded as some great deed. In time, though, I realized what physical benefits this provided to someone with problems in muscular coordination.

In high school, when the bullies’ teasing and tormenting had stopped in the name of maturity, I began to work out in my school’s weight room. Day after day I would enter that room before school, noting the sign at the door: “Wishing Won’t Work, Working Will.” The logic of that sentiment moved me to push myself.

A decade ago I set a real goal of bodybuilding. Early on, I would sometimes be mistaken for being intoxicated. Because of the ataxia I have poor balance and an awkward gait, and back then it looked like I didn’t do much to keep myself in shape. These embarrassing situations have rarely happened since I really committed myself to bodybuilding. If someone is fit and muscular, he is not suspected of sitting and drinking all day. If only for this reason, the lifelong endeavour I started in junior high has paid off for me. More and more, the muscles are the first thing people notice, not the ataxia.

One thing I have learned, and stood by all these years, is that, in bodybuilding, it is not necessarily the amount of weight lifted that’s important – it is how the weight is lifted and how many times. I read that one key to building honest muscle is to go beyond pain. Many times I leave the gym with muscles aching long afterwards. I drink plenty of protein within a half hour of the workout and I can feel the muscles rebuilding, a sure sign to me that I have done an effective workout.

It is amazing to me that, no matter how much I lift, no matter how capable I am of opening a door myself, people will still hold it for me. At times they do it when I am still a distance away! They’ll hold the door open and inch their nimble fingers the whole width of the door, making certain that I won’t have to bear any of weight myself.

After seeing the video “Pumping Iron” at the age of 12 I have made lifting weights a daily routine. I was driven by bullies, insulting cops or bouncers who misjudged me, and patronizing older people who think I fit every stereotype of a person with a disability. Now, I am driven simply by my own desire to succeed.