As the title suggests there is no difference training with a disability than anyone else, in fact the way that I see it is that we have the ability to see the world through a different lens. The comments below are of current U7 gym and U7 Performance members who show having a disability does not need to affect you, and that you can continue to do what you love.

George Greenway - England Deaf Cricket Men’s Captain

“I have been profoundly deaf since I was 8 months old. My mum and dad sent me to mainstream school when I was 8, so for as long as I can remember I have been surrounded by ‘able-bodied and able-hearing’ people. Which always made me feel included and motivated me to push myself as much as I could do, to prove that being deaf didn’t hold me back.
I’ve played cricket since I was 10 and have always loved sport. I joined the gym when I was 17 and have always been extremely interested in improving my performance and strength for cricket and ensuring I move as well as I can. Joining U7 has helped me focus more on my performance. They’ve been great since day 1 and I can’t wait to see how the winter goes before getting back into cricket to see how much progress I have made. The equipment and testing they have provided has helped me understand more about my performance, and how and where I can keep improving and making progress in my game.”

Oscar Knight - Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Squad U22

“Exercise and gym have been very beneficial to both my mental and physical health. Gym has given me a lot more freedom. Being able to increase strength has allowed everyday life a lot easier. Living in an area full of hills, being able to push up them to get to wherever I need to go is very rewarding. Exercise and gym have also introduced me to loads of amazing people who I would’ve never met without both. Gym has also helped me develop in wheelchair basketball. I am now a part of the GB academy and have represented the GB academy in 3 friendly games against Spain U22s and had the privilege of being captain in one of those games. Without gym work with my S&C coach Matt Handford, I would never of been able to get to an elite level and I wouldn’t of progressed as far as I had without his programs and the amount of work in the gym we’ve put in over the years.”

Matthew Handford PhD student and U7 Performance Lead Coach

“My name is Matt and I have an eyesight condition called Nystagmus which means that my eyes move side to side uncontrollably. I see as you do, however, I just cannot see far distances to the extent that I am unable to drive. I used to hate the fact that I had a disability as I felt different to others and felt that I would never truly succeed. However, if it wasn’t for my disability, I wouldn’t be the determined person I am today. I believe if it wasn’t for my eyesight, I would not have succeeded nor pushed myself as I have done. I hold both a BSc and MSc in strength and conditioning and currently I am a PhD student researching in the realms of strength and conditioning.

The great thing is that the gym doesn’t care whether you have a disability or not. Exercises can be adapted to suit any individual. U7 represents this whether you are a bodybuilder or training for sports performance, or whether you are disabled or not, everyone is there to better themselves and everyone wants the best for each other.”