Lift-off to new life
Jason Potts reached a low point when he fell out of his wheelchair in the bathroom, cracked his head open and was too weak to pick himself up.
The once fit Nelson man was also unable to lift himself out of his wheelchair without help from others.
‘‘I was getting to a point where I couldn’t do things for myself properly or independently’’ he said. ‘‘I could barely get in and out of my chair by myself.
‘‘I was sort of digging myself a hole and doing nothing, completely nothing.’’
The bathroom fall was a catalyst for him to change his lifestyle. Two years later he has gained strength, physically and mentally, thanks to bodybuilding.
Potts has Charcot Marie Tooth disease, a neurological disorder that affects his nervous system. He has been in a wheelchair since he was nine.
Muscle atrophy means his hands are weak and his fingers are unable to grip objects. The disability is progressive so his muscles get weaker over time.
After making the decision to get himself together, Potts looked around for a physical challenge.
He had always enjoyed going to the gym, and used to play a number of sports when he was younger. He resumed playing wheelchair basketball and sought out a personal trainer online.
A friend put him in touch with Hamilton man David Robson, the founder of the New Zealand Wheelchair Body Building Federation (NZWBBF).
Potts said he didn’t know anything about wheelchair body building, let alone the fact there was a New Zealand organisation dedicated to the sport, but when he learnt about it he was keen to give it a go.
The federation is a not for profit bodybuilding organisation – the first of its kind in New Zealand – devoted to providing sporting opportunities for people with physical disabilities.
Robson drew up a training and diet plan, and from there Potts was hooked.
‘‘It was a big change, for the good.’’
He cut back on alcohol and sugar which meant his body fat dropped and his physique changed. His diet now consists of lots of chicken, broccoli, potatoes and rice.
The decision to start bodybuilding a huge impact on his health and wellbeing. He ate well and was strong enough to get himself in and out of his chair and take his beloved dog Jay to the beach at Monaco.
Before he started bodybuilding, he could bench press 20 kilograms, now he could lift almost 50 kgs.
He could now do push ups and getting in and out of his wheelchair was ‘‘a piece of cake’’.
‘‘It felt really good to be fit again.’’
Several times a week, his support worker takes him to the gym at Nelson Hospital. While he can’t use his hands, wristbands with loops allow him to do a variety of exercises with weights.
Potts said it could be tough. He doesn’t have a coach or any other wheelchair bodybuilders in Nelson to talk to about the sport.
The NZWBBF competitions were held online and competitors submitted photos of themselves in different poses for judging.
In the corner of the lounge in his Nelson home, Potts has shelves that hold his trophies and medals and a mirror he practices his poses in front of.
‘‘I’m so hooked, I compete all the time because I just love it.’’
So far, he has competed in about six events and taken home several trophies and medals, including a number for most improved.
The NZWBBF national championships is held annually in Hamilton. Potts said he would love to compete, but it was a big expense to get there and he wanted to gain more experience first.
For now, his goals are to keep up the training momentum and ‘‘bulk up’’ his muscle mass which was difficult with his disability.
His confidence has also grown. Before starting to train he never would have been comfortable taking his shirt off in front of others.
‘‘It’s the start of something great.’’