The Help From Coach’s I Receive When I’m Wheelchair Bound By Craig Rankin

Hey everyone, This week I’m going to be talking about being off my feet for 2 weeks but still being able to train due to my coach’s help and guidance also talking about how I fell in love with jujitsu. The cast I wear broke so I’m wheelchair bound for 2 weeks minimum. I thought this would stop my training and delay my progression in the gym I couldn’t have been more wrong. I began last week in the wheelchair bored and frustrated both due to thinking I couldn’t train,So after watching 2 classes I love doing I approached my coach Richy Condon asked would it be possible to join his class even though, I only had one leg in action and also hopping on 1 foot between rounds so I wasn’t hopeful to say the least.

 He looked at what the classes schedule was that particular day and said “course you can do it no matter what I’m teaching we can just adapt to your needs”. Richy does this for me in every class I have for jujitsu he gives me his own time as well as class time helping me perfect moves. This is a thing i notice about SBG the coach’s don’t just do a move or sequence and move on they walk around and do it 2 or 3 times for people like myself who don’t pick it up on the first go. Anyways i went to the class Thursday and did it on 1 foot, not one person looked at me as if it was unusual that’s another reason why my gym works so good for me, I’m in an environment where I’m comfortable to go around on one foot and not have a glace or glare like my experience in other gyms.

I began the class that evening I kept practicing the one move over and over again with my good friend Éanna. This move I done my coach Richy watched me do it 4 times and the kind words of encouragement he gave filled me with pride, Then to top it all off He was that happy with my progress Richy gave me “Move of the week”.

My love of jujitsu comes from (although he doesn’t know it) Richy Condon. When John Kavanagh suggested i watch classes then do them i had no hesitation in who’s classes i was going to watch, John Kavanagh and Paddy Holohan. I do so for a few weeks then one evening Paddy was gone for a fight so class was taken by someone else, I was just on my way out the door and I stopped at the jujitsu mat heard a man teaching began listening to him, he had a presence about him one which like paddy and John he can make you listen to him and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing the last 8 months listening to everyone of his classes picking up tips and starting to think to myself I can actually do jujitsu as Richy has said to me many times its about making what works for you work. So one night I got a message on Facebook off Lee Hammond saying if I needed help to give him a shout I did exactly that, 3 days after his first fight were he won epically he didn’t take a break like other fighters would he was in the gym helping me work out my jujutsu game. He made me feel comfortable and confident that I could do this hard martial art.    

Lee showed me some moves even gave me My first Gi suit, and continually offers to help and support me. In doing Martial arts and having a physical condition I believe its important to have coach’s like Richy Condon and Lee Hammond who not only help you but go above and beyond to motivate you also. I can hand on heart say I wouldn’t be chasing my blue belt in jujitsu without these 2 coach’s guidance and help. They also teach me the importance of not hurting myself and going light in training. I love my classes cause of all this guidance and help from the 2 Lads.

 My biggest fear for the next 2 weeks was that I would gain a lot of weight being wheelchair bound so i approached Simon Mcevoy and Mark Comiskey from King Of Kings and with both their incredibly busy schedules they sorted out a plan where Mark agreed to take me on which i can’t thank him enough for . I had my first session Friday and I’m only getting the feeling in my arms back as i type this. Thank you King Of Kings Simon Mark and Stewart for your help and for restoring my faith in Personal trainers and gyms after previous bad experiences.

Next week I’ll talk about how my wheelchair has had Top fighters rolling around in it and how i was helped by other up and coming fighters in SBG. Thank you for Reading my blog. Craig Rankin.

My First Month In Straight Blast Gym. By Craig Rankin

Hey everyone, first off I’d like to thank everyone for making the last week was the best its been a great experience it meant the world to me thank you all. Secondly a lot of people have asked me what’s the condition I was born with. Basically I was born with my nerves outside of my spine and I had an operation to correct it.The doctor said I wouldn’t sit up or walk ever BUT I proved everyone wrong and fought hard as a baby, I don’t need nor do I want sympathy over it there are those worse off than myself, I’m quite lucky in life with all the wonderful people I have around me.

A lot of people have contacted me asking do they need to be in great physical shape to do MMA or have to do weights. The option to do weights is there with the great King Of Kings PT’S in SBG but if the classes are all you want to do then do it. I was in really bad shape before I joined SBG now my body shape has improved bit by bit day by day. It won’t happen over night but if you’re dedicated and work hard you will see results in the long run. 10 months on I’m in a much better place physically and mentally. So I highly recommend SBG for anyone.

Back to my blog, I started my first week in the SBG by watching the pro team training the likes of Ash Daly and Paddy Holohan to name a few, I walked in asked my rep would it be possible to watch he said it wouldn’t be a problem, so sat down and then I saw John Kavanagh and when I say I got starstruck I got starstruck, to the point were John joking said “hey Craig we’re Facebook buddies” I hand on heart said this intelligible word “awtibida.” Yep I went as thick as Forest Gump when it came to meeting the man himself, so after that I had to recover from my embarrassment so the class were doing a certain move, I plucked up the courage to speak to him again and this time I didn’t sound like a puppy in pain. “Is that hard to do?” I asked looking at him thinking “don’t go stupid don’t go stupid”, he said “No not hard at all you’ll be doing that in a few weeks”. That made me nervous and happy. Happy that he like Conor, believed in me, so I was full of confidence, the nerve part was my first class was that evening so I didn’t know what to expect I doubted whether I’d be able to train with people if they were at a better level than me and things like that. I discussed it with a few people and the general opinion was “Oh that fighting doesn’t sound good for you training wise Craig I wouldn’t do it” I have no fear now saying this but I was going to bottle it and not go the gym that evening. I was going to make up some bull excuse as to why I couldn’t do it other then the real reason, which my friend Sam explained to me. “Only you are stopping you Craig nobody else”. But Sam what if something goes wrong”, “It won’t I’ll help you through it all just do your class tonight and ring me after”. That was the best talk of many that I had received from a friend, he was a 100% right I was standing in my own way. I was scared of the unknown of it all. I was a little scared to say the least but I went down done my first class with the best striking coach in the business Owen Roddy as my first class. John had advised me to maybe go one class at a time due to not training in a year and half in case I injured myself. I walked in, told Tommy Martin it was my first class and he said “Go introduce yourself to the coach,” I said “okay will do”. Nervously I walked up to Owen, “Heya I’m Craig its my first class” he replied with one word that made the nerves disappear straight away. “Welcome”. That’s all it took to feel at home in that place. I said to him I was disabled that doing some stuff he teaches might not work for me and I apologized if this would slow him down he just said “Don’t be so silly I can modify it for you no problem at all”. Where else would I get help like that or treatment like that, only SBG. We started, I was going along fine at my own pace. Then it came to partnering up with someone, I was nervous that I would slow their progress down. So I was getting the first few moves wrong and I mentioned after the session that I was “really sorry if I slowed you down, mate”. He just replied “give over, you wouldn’t slow me down this place is all about helping each other don’t be silly.” As I was leaving I noticed John walking up I just mumbled “thank you again” (for the billionth time cause I was left star struck every time I met him) He said “You’re welcome, now did you enjoy it that is the most important thing?” “I loved it John it was brilliant”. He said that’s all that matters .I left for the Luas rang my friend, “Well how did you get on?” “I loved it Sam it was unbelievable” I squeaked on the phone. “See told you I’m always right”. (To be fair he is).

My only advantage in the gym was that one of my best friend’s was my training partner As well as doing Owen”s class, Sam and I would do some pad work 3 days a week and he’d even show me some jujitsu stuff (my love for that follows soon). So as weeks went by I got stronger and more confident also when a best friend says you’re getting fitter “I can see it in you Craig”, that fills you with all the pride in the world. Then I had coach Roddy offer to do some pad-work in the mornings that was a dream come through to be honest. He’d give me tips like “never turn your back to me” “use your height to your advantage” tips that I knocked around my head while eating food and everyday activities. You get a hard-to-describe obsession and kick out of mixed martial arts it’s hard to explain in words. So as time went by I was participating in stuff I was shown with my brothers and friends and it didn’t become a mess fight I was taking it like in training. It was going great then I got the hunger for more classes so I asked coach Karl Connon “Can I join your class please”, to which he said “Course ye can, don’t have to ask” so I had 2 classes 4 times a week plus sessions with my training partner plus some pad sessions with Karl I was and still am feeling so good it was beyond belief. Then 6 weeks into my training, disaster struck, I got home from boxing one evening and noticed a screw loose in my cast. That’s it I thought, the gym will get rid of me because I broke the cast, they won’t let me train any more. I could not have been more wrong. The cast was sent off for 6 weeks to be repaired meanwhile, I told Coach(John Kavanagh) the cast was broke he simply said “You’ll learn as much if not more by watching the class and just take notes, it’s not the end of the world” That for the first time since I was a kid that made the time I had no cast actually enjoyable, I watched every class I could for those 6 weeks and it was amazing. My friend was in Paddy Holohan’s class so I could watch what they do, the doubt in my head made me think out loud one evening and I just went “Christ I’d love to be able to do what they do” and I just had this hand placed on my shoulder and a voice say “You can fucking do it man, try it before you write yourself off”, it was Paddy Holohan. The man is an inspiration to me, he like Conor McGregor like John Kavanagh believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. So as the weeks passed I got my cast back a second time, I think you can guess what I did next I joined Paddy’s class, done my first foundation class, then went home and went the next day to hit the bags. Then I saw Paddy as he approached me and said “Listen man I find you an inspiration to me you do this while being disabled while there’s people at home doing nothing but sitting on their ass and complaining. So you’re an inspiration to me and others” he shook my hand and walked away. I was giddy as a school girl that he thought so much of me. This made me realise I accomplished something in my time in this gym I  broke free from the doubt in my head I didn’t let anything stop me and I was going to keep proving the people and myself who thought I couldn’t do it wrong, throughout the journey I  put up so many blocks for myself just from the fear of the unknown its crazy. My mental health no longer suffered, SBG thought me to have a healthy mind as well as a healthy body, The chats you’d have with class mates or even the staff, manager Ann or Jordan even the fighters when they’re not really busy training can help too. The environment is one that words fail on. A chat and a “Jordan shake” can cheer anyone up I kid you not. I want to see more disabled people in SBG because we need to pull the barrier down in society that says we can’t do things like others. Yes we can. It’s a fact. If you did what I did and watched MMA on the television and said I’d love to that BUT I’m disabled, let go of that doubt you can do it believe in yourself because I believe in myself now. To anyone reading my blog who’s in a bad place no job nothing to do in the afternoon get yourself to SBG it’ll change your life as it did mine for the better. Not just the training part but the conversations with people from all walks of life can help. Thank you  for reading my blog. Craig.

I would like to give a special mention to my best friend Stephen he constantly helps me with this blog from proof reading to spell checks to everything so thank you Sid.

  

Being “Disabled” in Mixed Martial Arts. By Craig Rankin.

Hey my name is Craig Rankin. I’m 22 and 4ft 11 (Fun fact). I was born with a condition, I say condition and not disability for a reason. The reason is as soon as the word disability is mentioned people ask “oh what’s wrong with you?”, “What can you not do?”. So I don’t label myself or let it hold me back. Ranting slightly, moving on I was born with a condition called Spina Bifida which in layman’s terms means my right leg is paralysed from the top down and I wear a cast to help me walk, you may think this is bad, its not, I can literally stab myself in the leg and not feel a thing so I count that as a win. I joined SBG 10 months ago with 3 simple goals: LOSE WEIGHT, GAIN CONFIDENCE, and learn how to DEFEND MYSELF. I’ll explain all of theses reasons shortly. But first I want explain how I went from regular gyms to a mixed Martial arts gym. I was in one gym then I fell into the habit of talking the length of time I was there, slacking from workouts and having no structure for working out at all, I’d just show up waffle the ears off the lad or lady I knew then go home put up on social media “Great session in the gym 2day”. Completely lying to myself and wasting my money. One day I joined a new gym out of my area so I didn’t know anybody and had no excuses to not train. Happy days right? Wrong. I was loving my time the first month I was there then the manager came to me and said “Hey you’re here a month so I’d like to go throw different deals with you”. I thought no big deal be fine. So when we’re both in his office he says “So 3 months for a certain price?” I said “yeah fine”. He responded with “Are you disabled, Carl?” I said ” I am indeed. And it’s Craig”. “Oh Yeah. Sorry mate can you get me a doctors note please?” “I sure can”. Got the note, gave it to him, then went training. He called me aside the next day, “Craig I’m sorry to say this but I’ve reviewed your situation and we don’t have the insurance to cater for your needs I’m afraid, but you can train for today then move on”.

I wish I could tell you that this motivated me into proving that guy wrong, but it didn’t. I spiralled into an eating frenzy, I  put on weight and was wheelchair bound for a year. I was hopeless, and at the time I didn’t think, but looking back I was definitely depressed. I had no ideas to pull me out of this rut I was in and nothing seemed to be inspiring me at all. One day I was watching tv and “cage fighting” came on. They were talking about a new Mixed Martial arts sensation that had exploded within my age group. Conor McGregor. I was intrigued with him as he was Irish so I kept watching. Two days later, I’m in McDonald’s with my friends and Conor McGregor walks in to get a coffee. I said to my mate “will I get a pic with him?”. So he walked out of the bathroom and I said “Excuse me, Conor?” He replied ” A picture is it brother, yeah no problem, at all”. Got the pic. I was expecting him to leave straight away but he didn’t he stayed and talked to me for 10 minutes maybe more. In those 10 minutes I’ve never listened to someone with so much self-confidence nor have I been more fascinated by a human being in all my life. He said to me “would you do the training yourself?”. Me being shy, I said “Eh I can’t I’d love to, though but I’m disabled” Conor looked at me and said “So?” Then shook my hand and left. I was curious as to why he didn’t label me like other people and gyms did, maybe he was being kind I thought. Few weeks later on a Monday morning I was watching Ireland AM. Conor was on it with his coach John Kavanagh promoting their newly built gym ‘Straight Blast Gym’. I watched and listened how they’d take anyone from all walks of life. It got me thinking about joining myself. Maybe they could help me. Doubts in my head set in so I left it a few weeks before ringing up.

I called up, said my name booked a consultation, spoke to a really nice guy named John. (I didn’t know it was  the”Godfather” of MMA John Kavanagh, at this point). He told me they could cater to my needs so I went down to SBG and it was a fantastic set-up, but the negative side of me said “you can’t do this”, so I bottled it once more. Got fatter, lazier and more depressed. During this time my friend joined SBG so I got to watch the classes while he done them. Every fibre of my being wanted to do it but the voice in my head said “yea right you can’t do that and even if you try you’ll just slow down the others”. So one night at around 1.20 am as I drank a whole 2l bottle of coke I reached breaking point, and just said “f*ck it i wanna do this”. So without thinking or consideration to John I messaged him on Facebook, “hey I know you have people you hire to answer these questions but can your gym cater for wheelchair users? He replied “I can answer your question, yes we can.” So a few weeks later I got back on my feet as I was given a new cast to help me walk so I was full of motivation and happiness. Took a picture of myself standing in the mirror for the first time in 12 month’s. That was the best feeling I had in a year, then a comment on the picture that made me giddy as a schoolgirl, “That’s fantastic news, congratulations” John Kavanagh wrote. I was taken back that someone with such a high profile would take the time to contact me and wish me well. So I booked into another consultation with the gym again. A guy called Conor, who would later be my Rep, showed me around again, I said yeah sounds brilliant I want join. Until they asked me to get a doctor’s note, I was terrified that they would say no, But they didn’t, in fact they welcomed me with open arms and offered me lots of help.

I said thank you to my Rep but he replied, ” You’re welcome but you should really thank John” so I did just that, later on in the day I messaged John on Facebook and said “Thank you John you’re very kind with the help you’ve offered me” and his response was something I’ll never forget.

He said. “hey its an honour to have a real fighter in my gym, you’re welcome”. That reply meant the world to me. So now 10 months into the journey I’m steadily losing weight, my confidence is sky high and although its 2015 I still get the odd guy (and it’s always a guy) who shouts “cripple” or limpy stuff like that well now I can defend myself from people like that and SBG has taught me not pay attention to small minded idiots. Now the best part of Straight Blast Gym is I’ve made a lot of good friends, even with the trainers. It’s a home away from home and I can’t imagine life without it.

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Next week I’ll be talking about random act of kind words from Paddy Holohan made me push further into training and other trainers helping me too.

Thank you for taking the time too read my blog. Message me some feedback good or bad, all welcome.

Thanks, Craig.