Reborn through bodybuilding.

Jason Potts suffers from Charcot Marie Tooth Disease, a rare neurological disorder that affects his nervous system. He has been in a wheelchair since he was nine.

The disease is progressive and induces muscle atrophy. Eventually it caused Potts to fall out of his wheelchair in the bathroom- he cracked his head open and was too weak to pick himself up. The event sparked Potts interest in bodybuilding.

“I was getting to a point where I couldn’t do things for myself properly or independently” he told Nelson Mail. “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.”

Potts had always enjoyed physical challenges, so he took wheelchair basketball and a friend put him in touch with David Robson, the founder of the New Zealand Wheelchair Body Building Federation (NZWBBF).

NZWBBF is a not for profit organization devoted to providing sporting opportunities for people with physical disabilities. The first challenge Robson assigned Potts was proper nutrition. He prescribed Potts a low sugar intake and prohibited alcohol. Potts says these changes alone dropped fat from his body.

A new diet featuring whole foods like chicken, broccoli, potatoes, and rice gave him fuel for the gym and treasured daily activities like taking his dog Jay to Monaco beach.
Potts can’t use his hands properly but wristbands with loops facilitate a variety of exercises. He’s increased his bench press from 20 to 50 kgs.

He says, “It felt really good to be fit again,” and managing the wheelchair became “a piece of cake.”

So far, Potts has competed in several NZWBBF events, earning accolades that recently include one for most improved.

“I’m so hooked, I compete all the time because I just love it.”

For now, Potts’s objectives are to keep up his positive momentum and bulk up as much as possible despite his disability.

“It’s the start of something great.”

For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.