Double leg amputee recently qualifies as a Gym Instructor

Shane Hurley from Welwyn Garden City has recently qualified as a level 2 gym instructor through the multi-award winning InstructAbility Programme. Shane’s goal is to prove that there should be no barriers due to disability for people using the gym and is hoping to forge a career in the fitness industry.

Shane has been a double leg amputee from 6 months old due to his mother being in contact with German measles during pregnancy. During his childhood, he has always been involved with sport in one way or another – ranging from sport activities of all kind including football, cricket, tennis and swimming.

At the age of 14 he dislocated his knee and has been having problems ever since. He did play football for the Limbless Association until the dislocations became a lot more frequent leading him to not being able to take part in any sporting activities. Things became so severe in his later 20’s, it led to him being wheelchair bound until he could have surgery to stabilize his kneecap. During this time he felt very isolated and cut himself off from the outside world as he found it hard to adjust to not being able to do any kind of physical activity. This also led to him gaining a lot of weight which did not help with his confidence and motivation.

Luckily in September 2013 Shane’s life was to change for the better, he had found out that he was finally going to have his surgery. With this news he decided that he would try and lose some weight as he knew that excess weight would put stress on his heart during an operation. He signed up for his local Slimming World and by the time he was due to have his operation in December 2013 he had already lost 16lbs.

December 2013 and Shane’s surgery day was finally here. When he was at Stanmore, he remembered that he used to be a member of the Aspire gym and decided to rejoin as soon as possible to help with his rehabilitation. The surgery was a success and as soon as the stitches were out and he could get out in his wheelchair he was at Aspire ready and motivated to train. At first, he was there 2 days a week, which soon became 3. This made Shane feel alive again and a part of the society he had cut himself off from.

One day when he was training one of the fitness instructors approached him and told him about a scheme that Aspire and InstructAbility was running to train disabled people to be qualified gym instructors. They told Shane he would be an ideal candidate as he works hard, loves the gym and had already managed to motivate many clients by seeing what he had done and through talking to him. Shane instantly applied and was accepted to take part in the course starting in October 2014.

By this time Shane was back walking around on his prosthesis, feeling so much stronger and stable on his knee. The operation was fully successful and had made him feel so much more confident. By the time he was due to start his training he had lost an amazing 4 ½ stone and was in the best shape he had ever been in. He was ready and determined to become a gym instructor, so that he could help people in a similar situation he had been in.

Since completing his level 2 gym instructor course he has increased the amount of training he does to 4 to 5 sessions a week and is now taking part in a work placement in the YMCA Watford gym. He is hoping to encourage many more disabled people to take part in exercise and hopefully take up a membership at the YMCA Watford. He is confident, when his work placement has finished, he will be able to gain a full time career in the fitness industry and is planning to do his level 3 personal trainer qualification in the near future.

“Exercise is a massive part of my life now and part of my everyday routine. If I can help one disabled person who has been in a similar situation as I was in, it will be worth all the hard work. The gym can be a place for everyone and I will work my hardest to break down these boundaries”.

Based on information supplied by Shane Hurley.