INSPIRATION

ANDRÉ SLABBERT wants bodybuilding shows in South Africa to have disabled representation . Compared with the long journey that he has made since a near fatal shooting in 2012 , this challenge does not seem insurmountable for the Centurionbased bodybuilder and personal trainer , who gives new meaning to the saying “ that which does not kill us , makes us stronger ”.

Your life changed in a matter of minutes on 30 August 2012 . What happened ? I was shot in the neck in an attempted hijacking . I drove straight into a concrete wall while trying to get away from the hijackers . I was dead for 10 minutes and 25 seconds . Doctors revived and stabilised me . I was later told I would never walk , talk or compete in bodybuilding shows again due to multiple injuries . All that I had in my head was to get back to where I was before as a bodybuilder and personal trainer . I was in an induced coma for months to allow my body to heal and to get through the pain . When I came out of the coma I was moved to a rehabilitation facility . It took 150 days of fighting to survive , to recover and to walk and talk again . The journey back to a normal life was extremely difficult , and although I ’ ve had moments of doubt along the way , the thought of stepping on stage again motivated me to not give up ! I ’ m particularly grateful for all the support and encouragement I have received over the past few years . It has been invaluable . The fact that I can walk and talk and function is nothing short of a miracle . I ’ m nothing without God .

Have you made a full recovery ? I ’ m still in recovery and follow a weekly rehabilitation programme . The nerves in my hands and legs were badly damaged and I need to exercise on a daily basis , which is not a bad thing when you ’ re a bodybuilder ! My goal is to compete at the next show that caters for disabled bodybuilders .

ANDRÉ ’ S BULKING SHAKE : 35g of whey protein ( isolate / concentrate / hydrolysate )

20g of casein protein 10g of L-glutamine

10g of creatine monohydrate

400ml full-cream , lactose-free milk

2 bananas

100ml full-cream yoghurt

2 tbsp peanut butter

When you got out of hospital after your hijacking incident you weighed 64kg . How did you bulk up ? I immediately started building my strength and still follow the same routine . I believe the body will counter extreme conditions and wants consistency when it comes to diet and training . To this day I still drink the same high calorie shake I used when I got out of hospital . I drink this shake four times a day with my usual meals .

Tell us what it felt like , after months of training and dieting , to stand backstage at your first competition as a disabled athlete ? It was the NABBA Provincials in 2015 . I entered the over 45 years division and , although I was extremely nervous , no one even looked at me in a weird way or treated me differently than other athletes . Organisers Manie and Alet Lemmer asked me to share a few words with my fellow athletes . It was an amazing experience and from that moment I knew the stage is where I belonged ! Since then I have competed at other competitions , such as the Rossi Classic in 2015 where I achieved 3rd place in the disabled category .

Has bodybuilding always been a way of life for you ? Bodybuilding is one of the most competitive sports in the world , but I find no aspect of it to be overly difficult . It is all about how you apply yourself . I see bodybuilding as an art form and not just about what you eat and how you train . It is either in your DNA or it isn ’ t . I believe we should have disabled representation at more shows in South Africa . Disabled athletes go though the same prep as able-bodied bodybuilders and should be given the opportunity to compete . There are many talented disabled bodybuilders out there and they only need a platform where their hard work , dedication and discipline can be acknowledged and rewarded . I ’ m appealing to all federations , role players , organisers and sponsors to give us , the disabled component of this majestic sport , a chance to compete at your shows . Anyone is welcome to contact me regarding disabled representation at bodybuilding shows .

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Muscle Evolution

Slabbert1968 Andre Slabbert AndreSlabbert99 @ gmail . com