Graham is our inspirational 70 year young member who trains each week with Coach Joel. Graham is an inspiration to others in his work ethic and has some incredible strength under his belt, competitive with lifters half his age! He also has plenty of banter to dish out! We interviewed him about his story.
What brought you to SMA?
“I was training with Joel and came to SMA for a different style of training, mainly lifting weights and cardio to increase strength.”
What are the biggest challenges that training has helped you overcome?
“ I have Ankylosing Spondylitis in my neck (an inflammatory type of arthritis that affects the joints of the spine) which is a debilitating disease which I have fought against, many people end up very rounded from it. Strength training helps my muscles stay strong and functional which helps to fight against the spread of the disease”
How have you improved since training?
“I am much stronger since training with Joel, used to deadlift about 60kg, now my top deadlift is 165kg, and have also improved bench and squats with a recent personal best of 110kg on squat.”
What do you enjoy about training at SMA?
“Joel challenges and pushes me but also controls and tailors the training to me. But I always give and extra rep at the end of the session!”
Give Graham a high five and fist bump next time you see him, what a legend!
The SMA Team
Be a Better Human
Be a Better You
More Than Just a Gym
