Thank God for my Birth Defect
Every morning before I do my push ups, (join the 100 a Day Club at www.GrecoRomanWellness.com)
I take a few moments to express my gratitude for my many blessings, among them, being born with a potentially debilitating birth defect.
Poland’s Syndrome ranges in severity and is traditionally identified with the absence of muscle and/or deformity. My case is classified as relatively mild. Nonetheless, I was born without 25% of my chest muscles. For most of my life I hid this condition as best I could, but now I realize that being born with this birth defect is a blessing and not a curse.
Since “coming out” about this several months ago, I’ve been contacted by countless people who feel liberated enough to tell me their stories. And please, feel free to tell me yours!
Being born with a birth defect has led me to my life’s work, my insatiable passion to help people get into shape.
When I was eight years old, a pediatrician told my father “Don’t expect much physically from the boy.” Thank God my father ignored his advice. Now I’m 44 and soon to be a father to a child of my own. I remain steadfastly committed to helping the world get strong and fit.
Thank God I was born with a birth defect.
Ray Salomone
Personal Trainer and Wellness Activist
Contact Me Directly at Ray@GrecoRomanWellness.com
During my vast amounts of free time, I am also a fiction writer.
My first novel, PEACE BE WITH YOU, a psychological drama of addiction and redemption, was published in 2007.
This is the Amazon link:
My next novel, HUMAN TRAFFIC, a story of love and vengeance, will be finished sometime in the next decade.
3 Comments
June 12, 2009 at 14:30
I have a question for you..
I’m from Norway, do practise a lot of differet training. Like you I also thanks God for many things, but not my “defect” (missing pec. major). This is not potensial (left side), the good thing is that the oter muscels compensate when I’m training hard.
The best training for me is running intervalls in forest (soft ground) about 45 min. 2-3 days a week
Earlyer I’ve been trying heavy weight training, but now I go away from this. It troubles the lack of pec.major and gives the body an unbalance. You can’t really train up a mucle who’s gone.
Working with the weight of my own body is the right thing I think, like push up, boxing, gymnastic. Also have began to do more reps and this gives more effect.
Can you give me some adwise?
really liked that 100 pushup a day, I often do push up, the compensating left side (arm) is getting really strong:)
What will happen to the body? in my case when the pec on one side is not there. I’m looking for the best way of trainig for this situation.
I really wondering why you thanks God for your birth defect…
GOD BLESS YOU
YOU GAVE ME INSPIRATION:)
June 13, 2009 at 12:39
Andreas,
Many thanks for your note. I am thankful for my birth defect because it has caused me to work very hard to become the person I am. It took me many years to stop worrying about it and start embracing it. As you get older ( I am 45) you learn that no one is perfect and we all must deal with things. The birth defect has given me a reason to help others.
I like the workouts you do and if I ever give a speech in Norway, I want to run intervals with you.
My suggestion is that you add pull ups to your program along with light weights This will keep you strong without having you feel “out of balance.” To this day, when I wear a tight shirt, people look at my chest. But that’s life. If you look at the cover of my website http://www.GrecoRomanWellness.com you will see what I mean. (but look soon because we are updating photos in the next few days). See the attached document. My WARRIORS AND GODDESSES WORKOUT is a great plan for people who like to workout hard. Keep in touch Andreas. Perhaps you would like to write a short summary of yourself that my publisher would include in our upcoming book.
Ray Salomone Personal Trainer and Wellness Activist
http://www.GrecoRomanWellness.wordpress.com
August 5, 2009 at 21:43
Yes we keep in touch, I’ll make a little story for you. I’m soon getting more time to think about it. Thanks for reply:)
Greatings form Norway.. Keep up the good work!
Andreas..