Name: Walker Runnels (AKA The Big Dogg or Wheelman J)

Email: Wcbbrepbigdogg@gmail.com

Date of Birth: April 3, 1987

Off Season Weight: around 110 lbs

In Season Weight: around 110 lbs

Year Started Training: 2003

Favorite Exercises: Modfied push ups, Pullups, Lat Pulldowns, Machine Benches, and Reverse Machine  Benches : (I can't really use free weights)

Favorite Bodyparts to Train: Everything I can possibly train

WCBB: What happened? Why are you in the Wheelchair?
Walker: When I was born I had/have Spastic Cerebral Palsy, with the left side being dominant, meaning that I have about 80% normal usage on my left and 20% normal usage on the right side of my upper body. I have almost no lower body control or use, with and moderate muscle weakness and poor muscular endurance throughout my body, due to muscular spasticity and joint contractures. Please see the link below for more information.
Wikipedia - Spastic Diplegia

WCBB: Why did you get started?
Walker: Since I've been old enough to remember and act on my thoughts, I've perpetually been trying to improve myself in the facets of life I enjoy the most. Having said that, I've always held an astounding amount of fascination and respect for feats and displays of strength of both the body and mind, but only when it's wielded with a humble mind and righteous heart.  As I found out more about the sport of Wheelchair Bodybuilding and the competitors and people involved, I was blown away. First, because I wasn't even aware it was humanly possible to get in as good a shape as these guys and gals are, without the use of their legs, but that reason was mostly superficial, visual shock. It wasn't until I met some them in the flesh and spoke with them, that I fully realized the kind of inspiring, hardworking, and friendly people that I had involved myself with truly hit me. For me, it was something out of Hollywood and ever since, I've really enjoyed competing and helping to further our cause of Wheelchair Bodybuilding (WCBB) whenever and whatever ways I possibly can. Most importantly however, I want Wheelchair Bodybuilding to have a respected and well-known place that will be forever engrained in the worlds of Wheelchair Sports, Bodybuilding and the worlds of overall fitness and athletics. Worlds that we all love so much, think about constantly, and are so thankful to be a part of everyday. We want that place to remain, to grow powerfully and honorably every year, until the day cures come, and long term usage of wheelchairs is no longer needed anymore by anyone.

WCBB: What made you want to become a Wheelchair Bodybuilder?
Walker: The effects all the Wheelchair Bodybuilders have on my desire to train for the sport is unreal. With incredible mindsets and physiques to match, and as a bonus they are all very cool and fun to be around. They are all my friends, and people I look up to, both for their bodybuilding training, and their outlook on life. I will tell this right now, out of all the muscles they flex, their hearts will always be the biggest. I know that sounds kind of "girly man" to say something like that, but it's true. Furthermore, it's exactly that kind of emotion I get from all of them. That's what makes me more comfortable and better able to deal with the fact that I am most likely confined to a wheelchair for my entire life. While I don't think any of us would turn down a chance to someday get better and get our bodies back at a hundred percent and beyond, we all have this sport as our shared passion. It is an outlet that is very important to us, and we would like to thank everyone for being fans and supporters. So, keep spreading the word and helping us out as we work to help others. And for always being the biggest reason, along with all the able-bodied Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure competitors, for all the support in making the sport continue to grow, helping it to get noticed and making our dreams continue to come true. Thanks again everyone we are all eternally grateful.

WCBB: How did you go about doing it?
Walker: I started working out and Bodybuilding at aged Sixteen, to help both my body and mind. Trying to constantly push both to their limits, all the while always encouraging others to do the same. I was introduced to the sport of Wheelchair Bodybuilding a few years ago by my cousin, Abby (she was a personal trainer at time), who told me about seeing Patrick on the internet. One thing lead to another, as they say, and I was then eased into competing by Patrick Laugerude. Nick "The Beast" Scott and all the other Wheelchair Bodybuilders who I've met so far, took me under their collective wing and made me feel at home. Because of that chance encounter, I now feel as if I have a true purpose in life, and let me tell everybody who reads this; to feel that way about something in your life truly makes you feel amazing, almost superhuman. I am now a Wheelchair Bodybuilder and a representative on behalf of the sport of Wheelchair Bodybuilding (WCBB).

WCBB: What motivates you?
Walker: Striving to achieve my goals in life, which are as follows: My overall goal is to help make Wheelchair Bodybuilding and all of its related sports, bigger and better than ever. Get tons more fans and hardworking, dedicated competitors for our sport of Wheelchair Bodybuilding (WCBB) so it will grow. My dream is that when we are all really old men and women and we die, we can leave behind a well respected sport for all future generations of Wheelchair Bodybuilding competitors and fans that come after our time, which hopefully will be even bigger by that time, so that Wheelchair Bodybuilding will forever have a well-built and strong (puns strongly intended!) foundation.

I'm always trying to improve in all ways. And in all the facets of life that are important to me. Believe me most assuredly, when I say I'll never stop or settle for less than greatness in whatever I pursue, throughout my life. I'll then use that greatness and the level of influence I gain from it, to help people throughout my life, because it is and always shall remain, one of my strongest beliefs that while you should never allow yourself to be overly vulnerable, gullible or get taken advantage of, you should, if you ever find yourself in a position to share positive knowledge and give your time and positive action to help people with your talents, skills, physical and mental strengths, encourage the people that you helped or who you are helping, to do the same for others someday, in the hopes of creating a never-ending cycle of good, you should try to do so. I for one know that that's the kind of legacy I want to leave in the wake of my eventual passing, and whether or not I'll get any chances to reach such a potent position while alive, remains to be seen.

All I know is the world could always use more heroes and forces for good. To try to be one of them has always been one of my deepest desires. Frankly, it's not now myself I desire to have remembered, but my message of how I believe everything should be, and for my fellow humans to always be aware that one needn't be super rich, innately talented or in a position of power or fame to change the world around them. They just have to start small, somewhere they can have the most real impact, such as a small area around where they live, if possible. Not too dangerous, and then build confidence and momentum upon that, and also stay grounded enough throughout their existence to never become too cocky and forget their own beginning struggles, regardless of whatever heights of success they may reach. Or conversely, to become bitter when they slip up and are cast headlong into rock bottom pits of failure they may fall into and have to climb back out of. Only a true fool and an enemy of their own forces of creation would do such a thing, and I don't know anyone who looks good in a jester hat. 

Another never-ending goal of mine is to encourage people to make fitness a lifelong, unshakable part of their daily lives, just like breathing. Whether they are disabled or not, be it just one person or millions of people. And don't think I'm just talking about fitness and working out either. I would also like to be a positive force in people's lives and inspire them to go after their biggest dreams and goals, whatever they may be. By my own self-admittance I wish I could get everyone in the world to do so, or at the very least to try, but that's not going to happen with everybody, no matter how bad I want it. People themselves have to want it too. That's the internal self-possessed key, and one I cannot turn for others, so I've compromised with myself; even if I can motivate just one out of every thousand people who see me or read my words, to spark enough of a desire to chase theirs with unwavering boldness, enthusiasm, and persistence of some degree throughout their entire lives, within my lifetime and hopefully also many others long after my death, I'll be a very happy individual. One thing however, that I try hard never to do is make others, disabled or not, feel forced into doing anything they don't want to do. If their efforts are only being fed by someone's desires for them, then that person will never live up to their own abilities. So even though I'm very, very passionate about these subjects, please keep in mind as I ramble on, you have to do what's best for you and no one else.

I just want to have a positive impact on individuals of the world, and try to help them to realize and become more aware of their inner power. If your will is to at least have some degree of positive influence on yourself and possibly others who are willing to listen, to take responsibility for themselves and mold themselves through their own careful crafting, into someone who, at the end of their lives turns into someone who they would be happy to take credit for, even if at times it's an unpleasant process.

Lastly, and most importantly, I would like everyone to use their bodies to the fullest, and to the best of their abilities. This is partly due, I guess, to my envy; desiring everyone to get the most out of what I can't have. Selfish expectations I know, but good intentioned. The other half is just my pure amazement at what a determined, fully able bodied person is capable of if they really give continuous, unwavering effort and want to do something.

In the end however, I am aware that the words and even actions of others, can only do so much to prompt their fellow human beings to strive for their fullest potential, or for that matter, to help others try and achieve theirs. I wish I, or at least my words, could do more, but at some point they have to take hold of the wheel so to speak and control their own destiny and happiness. Facing those facts, I've done my best. Again, I wish I could take certain actions or say a magical spell or something to make people realize how powerfully they can live and/or inspire others to do so, if they wanted to. But it's your life, and I guess the rest is up to you.

I do also understand that at times my nearsighted, "listen to your inner voice and you can achieve greatness and change the world around you mindset", does not always comfortably fit with, or appeal to, every situation or circumstance in life you either are facing or may face in your future. I will tell you now that I do not have, or claim to have, all the answers on the best ways to live. Thank goodness I don't either, because I can't answer that many emails everyday! Haha! And believe it or not, I still do battle everyday with past regrets, personal demons, unshakeable fears, and what not, but I do try my best everyday to give my best efforts, energy, and moods to the people and things in life I love. Listen everyone, all I'm saying to you, is to try and do the same as often as you can, but it's your life and I guess the rest is up to you. I just hate to see my fellow human beings waste their lives in self-resented mediocre standards without ever exploring the power they have to possibly change their own suffering.

WCBB: What supplements do you take?
Walker: I am currently not taking any supplements to aid in my training. However, some of my past favorites that I have bought either from Bodybuilding.com or from retail stores include:
Met-Rx Big 100 Bars
BSN Syntha-6
AST Multi Pro 32X

Ones I would like to try out in the future include (in case companies are looking! Haha!):

Met-Rx 100% Ultramyosyn Whey
SciVation Xtend
Muscle Pharm Bullet Proof
Muscle Pharm Assault
Egg Whites International 100% Pure Liquid Egg Whites
Optimum Opti-Men

WCBB: What is your training?
Walker: Due to highly embarrassing and extremely frustrating issues I have with my strength and endurance levels I don't follow any set reps/sets. The  brain damage I suffered at birth that caused my case of Cerebral Palsy doesn't ever get any worse, but the spasticity and joint contractures that are most often some of side effects of CP do. Even more so as I age, due to the high strain the unnatural forces place everyday on my bones, joints, and muscles. So, I don't follow any ?set in stone' reps/sets plan on any given day. However, I do have guidelines I try and follow. I work out every day or sometimes every other day. I do two exercises a day and I aim for 5-10 reps for as many sets as I can do before my muscles force me to quit with as little rest between sets as I can manage for whatever, if any, cardio benefits I can get. 

WCBB: Do you have any suggestions or tips for others?
Walker:

1. Supplements can only aid a good workout and or diet plan. They can never replace it.

2. Exercise must be accompanied be a decent meal plan everyday, to get the best results.

3. Always stay humble in victory and hungry in defeat. Pride yourself on staying in control of yourself and mastering your own will, because every time your able to do so successfully, it's like a muscle, you'll get better at it and of all the things in this world, your own sense of self is the hardest to keep a hold of and to share with others, but also that level of our awareness and consciousness  remains one of the most precious possessions we mortals can ever have and show to other living beings who we like and love.

4. You only get one body and mind; take care of them, and please use the heck out of them out of a show of respect for people like me and a whole lot worse.

5. Stay active your entire life if possible.

6. Fitness should be a life-long journey for people and not some on-again off-again fad. I mean, who doesn't have at least one hour a day to workout or at least move around a bit and get their heart pumping? In 95% of all cases, any and all excuses are just sad and pathetic.

7. Never give up.

8. Never allow yourself to openly believe you know everything on a subject or are superior to anyone else in any way; it will end up making you look stupid.

9. Always give your best, most focused efforts and moods in everything you do, even on seemingly easy tasks, because even if you don't see the point, others who look up to you might be watching.

10. Never allow your dreams or sense of imagination to fully die off, if you do, you've suffered the worst death possible.

11. Be your own very best friend and hero, don't ever lose sight of where you've been, who you are, or who you want to be in life.

12. Laughter can make even the most horrific situations better, if only for a while.

Lasty I shall conclude my words with some of my all-time favorite quotes, because quotes are awesome in that they say so much, with so little words, unlike myself! Enjoy!

"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however is to change it."

- Karl Marx

"What we think or what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do."

- John Ruskin

"To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."

- Lewis Cass

"There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't allow yourself to become one of them."

- Ralph Marston

"It's never too late to become what you might have been."

 - George Elliot

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to ones courage."

- Anais Nin

"Don't let what you can't do interfere with what you can do."

- John Wooden, UCLA Basketball Coach

"Your body hears everything your mind says."

- Naomi Judd, Singer/Songwriter

"If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place."

- Nora Roberts

"The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer."

Walker: Other Information to Consider
If you or your company or organization is of further interest and have any questions, comments, suggestions, interviews, TV/media offers, motivational speaking offers or would like to know about more ways in which you can help us to hasten the growth and expansion of Wheelchair Bodybuilding, please feel free to contact and learn more about everything from our organization's President/CEO/Founder, Nick "The Beast" Scott at the following links. Once again, thank you all for your time and support.
Contact
Nick Scott