If you’re waiting for the perfect conditions to start building your dream physique, you’re going to be waiting a long time. The reality of fitness is that everyone faces obstacles. Some are mental, like anxiety or lack of motivation, while others are physical limitations that seem insurmountable.
But "limitations" is often just a word we use to describe problems we haven't solved yet.
Take Will Glassner, for example. Born with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy (CP), Will deals with perpetually tight hamstrings, gait issues, and scapular winging. Yet, he didn’t let a medical diagnosis stop him from pursuing a physique worthy of a superhero. His journey proves that with the right adjustments, a solid understanding of your body, and an unshakeable work ethic, you can build muscle regardless of your starting point.
Whether you are navigating a disability or just looking for the motivation to crush your next workout, Will's approach to training, nutrition, and mindset offers a masterclass in resilience.
Finding the spark: From physical therapy to Wolverine
Will didn't start lifting weights with the intention of becoming a fitness guru. Like many of us, his introduction to physical activity wasn't exactly voluntary. It started with years of physical therapy to manage his CP, followed by stints in taekwondo and baseball to improve his coordination.
But the real turning point came in high school. He wasn't happy with his weight, and frankly, he wanted to look like a superhero. Specifically, he wanted to look like Hugh Jackman in The Wolverine.
That visual motivation is powerful. It gave him a target. He wasn't just going to the gym to "do therapy"; he was going to the gym to build armor. He started lifting five days a week, often training alongside the high school football team. While they did explosive jumps, Will modified the movements to fit his capabilities, doing bent-over rows and focused strength work.
The result? He dropped 30 pounds initially, shedding the weight he was unhappy with. But more importantly, he proved to himself that his body could change. He realized that biology isn't destiny—it's just a starting line.
Overcoming gym anxiety
One of the biggest barriers to entry for anyone—disabled or not—is the fear of judgment. The gym can feel like a hostile environment filled with genetic elites judging your every move.
Will’s experience shatters this myth. Growing up in a tight-knit community where everyone knew him as "the kid with CP," he worried about being the "disabled kid lifting weights." He feared looking out of place.
However, he found that the gym is often the most supportive place on earth. There is a strange but true correlation in fitness: usually, the biggest, strongest, and most intimidating-looking people are the kindest. They know the struggle. They respect the effort.
Will found that no one was snickering at him. If anything, people respected the hustle. The only judgment usually comes from insecure beginners. The pros? They are too busy focusing on their next set to worry about yours. Once you realize that nobody cares what you’re lifting, you gain the freedom to train for yourself.
Adapting training for Cerebral Palsy
Standard lifting advice doesn't always apply when your biomechanics are different. If you have CP or similar mobility restrictions, trying to force your body into a "textbook" barbell back squat might cause injury rather than growth.
Will’s approach is about modification, not elimination. Here is how he adjusts his training to build mass safely.
1. Ditch the ego, embrace the machines
There is a stigma that free weights are superior to machines. That is nonsense, especially if stability is an issue. Machines provide a fixed path of motion, which is crucial when you have coordination difficulties or muscle spasticity.
Will avoids barbell squats because his knees knock together due to tight hamstrings. Instead, he relies on hack squats and leg presses. These allow him to load the muscle heavily without worrying about falling over.
2. The "Tom Platts" Leg Press
To target his quads despite his hamstring limitations, Will uses a specific technique on the leg press. He places his feet lower on the platform and pushes through the balls of his feet. This "duck stance" (knees flaring out) allows for better quad activation and accommodates his natural range of motion.
3. Modifying the Deadlift
Conventional deadlifts can be a nightmare for balance. Will opts for Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) using a Smith Machine.
By doing these barefoot, he can keep his feet flat and stable. The Smith Machine removes the need to balance the bar forward and backward, allowing him to focus entirely on the hamstring stretch. He also utilizes a trick where he drags the bar lightly against his shins/knees to maintain a strict path, ensuring his lower back stays safe.
4. Unilateral work for upper body
CP often causes imbalances. Will suffers from scapular winging, particularly on his left side. If he were to do a standard two-handed lat pulldown, his dominant side would take over, and his form would break down.
The solution is single-arm work. By performing lat pulldowns one arm at a time, often crossing his arm over his body to align with the muscle fibers, he can ensure equal development and focus on stabilizing his scapula.
Nutrition: Fueling the machine
You cannot out-train a bad diet, and you certainly can't build muscle without fuel. Will’s approach to nutrition has evolved from "eat everything in sight" to a more calculated approach.
The College Bulk
During his university years, Will embraced the "dirty bulk." He needed calories, and he wasn't picky about where they came from. We are talking about $5 chicken shawarma wraps frozen for the week.
While this worked to put on mass (he gained 25 pounds in less than a year), it isn't sustainable forever. However, the principle stands: if you struggle to gain weight, you need to be in a surplus. Sometimes, quantity beats quality when the metabolism is running hot.
The Protein Myth
One interesting takeaway from Will’s journey is his stance on protein during a bulk. When you are eating massive amounts of calories (3,000+), you don't necessarily need to overload on protein.
Will found that during a bulk, hitting 0.7 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight was sufficient because the excess carbohydrates and fats were sparing the protein for muscle repair. He saves the ultra-high protein intake (up to 2 grams per pound) for when he is cutting and needs to hold onto muscle while in a calorie deficit.
The power of High-Intensity Training (HIT)
Recovery is a finite resource. For someone with CP, the nervous system is already working overtime just to coordinate basic movements. Adding volume-heavy training on top of that can lead to burnout.
Will shifted his training philosophy toward a lower-volume, higher-intensity approach, inspired by bodybuilders like Mike Mentzer. instead of doing endless sets of 12 reps, he often performs just one or two sets to absolute failure.
This method respects his body's need for recovery. It stimulates the muscle effectively without frying his central nervous system. It’s a reminder that you don't need to live in the gym to grow. You need to stimulate the muscle and then get out of the way to let it recover.
Consistency: The only secret that matters
If you are looking for a magic bullet, you are going to be disappointed. The secret isn't a specific supplement or a hidden exercise. It is showing up.
Will’s advice to anyone—disabled or able-bodied—is simple: "Don't chase the great days. Chase as many good days as you can get."
You aren't going to set a personal record every time you walk into the gym. Some days, your coordination will be off. Some days, your energy will be low. But the cumulative effect of stacking "good" days on top of each other is what builds a physique.
Your move
Will Glassner didn't let cerebral palsy define his physical potential. He assessed his limitations, found workarounds, and put in the work.
If you have a disability and want to start lifting, the first step is to consult with a physical therapist to understand your specific movement patterns. Once you know what you can and can't do safely, the gym floor is yours.
Stop waiting for the perfect circumstances. Go find your version of the "Wolverine" workout and get to work.
