The Most Incredible Transformation I’ve Ever Seen — Jerzy Gregorek on Cerebral Palsy and Coaching
Tim Ferriss and four-time world weightlifting champion Jerzy Gregorek discuss coaching Tajin Park, a man with cerebral palsy and autism, from failing to lift 15 pounds to bench pressing 170 and attending college.
The gist
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Gregorek says therapists act as recoverers who return people to a prior state, but people with cerebral palsy must progress forward like athletes.
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Tajin couldn't unrack a 15-pound bar, so Gregorek started at 3 pounds with tiny increases; he eventually benched 170 pounds at about 140 body weight.
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Lowering the squat box from about 20 to 23 inches down to 16 inches let Tajin squat and turn, so he could use the restroom alone.
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Gregorek paired training with math homework, tutors, and poetry; Tajin finished elementary and high school in about two years each and has 57 college units.
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Gregorek proposes a five-year study adding five people a year, trained twice weekly and assessed on physical, math, language, philosophy and belief levels.
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