Carl talks to Claude Sinden, who has is affected by a partial paralysis that can strike at any time, meaning that from one day to the next, Claude never knows if he will be able to walk.
Claude talks about the effect of his condition upon his mental health, the ways in which Claude is determined to defy his limitations in order to achieve physical mastery and how he uses the power of positive thinking in order to overcome the greatest of adversities.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
There are no symptoms to Claude’s condition and it remains undiagnosed. This is especially frustrating for him, as life cannot be planned ahead. This uncertainty has become second-nature.
When mobility returns, Clause must endure the process of learning to walk all over again. He likens it to a child learning how to walk. He must literally regain the knowledge of how to move his legs through physiotherapy and training.
Mind-set is a great equaliser, and can give those with disabilities, the will and strength to succeed wherever possible. Although physical limitations can close certain avenues, the mind can always open new doors and possibilities.
Claude’s frustrations at school vented themselves as anger. This led to more isolation, and a growing sense of resentment at his medical condition.
The most important thing to remember about people in your own lives who may be going through the same rejection and isolation through some kind of trauma, is that talking helps. Reach out. Make sure they are being heard.
Wheelchair boxing became an outlet for Claude. He began to partake with the HKA and his son Jack. Their activities were soon noticed by the media, who took great interest in the work being done.
Being undiagnosed makes things harder as the recommended treatments are so haphazard, and so are the results. Claude has been forced to resign himself to not walking, even though it is technically possible again. The disappointment requires a constantly positive mind-set.
The assumption among the public is that because you’re in a wheelchair, you must be weak. The reality is that Claude can outperform many of the people at the gym.
Talking about your problems and issues can do as much for them as it can for you. People facing challenges are always looking for ways of defeating them, and may be inspired by the things you say. Talking is everything.
People are sometimes amazing in training, bu they lose it completely when they are in a fight scenario. Claude felt this experience in his first fight, but soon came to realise that he needed to use his already well-developed mind-set in order to be an effective sorting fighter.
Claude thrives on helping other people, especially those in his situation. The feeling of giving someone confidence and empowerment is the greatest feeling of all.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I don’t plan tomorrow. I go day by day’
’There’s less mileage on these legs than anything!’
‘I wasn’t the rough and tough person I had been at school’
‘I want to help people and not hinder them’
‘I was eating flies!’
‘Do what you can and push yourself to do more’
‘We can change the world but by bit’
‘Adrenaline! Adrenaline!’
‘I can’t paint ceilings, but I can do the borders'
VALUABLE RESOURCES
HKA Main landing page
www.hastingskickboxing.co.uk/kickstartnow
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/Hastingskickboxing
HKA Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Hastingskickboxing
Adult community link
https://m.facebook.com/groups/274624209886110?ref=share
ABOUT THE HOST
Hi, my name is Carl Denne.
I was born in Hastings 1980. Married, father of two beautiful daughters, Bethany and Leigha.
My daughters, the wife, and gym ARE MY LIFE.
IF I’M HONEST, I pretty much failed at school. Heavily dyslexic, I was dismissed for being a “naughty kid” that didn’t want to learn. I was heavily bullied for having shit clothes and ginger afro hair. I didn’t have many friends.
When I say bullied I don’t mean called a “poo-poo head” and being looked at in a nasty way. I mean thrown down stairs, and hit with chairs and tables. Clothes were stolen whilst in the shower. That kind of bullying…
Oh, how things have changed…
Martial arts, and specifically Kickboxing, have changed my life, and now I am much happier and change other people’s lives for the better on a daily basis.
I am a complete adrenaline freak, so In my spare time, track days, jumping out of planes, sitting on top of them, rage buggies in the desert… The higher, the faster the better for me. I’m always looking for the next thing to get my blood pumping, so if anyone has a challenge I’ve not found yet, please feel free to share.
I do like a Saturday night movie night, Chinese, Netflix, lots of chocolate with my three little ladies. I love being around my friends and family. This is why I love the crazy HKA family so much, as this is my extended family.
I left school with pretty much nothing! A few sad GCSE’s C - D grade, BUT I did have a shit-ton of energy and passion to achieve, and to prove all the teachers and people that looked down on me for all them years, wrong. So after a few jobs here and there, I settled on working for Openreach (BT) as a cabler/jointer copper and fiber optic multi-skilled engineer with HGV.
I left this in 2015 to chase my dream of running my own Kickboxing Academy and working with the future of today, rather than a job that just paid the bills.
I’ve trained pretty much my whole life: Karate, boxing, Judo, from the age of 9, and of course, I’ve now done over 29 years of Kickboxing. I’ve passed many Instructors and coaches courses, attended many training courses and seminars, grading up through the syllabus. I passed my 4-hour hell-on-earth 3rd Dan black belt in July 2018 with the ICO.
If I’m honest my real passion and skills have come from learning the hard way; through being in the trenches. I know how it feels to be on your arse. I know how it feels to have to pull yourself out of the pit. I’ve been through a divorce. I’ve lived through the pain and have worked with thousands of members, students, children, teachers and adults over the years, and the one thing I get told every time is how well I/we keep it very real, and that I have a complete understanding on most eventualities.
Thank you for reading and listening. I hope you connect with myself and the team, take away some ideas, understand you’re not alone, and that it’s good to talk, listen and help others as and when you can.
CONTACT METHOD
