The Disability Tribune is stoked to chat with Blake Harrison, who was recently voted San Francisco’s hottest male trainer in a poll by Racked. But Blake isn’t just another striking face in the world of fitness, he is also a brain injury survivor. During his senior year in high school, he was kicked in the head by a drunk guy who crashed his homecoming party. Left blind and in a wheelchair, he used fitness as a way to build himself back up. Blake recovered his eyesight and slowly gained mobility and his fitness abilities back. He is now a highly sought out trainer in San Francisco.
Belo Cipriani: How long after the assault did you begin to work out?
Blake Harrison: I was experiencing brain trauma paralysis in my left arm and leg. I began the physical rehab of squeezing a stress ball and focused on the wiggling of my toes in week two. I began to hit the weights in month three, and haven’t stopped for 10 years now.
BC: How long did it take you to get back into sports?
BH: I could run again after 5 months, and trained for my senior year of lacrosse harder than ever. That year I was “All District Player of the Year” and made the “All-Metropolitan Team.”
BC: As a brain injury survivor, is there any task you find challenging?
BH: Referring to me as “bad with names” is a gross understatement — haha. Reading comprehension is very challenging for me, so all of my tests were dictated to me by teachers. Also, I’m a great storyteller, but writing is challenging for me.
BC: You are also known as The Shirtless Chef. What is the healthiest dessert someone can order at most restaurants?
BH: Generally, I shoot for the dark chocolate items, because rich cacao (70% or higher) is packed full of rare vital antioxidants. Or maybe the baked caramelized apples with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
BC: Any words of advice for people who feel they are too busy to get into shape?
BH: Enough with the excuses already! Get the BlakeFIT home kit of resistance bands and you don’t even have to leave your house. You can get into shape in as little as 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and you will transform in 90 days. But you can’t kid yourself; if you want to work out for that short of a time, you’re gonna have to bust your A**. You need three things: Accountability, Intensity and Discipline.
The competition isn’t over for Blake! He is now competing to be the hottest overall trainer in SF (competing against the winner in the female category). You can vote for him here. To learn more about Blake Harrison, visit his website at BlakeFIT.com. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.