大象传媒 Scotland - 大象传媒 Scotland - 鈥業t doesn鈥檛 matter what limbs you have or haven鈥檛 got 鈥� at the end of the day, strength is strength鈥�

鈥業t doesn鈥檛 matter what limbs you have or haven鈥檛 got 鈥� at the end of the day, strength is strength鈥�

In 2010, whilst serving in the British Army in Afghanistan, Stevie Richardson suffered a life-changing injury at the hands of an improvised explosive device (IED).

“IEDs were the main threat. You’re playing Russian roulette – your next step could be your last.

“Two weeks before getting blown up, I found four in the area that we were patrolling... I found my fifth by standing on it. Still counts, I found it”

Where many people may have succumbed to the supposed hopelessness of the situation, Stevie set about improving his strength and fitness and has since taken part in the Spartans race, climbed the French alps, and raced across America in only eight days.

Improve Every Day follows Stevie as he readies himself for his newest challenge – a trip to Columbus, Ohio to compete in one of the world’s biggest strongman competitions: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Arnold Classic.

"There's **** all wrong with him, he's only missing one leg."

Stevie flashes back to Afghanistan while taking his three-legged dog for a walk

“People don’t know who you were before”

Stevie admits that having to adjust to his new life is something that is a continuing process:

“Sometimes I just feel that, no matter where I am, I don’t fit in. I’m always this weird, tag-along cripple and I just don’t want to be that guy sometimes.

“People don’t know who you were before, so they just go on what they see now.”

The desire to have people see him as more than just someone who has lost their legs drove Stevie to compete in various sports, including the Arnold Classic strongman competition. But Stevie admits that he hates the idea of the events he competes in being labelled ‘disabled’ sports:

“[With strongman competitions] in particular, it doesn’t matter who you are, what limbs you have or haven’t got; you don’t feel like you’re tagging along. At the end of the day, strength is strength.”

Stevie served with the British Army from 2006 to 2010

Getting in peak physical condition

In order to properly prepare for the Arnold Classic, Stevie trained with strongman Kenny Simm to help get in peak physical condition for competition.

On arriving in Columbus, Stevie found the main downside to having Kenny as a trainer was the trainer’s insistence on securing handshakes and photos with celebrities, including event organiser Arnold Schwarzenegger:

“He’s got quite a soft handshake!”

Stevie – embarrassed at Kenny’s honest opinion of the Terminator’s grip – perfectly summed up his opinions on the Kenny’s excited behaviour after begrudgingly posing for a photo with Game of Thrones actor and 2018’s World’s Strongest Man Hafþór Björnsson:

“This is embarrassing. This is worse than going on holiday with your dad!”

Kenny serving as a Royal Marines Commando between 2003 and 2013 was an added bonus for Stevie, as it meant Kenny would have a better understanding of Stevie鈥檚 experience.

Stevie competing at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio

As well as getting to compete in the Arnold Classic, Kenny and Stevie also had the opportunity to see two of the newest inductees into the Sports Hall of Fame – Lou Ferrigno and Bill Kazmaier.

Stevie was sat in the audience when, unbeknownst to him, three-time world’s strongest man Kazmaier used his acceptance speech to express how Stevie was an example of what he sees as being a true hero:

“The measure of a man is how you react on a bad day. Many of us will fall and look for pity but a true champion will pop back up and overcome.”