- I can bench press 445 pounds.

I can flip a 270 pound tire.

I can do handstand push ups, and I can climb a rope.

And I can look damned good doing it.

(upbeat music)

I'm Zack Ruhl, an adaptive crossfitter and a powerlifter.

I was born with a deformity,

and pretty much my legs looked real messed up,

so I would never be able to walk

using them so they made a decision

to get them amputated.

I've been an amputee, a double amputee,

since I was two years old.

(peaceful music)

My relationship with fitness started out in high school.

I just started lifting weights like anybody else,

and I always did it for appearance at first.

If I'm just going to be a torso,

I'm going to be one damn looking good torso.

And then it just took over my life.

Like, I wanted to know everything there is to know

about the anatomy, the human body,

how to get stronger, what creates muscle growth.

Like, I was a sponge.

I've been told I can't bench press more than 400 pounds.

My ass.

I've been told I wouldn't have a gym of my own.

My biggest motivation in life is people

telling me I can't do something.

(rock music)

I offer free classes or free personal training

to adaptive athletes or people with disabilities,

so, I have a girl with cerebral palsy,

I have a girl that has a spinal cord injury,

and I have another quadruple amputee

that I'm personal training right now.

Crossfit has done so much for my life,

and I feel like I just want to pass that on,

and show everybody that it is possible,

you can work past disabilities,

and whatever your goals are,

especially fitness-wise, you can meet them,

it's just going to be a little bit different route

than somebody else.

(rock music)