Real superheros wear weight vests

More than ten years ago, powerlifting champion Javeno McLean wrote down his goal of owning a fitness center. He then posted it on his mom's fridge, where it stayed as a constant, ever-present reminder of what the future could hold.

Fast-forward a decade – and Javeno now owns J7, a gym dedicated to training people with disabilities and the elderly. But the road to getting there didn't exactly go as planned. In fact, it was more of an accident.

♿️ The origin story... Even though his life revolved around fitness, Javeno founded J7' "accidentally and organically" after agreeing to coach two disabled individuals. "It started spreading like wildfire," he said of his training. "And I got some amazing messages and I thought the more people that know about this [the better]."

• Javeno currently trains 15 people with disabilities, as well as more than 30 elderly individuals. And if that wasn't inspiring enough, he does everything completely free of charge.

🌊⛴📈 A rising tide... Many of Javeno's clients live with conditions, like cerebral palsy, or other mobility issues. His workouts not only help build physical strength, but can improve confidence and mental health, too. 

And even though Javeno achieved the dream he hung up in his mom's house all those years ago, he's not giving up his other goals along the way. 

• "What [my clients are] doing is a strength that is so indescribable," he said. "So, every time I’m training and sh*t gets hard I say, this ain’t nothing. I’m fit and healthy, why am I moaning?"

💪 The real-world impact: Nicola, a mom of one of Javeno's trainees, shared how J7 has made a hugely positive impact on her son, giving him the ‘determination to never give up.'