Athlete with pacemaker participates in bodybuilding competition

…sets goal of representing Guyana

Determined to send a message of inspiration to others who have to make certain big health-related lifestyle changes, an athlete who is living with a pacemaker participated in the novice championships held at Lichas Hall in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Tashan Rodney placed second and has qualified for the intermediate category, which will be contested later this year.
He wants to inspire others to continue living their best lives even after they would have experienced certain setbacks.

His story…
“I was there for about 48 hours in the ICU [Intensive Care Unit], the sergeants came to me and said that they believe I need a pacemaker, because my heart rate time was flattening. The funny thing about that was that for the first time in my life I had to make a decision as to if I wanted to live or if I wanted to die…”
A pacemaker is a small device that’s placed in the chest to help control the heartbeat. It’s used to prevent the heart from beating too slowly.
Rodney got involved in bodybuilding five years ago and had dedicated his life to it, but after two years he developed a rare medical condition that resulted in his heart beating too slowly. As such, he had to get a pacemaker.

Following the surgery, he became incapable of doing things for himself and could not even lift his hand.
At 27, then, Rodney refused to live his life as a dependent. One of the first things he did was to return to the gym, but all he could do was to sit and watch the equipment – he says that is where he found peace of mind.
“I remember two years ago I was told that I am not supposed to be weight lifting or doing strenuous things to my body – but I did it. It is always mind over matter; you telling yourself what you feel like you can do and what you are capable of. You need to do it efficiently and educationally. You need to educate yourself on the overall aspect of the health of your body.”
According to Rodney, training puts him in his comfort zone.
He told Guyana Times Sport that he is of the belief that he has a calling to inspire others to become better versions of themselves.
The decision to compete was made after people noticed the progress he was making with his body since having the pacemaker installed.
“They noticed how I have been transitioning in a short period of time. An individual said to me it is ‘now or never’.  I will never forget that day – I never really thought of the importance of the now or never term, but then it really hit me differently and I thought about it – it is not just about me entering a competition and making a name for myself, it is about me being able to put my story out there to show that anything is possible – you just have to put your mind to it,” the bodybuilder says.
Winning is not his main goal, though he hopes to do so, but Rodney says he will be taking to the stage on Saturday to act as an inspiration to others.
While Rodney is of the view that bodybuilding is one of the healthiest sports one can participate in, he is also of the view that many may approach the sport with the wrong aim.
Apart from bodybuilding, Rodney functions as a fitness trainer.
“I always tell people who come to me and say that they want to look like a certain individual, that they need to get that out of their mind. You should try to be a better you. You want to be a better version of you. You don’t want to be that person, because you can be better than that person. If a person is thinking of becoming like someone they admire, then they are going to fail just by telling themselves that they want to look like someone else. No one should try to chase after how the presentation of someone is,” he noted.
This, Rodney pointed out, has to do with the mental health of the individual.
Mental health, he highlighted, is a very important aspect of the sport.
“Before you come into a gym, you have to have a strong mindset. This doesn’t mean that you are self-driven or ambitus – it is you being disciplined.”
Rodney advises that persons should find the most positive ways to deal with their mental health which can help them to have a more positive outlook on life.
He says the choice he had as to whether he wanted to live or die is not a choice given to many.
“People don’t have that choice every day. It is very unique to me and I find that the gift that I received I need to use to inspire others and show them that it is not the end; even though sometimes it is tough. I did not give up, so you can do the same.”
His ultimate goal is to represent Guyana as a bodybuilder. (G4)