How I’m fighting Cerebral Palsy with Street Workout

How many of us make excuses every day for the reasons why we can’t make that one big step to change for the better? How many of us believe it isn’t possible to make a change in our lives when we get stuck in the mud of our own negative thoughts and imagined limitations?

Mislav Šćuric, a 14 year old boy diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, managed what the most would think was impossible. This is Mislav’s story.

Doctor’s mistake that changed everything

It killed me inside, and the stress started to affect me physically, needless to say I was in a really dark place

Due to a doctor mistake, Mislav lost a lot of oxygen upon his birth so he had to spend some time in an incubator. He was released from the hospital as a healthy baby. Later it became clear that something was not right since he couldn’t sit properly as a one year old baby. He was taken to the hospital and the news was heartbreaking - Mislav had Cerebral Palsy, a disorder that affects basic motor functions. Doctors weren’t very optimistic about him ever walking properly. But Mislav was immensely persistent even at such a young age and he started walking at the age of 4! He had a normal childhood until he turned 12. That was the time he became fully self-aware. He knew he was different, he couldn’t do anything other kids could do, he was always left aside and alone. That was the time he started feeling sorry for himself. Self-loathing almost became a part of who he was.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

Mislav eventually got fed up with this life and he made a firm decision that he was going to change his life completely.

“So I called up my friend Matija (to this day one of the people that I need to thank the most) who was known as a person who often works out at the Svetice park, and ask him if he was willing to help me, and that is where it all started. During my time working out I dropped 12kg in 6 months, my walking improved immensely!”

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Know your limitations and then defy them

Mislav said that the biggest challenge during his workouts was the problems he had with his legs: “I can't lift my legs very high or bend my knees because of the problems I have with my quadriceps. It makes acrobatics next to impossible at the moment and the static elements are really hard for me to do, but I stretch them every day and I am making a lot of progress.”

Be your own inspiration and have friends for motivation!

When we asked Mislav who his inspiration was his answer itself was inspiring: “A lot of people think that my answer to this question is arrogant, but ultimately I inspired myself. I started hating the person I became, the idea of my life that I created, and I decided it was time for a big change.”

Even though he inspired himself if it wasn't for his Svetice Workout teammates, he would have probably quit after a week: “When I started, I was only doing pushups, and that was it. And one day my good friend and also the team leader Petar Spartan showed me the Australian pull-up. I worked hard and eventually I started doing pull-ups, the dips followed a bit later.”

He look up to every one of his teammates, he consider them brothers and sisters, but there is one that stands out, the person he looks up to the most - Ivan Kajtaz: "The first day I came to the park I saw him doing handstands (I think he spends more time on standing on his hands, than he does on his legs), and I was blown away, he made them look so easy to pull off. But it wasn't just the handstands, then he started doing muscle ups with such ease that I couldn't believe it was real! It was almost a child-like reaction and it went something like this: "I want to be as strong as him! I am going to be as strong as him!" I also have to mention my bar brother Ivan Dogan, you wouldn't believe how much crap he endures from me, and I respect him massively for that, he is a person who pushes me that one extra rep and without him I wouldn't be where I am today.”

How Street Workout changed my life

My life changed so much that it is almost unbelievable, my self-esteem improved drastically

“My life changed so much that it is almost unbelievable, my self-esteem improved drastically, I met so much great people that helped me ever since my first workout. I started seeing the beauty of life, I started absorbing everything that was good and distanced myself from all the bad and negative things. It really changed me as a person, I started being more open, I stopped isolating myself, my grades improved drastically, overall I was the complete opposite of who I was before I started working out. My biggest goal is to compete one day, that day may not come for the next 10 years maybe, but it will come eventually, your job is to just remember my name :)”

Mislav’s words of encouragement

Mislav addressed anyone who is struggling anywhere in the world with any situation:

“I know it is hard, but believe me when I say that with effort, time, patience and belief you can get through whatever is troubling you, holding you down or trying to bring you back. There is no such thing as destiny, there is only the future that you, and only you impact! There will be people saying negative things, trying to bring you down or to undermine your accomplishments. Please don't let them discourage you, I believe in you! I've hit rock bottom, and I would climbed back up you can do it too! When you get that feeling, it will be the best feeling you ever felt. So go out, ask that boy/girl out go work out, travel, write that book, do whatever you want!”

To learn more about Mislav check his Facebook