Some people run from the challenges that life brings their way, while others relish the opportunity to face them head on—and crush them. In the case of Lindsay Hilton, the choice was an easy one. Born with no limbs, this no-quit Canadian from Halifax refused to accept her limitations as reason to stay on the sidelines for any physical challenge.
In the video above, Hilton demonstrates how she's taken regular workout equipment and adapted it to meet her needs. With these simple tweaks, she's able to perform the big lifts that are part of most every weightlifter's arsenal. Not only is she able to complete them, but she's also able to raise some serious iron for a woman her size. Her deadlift one-rep max is 170 pounds, while her squat is 155 pounds and clean is 100 pounds, which is just about her bodyweight. Not too shabby for someone missing all four limbs.
"I think it's really easy once you get to know Lindsay to completely forget that there's any adaptations at all, because she just goes after it like anyone else," says her coach. "She is an athlete who pushes it and works hard every time, and we're all super proud of her."
Along with a desire to compete and tackle the most difficult obstacles, Hilton hopes to inspire others, no matter what their limitations, to just get out there and give it their best effort. "I guess my main message that I want to share with people is to just try," says the driven athlete. "You shouldn't let the fear of the unknown hold you back. Just try!" And we have no doubt that we'll see more of Hilton trying new ways to test her boundaries and inspiring others in the process.
