Meet the first CrossFit Level 2 trainer with cerebral palsy

Steph Hammerman gets candid about her inspirational journey of overcoming cancer and becoming a CrossFit trainer with cerebral palsy.
6:23 | 03/04/19


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Transcript for Meet the first CrossFit Level 2 trainer with cerebral palsy
Weaver going to keep it going after karamo. We're going to help you be severe in 2019. Optimism is like a muscle that gets stronger with use. Optimism, a muscle, gets stronger the more you use it. We want to introduce you to an amazing young woman who lives that. Her name is Steph "The Haer" hammerman. The world's first cross fit trainer two with cerebral palsy. She's Nike's first adaptive athlete. We'll speak to her in a moment. First, look at her story. Three. Two, one. Reporter: 29-year-old Stephanie hammerman is not your average coach or competitive athlete. She's to positive. She pushes you to do more than you think you can do. Press up. Elbows should match your years. She knows your potential. She pushes you to the limit. Reporter: Steph was born with cerebral palsy. Doctors told her parents she would never talk, let ahone walk. Is this it's always fun to surprise people. Nobody thought I was going to be an athlete. Reporter: She not only strengthens her body but her attitude as well. As I like to say, optimism is a muscle that gets stronger with use. ? When you're born with some sort of difference, it's an innate sense of positivity. Reporter: That led her to start her own gym, hammer-driven fitness. You're running today. Cow can't tell her you can't do it. She's in a wheelchair. How can I tell her I can't do I'm not in a wheelchair. Reporter: Three years ago, her unbending determination helped her beat cancer. I zript time for cancer. I went into the doctor's office. She said, I have never worked with anybody with cerebral palsy before. I said, we can do this. I just need to know what you need me to do. She said, just be exactly who you are. Reporter: And her infectious optimism afights those who need her most. Having her here and not feeling like I'm by myself is motivating. They want me to help them get better. That is my purpose. That's why I'm here. Yeah, girl. It is great to have Steph hammerman join us from her gym in North Carolina. Steph, it's so great to see -- are you about to cry, Steph? Do I see -- Oh. You look so emotional. I'm just so -- good morning, robin. This is such an amazing opportunity and I can't believe that you just said my name. And, uh, it's just -- it's amazing to be able to share my story and be able to show the world what I do in here, smalltown, North Carolina. Wonderful. It's an honor to highlight you and to share your up credible story. Tell us what motivates you, Steph? What motivates me? The people behind me motivate me. People that actually have told me I couldn't do something motivate me. I'm most -- most of all, my family motivates me. My grapdparents motivate me. And just being able to get up every day and do things that people don't think is possible. Just makes me want to work What I love about you, so many things, Steph. But -- and I want even to hear this. I want them to hear it from you. Tell us the dips between -- you love being motivational. People say jour so inspirational. It's about being motivational. Tell people the difference. Think about Independence -- inspiration as the spark. And motivation as the fire. Motivation creates change and is the change. ? You want to create that change in people. What do you enjoy most about training people? I just love interaking with people and meeting people. It makes my day. I think I was born to interact with people. I'm so passionate about meeting new people and changing people's lives. Again, I am -- an example for so many people out there and what is really cool is that people come in. I change their perception of what an adaptive athlete looks like. I couldn't be more proud of that. Well, we're proud of you. So, Steph, tell me, what pushes you to these extraordinary levels? I think I've just had so many different people in my life that have shoup me the ways of being able to do what I can do. I also lost up with of my best friends when I was 16. And his mantra was failure is not an option. So every daying I live that he may not be here physically. I know he's with me every day in spirit. That pushes me to be who I am. You can't be afraid of failure. Failure is part of success. People don't understand that. It's all part of the process. All right. You got 30 seconds. Give me your best pitch. What do you tell people? How do you motivate them? What do you want the "Gma" audience to know? First and foremost, get up and do something. Do something you're passionate about. Our tag line here is to stay driven. I want people to wake up and think, what keeps me driven? If you do something that keep you driven and stay passionate about it, thing in life will fall into your lap. Amazing things will happen. That's right. All right, the hammer. Steph "The hammer" hammerman. What a blessing to spend time with you this morning. And tell everybody. They've been working out behind you. They've been really good. I thought they would stop. They're good props. You're a great trainer. They're amazing. They actual hi have to take class after this. So, it's a -- I have such an amazing group of people. Oh, you are. Take care. We appreciate that.


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