If You Have a Body, You’re an Athlete: Training for MS
About this episode
Danny van Leeuwen discusses his experience as an adaptive athlete living with multiple sclerosis in an interview with Mark Hochgesang.
Former Nike exec Mark Hochgesang interviews Danny on Heavy Hitter Sports Podcast about MS & being an adaptive athlete. Just back from Belize! Training works. Summary My friend Mark Hochgesang, former Nike exec and host of Heavy Hitter Sports, recently interviewed me. While I usually wear my life on my sleeve on Health Hats, this conversation revealed something different—how I think about myself as an adaptive athlete . Phil Knight’s mantra: “If you have a body, you’re an athlete.” I never thought of it that way until Mark helped me see it. Training to travel? That’s athletic training. Loading a 60-pound wheelchair into an SUV? Strength work. Walking 3,500 steps a day with MS? Competition with myself. Here’s what we covered: 🧠 The Swiss cheese brain scan – My MS diagnosis story (turns out I’d had it for 25 years) 🎷 The baritone saxophone – My neurologist’s #1 prescription for MS. Music creates new neural pathways. 🚶 The 3,500-step goal – Why movement is non-negotiable, even with foot drop and proprioception issues 💪 The “every other day” rule – Setting yourself up for success (stretching…
People in this episode
Host: Danny van Leeuwen
Guest: Mark Hochgesang
Topics covered
- multiple sclerosis
- adaptive athlete
- athletic training
- movement
- personal experience
- neurology
- family support
Keywords
- multiple sclerosis
- adaptive athlete
- training
- movement
- neurology
- family support
- Phil Knight
- Heavy Hitter Sports
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Nike, Heavy Hitter Sports Podcast
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