Basketball: Terry Bywater’s Paralympic fitness file

Age 25
Weight 74kg
Height 1.8m
2008 Paralympic record Bronze
Target for 2012 “It would be a dream come true to get through to the final in my home country. Just getting through to the final with a chance of getting gold would be enough.”

Basketball is always on my brain. As a kid, I played football at a junior level, but it was hard to be professional as a disabled player. Then I went to an open day in Middlesbrough and saw wheelchair basketball for the first time. I thought it looked fantastic. I was about 12 or 13 when I started. I prefer team sports because of the camaraderie – there are 12 of us in the squad and everyone gives 110%.

I’m not superstitious, but I won’t play for GB in anything other than the number seven shirt. I still get nervous before every competition. I think it’s mainly excitement. I find my nerves help me work hard and really concentrate on the game.

I don’t listen to music when I practise but when I’m weight training first thing in the morning, my trainer always plays the Rocky soundtrack to get me energised.

When I got back from Beijing I got stopped in the street by everyone and it was so nice to know everyone was behind the team. The games gave the sport the attention it deserved.

My typical week

Monday

I have 80 minutes of strength training and conditioning. I do bicep-curls and bench presses to improve the power in my arms. If I’m doing a set of bench presses I’d start at 78kg, and then work up in reps of six increasing the weight 2kg each time. I then have 90 minutes of shooting practice. I go to the free-throw line and shoot 100 shots, then five shots with my eyes closed. I make about 80% of my shots.

Tuesday

I get together with the team for a two-hour session in Sheffield.

Wednesday

Two hours shooting practice and conditioning work (including a 30-minute workout with a medicine ball), followed by a two-hour practice session with the team.

Thursday

90 minutes shooting practice followed by a gym session.

Friday

On Fridays I have a chair session. I don’t aim at the basket – I just play on the court in my chair.

Saturdays and Sundays

At the end of the week I will go for a sports massage with the physiotherapist. And if I don’t have a game, then I can just relax.

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