Disability is no bar to Nikki kick-boxing her way into shape

NIKKI Spalding looks poised and balanced as she squares up to Jay Britland and lands a high kick just inches from her chest.

It’s early morning at X Martial Arts School in Acomb – a place Nikki comes to once a week for one-to-one tuition with Jay, a world champion in kick boxing.

Jay’s hands are guarded by thick pads, and she holds them high against her body to protect herself from the onslaught of Nikki’s punches and kicks.

It’s tiring work – all the more so, because Nikki, aged 33, has completed a 6.30am body combat class at David Lloyd gym on the other side of the city.

If Nikki sounds like an exercise addict - you could be right. She now works out six days out of seven, including playing badminton with friends.

But it wasn’t always the case.

Nikki before she embarked on her fitness programme

Just 15 months ago, Nikki was three stones heavier and seriously unfit. Working at the Higher Education Academy, which backs on to David Lloyd, she decided to sign up for a three month membership, to see whether she could shape up.

She booked in for a body combat class – which includes moves from a variety of martial arts – but was slightly concerned about how she would fare, not just because she was unfit, but because she was born with ulnar hemimelia, a rare congenital deformity of the arm.

In Nikki’s case, it is her right arm that is affected. “Ulnar hemimelia means half limb. I have no elbow and only three fingers: two were joined together but separated in one of nine surgeries I had as a child. I had my arm broken to straighten it and have plates in my arm.”

Nikki has never let the deformity stop her from doing anything. “It made me quite determined to do stuff,” she says. “I was in the school badminton team and played netball.”

She watched a body combat class online before going along to her first session. “The class was at 6.30am and I assumed it would be quite empty. I was hoping it would be less embarrassing if I was awful at it. I went with a friend – and thought I was going to die of exhaustion.

“We left half way through to get a drink, and didn’t manage to finish the class. My friend gave up, but I went back.”

Nikki says the body combat instructors at David Lloyd – Christin Kirchhuebel and Kirsty Whitlock – have gone out of their way to support and encourage her. When exercises come up that would be difficult for Nikki to do, such as press ups, the instructors come up with an alternative.

Practising her kicks at the X Martial Arts School in Acomb

Nikki soon began seeing the results of all her hard work. She was losing weight and building muscle. After a year of regular exercise she had lost 40lbs – almost three stones.

In January she decided to take on an even bigger challenge, by learning kick boxing. She has been having weekly individual lessons with Jay for the past three months – and says she is getting fitter by the week.

“This is much more personally challenging,” says Nikki. “The warm-up alone nearly kills me. It makes me feel really unfit, and I realise I have a long way to go.”

Jay says she has noticed a massive improvement in Nikki’s fitness over the past three months. “She is more flexible and her technique has really come on. She is really focussing on what she is doing. She is fitter and her balance has really come on.”

Nikki with her kick-boxing tutor Jay Britland

Nikki has continued to shed a few pounds since taking up kick boxing, which can burn up to 1,000 calories an hour.

And her body shape is changing. “I am losing fat and gaining muscle,” she said. “I’ve changed ten per cent of my body fat into muscle. I am toning up, even in my right shoulder which never has any muscle. I am not a particularly vain person, but just gaining muscle mass on that side is helping with my posture.”

Nikki says she has tried to lose weight before, without success. “I did Weight Watchers and went to the gym, but it never worked. I eat healthily – I haven’t eaten sugar for three years – but I gave up fruit juice, and cheese! I eat lots of vegetables and I like to eat a lot – and that’s alright now because I can get away with it.”

That was then... this is now, Nikki is now three stones lighter

Nikki has had to completely change her wardrobe several times over since shrinking her dress size. “I need more money because last year I went through so many different sizes! Clothes look better on me now, which is brilliant, but not the thing that motivates me at 5.30 in the morning to get up and go to a body combat class.

“I’d like to lose a bit more; I still haven’t got rid of my tummy!”

Nikki admits she is now addicted to exercise and would like to work towards a black belt in kick boxing, which could take up to five years. “I am addicted. If I miss a class I am miserable and grumpy at work.”

Getting fit has had a wider impact on her life. “I am much more confident at work – everyone can see a massive difference, I am not the same person I was five years ago.

“In the last year, I have been much happier, much more confident and much better at coping with stress. Having that outlet means I sleep better too because my mind is much clearer.”

Nikki wanted to appear in The Press to thank her instructors for helping her change her life – but also to show that people with disabilities can still get fit, and that exercise can be adapted to fit their needs and also that they don’t have to be fit to make that first move.

She said: “If I can do this, anyone can.”