A Conversation with Paralympian Andy Small at Sandbach

In August, after one of Floyd’s brilliant fitness circuits at our Sandbach service, clients and colleagues had the chance to sit down with Paralympian Andy Small for an open, inspiring Q&A.

From training setbacks and mindset tips, to music playlists and hot chocolate rituals, Andy gave us a refreshingly honest look into life as a professional athlete – and showed us just how down to earth he really is.

Q&A with Andy Small

Floyd:
Do you ever get overwhelmed with people cheering you on and a bit demotivated when you’re trying to focus when exercising?

Andy:
It’s easier said than done… what I try and do is tune it out. I try and focus more on what I’m doing or tune into the music more. It’s nice that someone’s trying to encourage you, but I’m not listening to that right now.
It might come across a bit rude sometimes, but you don’t mean it to be.

Floyd:
Yeah, that’s it 100%.

Andy:
Or the other way to look at it is going in really confident in your own ability. “Yeah, I’ve got this. I’m good.”

Floyd:
A lot of people succeed in that way. Even fighters like Paddy the Baddy — he goes in so confident, like “nobody will beat me” and he wins everything.

Andy:
It’s like a quiet confidence. That’s me — as long as I feel relaxed and good, and I’ve come off a good week of training, I’m alright.

Training

Floyd:
So how long and often are your training sessions normally?

Andy:
In the chair, about an hour to an hour and a half. If I go any longer I get cramp because this part doesn’t work properly. When I’m in the chair I’m scrunched over, so this part digs into me. Like when you eat too much and feel bloated? It’s like an intense pressure building up and I have to stop when it gets unbearable.

Floyd:
What music do you listen to, to get you pumped up?

Andy:
That’s a good question… honestly, all sorts! One day it could be a Taylor Swift playlist, the next it could be dance music like we had outside, or rock music. Piano music probably wouldn’t be quite right — maybe a bit too relaxed!

Floyd:
When’s your next Paralympics then?

Andy:
End of the week I’ll be going down south and doing a few national competitions.

Understanding Andy’s Sport

Sam:
What is the sport you do again, sorry?

Andy:
Wheelchair sprint. So you know how people on the running track do the 100m? That’s me, just in a wheelchair. You start from still and you’ve gotta wind up. I’m very good for my speed — that’s my strength, the acceleration.

Floyd:
See I was always fast at running but short distance… I’d sometimes slow down to give my competitors false hope, then pick back up when they got close!

All:
Laughs

Andy:
Nothing like a bit of false hope.

Dave:
Watch Andy play that trick at the next Paralympics now!

Strengths, Technique & Equipment

Dave:
So Andy, are you better for speed at the start or speed at the end?

Andy:
You work with your strengths. For me it’s the acceleration. Because of my disability I have one stronger side — I will tire out at some point so I need to get a big gap at the start.
There was someone who used to win all the medals — he took a while to get to speed but had a quicker end speed. So I needed that early gap to beat him.

Dave:
Do some people adapt their chair depending on which side is stronger?

Andy:
Not really that I know of. You adapt to the chair.

Floyd:
Because if your arm doesn’t want to play ball, it won’t play ball will it, regardless of adapting?

Andy:
Exactly. If you think about pushing on a bike — my left arm goes all the way round but the right doesn’t have the full motion.

Mindset & Motivation

Floyd:
How do you overcome things? Do you ever let things beat you? I can tell you’re really determined already.

Andy:
That’s just me being difficult! laughs That’s just being stubborn.

Floyd:
Yeah, you’ve got to have that mindset as an athlete really.

Andy:
I’d say my mindset is more proving to myself that I can do those things. There is competitiveness there but more belief in myself.

Morgan:
Competitiveness… there’s a lot of that here!

All:
Laughs

Andy:
Yeah, like everyone I have stuff that gets me down. I have good periods and bad periods.

Floyd:
Same. When I first started the gym, my mate knew a lot and would tell me if I was doing something wrong. I’d get frustrated — slam the weights down — because I like to do things right.

Andy:
When I feel like that, when training isn’t happening, I check in with myself. “Cool it. Take a bit of time off.” I go do something else, cool down, then come back. Otherwise you just annoy yourself more.

Floyd:
That’s what I need to learn.

Andy:
I also try and have something positive I enjoy to reset — mine is hot chocolate. It resets me. Then I’m like “right, that was just a blip in the day.”
If it’s anxiety about a big event, I’ll watch Lord of the Rings or go be a tourist in whatever city I’m in. Something completely different to get out of that space.

Keeping Motivated

Morgan:
How do you keep your motivation?

Andy:
Sometimes it’s as simple as “just get through the day or week.” Having that little goal.

Floyd:
Where I struggle is if I miss a day or two — I find it hard to get back into it.

Andy:
That’s being kind to yourself. If you do 2 out of 4 sessions, that’s great. Next time do 3, and build from there.

Dave:
It helps having that accountability partner like you have with Morgan or Kirsty.

Nutrition & Gear

Floyd:
Do you have nutritionists and a team?

Andy:
Yeah. At first I was really strict — too strict — and I got dead grumpy! You realise you can’t do it all right all the time.
Have what you want but be sensible. We all have pizzas, just not three in a row.

Floyd:
Are these your medals?

Andy:
Yeah, I’ve got a couple. Not the gold today — I’ll have to come back! Feel free to pass them around.
These are the gloves I use — kind of like boxing gloves in shape, but adapted for my hand because of my disability. Otherwise it wouldn’t be safe with me moving so fast.

Floyd:
They’re quite thick aren’t they.

Dave:
How often do you replace them?

Andy:
One to two pairs a year.

Career Highlights & Family

Morgan:
So which medals are these?

Andy:
That bronze is from London, and that silver is from Dubai. You can see all the little sports symbols on them.

Dave:
Is the most amazing moment when the medal goes on your neck or when you get home and reflect?

Andy:
Because it happens so quickly, the emotions get delayed. A few days later, having a hot drink, it hits you — “well that happened, didn’t it!”

Morgan:
Were your family really supportive from the off?

Andy:
At first they were confused — lots of trips down south. But they’ve been really good. I started it just to make some friends. Being a teenager is hard, disability or not.

Finding His Event

Morgan:
When did you realise you were really good at this?

Andy:
I didn’t — it just sort of happened! laughs
At the start they say you’ll learn if you’re a sprinter or marathon person. I thought “I can’t be bothered pushing a 10k,” so I leaned into sprints.
I still do marathons though — I still need to do the London Marathon!

Floyd:
I bet your body is knackered afterwards.

Andy:
Afterwards yeah — absolutely.

Watch Andy take on Floyds fitness circuit!