Heavy Lifting

Joshua Capazorio Is One of South Africa’s Most Dedicated, Diverse and Disciplined Coaches. He Doesn’t Just Talk or Train; He Lives by His Own Programmes, Too. Here’s How He’s Going to Make You Stronger.

- Kelleigh Korevaar

JOSHUA CAPAZORIO

STOOD STARING AT THE BEAST BEFORE HIM – NOT HIS OWN REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR, BUT THE MASSIVE 110KG BARBELL, WEIGHING HEAVILY ON HIS CALLOUSED HANDS.

For him, it was a normal session, and this beast was one that would be easily tamed. After all, he was smashing everything in his life. He was young, living with his best friend, single with no debt; and in the best space for training he had been in his life. Joshua didn’t have a worry in the world, and carried himself the same way he did the barbell before him: with crushing confidence.

He snatched the 110kg overhead – and lost the line behind him, his elbow hurtling forward before he could get his hands off the bar. A sudden sharp pain shot through his elbow, killing his set, and the “vibe” of the rest of his session. But that was about all it killed, and he didn’t think too much of it.

Ah, to be young…

After seeing his physio, Joshua continued training; he just didn’t snatch. “Being the young bull I was, I was doing everything under the sun, even with all the pain in my elbow. I figured it would just make itself better.”

But after a couple weeks of training with no signs of improvement, he contacted a respected physio so she could do a couple of simple tests. An hour later he was getting X-rays and seeing one of the best upper-limb specialists in the country.

The verdict? A borderline grade 2 tear on Joshua’s elbow MCL that would see his arm braced for eight weeks. And after those two months? If it hadn’t healed properly, an operation; and his chances of ever throwing weights over his head again would be close to zero.