A bodybuilder is taking on a press-up challenge to raise awareness of mental health struggles.
Rob Harris will undertake 200 push-ups every day throughout October as part of a fundraiser for the Mental Health Foundation – adding up to a total of 6,200 reps throughout the month.
Brave Rob has decided to highlight the need for support after finding the courage to speak out about his own battle.
“I had a seizure on March 1 and I’ve noticed since then I’ve suffered with my mental health,” said Rob, who is general manager at Spalding’s Snap Fitness.
“My speech has been slurred, my short term memory has changed and I find it hard to articulate things. I’m suffering really badly with anxiety.
“I’m not the only one out there that suffers from this and I wanted to do something to show people that this does not define us.”
After discovering the benefits of sharing his problems with others, Rob – who turns 45 next month – hopes he can persuade others to open up.
“I want anybody who is struggling to realise it’s ok to ask for help,” he continued.
“I never did. I’ve experienced a lot of trauma in my life. I’ve been homeless, I’ve suffered domestic violence in the past and I never wanted to talk to people about it because I’m the bodybuilder, I’m the big guy and should be able to take on the world.
“But you can only take the world on if you’ve got people that are fighting the same battle with you.
“It’s taken me since the seizure to be able to say this isn’t right and I need help, not only for me but for my family. The better it is for me, the better it is for them.
“If you’re struggling, reach out and speak to someone and find a person in your life who won’t judge you.”
Rob – who was determined to raise the bar after a 28-day 100-push-ups per day challenge in support of suicide prevention earlier this year – is filming his daily challenge and posting the videos on the Snap Fitness social media pages.
But he may not always be completely recognisable to those who know him – as he is wearing a 12kg weighted vest and mask.
“They’re representations of the struggles people with mental health have,” he explained.
““That extra weight I’m carrying is the extra weight every person who has mental health issues carries on a day-to-day basis.
“The mask is to represent the mask we all wear when we go into places we feel uncomfortable, and to we hide that by becoming someone else.”
While fellow Snap Fitness members have told Rob they think he is ‘crazy’ for taking on his latest test of endurance, they have been beyond supportive – even staying behind after fitness classes to join in.
While completing 200 push-ups a day may seem a little extreme for many of us, Rob is adamant that any form of exercise can play its part in helping with the battle against mental health problems.
“Even if it’s going out for a walk and taking time to clear your head, it makes a massive difference to get away from an environment and clean the slate,” he said.
“Mental health challenges, especially for men, are even more well known now and not brushed under the rug.
“It’s not seen as the manly thing to do to admit you’re struggling. I believe its one of the hardest, but moist defining things you can do, to hold your hand up and say I am struggling and I need help.”
You can donate to Rob’s fundraiser by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/page/rob-harriss-1.
