Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, a British sprinter, has been fighting an invisible enemy his whole life: a genetic disease called myostatin deficiency that makes him generate and keep muscular mass at an incredible rate. While often described as the “Hercules gene,” for this 37-year-old World and European championships medalist, it has been a double-edged sword that has profoundly shaped, and at times halted, his track and field ambitions.

As reported by The Athletic, Aikines-Aryeetey talked about a recent, fascinating experiment that showed how his body works in a way that is unique to him. He spent months filming for the TV shows Gladiators and Strictly Come Dancing after his last athletic training session in early July. He avoided the gym on purpose to keep his body flexible for dancing. “I was told I was going to lose muscle,” he recalls.

“To make sure I was mobile and flexible enough for that, I didn’t go to the gym once. And my body hasn’t changed — except my calves have got bigger!” This easy retention, which many people would like to have, is the main problem he has had in his sprinting career.

“As powerful as I am, it’s harder to run. I’m a sprinter, not a bodybuilder,” he explained. “It gives me a lot of gifts in terms of being explosive and powerful, but at the same time, I’ve got to move this weight.”

His coaches have always been very careful with his unusual body type, which has often hurt his overall physical development. “They were worried I was going to put more mass on. Even if it was from a conditioning perspective, I was allowed no upper body whatsoever. It did come as a detriment because my upper (body) mobility is pretty bad,” he said.

He didn’t want to acquire any additional mass that could slow him down, so he didn’t indulge in any workouts that could have made him stronger, improve his posture, and less likely to get hurt. Nevertheless, the Brit has accomplished much in his career despite the hardships he has endured.

The medical condition didn’t stop him from winning World Championship medals

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey’s athletic career, which was shaped by his rare genetic condition, is an amazing story of using a lot of natural talent to become a top athlete. His prodigious talent was evident from his youth, culminating in 2005 when he became the first athlete in history to win both the 100m and 200m titles at the World Youth Championships, announcing himself as a global sprinting prospect. This early promise led to a successful senior career.

He won several medals at major events, including a bronze in the 4x100m relay at the 2009 Berlin World Championships. He also secured a bronze in the 100m at the 2014 European Championships and a silver in the 4x100m relay at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

So, even though he had some problems, his ability to stay in the game for more than ten years and compete at the highest level, balancing his explosive speed with the weight of his own large stature, is his greatest athletic success.