A DMV worker in a blue blouse seated behind a counter.

The Real Flex

Photographs by Melchizedek Gayle

At age 17, Garrison Redd suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Two years later, he began working out to build back his strength. After he started posting his calisthenics routines on Instagram, the Paralympic athlete found he was building an audience, too. Redd, now 38, works out both in the gym and on equipment in parks around New York City, sharing videos of his progress and words of encouragement to those following along.

How did you get started in calisthenics?

I got into calisthenics out of necessity, not convenience. After my spinal cord injury, I had to relearn how to use my body in a completely different way. The gym wasn’t built for me, so I adapted. I started using my own body weight to rebuild strength, control, and confidence. What started as rehab turned into a passion, and then into a lifestyle.

What are your favorite skills to work on?

I love anything that challenges control and discipline: pull-ups, dips, muscle-endurance work, and explosive movements. But for me, it’s not just about flashy skills; it’s about mastery. Being able to control your body, especially when you’ve been told you couldn’t — that’s the real flex.

Are there any specific moments you look back on that were pivotal to your training?

Definitely the moments where I hit walls — times I couldn’t do something, times I felt stuck, or when progress slowed down. Those moments forced me to get creative, stay consistent, and trust the process. Also, the first time I realized people were watching me not out of sympathy, but respect, shifted everything.

Garrison Redd resting between sets in the park.

What athlete achievement are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of not quitting — the consistency, the discipline, and proving to myself that limits are often just perceptions. Being able to inspire others in the process, that’s bigger than any personal record or achievement.

Are you usually really social at the gym?

Well, people like to talk to me. Now that I’m getting a little Instagram famous and all of that, everybody talks to me. But, you know, I socialize back because I’m not a stuck-up person or anything.

What do you think is special about New York City calisthenics culture?

NYC calisthenics is raw. It’s real. It’s built in the parks, on the bars, in every borough. You’ve got people from all walks of life pushing each other — no excuses, no shortcuts. It’s not about where you come from; it’s about how hard you go. The energy, the grit, the community… It’s unmatched.

Garrison Redd on a New York City street.

“The gym wasn’t built for me, so I adapted.”

What did you have for breakfast today?

A bacon, egg, and cheese. So New York.

What is your lock screen on your phone?

It’s me in my Mercedes-Benz wearing a Vanson Leathers jacket, Gallery Dept. sweatpants with flames, Off-White [Air Jordan] 2s with Palm Angels socks, and a Gallery Dept. snapback. It’s so drippy.

What belief have you changed your mind about in the last few years?

I believed at one point that, being disabled, I wouldn’t be able to do certain things that I currently do now that are outside of doing calisthenics and stuff, like swimming, rock climbing, skiing — things of that nature. I never thought it would be something that I’d be able to do — and not only do, but be great at it.