Josh Cook focuses on his squat. Photo/John Stone
Ming Ming Edgar and Josh Cook know their way around a gym.
The pair are both powerlifters and haven't let their disabilities slow them down.
While Ming Ming is blind and Cook has Down's syndrome, both have shown an innate ability to lift a lot of weight.
Ming Ming competes in the Under-74kg Open division at all the powerlifting events in Northland, and Cook lifts in the Under-74kg Junior division.
While Northland is renowned for producing heavy lifters, Ming Ming and Cook have proved they belong on the same stage.
Ming Ming is a no-nonsense kind of lifter and goes by one phrase in the gym.
"No excuses."
"I've been lifting since I was 16 so that's 10 years now. Started training with Chris Blair in January and it's been great," he said.
"I mean business when I do it."
"The best thing is I keep getting stronger and making a lot of progress. I don't worry about what weight is on the bar, I just focus on the technique."
Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift.
As in the sport of Olympic weightlifting, it involves lifting weights in three attempts.
Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as "odd lifts", which followed the same three-attempt format but used a wider variety of events, akin to strongman competition.
Eventually odd lifts became standardised to the current three.
Ming Ming has recently set new personal bests in the squat (137.5kg) and deadlift (175kg).
Blair, the personal trainer of Ming Ming and Cook, said he made a huge jump in the last couple of months.
"From where he was at the last lift, which was in August, his numbers have shot up. He's such a talent and hard worker," he said.
"He beat his old personal best by over 20kg, which is a massive leap."
Ming Ming bench presses 97.5kg.
Meanwhile Cook is no slouch. His personal best in squats is 132.5kg, his bench press is 90kg and he deadlifts 150kg.
Cook is the quieter of the two, but is incredibly competitive. He is also adamant about which discipline is his favourite.
"Bench press."
Blair said there are restraints on what they can do.
"We like to have a bit of fun. As a trainer I'm not meant to have favourites but it's these two. We have lots of laughs but we get a lot done," he said.
"Time constraints are the biggest obstacle. Ming Ming travels from Dargaville for two sessions and while Josh is here four times a week, two of the sessions are cardio."
"They're competing against guys who train maybe once or twice a day, five days of the week."
Both have the drive, talent and competitive juices to compete at high levels.
"You don't want to see Josh when he doesn't medal, he's ultra competitive," Blair said.
Powerlifting isn't the only discipline for Ming Ming, who heads to Australia soon to train with the Australian blind cricket team before heading on tour to India early next year.
There's no telling how far the pair can go. Blair said both have great potential.
But to get there, they'll need to maintain Ming Ming's mantra: No excuses.