ADRO GAINER
FROM CHALLENGE TO CHAMPION
PHOTOS BY BEN YOSEF
In an extraordinary display of grit, perseverance, and undeniable talent, ADRO GAINER has turned adversity into triumph, earning her IPL Pro Card and rising through the ranks of multiple divisions. Diagnosed with the rare and debilitating Eagle Syndrome, ADRO has navigated seizures, chronic pain, and a lifetime of misdiagnoses — all while coaching herself and others to success. In this powerful conversation with INSPIRE Magazine, she opens up about her health battles, mindset, and the deeper purpose behind her fitness journey.
“That win wasn’t about aesthetics...it was about overcoming.”
INSPIRE MAGAZINE: Adro, you earned your IPL Pro Card in Fitness Angels and placed across multiple divisions. How did it feel to walk away with that level of success given everything you’ve overcome?
ADRO GAINER: Honestly? It felt vindicating. I’ve won big before…national titles, major recognition…but this time was different. This time, I coached myself. No team of four coaches managing every variable, no one pushing me. Just me, managing my own prep while also coaching others. They say the true test of a top-tier prep coach is being able to coach yourself to success, and that was my mission for this show. And I did it.
What made it even more meaningful was what happened before the show. About six weeks out, I had what I believe was a seizure…possibly even a TIA. And it sent my body into a spiral. My IBS flared up so badly I couldn’t train for a week, and for a moment, I genuinely thought I wouldn’t make it to stage. I knew my physique wouldn’t be perfect, but I decided that if I could still show up and come in presentable, after everything, that would be the victory.
And I did more than show up…I earned my Pro Card, placed across divisions, and proved to myself and the world that I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m not proud of the look, but I’m proud of the resilience behind it. That win wasn’t about aesthetics…it was about overcoming.
“That moment on the couch could’ve ended everything. But instead, it lit the fire that built the athlete I am today.”
INSPIRE: You’ve shared that your journey into bodybuilding began after what doctors first thought was a seizure. Can you take us back to that moment and how it sparked everything?
ADRO: It actually happened just a few weeks after my very first show. I had only been bodybuilding for about six months at that point. I’d just discovered it, really. Someone mentioned bikini competitions, and I thought it sounded like a fun way to celebrate my new hobby. I didn’t have a coach or a prep plan. I just hired someone to teach me how to pose, got up there, and ended up winning first in my class in Novice. I was hooked.
A few weeks later, everything changed. I was relaxing on the couch, and I remember suddenly feeling “off.” I laid my head down…and when I woke up, I was in a new life. That’s how I describe it, because nothing was ever the same after that moment. Doctors said I’d had a seizure. And through all the scans and follow-ups, they eventually found the real culprit: Eagle Syndrome, a rare congenital abnormality in my neck that had gone undiagnosed my entire life.
But I’m a solution-oriented person. From the minute they told me I’d had a seizure, I was in research mode. At the time, the Neurological Association of America actually recommended CrossFit to improve neuromuscular coordination, so I jumped in. I got a coach and started lifting heavy. I didn’t fall in love with CrossFit itself, but I absolutely fell in love with being strong, building muscle, and taking back control over my body. That moment on the couch could’ve ended everything. But instead, it lit the fire that built the athlete I am today.
"...as someone who fights best when I know what I’m fighting, that changed everything."
INSPIRE: Eagle Syndrome is incredibly rare. What can you tell us about this condition? How did it feel to finally get that diagnosis after years of uncertainty and misdiagnoses?
ADRO: Eagle Syndrome is a rare structural disorder where the styloid process…a tiny bone near the base of the skull…is abnormally long or calcified. A normal styloid is around 2 to 3 centimeters. Mine? 6.5 centimeters. That’s more than double what it should be, and it compresses nearby blood vessels and nerves, which can cause vascular constriction, migraines, dizziness, facial pain, difficulty swallowing, and even stroke-like symptoms.
One of the biggest ways it affects me daily is range of motion. I can only turn my neck about half as far as a normal person, which makes even simple tasks like driving or sleeping a challenge. For years, I knew something was wrong, but I was constantly misdiagnosed…told it was anxiety, posture, stress, or just in my head.
Finally getting the diagnosis was overwhelming…a mix of relief, grief, and quiet validation. I wasn’t imagining it. I wasn’t weak. I wasn’t broken for no reason. I was living with a rare and painful condition that most doctors never even think to look for. Having a name for it gave me a target. And as someone who fights best when I know what I’m fighting, that changed everything.
“That’s not superhuman...it’s just the reality of living in a body that never got the luxury of feeling safe or symptom-free.”
INSPIRE: How do you navigate show prep while managing symptoms that would sideline most people?
ADRO: To be honest, even though my disability is considered moderately severe, it feels normal to me. I was likely born this way, so I don’t have a before-and-after comparison. I don’t know what it feels like to feel “well” or “pain-free.” I’ve probably gotten worse over time, but because this has always been my baseline, I’ve learned to adapt.
Even now, while I’m awaiting surgery, I treat my flare-ups like most people treat the flu. I slow down, I manage what I can, but I don’t let it define me. My “normal” pain level probably hovers around a 4 or 5 out of 10. I’ve trained my body and brain to keep going anyway. That’s not superhuman…it’s just the reality of living in a body that never got the luxury of feeling safe or symptom-free.
INSPIRE: Despite so much adversity, you radiate confidence on stage. How do you mentally prepare to compete, especially on days when your health is flaring up?
ADRO: It’s a character. That’s one of the reasons I love the Fitness Angels category so much. When I step on stage, I’m not just Adrienne, the disabled woman navigating trauma and pain. I become ADRO…my alter ego, my superhero persona…I visualize everything. Even before I had words for it, I was doing it. Building pictures in my mind of how I wanted to feel, look, perform. Now that I know what visualization is, I use it with even more intention. It might sound woo-woo, but it’s not. Our minds are what limit us most. Once you realize that, the stage becomes yours.
“I might not control everything about my body, but I am still in charge of who I become.”
INSPIRE: You once said, “Fitness gave me something medicine alone couldn’t.” Can you expand on that?
ADRO: Being disabled can feel helpless. You’re constantly at the mercy of your symptoms, your doctors, your insurance, your body. And half the time, you’re still not believed. Bodybuilding gave me something tangible to hold onto. It gave me control…Bodybuilding gave me a sense of purpose when nothing else made sense. It taught me that while I might not control everything about my body, I am still in charge of who I become. INSPIRE
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