"Never give up" -Fans react as Ben Askren starts training following life-threatening health battle

Ben Askren is back to working out just days after being discharged from the hospital following a double-lung transplant. The former Olympian and UFC star had shared a raw video of his early-stage recovery.

Askren has now shared a new update from his recovery, this time seen training on a spine bike in his home gym. This followed a previous video in which he appeared visibly weaker, having lost 35 pounds, used a walker, and struggled with light dumbbells.

He took to X to share the latest update and wrote:

"Don't talk about it, be about it!"

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Check out Ben Askren's X post below:

The post drew emotional reactions from across the MMA community and beyond. One fan wrote:

"Never give up."

Meanwhile, other fans wrote:

"I’m not gonna lie….if it was me, I would’ve been sitting in self-pity and that “why me” mentality for weeks until I did something about it. Much respect to you, bro and may God/the universe grant you extra strength and power." "I'm a late-stage cancer survivor. I lost maybe 70-75lbs.. I still can't comprehend how he went from the weight he was at to where he is now in a short period of time. Godspeed, though." "Thank you for sharing your journey with us." "Warrior! You’re an inspiration to many."

Check out some of the fan reactions below:

Fans react to Ben Askren sharing video of him working out. [Screenshots courtesy: @Benaskren on Instagram]

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Ben Askren had revealed plans to fight back despite shocking physical changes

Ben Askren shared a personal video detailing his physical condition just four days after returning home from a double lung transplant. In the clip, he stated that he was using a walker for support and curling a five-pound dumbbell with considerable effort.

He explained that he had lost 35 pounds and could no longer walk unaided. Just weeks earlier, he had been sprinting hills and lifting heavy weights. Askren took to Instagram to share a video update, stating:

"I've been home for four days now. It's awesome. I can sleep in my own bed, eat my own food, and hang out with my family. It's great. That being said, I still have so many physical challenges to deal with. I'm still down about 35 pounds from where I should be. I have to walk with a walker. I can't walk."

Askren added:

"This five-pound weight, this is actually hard for me to curl. Right before I had to go to the hospital, like in this video here, I was feeling strong. I was probably curling 45 pounds. I definitely wasn't using a walker. I was probably out doing hill sprints. So we go back to the Stockholm paradox I was talking about. I am where I am right now, but I'm going to be somewhere different in a month."

Check out the Instagram post below:

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar