Timothy Lapitan was looking forward to his first professional fight when a bullet ripped into his abdomen as he tried to protect family members during an Aug. 11, 2008, home invasion robbery. He was just one month shy of his 20th birthday.

Five men were charged with the crime, which left Lapitan paralyzed from the waist down.

At the time of the shooting, he was two months away from his first bout and had been working out at Bulls Pen gym, known for training mixed martial arts fighters.

"I was mostly kickboxing but looking at going into mixed martial arts," Lapitan said.

After three months in the hospital and three weeks of occupational therapy, Lapitan never expected he’d be able to get back into the gym.

"I had to relearn a whole new system of living — getting in and out of the (wheelchair) from the shower, in and out of a vehicle, a lot of transfer techniques," he said.

Now 25, the Makakilo man has rekindled his athletic aspirations by undertaking a grueling regimen that combines cardio workouts, weightlifting and stretching. He works out for at least an hour at a time, four days per week, to strengthen his core muscles and improve mobility.

Lapitan lives with his brother but doesn’t require much assistance getting around. He drives his own vehicle with hand controls, works part time at the University of Hawaii Foundation as a student fundraiser, and attends classes at Honolulu Community College.

His boss at the foundation, Ty Yama­guchi, showed Lapitan videos of disabled athletes in competitions — athletes such as Kevin Ogar of Colorado, an elite CrossFit competitor who suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury while powerlifting at an event.

Despite the risks of the extreme CrossFit workouts, Lapitan found inspiration in the accomplishments of Ogar, who also uses a wheelchair. Lapitan’s eyes light up as he talks about a future filled with possibilities he wouldn’t have imagined a few months ago.

Lapitan collected enough donations for a six-month membership at CrossFit Oahu, which matched the funds to cover one year of training.

During group sessions at CrossFit Oahu, which has several locations, coaches help him with necessary modifications, such as using elastic resistance bands to stabilize his legs during situps and pullups. Otherwise, Lapitan does many of the same routines as the other gym users.

This includes working with heavy "battle ropes" that are whipped in an undulating motion and the SkiErg machine that provides a whole-body workout and can accommodate athletes with lower-body injuries.

"We have people of all different sizes and shapes doing CrossFit. Everyone’s on a different level, so it’s no different for Tim," said coach Ian McGill. "He just needs to make adjustments like everyone else."

One of Lapitan’s goals is to strengthen the muscles around his spine, not necessarily build bulk. Other exercises will help him conquer the everyday challenges in his life.

"He’s gaining strength, power, balance, coordination and cardio endurance. All of these things will help him keep his full range of motion," McGill said.

During his workouts, Lapitan lifts as much as 100 pounds or more using only his upper-body strength, throws weighted balls against the wall and performs an array of exercises that would make the average bystander tired just from watching.

While doing an "L-hold," Lapitan supports himself by grasping pushup bars that are set on the ground and rocking his body back and forth. The motion works his core and moves his hips.

"Everyday things are a lot easier for me now," he said. "Transfers in and out of my chair are definitely easier," which was apparent when he popped in and out of his wheelchair between exercises.

Lapitan has set his sights on returning to competition, perhaps as a Paralympian.

"I always thought I’d be a fighter. My mom was watching ‘Rocky’ when I was born — you can ask her if you don’t believe me. Sometimes I stay home and watch the ‘Rocky’ marathons," Lapitan said, laughing.

"But being in this chair is the ultimate fight. My hope is to inspire others and show people that I appreciate life. I feel so much stronger.

"I took everything for granted when I could walk. People have all kinds of things to take care of like work, school, kids and their parents, so it’s easy to overlook the small things. I’m grateful for so many things now."