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But his achievement yesterday - running up the 73-storey Swissotel The Stamford in 12 min 34 sec - was all about leg power.
Emerging 76th in a field of 297 men in the category for those aged 20 to 29, he became the first person with his kind of disability to complete the Vertical Marathon.
The race, in its 22nd year, also attracted eight deaf competitors.
An energetic Mr Adam, posing for cameras and jumping for joy over his performance, said: 'Everyone was cheering me - even when I passed them!'
He dedicated his run to his colleagues at marine company Man Diesel, his army mates in the Guards, and the staff of Singapore General Hospital, all of whom pooled money to help pay for his first operation after the accident.
To train for the run up 226m of staircases, he spent the last month running up his 14-storey HDB block in Yishun five times nearly every day.
Once, he said, he tripped while training and hurt his back. As he does not have the use of his arms to break the fall, his instinct when taking a spill is to turn around to land on his back.
The polytechnic graduate in marine engineering said he built up his stamina by running around a park near his home with a backpack stuffed with objects like his old army boots.
The training was not just for the Vertical Marathon. It was aimed at strengthening his leg muscles, so doctors can harvest some of it to construct a bicep for his paralysed left arm.
He is saving money for the operation, which may bring back the use of his left hand.
He is now a part-time editor of reports at Man Diesel, and does freelance graphic, Web and product design the rest of the time.
His work at the computer is done with a chopstick in his mouth and a mouse underfoot.
He is looking forward to next year's run. He hopes to win the open category in the next two years to score a trip to New York for the sprint up the Empire State Building.
Recalling the scene in the film Rocky Balboa where actor Sylvester Stallone runs up a flight of stairs as part of his training, Mr Adam said: 'I want the glory - just like Rocky!'
