Claude Abrams, Author at

Week 9: Habits and Six-packs

WHAT makes us successful or unsuccessful? One thing I know that plays a significant role is our habits.

Do you have winning habits or ones that lead to failure?

For example, if your aim is to lose weight and your habit is to indulge in a tub of chocolates or stuff your face with fast food or down 2 litres of Coca Cola every evening, it’s not exactly a winning combination.

Habits are not just physical. If your desire is for less stress and your habit is to fill your to-do list each day to the brim or leave everything until the final minute, again it’s counter-productive.

So ask yourself how do your actions and does your lifestyle support your goals?

As an Amazing 12 transformation coach, I have to do my part and deliver the program in the gym, offer guidance and instruction on technique and manage the weight and reps for each movement. I have to advise on diet. But to get the most success from this program for my clients, I need to adopt successful habits: I aim to be punctual; I plan each session ahead of time; I pay attention when my clients are lifting….

If you are doing the program, winning habits might include preparing your food ahead of time; bringing a protein shake to each session; clearing your mind of worries before training; arriving early to warm-up and do some foam rolling; eliminating foods from your kitchen that you know you shouldn’t have in order to avoid temptation etc…

I am not talking here about the need for an overhaul of lifestyle, but more how we can be derailed by habits that undermine what we want to achieve.

They say it takes 21 days to change a habit. The Amazing 12 consists of 60 training sessions. There’s a deliberate routine, structure and almost ritual to the Amazing 12 training and diet. Habits are changed and established through repetition. Excellence follows practice. Good, productive habits are what deliver results.

Think about this quote from Craig Ballantyne, who wrote an excellent book The Perfect Day Formula: “When you eliminate bad habits, it becomes easier to stick to good ones, which in turn allows you to make better decisions and secure faster results.”

Sue, Kari and Ross have now completed week 9 and each has faced challenges along the way. We’ve worked on ‘bad’ training habits and we continually talk about mindsets. We are now approaching the final three weeks – the home straight, so to speak.

As I’ve detailed in previous weeks, some have struggled more than others. But “success is simple when we accept how hard it is”. That acceptance is what enables us to walk through any walls that come our way. When you don’t accept it, you are more likely to quit or falter.

While all 12 weeks in this program are important, for me the final three are where the greatest changes occur. It’s the climax of the journey. However, you need to put in the work for the first nine to be able to scale those walls in and reap the benefits of the final quarter. There are no shortcuts.

The A12 is a program where you get out what you put in. This week wasn’t the best as far as attendance is concerned. Through work, Ross skipped two sessions and Kari one.

Strength gains have still continued, but every day missed (unless through injury) is an opportunity lost to gain more strength and achieve your best.

By ‘best’ I don’t mean achieving a six-pack! That’s just a bonus for those who by the end have a lean and muscular body and depends largely on your starting physique.

The six-pack has become a bit of a fixation, however, like it’s a badge that represents true strength and fitness.

My fellow Amazing 12 coach Jon Compton, who runs the Wimbledon Strength and Fat Loss Club in London, put out a video recently about the obsession with gaining a six-pack which seemed quite timely as Sue and I this week had quite a few conversations about it.

But I think it can (wrongly in my opinion) be regarded as the dividing line between success or failure, which I think is missing the point of what training and the Amazing 12 is all about.

Jon articulated it in more industrial language than I care to that while the aim at the end of the Amazing 12 is to reach a peak – which is illustrated by photos of the start and finish and very specific to each person – the program is about much more that isn’t always so visually noticeable.

Having a six-pack is sustainable, but only if you are prepared to make sacrifices or are genetically predisposed to a body that doesn’t hold much fat. However it’s not as useful as being strong and fit. Is it?

“Having a six-pack is a consequence of completing exercise and diet, but does not demonstrate strength,” said Ross.

“Having strength, both physically and mentally, is a particular goal of mine and the six-pack, which has always eluded me, is simply a visible by-product, much like having big arms or a chest.

“Strength is hard to measure, as mental strength is down to the individual and can change through many variables. Physical strength doesn’t necessarily mean the individual has mental strength.”

For Sue, the question of the importance of strength and aesthetics has changed from when she started the program.

“It’s not because I’ve changed my mind, but more because I’ve changed my body,” she said. “I’m as strong as I want to be – I have achieved what I set out – and now I want the next three weeks to deliver something more.

“My other goal starting the Amazing 12 was to shed 5% body fat, so that is what is driving me. A six-pack would be the icing on the cake, though I’d choose leaner legs over the abs.

“It will be interesting to see what happens there. In the 25 years since I started exercising, I never shed fat from my legs until I started running, so let’s see what the A12 can deliver.

“Interestingly, going into week 10, I feel like I almost want to put the brakes on in terms of strength development, because I build muscle quickly and my arms and shoulders are now well developed.

“So aesthetics are important to me. Strength and six-pack both matter because they have an affect on how I feel about myself. But I could live without the six-pack (I have until now!)

“However, I couldn’t imagine life without strength. It’s such a big part of who I am. It is my hobby, my stress-relief, my armour, my empowerment.”

Kari also feels as if there’s a tipping point with strength gain, which is a common and hard-to-budge mindset for women who falsely fear that gaining strength from lifting weights equates automatically to big muscles.

You only have to look at the lighter weight categories at the Olympics in weight-lifting to see that strong women aren’t overly muscular.

“I want to be reasonably strong, but not very strong,” added Kari. “I don’t want to look like a man, compete with their strength or come across as intimidating. I still want to ask a man to open a jar or a bottle top for me when I struggle. I never want to lose my femininity.”

In terms of appearances, Kari is after the strong and lean look. “I want to be toned and have nice abs,” she said.

While the focus always seems to be on the obvious – that being aesthetics – I think the hidden but equally important prize of the Amazing 12 is in developing physical and mental strength, training competence and honing habits which can lead to a healthier, better, happier, more capable, skilful, confident and productive you.

Just don’t let the six-pack image obscure your sight of that.

The Amazing 12 – you THINK it’s beyond you? Think again (Part 1, the boys)

SO you think the Amazing 12 is beyond you? You don’t have the time or lack the discipline or willpower or you live too far away from the nearest coach or you believe with a family it’s just not possible or you’re just intimidated by going into gyms or you have a history of starting but not finishing things and it’s not worth beginning?

You’d be surprised. And while the above are all legitimate reasons why participating in and completing the Amazing 12 could be made more challenging, it doesn’t mean it cannot be done.

Firstly, you have to want it and be prepared to do what it takes. Change doesn’t often come easily and why should it? And you certainly don’t want to reach the point where something goes dreadfully wrong with your body before deciding it’s time to take effective action for greater health and well-being.

There is something deeply satisfying to be had from digging deep, testing your metal and discovering your untapped potential. I don’t know about you, but often when I hear people recount events in their lives, they talk with the most pride about and best remember the moments that took them closest to the edge of their comfort zone and maybe even beyond it or where they were challenged.

There is more satisfaction to be had from overcoming something that seems impossible or difficult than completing a task that is easy or you know you are capable of.

Still not convinced you have it in you?

Here are just two men who have, by sheer desire for change, overcome obstacles or limitations that would have deterred most people. It’s often the determined, driven and motivated who are most likely to create changes and then stick with or build upon them. Before you say ‘that’s not me’, understand we ALL have the capability for that mindset.

It just means you need to find a legitimate reason to take action – a driving force inside you – and keep that in mind during those times when things get testing, when you may find yourself questioning what you are made of.

Remember giving up never gets results or creates lasting change. It’s the starting, being brave, believing and persevering that does.

MOTIVATIONAL stories don’t get more powerful than Keith’s. Only days before deciding to do the Amazing 12, Keith was feeling as if he couldn’t go on with life. He was at rock bottom. His wife of 17 years, five months pregnant with their daughter, had passed away suddenly, without warning, from a brain haemorrhage.

In his own words, Keith said, “I was a totally broken man.”

With two daughters to raise, he could see no light at the end of the tunnel.

He recalled one particular visit to his wife’s grave. “I said to Lorraine, ‘wherever you are, I need help. Work your magic’.”

Keith realised he had two choices: to waste away or pull himself together. He remembered how at the entrance to the graveyard where his wife was buried he could see a gym. It was a gym (GP Fitness) belonging to Gan Power, who runs the Amazing 12 program in Waterford, Ireland.

“I walked in, chatted to Gan and he signed me up,” remembers Keith, who had never done any weight-training previously.

Keith’s lifestyle was poor: drinking; smoking; on prescription medicine; strength levels low.

“What happened to Keith was a nightmare,” said Gan. “I can’t comprehend something like that happening. Keith just went through the motions the first few sessions he came in here. But as the weeks went by I could see his personality and focus change. His life became structured. It gave him routine.”

“I was coming to the gym with the weight of the world on my shoulders and dumping it on the floor through exercise,” recalls Keith of his A12 experience. Soon enough changes began happening, not just physically.

“I could walk out of the gym and juggle the world a lot better,” he said.

When he started the program, Keith recalls how he couldn’t do a single chin-up. By the end he was doing multiple chin-ups with 20k attached to his body.

“I became a different man, physically and mentally. This program gave me the foundations to move on in life. My physical appearance, confidence and self-esteem shot up. My thinking became positive.”

There’s a great follow-on to Keith’s story. He decided to go back to college and study sports psychology (a four-year course). “I want to make something of my life and, at the same time, help others.

“I look at what I achieved in 12 weeks on the Amazing 12 and think what I can do in four years. I’m doing it for myself and the kids.”

GARY was told by doctors at the age of 22 that his injured back was never going to get better – that he’d have to learn to live with the pain and pain-relief. Consequently, he was forced to retire from his sports, hurling and football.

Surgery was an option, but he was warned against it. Too risky, the doctors advised. And they couldn’t guarantee it would help.

Gary’s pain was constant. He had gone from winning an under-21 championship with his club and having social connections through sport to nothing. With it went his motivation, fitness and network of friends.

This went on for five years. Gary tried everything, but to no avail. He felt as if he had aged 10 years in the process. Then he decided, almost as a last resort, to try surgery. “I always believed this would solve my problem,” he said.

In March 2014 he had the first of two procedures in Dublin that left him with two metal rods the length of his spine that would remain there permanently. He was told to allow for a year before returning to any kind of gym activity or sport.

Then Gary, with little muscle on his frame, limited flexibility and anxiety about how he looked and felt, approached Colm Callanan in Galway, Ireland. Gary was coming off two operations, four weeks in hospital, four months out of work and 18 months of recovery.

“I was in a rut and had no idea where I was going with regards to my fitness and nutrition,” he said. “Colm asked if I’d have a go at the Amazing 12.”

Gary’s first reaction was: “Absolutely not. I’m nowhere near that level.” But after talking to Colm, he decided to give it a go.

“Never in a million years did I think I would be in the gym at 6.30am five days a week and enjoying every minute of it,” he said. “After two weeks I had slipped into the routine of it and flying through it.”

Gary made it work. “It’s like a collection of positive steps,” he said. “You get a discipline you don’t have to force. You have a personal trainer watching and helping you progress. It wasn’t tough considering what I got out of it.

“I’m now looking at the prospect of playing sport again, seven years after being told I would never be able to. I have always been a positive person, but I’ve become even happier, more proactive and motivated since doing the Amazing 12.”

*The next wave of the Amazing 12 Chichester starts on January 9, 2017 at Core Results. Book in for a free consultation to find out more. Contact: Claude@Intelligentstrength.co.uk

Week 8: Attitude is everything

WHAT if I told you that your attitude shapes the way you move? Would it make you think differently about your attitude?

Consider how fear, anger, happiness, confidence, doubt, positivity etc all impact on your body, muscles, nervous system, posture, energy, motivation, vibrancy and concentration.

The opposite can be true also – that movement can alter your attitude, which is why many people do exercise or train.

Kari, Ross and Sue, who are training with me on the Amazing 12 at the Core Results gym, are all contrasting personalities with different mindsets, jobs and lifestyles. It’s been interesting to observe their ups and downs, how they face challenges, how they impact on each other and how they have adjusted to the program week by week.

I call Sue “high maintenance with humour” and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Kari is steady, but has moments where (metaphorically) she beats herself up. Ross is up and down. When he’s down, he’s really down. When he’s flying, he’s like he can conquer the world and will help everyone around him to do the same.

This week, Kari was doing a particular movement that I could see was challenging her. She didn’t get the amount of reps she was aiming for and looked at me, as if to say ‘what’s going on? Why can’t I do this?’

I could see clearly, though, that there was doubt in her mind as she was getting set to start. She was intimidated. We’ve all been there before. Trouble is, the doubt quickly became a reality.

So I asked her, “What was going through your mind as you were about to start?”

She replied: “That I hate this exercise [which happens to be Sue’s favourite].”

Call it hate or fear, sometimes the two can become one. But the bottom line is that Kari was questioning herself and, consequently, virtually defeated before she began. So we had a bit of a pep talk and discussed how to make the mental shift.

I’m not saying it’s easy, particularly when weight-lifting. But remember we become good at what we practice the most.

One of the most impressive examples of mental strength for me is when an Olympic weight-lifter fails an attempt at a massive lift and then, minutes later, comes back to execute it perfectly. That’s real strength.

Kari composed herself and as she stepped up for the next set her body language was different and she proceeded to not just exceed the amount of reps on the movement that had thwarted her minutes earlier, but she tripled it!

This week Sue came up short on one particular movement, but I expect her to trump it next time she tries. Why? Because she’s a fighter and going to be more determined (motivation), she knows what she is up against (experience), she’s will be stronger from the training (adaptation) and we’ll make a few technical tweaks (skill). And if she falls short again, we’ll try once more the week after.

“I bring everything to my training,” said Sue. “The good, the bad and ugly. Training is the time I give myself to be free. It isn’t something I do to keep fit. I do it to stay happy. I never have a problem motivating myself. But it also means I take all my emotional baggage with me. If I’ve had a shit day with the kids, it ends up in the gym. If I have a bad day at work, it ends up in the gym.”

That could be a trainer’s nightmare. But Sue has the ability to use that anger or anxiety to her advantage. “The good news is that I get to work out the stress and frustration,” she said. “The bad news is that my trainer gets it in the neck a lot [sorry, Claude]!”

I’ll be honest. If I don’t believe I can get the best out of someone, I won’t take them on. But I know I can work with Sue. In fact, despite what she has said, she is great to train.

“My saving grace, I think, is my humour,” said Sue. “During the Amazing 12 there have been a few ‘I don’t know whether to laugh or cry’ moments and I’ve always ended up laughing. My attitude hasn’t changed, but my resolve has strengthened – we must all make time to do the thing that makes us happy and allows us to let off steam.”

Kari’s relationship with training is different. She admits she was addicted to getting muscle soreness that comes with training excessively. Prior to signing up for the Amazing 12, Kari had done little training for the best part of four months.

She now thinks it was her body’s way of shutting down, as a way of protecting itself. “I’m convinced that was the case,” she said. “It was like I went into training hibernation as a way to recover.

“I’ve always smashed my body to pieces by over-training. The Amazing 12 has taught me to slow down and listen to my body. In order to perform better, my body needs rest periods and proper fuel.

“My body has also taught me that it’s stronger than I ever thought. My mind has always stopped me from lifting heavy. If the weights looked too heavy or the monkey bars in a race looked too difficult, I would decide I could not do it.

“The mind still plays tricks during a session now and again [like this week]. So I know not to walk into something with negative thoughts as you would have already failed. ‘Know you can and you will’ is going to be my motto going forwards.”

Ross is still on an emotional roller coaster. He has a demanding job as a paramedic. This week he had to train after attending a nasty suicide. He also has PTSD, which affects his sleep. Often this, when combined with working shifts, leaves him tired when training.

The doubts about whether he will be successful in transforming his body remain. “I’ve struggled with the diet,” he said. “Although my strength has grown, my attitude is, ‘what will be, will be’. I’m doing everything that’s asked, but not getting the results.”

Ross trains hard and I’m excited by what he can achieve in the remainder of the program, but he isn’t seeing the results he has predicted for himself at this stage. Therefore, he still has a tough time believing the Amazing 12 will deliver what he is after. To some extent, it is like he is driving with his brakes on and complaining the speed isn’t quick enough.

I’m still confident he will be singing a different tune come the end of June.

Sue, however, has reached the point that if she were to finish now she’d be satisfied.

“My shoulder [which she had injured a year ago] is now strong again and I’ve got full range of motion back. I am also a better person for indulging myself in this bit of time where I feel me,” she said.

“The Amazing 12 hasn’t just made me physically stronger – I’m happier, healthier and better for my family because of those things.”

*The next wave of the Amazing 12 Chichester begins on September 5. If you would like to know more details and/or make an appointment for a free consultation or have any questions, please email me at Claude@Intelligentstrength.co.uk

Week 7: Breaking barriers…with ease

IN her CrossFit days, when Sue completed her heaviest deadlift, she remembers it being a struggle – the type of lift where you are dragging the bar slowly up your leg, shaking and grimacing and groaning at the same time. It wasn’t pretty.

Fast-forward roughly a year and to this week, just beyond the halfway point of the Amazing 12, and Sue managed multiple deadlifts with a weight that was fractionally less than the 1-rep max she achieved 12 months ago. She did a victory dance, of course, to celebrate.

These were not ordinary multiple lifts either. Sue did them all pretty easily, which confirmed to me there is plenty more in the tank. And she executed the lifts with good form.

Later that same day, Kari had a similar experience with the deadlift. And she, too, took the bar to standing multiple times, using sound technique (although there’s a few things I want to still work on with her) and a weight that was only marginally less than the best she had ever lifted. Kari, being tall and lean, isn’t built for the deadlift, which made it even more impressive.

So the progress – measurable and visual – is all becoming evident and being achieved without going close to excessively overloading the body.

That’s not to say the Amazing 12 is easy. Far from it. Ross said this week, “I can feel it’s getting tough now. I feel like this is when the [real] hard work is going to start.”

The more I coach this program, the more I appreciate the beauty of the process. If I had asked Sue and Kari in week 1 to do those deadlifts, the chances are they would have either failed or hurt themselves or struggled or looked at me nervously.

Success with lifting is as much about confidence as it is strength. We all possess the strength, but it’s difficult to manifest it when our heads are filled with doubt or fear and our bodies under-prepared. So to see Sue and Kari lift so effortlessly was satisfying to see. It tells me how much they are beginning to believe in themselves and how far they have come.

“I have learned over the past seven weeks I have more gritty determination and willpower than I thought,” said Kari.

“My engine is stronger than I ever gave it credit for. I am learning to fuel my body with the right foods and regular meals. Food no longer scares me.

“And it’s not only okay for a woman to lift. I think women SHOULD lift. It’s a fantastic sensation and creates fab, toned muscles.”

Ross, whose arms and shoulders are becoming like sandbags, still has plenty in reserve. He really struggled in week 1, but his strength has returned at an astonishing rate and the best part is that his technique gets better the greater the challenges I throw at him.

He joked “I never doubted you for a minute, you know, Claude. I totally believed you from the start.”

Of course, here’s a man who only a few weeks ago was teetering on the edge because things weren’t shifting fast enough for him. He was struggling with aspects of the diet. Everything got on top of him. But you wouldn’t recognise him now.

“I have really learned how to listen to my body,” Ross told me. “I rest when I am tired, drink plenty, eat the right foods and stop training when in pain.

“I’ve always had a die-hard attitude to life and this was evident in my CrossFit days. But now I value my body and, at nearly 47, I take greater care of it.

“Much like the care I give others [as a paramedic], I now give to myself. If I need a snooze, I no longer feel guilty, but look at it as my body saying it needs a break.

“So I’ve had a change in mindset which I feel will be better for my long-term health.”

Ross’ outlook becomes more positive with each week. He keeps us all amused with his jovial humour and knowledge of trivia. He’s now exploring what his next challenge will be after the Amazing 12 and talking about doing it again next year.

Sue’s also been assessing how she wants to move forwards – training and living.

“I have learned from doing the A12 I can adapt. Not easily [as I don’t like change], but I can do it if I need to – like drink my coffee black and eat tuna for breakfast. I may not like it, but it can be done.

“Things you thought are never going to change, can change. This makes me feel stronger more than the fact I smashed my PB this week. Now I know I can adapt.”

The A12 has also reinforced what she knew about herself – “for example, how once I focus I’m like a laser beam. I still surprise myself at how dedicated and focused I can be.”

All in all, aside from Sue pulling a muscle in her shoulder, it was a demanding but smooth week. Having injured herself badly previously, Sue obviously feared the worse.

But she was back in training the next day none the worse for wear and declaring with passion, “I’m not missing a session!”

*DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AMAZING 12 CHICHESTER? WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART OF THE NEXT WAVE, STARTING SEPTEMBER 5? CONTACT ME AT Claude@Intelligentstrength.co.uk

Week 6: The ‘Everest’ connection

IF climbing Everest were easy, what would be the value in doing it?

Very little beyond admiring the view or using it as a stepping stone to something more demanding, I suspect. When we really challenge ourselves is when we grow or discover sides to ourselves we never knew existed.

Sue said before she started the Amazing 12 that this program was her ‘Everest’. Her late and dear father could relate much more to climbing than he could training in a gym. And when times have been tough on this program, Sue has switched her attention to her father, as though she were calling on superpowers.

Going up Everest is never going to be smooth sailing even for the most esteemed climber. But there is still a tremendous amount to be gained from scaling such a peak, just as there is in completing the Amazing 12.

I am using this analogy in relative terms, of course.

Sticking with the analogy, I am effectively the guide leading my group – Sue, Kari and Ross – up the mountain. Everyone is making great progress and on course as i put them through their paces at Core Results. There are no slackers. But along the way we’ve had questions asked and some difficult moments. All a part of the journey, I say. The goal is to reach the top and learn from overcoming the different obstacles faced along the way.

The hiccups thus far have been few, in fairness. Kari had to take a few days off in week 4 for work, Ross missed a few sessions in week 5 because of sickness and this week he tweaked his back while squatting, admitting he’d failed to check his breathing. These things happen. But it was a wake-up call for Ross.

“I realised what I did,” he said. “It could have been much worse. I’m actually grateful for it. It made me realise how important set-up is on these lifts and just the slightest loss of concentration can result in injury.”

So here we are, at the end of week six. Last week it was Ross who was in the tunnel of doubt, but he has now seen some light and is in a much better place. In fact, he was looking like a powerhouse at the end.

“This week’s been a real turning point for me,” he said. “I’m beginning to believe. I can see things happening. I feel really elitist to be doing this – not in a I’m-better-than-everyone-else sort of way, but more like this is a really special thing to do.”

It was the turn of Sue this week to lose the faith, if only very briefly. Again, metaphorically-speaking, she has had to battle with her thoughts and uncertainty, though never to the point of not continuing. Sue hasn’t missed a day. It was more like she was asking the guide – again and again – are you sure we are heading the right way?

For the guide (me), the answer is always an obvious ‘yes’. But a dark cloud can mean something different to a guide than it does to the inexperienced climber. To the climber, there for the first time and unsure of the terrain and conditions, it’s dicey territory, especially if you don’t relinquish control. It’s that trust thing all over again.

As the guide, I have the knowledge of how to get to the top and in the best and safest way. That’s my job. That’s my objective. I know the pitfalls and I have a method for dealing with them. But to travel with me, you need to have faith in me.

This week we had a small pep talk about mindset because I really believe – and I see it week in, week out – that limits are imposed by the mind rather than the body.

I don’t train to discover a limit, because where do you go when the limit is established? Instead, I don’t seek limits and seldom venture close to them. The aim is to continue progressing, because it’s about convincing the mind what is possible.

This week Sue overcame a few challenges, one of which had stumped her last week – and she did it without much difficulty. What Ross can do now compared to the first week, when he struggled, is ridiculous. And Kari, a very steady operator, improves with almost every session though even she had a little roadblock this week.

When this journey is over, however, I’m confident they will feel like they have never felt before. They’ll look back on this experience and to the uneasy and questionable moments and wonder why they ever doubted themselves or me.

It’s normal. How many people who have confronted their ‘Everest’ haven’t faced periods and moments of uncertainty or anxiety? You just need to keep moving towards your goal. Focus on how far you have come, what you have accomplished, what are your strengths, what you CAN do…

No wonder they say your mind fails before your body. The mind gives the orders. Tame the mind. Feed it with information that strengthens and not weakens it. There are many lessons to be learned on this path.

It takes 12 weeks to scale the Amazing 12. You need to be equipped: eat the right foods; bring the right attitude; stick to the plan; stay focused; keep showing up.

I’m not at all worried. Sue, Kari and Ross are all precisely where I want them. Like I said, I know the way ahead. I know they can all make it. I know they can all achieve fantastic results. They now have to trust themselves as we move ever closer to the peak.

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination and belief.”

The last session of the week was another strong one. Ross, with a smile back on his face, turned to me and said, “I feel on top of the world right now.”

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BOOK YOUR PLACE ON THE NEXT WAVE OF THE AMAZING 12 CHICHESTER, STARTING SEPTEMBER 5 AT CORE RESULTS, QUARRY LANE. EMAIL Claude@Intelligentstrength.co.uk FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

10 things I learned from Muhammad Ali

I NEVER tire of watching or listening to Muhammad Ali. There is something uniquely captivating about him.

In case you hadn’t noticed or realised, there’s been a big exhibition at the O2 Arena in London celebrating the life and career of the former world heavyweight boxing champion.

I grew up during the time when Ali reigned supreme. His face was everywhere, as was his voice. I recall watching him on TV doing double-decker hamburger commercials, being interviewed by Michael Parkinson on the BBC and, of course, watching his fights.

His contest with George Foreman in Zaire in 1974 – ‘The Rumble In The Jungle’ – is one of the first I can recall.

Now Ali, who has Parkinson’s Syndrome, is a shadow of the man I used to see. He has lived longer with Parkinson’s than he has without it.

The exhibition at the O2 goes through the full spectrum of his existence – the good and the bad. It does a superb job painting Ali’s character, brilliance and contribution to sport and humanity. That’s why I urge anyone who hasn’t been, to make the effort to see it.

Ali played a major part in my life. I’m sure it’s partly because of him that I became interested in boxing and why boxing for many years (as a participant and then a journalist) was an integral part of my being.

But Ali, the man, meant more to me than just what he delivered in the ring. Here’s my list of the 10 lessons this great, extraordinary and beautiful individual gave me.

1. Boxing is a dangerous and unforgiving sport

ALTHOUGH Ali has Parkinson’s, I have no doubt boxing – and competing for too long in it – contributed in a major way to his condition. Sure, people from other walks of life have Parkinson’s and have never boxed or been hit in the head repeatedly. But we are all so different. What will break one man won’t affect another and what we are talking about here is damage to nerve and brain cells. Ali fought for too long and in boxing it’s the brave who usually get hurt. It’s a twisted irony that a man with such a pretty face, brilliant reflexes and the greatest profile the sport has known would suffer such a fate. Ali, though, didn’t know when or how to quit. He wasn’t the first or last in that respect. “I will return”, was his great tagline. His speech, however, had started to slur noticeably around 1976 and yet he boxed on until 1980. Don’t forget that boxers suffer punishment in the gym as well as in their contests. It is accumulated damage. Overstay your welcome and boxing will make you pay.

2. Back up your boasts

IF you want to make bold predictions, talk aloud, tell everyone what you can and will do and how good you are, then be prepared to back it up with something of substance. Ali, of course, talked the talk. He was, though, incredibly gifted, flamboyant, charismatic and outstandingly brave. Ali also had a way of bragging that came across as entertaining rather than annoyingly arrogant, although great rival Joe Frazier and many others didn’t often think so. He knew how, through the power of the spoken word, to stir interest, create excitement and captivate an audience.

3. Stand up for what you believe in

I don’t believe there are too many men of Ali’s stature who would have dared take the stance Ali chose during the Vietnam War and become a conscientious objector. He risked everything for what he believed in. That took immense courage. Ali was outspoken and challenged the status quo. He dared to be different. We ARE all different, but not all of us dare to be. He had the courage to face the world when his physical condition so obviously and harshly deteriorated. Ali never believed in hiding.

4. Be a giver, not a taker

NO-ONE personifies this more than Ali. I don’t know of a more generous sporting figure. You can argue he was wealthy and therefore giving came more easily. But I’m not really talking about money. Ali gave himself. He gave his time. And time is our most precious commodity. Even though he was the greatest personality in sport, Ali kept no barriers between himself and his fans, who came from all religious backgrounds, social sectors and corners of the globe. I know many people who took the journey to visit him when he was in training and they were always welcomed. You wouldn’t find that with today’s heroes. Ali loved it. I know stories about Ali and his generosity that would leave you astonished. He was a great man not only because of what he achieved, but because of how he treated people and bridged the gap between superstardom and the starstruck admirer.

5. Be humble

THIS may sound like a weird one. Ali and humble don’t obviously go together. But I think Ali was incredibly humble. He had many friends who were “common people”. In fact, he went out of his way to be with them. He didn’t sit himself on a pedestal, even though he often declared himself “The Greatest”. If Ali of all people refused to look down on others, then none of us ever should.

6. It’s not over until it’s over

ALI rose from the ashes and did the seemingly impossible. Twice – against Sonny Liston and then George Foreman – he won the world heavyweight championship as a massive underdog when many genuinely feared for his life. Those fights were 10 years apart. Ali’s spirit – in the ring, in his battle with Parkinson’s, in his political and racial views – was unquenchable. He is a fighter in every sense of the word. The lesson here is to keep going – despite your setbacks and what others may think and say – until you achieve your goals.

7. Spend more time with your children

WHILE Ali loved children and being around them, what’s interesting is that it was often at the expense of his own family. His kids love and adore him. But during Ali’s career, when he was away training and travelling, they didn’t get to see much of him. The movie I Am Ali depicts his relationship with his children. The insightful film reminded me of just how important time spent with your children is and how fast it passes.

8. Don’t take health for granted

ALI doesn’t wallow in self-pity and never has. But he is clearly unwell and has been for many years. This has impacted significantly on his life and those around him. That he was an athlete and a magnificent physical specimen and still succumbed to poor health shows that no-one is invincible. By fighting too long, Ali abused his body and brain. It came at a cost that money could never replenish.

9. Being smart comes in many guises

WHEN we think of smartness, often academia comes to mind. Ali was incredibly smart, but not if passing intelligence tests is the criteria. For example, he flunked the army induction exam – probably deliberately. But listen to any of his interviews and you’ll see a marvellously engaging personality with a razor-sharp mind and wit. The truth is that everyone is good at something. Find what you are good at and enjoy most and then work at it.

10. Strive to be The Greatest…version of yourself

DON’T settle for mediocrity. Success starts with a mere thought or dream and becomes a reality when we turn it into a goal and then apply desire, drive and focus. Ali always had a vision. I was fortunate to discover early in life what my passion was and went for it. Ali inspired me – and generations of others – to stick to their chosen path and never give up.

The Ali Exhibition at the O2, dedicated to the life of the former three-time world champ, runs daily until August 31, 2016.

Ali died on June 4, 2016, several weeks after this post was first published

Week 5: Biceps, Self-talk & Doubts

ONE of the members at Core Results took a look at Sue, Kari and Ross on the first day this week and asked me, “Why are they doing this [the Amazing 12]? They already look amazing.”

Not a bad compliment really, considering we had just started week 5 and there’s another seven to go. Kari was on Cloud Nine this week. For the first time in her life she discovered she had biceps.

Biceps are not the be all and end all, of course. But it was more symbolic of how her body composition has so obviously changed and that she had noticed.

“Feeling on top of the world this morning,” she said to me the next day. “Starting to feel like I am taking shape. Absolutely loving this process.”

What’s interesting, though, is that at the beginning of the week, just for a few moments, she had felt almost the opposite. After one movement we were training, she didn’t feel as if she had done particularly well and said to herself, “Pathetic.”

It got me thinking about self-talk and how we encourage or discourage ourselves mentally. Everyone is different. But, more often than not, you’ll find successful people are those who have positive self-talk, don’t berate themselves and quickly move on. It’s a skill. You need to practice it. You need to first become aware of it. But realise also that doing the opposite – putting yourself down – is a skill as well. What you practice the most will likely stick and become your default action.

Training doesn’t stop with exercise or the physical side of our being. We are training the mind as well as the body. That’s why Sue said, “the Amazing 12 tests your metal as well as your muscle.” It’s true.

I was listening this week to famous American wrestler Triple H talk and how he explained why the gym taught him everything he needed to know about life: discipline; structure; practice; disappointment; victory; goal-setting; physical strength; mental strength; durability; stamina; sociability; team work; positivity; negativity; overcoming challenges; confidence; health….

The Amazing 12 is the same. My trio has been experiencing a lot of emotions and challenges. Ross has had a particularly difficult week. He missed a couple of sessions through being ill. He still doubts the process will work on him.

“I know how my body works and I just don’t think it [the A12] will work,” he said.

One of my A12 colleagues, Phil Earley of ITS Fitness in Newcastle, told me of one of his recent graduates – a 56-year-old (pictured above).

His results were outstanding, as you can see. Yet Phil told me that after nine weeks this client had come to him, patting his belly, saying “it ain’t shifting”.

Phil told him what I keep saying to Ross: “Follow it to the letter and you’ll see.”

Self-doubt is often self-defeating. There is a very strong link between what goes on in the mind in relation to the body.

But I will keep working on Ross. He is getting undoubtedly stronger and fitter. He has so much potential. I see changes to his physique and I know what lies ahead.

“Just keep doing what I ask you to do and it will happen,” I reassured him. But, for now – until Ross really starts to believe – I am working against his resistance. We’ll see what happens.

Ross and Sue even shook hands on a friendly bet because Ross didn’t think he’d get into great shape by the end. Sue wagered £10 that he would, with the money to go to charity.

Sue has been solid and consistent, though still juggles her training around work, raising two children and family life.

Kari has been flying high. “I’m excited to find those unexplored depths of my lifting potential,” she said. “Thank you for helping me perfect my lifting technique and making me believe in myself more.”

Put it this way: at the end of the week, when she should be more tired, I had Kari do exactly the same workout as the one which made her say “pathetic”. Her performance, however, had improved DRAMATICALLY by making just a few tiny tweaks.

And Sue tested out her pull-up at home one night (and take into consideration she hadn’t tried one in a long time – well before we started the program). Although she’d managed a pull-up in the past, it was always a struggle. However, Sue told me this week it came easily, so easily it surprised her.

The best of this program is yet to come.

Week 4: The Leap of Faith

A “leap of faith” is how Sue described the Amazing 12 to me this week. To some degree it really is. You are entrusting the coach to transform you. You don’t know precisely what lies ahead. You have no control over the programming. You are given a diet to follow. And you are told what movements to perform. And then you expect the results you are after to take place.

But if you didn’t believe in the coach or the program or Paul McIlroy or the now-hundreds of men and women who have had outstanding results on the Amazing 12, you would never have even considered doing it to begin with.

So, once the leap is made, there is no turning back. And in order to get the best results, you do have to submit to the coach’s guidance and if you are used to always being in control, that can possibly be a scary place.

Doing anything else or deviating from the plan is potentially self-sabotaging, which makes no sense.

As with anything in life where you want to see change and don’t have the expertise to make it happen by yourself, you call upon help. You need to have faith in the person doing the work for you or telling you how to do it.

“Lucky I trust you, Claudius,” said Sue. “Not many people get me to close my eyes and jump.”

How Sue’s ‘leap of faith’ statement came about followed a conversation before training one morning. Sue had weighed herself the day before and the scales revealed she had gained four pounds, which she was concerned about, but in reality could be the difference between a single bowel movement. Ross, meanwhile, had told me he was capable of lifting more than the weights I was asking him to lift, so he felt like he had a lot in reserve and, effectively, asked why I wasn’t pushing him harder.

I gave them my familiar look, the one that says, “just trust me, guys. This program works. Let it happen. Follow my direction.”

I’m not asking them to follow me blindly. I do offer explanations for why, for example, I ask them to eat certain foods or why I instruct them to lift a weight in a certain fashion. And Sue’s the type of person who goes off whenever I tell her what to do and she does her research. That’s Sue. She likes to know what she’s getting into – she wants/needs to know ‘why?’. If it prompts further questions, she comes to training the next day and asks me. That’s fair enough.

So many things will happen along the Amazing 12 path and perhaps stir up emotions, maybe raise some doubts and fears or take you out of your comfort zone. But that’s all fine, too. It’s a part of the journey and learning and self-discovery and self-improvement etc.

The participant doesn’t know what’s coming and the unknown can unnerve us. But I’ve seen this program at work. I know what it can do. Take a look at the Amazing 12 Chichester graduates page on this site.

Another part of the Amazing 12 experience is learning there is a different way to train and this way may well challenge many beliefs you have (from previous experiences and coaches) about what is true and most effective.

A quote came up on my phone later that day from Perry Nickelston, a brilliant chiropractic physician and movement specialist. It said, ‘Much of what you have to do [to improve] is unlearn what you have been taught.’ I shared it with Ross and Sue.

“I totally agree,” said Ross. “I am really trying and 46 years is a long time to undo. But I am on the A12 for a reason and I’m feeling like I’m doing good work instead of just smashing it like I used to in CrossFit.”

That’s not meant as a dig at CrossFit, but the Amazing 12 is different. Very different.

I’ve had Ross make some dietary changes this week. He’s been feeling more chipper. “Had a really good session today,” he said on Tuesday. “Feel like I’m pumped up more than a tractor tyre. I am actually starting to see and feel real changes. That’s encouraging.”

Ross told me at the end of week 3 that he was going to try to focus (his mind) differently this week. “I’m getting my head in the zone. I know I have to follow the plan as it’s part of the overall strategy. It’s hard [to change thinking and habits], don’t get me wrong, but I want to do great at this.”

For Sue it was an up-and-down week, not helped by a few nights of disrupted sleeping.

Kari had a frustrating week also, because she was called away by her work for a few days on an overseas trip and missed two days training. It’s not ideal, but in some cases unavoidable. So you have to deal with it in the best way possible. I set her some homework.

“I’m gutted,” she said. “It [the A12] has become such a daily part of my routine that I’ll most probably be climbing the walls by Monday [when we start week 5].”

Truth is that trust on the Amazing 12 is a two-way street: I, the coach, must trust that every student has the integrity to adhere to the diet plan I prescribe, that he or she follows the guidelines of the training principles and that he or she completes any additional training I decide is necessary and in the fashion required (like Kari this week).

A leap of faith? Yes. But when I accept someone on to the program, I am also taking that leap of faith.

The beautiful part is that we, the coach and student, want the same thing – results, success, progress – and the program demands that we invest in time, energy, focus, money, practice, discipline, TRUST, FAITH, patience, effort, mindfulness, restraint to make it happen.

It’s much more than a body transformation program. Trust me.

I am already recruiting for the September wave of the Amazing 12 Chichester. It starts on Monday, September 5. Time slots will be 10.30am and 7.30pm. Drop me a line if you are interested in a life and body-changing experience.

Jon (April 2016)

I HAD to debate whether to even include Jon Waites’ second round of the Amazing 12. It’s not because of the results (you can be the judge of that). It’s because he effectively only completed nine weeks. So, if I am honest, it was more like the Amazing 9 than the Amazing 12.

Jon’s a busy man. A father of two who runs his own business, Jon quite often at short notice had to shoot off to London from West Sussex, meaning he skipped quite a few sessions – 14 to be precise! Ouch!

That’s all a bit frustrating. My intention is always to get the best results possible. Luckily for me, Jon always responds well to the program (well, who doesn’t?) He trains hard, too – within the parameters of my instructions.

This second Amazing 12 transformation was definitely different to and more challenging than the first. Jon was training with his girlfriend, Jo (below), rather than by himself and out of his garage as opposed to a gym. We made it work. I brought over dumbbells and kettlebells. Jon had some of his own equipment. It was dusty. Often it was cold, especially at the start of the year and when we rearranged our training sessions for 6am! But you gotta do what you gotta do, right?

So you should look at his photos through the lens that says with three weeks extra training his results would have been more spectacular. Continuity in this program is so important. You miss sessions and you lose momentum and the opportunity to maximise the effects of the training. Jon also skipped quite a few days at a crucial time – week 11 – and I wasn’t sure he was even going to finish because he had so much going on away from the gym.

But he had come so far it would have been deeply disappointing had he not made it across the finish line.

Thankfully, he did.

As you can see, Jon was in fairly good shape to begin with. It shows that this program works on the experienced as well as complete beginners (check out Jo Smith’s transformation for evidence of that). Jon got strong. He was banging out reps on the incline bench with 37kgs dumbbells in each hand and made gains in other areas. But, for obvious reasons, I wouldn’t say I got him as strong as when we first trained. Had we not missed so many days it would have been another story. But he was still strong enough, for example, to hammer out around 50 chin-ups in short time with 7kgs strapped to his waist.

Jon’s Amazing 12 transformations were almost exactly a year apart. He is already hinting at doing a third. Some people can’t get enough of it. And there’s a reason for that. It works: it gets you strong; it gets you fit; it gets you in shape.

Thanks, as ever, to my trusty photographer, Sue Saunders, who is currently going through the program herself.

I should make a point here of mentioning the photos and that we had to use a black backdrop for the finishing pictures as we switched venues. Sue and I work hard to ensure the comparable images are as authentic as possible.

I got a text from Jon the next day expressing his thanks and saying he was very pleased with the results. If my customers are happy then I am happy.

Week 3: Princes, Slugs & Prowlers

WEEK 3 is complete. The death of popstar Prince left us a little shell-shocked. That led to a conversation about how, as you get older, you become more aware of your mortality and think more about the importance of making the most of life.

The actions needed to change your course of or direction in life are not difficult. But changing the thoughts that govern or restrict those actions often are.

I see three people in Kari, Ross and Sue who, by signing up to the Amazing 12, have taken life by the scruff of the neck and said ‘I’m going to do it no matter what’. These are three people who value their fitness and health and understand how much of a foundation it is towards enjoying the pleasures and overcoming the challenges life can offer.

However, Ross and Kari came in on the first day this week at Core Results both feeling sluggish, for no obvious reason. But they left upbeat. The following morning Kari sent me a text, saying it (the workout) was just what she needed. Ross reiterated the same sentiment when he arrived the next day.

My trio have continued making progress. Ross had concerns his belly won’t shift, but I sent him a short texted reply: “patience and faith”.

It’s still early days and Ross is getting used to a different way of eating and training. He’s from a military and CrossFit background. The approach to training in the Amazing 12 is very different. It requires a mental shift and in some cases unlearning what you’ve previously thought to be true and effective. Not everyone responds to the program in exactly the same fashion. And not everyone sees themselves as they actually are either.

However, I can see clearly Ross improving physically (in his performance and strength). His shape is altering without him even realising it. He looks younger and healthier. The shifts may not be happening how or as quickly as he was expecting them to. But I’ve been through the process before and Ross hasn’t, hence the reason I told him to be patient and have faith. It’s going to happen.

“I really enjoyed every day,” he said of week 3. “I know I can lift heavier and do more. But I’m still unfit and have such a long way to go. I’ve been religious with my eating, but feel as if I am the slow one in class with little gains. I look at what Kari and Sue have achieved and feel I have so much to do to get near them.”

The Amazing 12, of course, is not a competition. But it’s interesting how one person’s perception of the same thing is so different to another’s. Some people are harder on themselves than others, too.

By the middle of the week Ross was really firing. His technique has become more refined. In fact, all three were in top form. I spent a little more time on prep work for the squat and deadlift with Ross and Kari and it paid off. If you could compare them now to when they started you would not believe the difference. Best of all is that they are improving in spite of everything getting tougher. The same goes for Sue.

I stepped up the weights Sue was using for one exercise this week and you should have seen the look on her face – “I can’t do that,” it screamed. I knew she could. And she did – fairly comfortably (although Sue would probably argue it was hard). She walked away with a look of satisfaction that said: “I didn’t just pick them up, I actually did reps!”

It was satisfying to hear Kari say that she’s no longer “intimidated” by lifting weights. She’s never been a fan of barbell work, being more of a cardio junkie. However, she added: “I don’t want this program to end. No matter how bad my day is, I can’t wait to get here [the gym].”

Tall and slender, Kari doesn’t have a typical lifter’s build. But that won’t stop her becoming stronger. I’m fascinated to see how far she goes.

“Thank you for making me believe in myself more and allowing me to push myself that little extra,” she told me. “I’m feeling stronger every day. My core feels much more engaged, which is great as I felt myself slumping in the last year or so, completely unaware of how it could impact on my training.

“Never in a million years did I think I would enjoy lifting weights this much.”

We finished the week with a slight rotation in shift pattern: Ross did his first morning class, joining Sue. Kari went solo in the evening. Generally, I prefer that everyone trains at the same time each week, but with this wave I have more room to manoeuvre and sometimes changing the group dynamic a little freshens things up and keeps everyone on their toes.

Ross and Sue, though, finished on their backs, breathing hard after a bout with the unforgiving prowler, crowning another great week.