Mindset Archives - Page 5 of 7 -

The Amazing 12 – what are you REALLY getting?

THERE are thousands of training programs out there. Most of them, to some degree, work. Some work better than others. So why even consider the Amazing 12?

The obvious is the extraordinary changes that can occur to your strength, fitness and physique in a relatively short time (12 weeks) to people of varying ages and body types. There are now countless examples of these transformations that have taken place around the world.

But I think it’s most important to look to what or, more specifically, WHO is the wizard with the long red beard behind all the magic.

Anyone can prescribe or devise a fancy workout and then tell you to do it. But the real value of a program or method of training is judged by its results. Nothing else matters.

Until the Amazing 12 went global, only those who trained out of Paul McIlroy’s Centaur Gym in Belfast could experience it.

To really appreciate the Amazing 12 (if you haven’t been through it – and even if you have), you should understand who Paul is, what he has done and his credentials.

For starters, he is highly qualified. While I know Paul himself isn’t impressed by fancy titles, he has a BSc degree in Sport and Exercise Science. He is also certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). As an athlete, he was gifted and accomplished in many disciplines: amateur boxing (in a tough and competitive region); track and field; swimming. But probably his greatest success came in powerlifting (bench press, back squat and deadlift). There he won regional, national and then world honours as a junior, setting world records in the process.

For most of us, excelling in one sport is an achievement. But Paul has done it in multiple disciplines.

He still does Strongman training, bends the most impossibly tough nails, runs powerlifting, arm-wrestling and steel-bending clubs and last year (2015) himself competed in the kettlebell world championships in Dublin.

However, as a coach, Paul has, in my opinion, surpassed what he achieved as an athlete. For example, 18 months ago he formed a Girevoy Sport Kettlebell Club, the prerequisite being that the participants had to be athletic but without any previous kettlebell training.

Paul wanted to see how far he could take them and in the quickest time.

Thus far, from the group of seven, there have been 15 national gold medals (two national championships are run each year), two European silvers and one gold and bronze and at world level one gold, silver and bronze. That’s highly impressive.

“So I guess the experiment could be deemed a success,” Paul told me.

The inspiration for that ‘experiment’ was the experience Paul had training his wife, who he coached out of their family kitchen shortly after she had given birth by C-Section and having had zero sporting background. With only eight months preparation, she was able to go to Russia and win gold. That’s no fluke. Actually, it’s undeniably incredible.

Fionnhbarr Toolan at the world championships

The most recent success of Paul’s was Fionnhbarr Toolan, one of the group of seven, who captured world kettlebell championship glory in Kazakhstan (October 16). Toolan’s programming was devised by McIlroy. “Paul’s coaching is world class on so many different levels,” he said.

In fact, Paul would regard his work with Toolan as one of the most exciting projects he’s worked on.

“It’s not just that he has won Irish, European and World titles in the past 10 months, but HOW he did it,” explained Paul.

“He beat a Russian and four Kazakhs in Kazakhstan! He also scored the highest jerk total in the championships irrespective of weight class, beating Russian super-heavyweight World Amateur Champion by two points.

“Bare in mind that Fionn is a kid who weighs less than 67k soaking wet and had never done the kettlebell jerk in his life prior to 18 months ago!”

Another great passion of Paul’s is the official certified bend of the IronMind Red Nail. Paul is working with three men on this, one being Barry Mairs, who has only been in training for it for FOUR MONTHS. Barry is about to certify and Paul says his progress has been “insanely fast.”

The other two are Ben Mattingly, an Amazing 12 coach in Cork, and Adam Johnston. However, Paul has added another dimension to what they are attempting to accomplish.

Dissatisfied with aiming to certify the Red Nail, on the same day they will bid to make a certified close of the Number 3 Captains of Crush hand-gripper. To give this some context, the Red Nail is a feat of extreme strength. Not more than 100 people worldwide have achieved it in the last 21 years and 200 in the past 25 years.

But only ONE man in history has ever officially achieved both on the same day.

To make it even more taxing, Johnston will try to accomplish the Red Nail with an underhand grip, which is regarded as tougher.

As you can probably tell, McIlroy’s forte is to take the seemingly impossible, see how he can up the ante and then create a way to make it possible and often relatively easy.

He has been at it for years. The honours roll on for those Paul has coached: Men’s Health cover competitions, EAS Body for Life (biggest transformation challenge in the world) winner in 2006. There are many more examples.

Nowadays Paul has scaled things down a little. He spends much of his time caring for his mother, who has fallen ill. He doesn’t get to train as often as he would like. So he has to be more selective in where he channels his focus.

“I work with a limited number of athletes in different sports/endeavours, which at the minute includes fighters, powerlifters, arm-wrestlers, kettlebell lifters, steel-benders and grip sport athletes,” Paul told me.

“Strength/power and its perpetual progression is my life’s passion.”

So when you consider what you are getting on the Amazing 12 – the answer is not just the world’s best body transformation program that has been churning out success stories for more than 10 years. Perhaps more crucially, you get access to Paul’s vast – and I mean VAST – knowledge, experience, savvy and expertise as a renowned training program designer as well as a man who has been champion and created champions.

The Amazing 12 is a culmination of Paul’s life’s work in the world of fitness, strength and body transformations. Anyone who knows him will recognise Paul has an extraordinary mind and talent for what he does. If you want the best – which is what I did – don’t hesitate to sign up with one of the many coaches now around the world.

All of us have been schooled in the Amazing 12 by Paul and supported in our development as coaches by him.

“The Amazing 12 has done an enormous amount of good for thousands of people the world over and that, for me, is a coaching/creative achievement,” said Paul. “No amount of weight lifted by me will ever top that.

“The achievements I have enjoyed the most have been the coaching ones – genuinely and hands down. Taking someone from a square one start and putting them on top of the world in some way never gets old. Just that moment of awe, at themselves and what they are capable of, which in some cases they never thought possible…nothing beats that!”

Sue websize — Sue Saunders Amazing 12 Chichester

My next wave out of the Amazing 12 runs out of Core Results, Chichester, starting January 9, 2017. Become the next graduate. I’m happy to discuss details. Contact me if you are serious about making some changes and uncovering your potential.

Spades and barbells…where two worlds collide

OUR bodies are like gardens. Neglect them and the weeds will grow and, eventually, run the show. But a little daily maintenance and TLC goes a long way.

I’ve been helping out a friend with some gardening lately. It’s surprising how similar his world is to mine. Instead of kettlebells, barbells, dumbbells etc I’ve been using spades, mowers, forks, hedge-trimmers, blowers and sacateurs.

So many gardens are in urgent need of work. They’ve been abandoned and are wildly overgrown. But after several hours, we can have the garden transformed and looking spectacular. Similarly, I deal with many people urgently wanting to get their ‘abandoned’ bodies into shape and condition. The Amazing 12, for example, can do that in three months.

But then what? Here’s where the gardening and get-in-shape worlds collide, because the hard work is in the reshaping and the easy part the maintenance. Really.

Those who put in a little consistent love and effort into taking care of their gardens won’t see the overgrowth return. Similarly, those who regularly follow a sensible, structured training regime and remain consistent with their healthy eating will more easily be able to retain their hard-earned physiques and a good quality of health.

I’ve met many gardening customers who just aren’t interested in doing any of the work and, guess what? It all grows back. The human body is the same.

You also have some gardens which are high maintenance and need more tending to than others. Similarly, some of us have bodies which, for one reason or another – sometimes genetic – require greater attention than others.

Why do so many of us find performing maintenance so hard? After all, we all have the same amount of time in each day. But how we choose to spend that time is key. That decision comes down to what is most important to you, because for many of us life has become a juggling act and we seek to cram so much in.

So the question may be whether our fitness and health is a higher priority than some of the other commitments we have? If it is, we need to find a way to create the time.

Long-term success will also depend on how well you can hold on to the newer, healthier habits instead of reverting back to the ones that contributed to the problem in the first place.

Forming new habits are tougher in the beginning. Do it for long enough – which means sticking with it when and if it gets tough – and it becomes easier and, eventually, routine.

For many, the urge is to sit back and relax when the hard work is done and succumb to the temptations that are always around us. But that leads to the yo-yo effect – the constant battle of getting into shape and condition and then losing it all. The key is to keep advancing, setting new and realistic targets and working towards them.

If you want a lawn that always looks nice, you need to nurture it. Our bodies need continual nurturing as well.

Just as gardens are shaped by the weather and conditions they are subjected to, our bodies are moulded by our environments and the lifestyle we expose them to.

To really succeed, it is vital to take ownership of your life. That means accepting responsibility for what goes into your body and how you treat it. That means simplifying your lifestyle if it’s already too complex and stressful. That also means not shipping out the blame when things don’t go to plan. Weed out the bad habits/choices and keep the good.

Because it lasts for three months, The Amazing 12 can help develop new habits and foster the discipline required to maintain those habits for when the program is over.

The Amazing 12 also gives you the tools to be able to lift and train smartly thereafter. But for it to be effective, you still need to convert into action the skill and knowledge acquired.

After all, there’s no use knowing how to cut the lawn if the mower stays tucked away!

For details of the next Amazing 12 Chichester wave, starting January 9, 2017, send me an email to Claude@Intelligentstrength.co.uk. Be bold. Take that step towards changing your life and your body, learning new skills and creating a better and stronger future.

The ring of truth

BOXING never seems far from controversy, particularly when following a fatality. The recent death of British boxer Mike Towell from injuries sustained in the ring highlighted again the darker side of his sport.

He’s not the first. He won’t be the last. It’s a hazardous sport and there is no escaping that harsh fact.

While I don’t follow boxing too closely nowadays, for over 30 years – from spectator to participant to journalist – it played a huge part in my life. Argue as much as you like that more fatalities happen in other sports, but it doesn’t make boxing less dangerous. The fact that the aim and intention is to strike with force, using your fists, at your opponent’s body and head makes it fairly unique. The concern is as much the wear on the central nervous system and the long-term and irreversible damage to the brain as it is the number of men who have died.

I’m not an advocate for its abolition and I don’t know how much stricter medical regulations can become without devaluing the essence of the sport or taking away from the visual attraction which makes it popular and keeps it alive.

But if I had my time again, I am not sure I would choose to box, even though the sport taught and gave me so much.

However, if overcoming and confronting adversity is a fundamental part of our path to growth and self-discovery, boxing is an activity which can certainly accelerate the process. Had it not been for boxing – and what it demanded of me – I possibly wouldn’t now have the self-motivation and focus that has benefited me in many areas of life.

Sparring Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham at Carnaby Street

Boxing developed in me the ability to pull back the sheets early in the morning, roll out of bed and get on with what I need to do. Boxing taught me to practice things over and over to get better and to be patient for results. It instilled in me a purpose for maintaining my fitness and health. It helped me to confront fear.

There is no hiding place in that ring. I can’t think of any experience I’ve had in 50 years that compares with boxing for exposing your true colours. When the bell rings it’s you and your opponent. There’s no-one to help. Fight or flight?

It’s a lonely place. But that’s why you train – to fight. You have to learn to rely on and trust yourself or else…

To risk being exposed and possibly humiliated and badly hurt in such a public arena requires bravery and nerve. As a boxer you can learn to shield some of your fears from onlookers, but never from yourself.

It is an art and a skill and practice. It’s also brutal and punishing. The better you get, the greater the risks become.

Through boxing I had some unforgettable experiences, met many incredible people and saw extraordinary events. The photo at the top was taken in 1995, after I’d sparred in Sheffield with Naseem Hamed. The one below it was taken much earlier, when I shared a ring with Herol Graham, another outstanding champion of his day. Those two achieved greatly, but in boxing it’s nearly always at a cost. Few emerge from this sport unscarred.

I saw lives turned around and many left broken. I witnessed amazing joy, but also much tragedy and despair.

That chapter in my life is now closed. It served its purpose. I’ve now moved on. I survived. I feel relatively unscathed. I learned (a lot).

As a strength and conditioning coach, I would recommend boxing from the perspective of physical activity, which is why classes such as Boxercise have become so popular.

Boxing is a stress-release for many, improves the cardiovascular system, co-ordination, speed and elasticity in the muscles.

The type of training boxers typically do for conditioning, like skipping rope, calisthenics, hitting the bag and striking the pads, are also highly effective ways to keep our bodies active and healthy. But I would add that quality needs to precede quantity and that, while these classes are fun and invigorating, some level of aptitude in the basics is imperative before participants become overloaded with the demand for more repetitions.

As for competing, I’d reserve that for those who are serious. As they say, you don’t play boxing.

What advice would I give any aspiring boxer?

1. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – even if you are supremely talented. Think beyond boxing. The career span is short and can end in a blink. Be prepared for that reality. Have an idea what you want to do afterwards.

2. Give it your all or else you will pay a price. Don’t cut corners. Boxing is not a sport that rewards complacency.

3. There’s more to life than fame, glory and money. Much more. If you’re going to box, do it for the right reasons and, most importantly, understand the risks.

4. Surround yourself with people who care more about you and your well-being than your success.

Making progress – start with a goal

YOU have to be in the race to win it. And it’s those who refuse to quit or concede who usually triumph.

I could be talking about almost anything- a marathon or studying for a degree or even life itself – because it’s easy to give up on life and pass up the multitude of chances we get to fulfil our potential.

This photo was from the Three Peaks Challenge in 1999. Great experience. Fond memories. Enormous satisfaction.

I could easily have not done it. But, firstly, it was during a period when I said ‘yes’ to nearly everything and also I believe in trying make things happen, taking opportunities and daring to sometimes go where my mind is planting doubts.

It’s overcoming the challenges in life that make us stronger and better.

In order to make progress, I find it important to pick a challenge or goal that’s achievable, but not easy. Too simple and there’s little to be gained. Too hard and it can either break (hurt) you or make you lose interest or become demoralised because it’s too daunting.

Smart challenges help us to move forwards at a sensible and manageable pace. They give us purpose and intent.

Without challenges it’s too easy not to take action at all and hence there is no willingness.

Need a challenge? Why not the Amazing 12 body transformation?

There are many examples on this site of the results that can be achieved (photo above) – and by individuals who lead busy lives, run businesses and have children.

I’m running another wave from January 9, 2017 at Core Results, Chichester. Message or email me (Claude@intelligentstrength.co.uk) for more details.

First in the door will get a place. Take command, take action and dare to be daring, because that’s when you feel alive.

What training and tanning have in common

WHAT’S the best – and healthiest – way to get a sun tan? Lie there all day in the intense heat (effectively, fry) or for 10 minutes a day every day?

I ask because the way many of us approach bronzing ourselves and physical activity is somewhat similar.

I borrowed this analogy from Dave Whitley, Amazing 12 coach in Nashville, USA, strongman, author and a world class strength training instructor known as the ‘Irontamer’. It struck a chord with me because it’s visually so easy to see the connection.

It could be that the common link between the two scenarios is scarcity. Put it this way. In England, where, comparatively, we don’t always see much sunshine, the compulsion is to try to make the most of it. And, consequently, lots of people get sun-burned. Similarly, with our training or exercise protocols, we live (or create for ourselves) such busy lives nowadays that many individuals don’t know when they will next get to the gym or train. So they cram as much as they can into each and every session.

Is more better? That approach to training works about as well as the intense suntan strategy. You’ll only get burned!

And if you don’t get burned, it’s probably only a matter of time before your skin says ‘I’ve had enough’!

Employing a coach for your training is like applying sun screen before going into the sun. But there are good and poor brands of sun cream. Choose carefully.

Sadly, for many people I work with or know, training or exercise is an afterthought or chore….until our bodies start to fail us and then it becomes a priority.

But if you make it a priority or at least move it up the pecking order, your body may last well for your lifetime.

Little and often – done well (and that’s the key) – will bring the greater rewards.

Agree or disagree? Let me know your thoughts.

The shift that made all the difference

WHENEVER I’m asked what I know now that I wish I had discovered earlier on my physical training journey it is this: approach your activity with the mindset of ‘I’m going to practice’ rather than ‘I’m going to train’.

It may not seem like much. But it has made a world of difference. Mindful practice shifts the focus from effort to excellence and from quantity to quality.

For years, though, I never saw training this way. I was young, felt indestructible and thought working out or exercising was something to do until sweaty and tired and out of breath or just lifting weights until you’ve had enough. In a nutshell, the emphasis was almost solely on my capacity for working hard. Often it didn’t matter too greatly what that entailed so long as I did something that could be labelled gruelling.

Many people continue to train this way…and all the time. That is fine if you are a young stallion or working towards a gold medal of some description, but, from my experience, it’s not sustainable or even worthwhile.

Progress, for me, isn’t measured in sweat or even being breathless and fatigued. But if you want to get burned out or injured, taking your body to the limit over and over is a great way to go about it.

In the wise words of esteemed American strength coach Dan John, who, believe me, knows his stuff, “Don’t act your age, but train your age. Do everything you can to increase lean body mass and maintain the right amount of mobility….Life, lard and laziness are all conspiring against you in your noble battle to keep yourself as young as you can be, as long as you can.”

Even if your intention is purely conditioning, continually reaching and exceeding the point of fatigue comes at a price: recovery gets tougher; form declines; wear and tear accumulates. When the quality of your movement suffers, you become less efficient.

Worse still, over-training, which is what it may be defined as, can lead to injuries and illness.

If you enjoy your training, you don’t want to get injured. If you value health, you don’t want to become sick.

Effective training means you have a clear, structured and intelligent plan that leads to a chosen goal over a designated period of time. It means you know what you are doing and why. It means you assign time to training and recovering and intelligently manage that balance. I ask, what is wrong with leaving the gym or your training session feeling energised, ready for the next one, rather than exhausted and on your knees in a pool of sweat?

With practice as the driving force, the shift in mindset is subtle yet profound. Practice has a purpose and the path is never-ending. I now go to the gym to sharpen my skills. I know what I want to work on and how. The emphasis is on skill and efficiency rather than output. I can better structure my time in the gym. Focusing on practice also helps me to remain patient, which is vital in this day and age, because, realistically, skills take time to improve and/or perfect.

No matter where I am, I can put in the practice. I don’t always need to think about how many reps or how hard to push. Instead, my focus is on progression and quality of movement. I think in terms of ‘how well’ rather than ‘how many’ and, for me, that’s been a healthier change of perspective.

When you are dedicated more to skill than work, you’ll also find that you move much better and, perhaps most importantly, the chances of staying in one piece increase dramatically. At my age – in my 50th year – that’s a crucial factor.

I take this approach into the Amazing 12 transformation program as well. I teach it as a skill. I want each of my clients at the end of 12 weeks to know how to lift effectively and how to move and to be mindful of that whenever they step into a gym, training environment or in going about their daily lives.

Once the skill is dialled in the rest – strength, fitness, physique – will all follow.

As Aristotle once wrote: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

The No-sit challenge

I WANT to set you a challenge. A no-sit challenge.

Here are the rules. No sitting on any furniture for an entire day. If that sounds too hard, try for two hours to begin with and then add another hour each time you try it. Or set yourself a time that you think you can achieve, but would prove challenging. I’ll make an exception for when you have to drive your car, but, if you want to be hard core, take public transport instead and stand. Or, better still, use a bicycle.

Sitting on the floor or in the bottom of a squat is permitted. You can also kneel on one leg or both or keep switching. But the aim of the challenge is to use your body more, not less. Use it or lose it, as they say.

Pick a day when this is most practical, like a non-working day, and report back to me with your results. Observe how it makes you feel, what you do instead of sitting and how your body responds.

So why the no-sit challenge?

I’m a sit-less advocate. As a fitness instructor, I have clients who come to see me to get into shape or fitter or stronger or all of the aforementioned. However, I know that what I prescribe in one hour is only a part of the transformation. What goes on outside of the gym is equally, if not more important and I’m not just talking about food intake.

Here’s a quote from biomechanist Katy Bowman that touches upon some of my concerns: “The social conditions that promote inactivity have been building for decades”.

From my experience, the factors that MOST undermine success from fitness training are (a) lifestyle choices (b) a lack of patience.

The following is a fairly typical chain of events for many people: wake up, SIT at a table to have breakfast. Go to work, either by SITTING in a car or SITTING on a train or bus. Arrive at work and SIT for hours at a desk. During lunch you will probably find somewhere to SIT and eat. On the way home the pattern is repeated. SIT on the train or bus or in the car. Arrive home. SIT down for dinner and then SIT on a couch or sofa and watch TV. Go to bed and lie down for between six-eight hours.

That adds up to a lot of sitting, stillness and lack of movement. Our bodies adapt to the demands – or lack of – that we place upon them. So should we be surprised when our bodies adopt the form that they do and begin to fail us? And is it realistic to believe just a few hours in the gym or exercising each week will reverse or offset that?

So my point is that we sit far too much, dramatically reducing our activity levels, while shortening and stiffening our muscles and much more that I won’t even go into here. All of which undermines the work you put in at the gym or your chosen activity and, over the long term, leads to our bodies crumbling long before they were ever supposed to.

Grab a piece of paper and do an approximate and honest calculation of the average number of hours you might spend each day sitting down.

It’s not what our bodies were designed for. We were built to move.

And, when you really think about it and look around you, you will see how everything in our culture of comfort and ease and instant gratification is designed to make us move and do less: we have lifts and elevators and moving walkways and transportation vehicles and lazy couches with remote controls so we never have to stand up. In fact, I heard the other day that Denver airport in the US doesn’t even have a set of stairs!

If each day you train or do physical activity for one hour, but spend, say, eight hours lying down asleep and, cumulatively, a further 7-10 hours seated or hunched over a desk staring at a computer, what shape will your body most likely adopt and how will this affect the way your body performs? Multiply this by weeks and years and you can see the larger problem facing humankind.

For many of us it all starts when we go to school. The average time a child will spend seated at a desk during their school life (in western society) is 15,000 hours! Think what that can do to your body and spine over time.

The challenge facing children is being addressed in some quarters with, for example, initiatives to introduce standing desks to classrooms. This is in the early stages, but the initiative has shown many benefits, including burning more calories, less body pain, improved attention, greater flexibility, increased productivity…

In California, for instance, Juliet Starrett, wife of Kelly Starrett (of CrossFit fame), started a campaign for standing desks called Standup Kids to improve the health of thousands of children. It’s now slowly spreading throughout the US. There are movements like the Chair-Free Project that are now gathering momentum as we realise the harmful of effects of too much sitting.

Ever wondered why children, especially boys, shuffle in and swing on their chairs? It’s not always because they need the toilet! It’s because they can’t get comfortable. Children at that age want to move. But with the rise of electronic devices and less outdoor play, that is going to change rapidly, which is a subject matter for another day.

Why do I allow floor-sitting in my challenge? It’s a better alternative because it permits our bodies more movement and to adopt more postures than sitting on a chair.

This challenge is to make you more aware of what sitting and lack of movement does to us – how it makes us more lazy and inactive and, eventually, broken and sick.

BUT here’s the really good and life-changing part: YOU can do something about it.

Week 11: Deadlifting, mindfulness and the impending finish line

WE have reached the stage in the Amazing 12 program where it is noticeably tougher. The deadlift, in particular, presented some challenges this week at Core Results. Sue felt as if she was nearing her limits. She pulled 92.5kgs off the ground repeatedly. That’s more than she has ever done. Kari did the same with 72.5kgs – way more than she has lifted before starting the program.

However, Kari’s form broke down during some of the sets. So we lowered the weight and practiced the technique with a lighter weight. This was a valuable experience and not a failure by any means. The deadlift may seem straightforward – and it is – but it can also be very technical and those fine details are essential when you begin asking your body to overcome heavier loads. To ask that question of a body that hasn’t been already primed is courting disaster. Body type and mobility make a difference to how easy it is to master the deadlift. But nothing beats practice and patience.

It got me thinking, because while we don’t do deadlifts too often on the program, we deadlift practically every day of our lives. Some of us realise it and some of us do not.

Whenever you take from the ground a weighted object you are effectively performing a deadlift. Mothers and fathers picking up their children are deadlifting. Labourers at work. Children at play…

It is not always enough to go to the gym. The gym is just the beginning. It’s how you lead your life that matters most. The gym is where you learn and refine the skill under supervision. Out in the world is where you get to put your gym skills and gym strength to use.

The time spent in the gym is relatively little. But if you do not apply what you learn you aren’t really changing much. If I train you to deadlift once per week and the rest of the week you lift objects from the ground with bad form, which movement pattern do you think will prevail?

If you workout every day, but spend the vast majority of your time seated or slumped at a desk or on a couch, what shape will your body adapt to?

I see all the time people lifting by using their backs and they complain about having a bad back. Figure that out.

Changing a movement pattern is tough in the beginning. It requires almost continual thought, devotion and concentration. Kari found it a little overwhelming at times trying to focus on all the components of the deadlift to be able to execute the movement well. But with practice comes change. She’s made tremendous progress from when we started.

Over time that which we once had to think hard about becomes second nature and a new pattern emerges.

The Amazing 12 tries to teach that. We’re honing skills and eating habits week in, week out. You get good at what you practice the most.

“I’m more mindful of my body now since starting the Amazing 12,” said Kari. “I’m more aware of how my core influences my posture and how important it is to engage core muscles when lifting.

“I have also learned to listen to my body and not push it to pieces – that it’s not just okay to have rest days, but crucial.”

For Sue the injury she sustained more than a year ago was enough to make her more conscious of how she moves day in and day out. “Once you’ve had an injury and been debilitated, you become more mindful,” she said.

“But coming from a place of injury and movement recovery, the Amazing 12 has given me back my confidence in the way I move. I no longer hold myself stiffly to protect my shoulder or worry about lower back pain when picking up something heavy.

“Lifting heavy weights teaches you to respect your body. I am proud of what my body has accomplished during these three months and I’m now confident of being ‘fit for purpose’.”

Next week Kari and Sue head towards the finish. It’s about getting them to peak for the photo shoot. The aim of the program is to achieve the best results possible – strength, fitness and shape – in 12 weeks. The photo shoot is just a way of illustrating the change in shape. But the real gains are made in strength (intelligent programming), fitness (conditioning work), technique (from practice), confidence (reaching the finish, overcoming challenges), health (eating better) and training knowledge (self-sufficiency).

“The 12 weeks have flown by quickly,” said Kari. “It’s unbelievable to think we have only one week left. I’m going to miss the training sessions. But I’m looking forward to building on what I have learned and to include more cardio in my training. My legs are craving a long run.

“I’m also looking forward to having a cleaner diet. I’m more mindful of nutrients and how to fuel my body. The Amazing 12 showed how head-strong and disciplined I can be when required. I was fortunate enough to share the experience with a lovely training buddy, too. She [Sue] is an inspiring lady.”

Sue has mixed feelings. “I will miss the training,” she admits. “I have loved it, despite it being tough at times and pushing me way out of my cautious comfort zone. I will miss the friendly banter and comradery of my training sessions with Kari and Claude.

“I am anxious about what happens next and where to go from here. Now I’ve climbed Everest [well, nearly], I like the view. I will, however, be glad to have more time to focus on other important things in my life. I’m looking forward to getting back to ‘normality’ in terms of my family and running my business.

“There is no doubt you have to make sacrifices for the Amazing 12 and that is why it is an accomplishment for those who undertake it. Nothing of real value is easy to come by after all.

“While I am sad the Amazing 12 is nearly over for me, I am happy I did what I set out to do and more. I have achieved something I didn’t think was possible a year ago and, what’s more, come this Friday I can eat cake!!”

*Do you think you can do the Amazing 12? Would you like to find out more? The next phase of the Amazing 12 Chichester begins on September 5 at Core Results. Contact Claude@intelligentstrength.co.uk for more information and/or to book a free consultation.

The Amazing 12 – why anyone can do it (Part 2, the girls)

COLLETTE, a 36-year-old from a little coastal village called Amble in the north-east of England, commuted over 60 miles daily to train with Phil Earley at ITS Fitness in Newcastle five days per week.

Not only is the distance demanding enough, the route was awful and Phil says she spent probably more time in her car than the gym being put through her paces on the Amazing 12. And on top of that, Collette runs her own beauty business and works long hours!

Collette did it with a long-term (10 years) back problem that prevented her from performing any kind of hinge pattern (deadlifting, for instance, wasn’t possible) and hadn’t trained in five years going into the Amazing 12! That makes her results hugely impressive.

There’s more to her story that I can’t even divulge that would add to the enormity of her effort and drive to transform herself. She also got her results in eight weeks rather than the usual 12.

HOW about Lauren, only 4ft 11in, stubborn about her diet, inconsistent in her training and disappointed in her results and strength from previous training regimens? She’d had digestive issues, but didn’t want to make the necessary changes…until she did the Amazing 12 with Alydia Rose Bryant at Torque Strong in the US.

Lauren got leaner and stronger. Her digestive issues disappeared, her sleep became more normal, energy increased and her reliance on caffeine reduced.

“Seriously, ask anyone, I want the world to feel as great as I do,” she said at the end. “I exceeded my expectations and my mind and body are singing.”

Lauren lost 16lbs in bodyweight and 13.5in overall.

KRISTIN is a mother of four with a full-time job. She has now done the Amazing 12 twice with Gan Power in Ireland. Why twice? She enjoyed it so much that she came back for more. As you can see, Kristin achieved incredible physical results. Her strength more than matched her physique.

At the beginning, she was strong enough to do five chin-ups. By the finish she could do 11 strictly. Her strength in other lifts, like the back squat, deadlift, bench press and military press, all went up, too.

As Gan says, “She built a physique that would probably place her on the podium of a ladies physique content. Her hard work and dedication is reflected in her photos.”

Kristin said, “Having done the Amazing 12 last year, I knew exactly the results this program gets, so the decision to do it again was an easy one. While I never stopped going to the gym, I found myself going through the motions. Getting involved in the Amazing 12 group again brought back the fun, motivation and incentive I needed to work as hard as I could. I defy anyone to find another gym where you can reap so many rewards.”

CLAIRE is another of Gan Power’s female graduates. She admitted that the first time she turned up at the gym she was intimidated before she stepped in.

“I could see the hooks from the ceiling, music thumping and people focused, in the zone and everyone lifting weights,” she recalled.

Claire, a keen walker, runner and member of what we’d called a standard gym with treadmills and rowers, was out that night to enquire about the Amazing 12. She’d never lifted weights before – a complete novice, therefore.

“To say I was intimidated and petrified is an understatement,” she said.

Gan put her at ease and explained to her what was required on the Amazing 12. “I knew this was going to be serious,” she said. “I wanted results. I’d had enough of being the shape I was, not fitting into clothes or being able to buy particular styles because it didn’t suit me. I’d also been suffering with sciatica due to a slipped disc. I wanted to strengthen my core.

“I felt the A12 was the way to do it. It was time for change and once I had made that decision I knew my stubbornness would win out.”

Claire admitted she was a hopeless vegetable eater, so knew the diet would be a struggle. “I made every effort, though. The program was easy to get used to. Gan was picky about technique [as all A12 coaches should be]. Gan selected the weights and all I had to do was lift.”

Soon enough Claire started to enjoy it. By the halfway stage she had shifted a stone and felt as if she was gaining muscle.

Then Claire injured herself and got pains in her back. To cut a long story short, she was referred for surgery because her troublesome disc was sitting on a nerve. She felt devastated.

“I’m not a quitter,” she said. “Gan was so understanding and kept reassuring me I could finish the program another time.”

Determined not to put weight back on, Claire joined Slimming World while she couldn’t train. Gan stayed in contact with her. Eventually, Claire was given the green light to begin any training program she was doing prior to the injury.

So four months after surgery, Claire was back in the gym. Gan tinkered with the program to allow for her back injury. Claire was more focused than ever. She knew what she was up against. As food was her greatest worry, she got herself organised and batch-cooked everything she needed ahead of time. “This made life so much easier,” she said.

From start to finish (including the break due to surgery and recovery), Claire shed more than 3st (42lbs). “My body shape has changed. I eat some vegetables. I am way more conscious now of the food I consume. I am leaner, stronger and can even do a chin-up!”

Training on the A12 and at GP Fitness was as much a psychological as physical experience. “I had so many doubts, fears and much trepidation,” she admitted. “It was a long and winding road, but one that made me undoubtedly a stronger person both mentally and physically.”

Claire admits her back still gives her the odd twinge, but that her physio told her recently her back is in the best condition he had seen it in the two-and-a-half years he had known her. “That, in itself, made the journey worthwhile,” she said. “I can’t believe how far I have come. Now I feel amazing.”

ANN decided to take the Amazing 12 journey after winning a battle with cancer. At 57, she admitted, “I needed to get in shape and become strong and healthy.”

Having worked with Amazing 12 coach Amanda Hudson previously at the Pure Strength Studio in Mississippi, USA, Ann knew she was in good hands. “Ann was always dedicated,” said Amanda. “I knew what she was capable of.”

Over the three months of training, Ann dropped 20lbs in weight and two sizes around the waist (18in overall). Although her strength had been compromised from her cancer treatment, Ann soon overcame that. She more than doubled the weights she could lift in the bench press and shoulder press. She made big leaps in her back squat and deadlift also.

“The Amazing 12 was all about me,” she said. “It offered me all the things I needed to accomplish my goals [strength, health and shape]. I dedicated myself and received great rewards. It’s a way of life now. I achieved my goals without ever starving myself and one day each week I could eat whatever I wanted.

“Amanda has given me the improvements to my self-confidence and self-esteem to keep charging on and facing the challenges of life.”

Next step for Ann is another six weeks on the program. “It’s become a way of life now. I will do the six-week program and become more grounded in what I have learned.”

THE next round of the Amazing 12 Chichester begins at Core Results Gym on January 9, 2017. Do you have what it takes? Want to find out more details? Want to book your place? Send me a message at Claude@Intelligentstrength.co.uk

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.