amazing 12 Chichester Archives -

Sue Crabtree (May 2018)

TRIMMER: much leaner and stronger, but what you can’t see is the new inner steel (Photo: Sue Saunders Photography)

SUE CRABTREE is an amazing lady. I mean that.

I’ll tell you why in the paragraphs to come.

She’d never done any proper weight-lifting previously and yet took a chance on the Amazing 12 Chichester, committing to a program that demanded she would have to train five days a week in the gym and extra days by herself.

“If you want something badly enough, you will find the time and commitment to train,” she said.

LEARNING TO SKIP: just one of many skills Sue improved

So committed was Sue, 48, that when she had to miss several days training to help her mother – who had to go into hospital during week 9 – she forked out for an extra week to make up for it.

She had never worked with me before although she had provided nutritional advice to one of my previous Amazing 12 graduates, Rich Evans, and that’s how she first heard about the program.

Sue’s certainly not scared of muscles, as some women are. In fact, that’s what she was after. She wanted to become strong and proudly declared it.

“I just didn’t have the knowledge or drive to know how to do it,” she said.

TRAIN WITH A SMILE: even when she wasn’t feeling great

Sue, a native of South Africa, had to also deal with a lot of negativity – people doubting her, questioning her, undermining her.

She was told she was “too old” and that she’s “too busy” before the program started. And during it she heard people say she “was looking tired” and “should rest” and that “this type of exercise is not good for me”.

But when she was bench-pressing a heavy weight, Sue would smile to herself, with all the naysayers in mind, and think, ‘look at me, guys. I’m doing this despite your predictions’.

She was very open and honest with me (which I respect) because there were days Sue didn’t feel on her A-game and just wanted to curl up by herself at home. But she pushed herself into the gym at Core Results and got on with it.

There were days when she felt depressed and down, but she still got on with it.

GAVE IT EVERYTHING: sometimes the harder it got, the more Sue liked it

There were many, many days when the weights were pushing her hard, metaphorically, but she soldiered on. Never complained. In fact, she sort of liked it.

“Not once did I turn up to training and leave feeling worse,” she said. “I always felt incredible [after training]. Those odd days I turned up not feeling 100 per cent turned out to be my best training days.”

In the beginning, Sue didn’t know what she was doing, though. Her concentration was all over the shop. She couldn’t find any consistency to her movement.

But that’s all brilliant. Really. It’s brilliant because Sue persevered and overcame it all.

She injured herself, too, but came through that. Lessons were learned every step of the way. Some were learned the hard way.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, Sue’s a tough woman to keep down. She’s resilient and determined.

When she had to skip training for a few days because of injury, it was always reluctantly. In all she attended 87% of the possible sessions.

Before starting the program, I showed Sue the movements and tested her strength. To give you some example of her strength improvements, she went from a 2-rep maximum on the bench press with 31.5k, to multiple sets of 3 with 38k.

Her incline bench press went from 7k for reps of 10 to 12.5k. Sue’s back squat went from a tough 37.5k for two reps to 50k for two as a warm-up. Her deadlift increased from a 2-rep 50k to six reps with 57.5k. Her shoulder press shot up from a challenging five reps with 12k to sets of three with 27k!

She also wanted to do the Amazing 12 to send out a message to all women with menopause that it need not intrude on life.

It was only after a few weeks that Sue’s attention switched from muscles to mindset, though, and how what she was feeling was as beneficial, if not more so, to her thinking as it was her body. That was a revelation.

Going into the Amazing 12, Sue had been an avid runner. Any other types of training (boot camps and circuits) always had that cardio element to it. She was used to getting on with it and letting her mind wander freely.

Typically, Sue was always in going-the-distance mode where the emphasis was on completion rather than the method.

BEAMING: transformed from the inside out

“I rush around with my job and I used to treat being busy as a badge of honour,” she admitted.

“But you cannot rush lifting weights or else you get injured. It taught me to slow down and smell the roses.”

I love that quote because it shows me how Sue has become so much more mindful than when she started, that she fully understands the meaning of it in a gym-training context.

“I’d rather do one great deadlift than five very bad ones,” she said. “I had to learn to stop thinking about the past and the future. It was about focusing on now.

“When I am lifting weights, I am in the moment. I am focusing on the muscle group and how I am feeling (well most of the time).

GRIT: change doesn’t come easily and Sue had to dig deep on occasions

“Completing the A12 has made me mentally and physically stronger. I can feel it in my day-to-day job.”

Yet Sue used to routinely apologise, thinking she had been hard work for me to coach, but really she wasn’t. I enjoyed every minute.

However, there were times when she felt her body wasn’t changing much even though I could clearly see it was.

“Every now and then I would just focus on the weight loss and give myself a hard time,” she admitted.

“But right from the start I didn’t want it to be about weight loss. I wanted to gain muscle and get strong. I’m very pleased with the results.”

LOOKING THE PART: oozing confidence at the end of the program

She dropped nearly 5kgs in weight and nearly 2% body fat. “Great readings,” she said. “It’s all about eating well and exercise.

“Anyone can be skinny, but it takes a lot more to get strong. I’m very proud I didn’t get a ‘hormone belly’ because I am going through menopause.

“I am so proud that, thanks to the Amazing 12, I took control of my body and steered it into a fantastic new direction.”

Armed with her new body and lifting knowledge, Sue has every intention to continue building on her success.

Interestingly, her greatest challenges on the program came with the nutrition side, although she found the eating plan “very easy”.

I’ll let Sue explain: “despite being a nutritionist, I still learned from the Amazing 12 diet that my portions were too big and I was snacking out of habit rather than necessity,” she said.

PLEASURE: this movement was one of Sue’s favourites

It was during the last week that Sue felt her energy levels dip, which can happen and she found tough.

“But it [the strategy] worked,” she said. “I did what Claude asked me to do. I thought, ‘just shut up and follow it exactly’.

“I got some weird enjoyment of pushing my body through training when I felt so tired. I really had to get my mind to focus and be strong. I enjoyed that feeling of having a strong mind.”

I’ll be honest, though. I wasn’t sure until the final day how satisfied Sue was going to be despite many gym onlookers commenting to me on how well she had done. As mentioned earlier, she was wrestling with some demons.

“But I’d tell anyone thinking about it to just go for it. You won’t look back. It’s not about the six-pack or pushing the heaviest weights. It’s about you.

“The Amazing 12 fits around the individual and makes you the best you can possibly be [in 12 weeks]. I’ve got strong arms, but my mind is so much stronger. Who knew that lifting weights could do this?”

WORTH IT: the toughest climbs are the most memorable

Better still, Sue feels she has control of her life.

“I know the Amazing 12 is a program, but I do believe Claude made it unique,” she said.

“His outlook on life is a great motivator and I am going to miss our chats in between the rests.

“I have learnt a lot from Claude on how to exercise properly, but also so much more mentally. Thank you, Claude, for your patience and sharing your passion of exercise with me.”

Improving in leaps and bounds

BOUNCING BACK: Ian regaining his fitness

BEFORE the final day of training of week 7 of the Amazing 12 Chichester, Ian Barnett entered the Core Results gym at the usual time, just before 6am. I could tell by the look on his face, he wasn’t his usual breezy self, but by no means grumpy.

Normally, he’s up for the challenge – ready for whatever I throw at him with his ‘I’ll-do-my-best’ attitude. But this day was a rarity. Ian, a father of three girls, wasn’t quite feeling ‘it’.

Nutritionist Sue Crabtree went through an entire week (week 6) feeling off-colour. She’s amazed how Ian seldom has days like that.

We’re all different. That’s an important factor to consider and one reason why comparisons are often pointless.

On those days when our biorythms (for want of a better expression) are low, everything can feel unpredictable. But Sue, for example, had her best week in terms of performance when she felt at her lowest.

COMFORTABLE: Ian showing much-improved form with his deadlift

And I told Ian how on many occasions I’ve had clients come in not feeling up for the job and somewhat mentally defeated, yet go on to have their finest workouts.

That’s pretty much how it transpired for Ian that day. Once he started warming up and the blood began to flow, he was ready to go.

LOVE-HATE: Ian’s relationship with this particular drill

In fact, the entire week (7), Ian was solid. Very solid. He put in a good shift every time. He never complained.

Even after he’d taken a seat for several minutes to recover from a little concoction I put together for him involving the punchbag, which is doing wonders for his conditioning, Ian still grinned and said, “I love it.”

Sue’s similar. She gets on with it despite the entire week being a grind for her. She’s had to fight for practically every rep and has shown me how much grit she possesses.

Ian’s still at a stage where he’s eating up the weights. But the time will come when he will have to dig even deeper. I believe in him, though. The first six weeks have got him ready for what’s to come.

I half-anticipated that Sue would moan at how challenging it’s become, but, almost with a smile on her face, she responded in the opposite fashion.

GETTING READY: prep work for her next session

“I like it,” she said. “It [the increased weight] is good. It shows I’m progressing.”

Ian’s developing well also, but a few days off for a long weekend at the end of week 6 served as a timely reminder of how easy it is to slip into decline – staying up late, watching movies, eating too much.

This is the real challenge that awaits every graduate of this program. To keep the momentum going, you have to continue with the good habits.

When he returned after that weekend, Ian was itching to train again. It took him a few sessions to get back into the training loop. He’s determined to build on the work he’s already put into the Amazing 12.

Unquestionably, Ian’s fitness has improved dramatically. He went out cycling again over a weekend with friends and was once more impressed by his stamina.

“I can see why athletes do strength training,” he said. “I’m delighted with the results I’m having so far.”

GETTING THE HINGE: technically, Sue is so much better than when she started

Sue’s in the same camp. “I feel so empowered and I can only put it down to weight-lifting,” she said.

“This [lifting weights] is so addictive. I wish I could do it full-time.”

There’s still a long way to go and the back end of the Amazing 12 is where the serious development occurs. But it doesn’t come easily.

It’s important to keep that mind, otherwise it comes as a shock. Remember also that the challenging moments are nearly always the times that produce the greatest growth.

Sue admitted during her back squats this week, “I felt scared.”

I was encouraging her to squat deeper by placing a box behind her as a depth target. But she was going just shy, fearing she wouldn’t get back up. Mind games. That’s all it was. I knew she had it in her.

“The mind is so powerful,” she said.

We have conversations about it throughout training every week. I know that with Sue, as with most people, the only limit to her potential is the thought in her head.

NICE PLANK: Sue keeping her body rigid for these push-ups

As soon as I said I wouldn’t recognise or count any squat that failed to touch the box, Sue squatted to the required depth!

There’s already a world of difference between her now and when she started – physically, technically and mentally.

Sue is vowing to stay focused. “I’ve worked too hard to get this far,” she assured me. “I’m loving the weight-training and each week I get to challenge myself.”

Setting a challenge is what this program is all about. However, make it too hard and you risk injury and/or discouragement. When it’s too simple, there’s the possibility of boredom or a lack of motivation.

What I like about the Amazing 12 is that it seems to get the balance just right.

Staying committed – find the love

EYES ON THE PRIZE: Sue going from strength to strength

YOU’VE got to want it. I’m talking about change, specifically, but it also applies to many things, like being healthy and fit.

In the vast majority of cases you cannot force change. It won’t last. Forcing will usually be met with resistance. Then you have a fight on your hands and resentment follows.

IN THE BAG: another session over for Ian

Change, therefore, has to start with the individual. It has to come from within the individual. And, as a coach, I’m there to help that person along.

The moment they stop wanting/desiring it (change), it’s effectively over. I can’t run the race for them, so to speak. I can’t push them uphill either.

Take Sue Crabtree and Ian Barnett, now at the end of week 5 of the Amazing 12 Chichester. Sue signed up because she wanted to get stronger, but she certainly didn’t need to. I’ve written it this way to differentiate between wants and needs.

For Ian it was different. While carrying extra timber (as he likes to put it), he probably needed to start some exercise regimen and make alterations to his diet, but the process could only begin when he decided it was time.

GETTING TO GRIPS: Sue’s improving her technique by the week

When I look at my regular clients – the ones who come week in and week out – I see individuals who want to be there and value what training can offer them.

For the more sporadic trainers it’s a case of having to when their shape or health begins to get out of control. Or they just don’t see exercise as being a valuable enough component to their well-being.

However, the latter group tend to yo-yo, whereas the first group are consistent.

But you can trick yourself into wanting to train – if you can find the right bait. Find something – anything – about your training that you love. The wanting will come if the motivating factor is strong enough.

It could be the way your muscles feel afterwards or the people at the gym or the time to yourself or that each training session takes you closer to your goal or staying in shape or how it makes you better than you were the day before or that it will make you look and feel younger or that the consequences of doing nothing will come back to sting you later in life or it makes you feel great.

PRACTICE: correct repetitions lead to improvement

Get creative (though remain honest) because I understand not everyone enjoys training, but I often ask why? What’s their thought or story or experience about exercise or training that deters them?

Ian wants to be the sort of father who can play actively with his children and be around for them as they grow older. As a conscientious parent, that’s enough driving force to keep him going on the Amazing 12. He’s doing it for himself, but also his family. He’s setting a standard, being a positive role model. He’s trying to reclaim the body he should have in his mid-40s. He’s on a mission to stop and reverse the inevitable decline that comes from neglect and sitting for hours at a desk each day. He’s looking at this as the first stop on his ticket to a better and healthier future.

GRIMACE: battling through the tough sets

Luckily, he’s enjoying the training so far. He is seeing and feeling the differences to his physique. He is noticing how much better he is moving. That certainly helps keep his dedication levels high.

But Ian may not be enjoying getting up at 5.23am each morning to drive to the Core Results gym and if he thought only about the wake-up time and losing sleep and how cold it is outside at that time, for how long do you think he’s going to remain committed?

RING MASTER: Ian holding it together as he cranks out the reps

Shifting his attention to how the workouts make him feel, the start it gives him to his day, how it puts him in a more positive frame of mind, gets him closer to his goal of shifting body fat etc makes getting out from under the duvet far easier.

At the end of week 4 Ian went cycling with a group of friends. He said he was “astonished” by how much easier the ride was and when he hit the hills, which are normally tough, he had more strength and energy in his legs.

Holding on to thoughts like this can help us through any sticking points we may encounter. But if we instead think about our favourite sugary foods that we are giving up or aches and pains we feel or the late night TV program we are sacrificing, the potential for being derailed increases significantly.

THE SET-UP: so important, especially with the back squat

Sue had a particularly rough week on week 5, not that you would have noticed from her performances in the gym, mind you. But she told me that, mentally and physically, her moods were low and that she couldn’t have felt worse – that she wanted to go home and keep herself to herself. Yet she still came to the gym and, remarkably, put in her best week of training so far.

How she did it was by changing her focus. I’m impressed with that type of commitment and her improvements are beginning to show. I’m not necessarily talking just aesthetics, but more so Sue’s lifting techniques, breathing and concentration, which, to me at least, is equally if not more vital.

LIGHTER: Sue looking for more speed on the prowler

The better her technique, focus and breathing becomes, the more weight she will be able to lift and, consequently, her body will change and adapt faster.

Thankfully, Ian and Sue don’t require a lot of motivating. They are, for now, all in. But not all my clients are this way. And often it’s down to where you place and hold your thoughts.

The unexpected rewards

STANDING TALL: feel-good factor after working out

WORKING with people interests, fascinates and motivates me. No day is ever the same. No person is the same. It’s challenging, but satisfying.

Essentially, I’m in the gym to teach and guide. But I’m also the student. I’m always a student, because I don’t know everything there is to know.

It’s a mutual existence. With every client I put through the Amazing 12 Chichester program, I discover new things about myself, how to coach, human psychology, techniques, formulas, people’s strengths and weaknesses…

Sue Crabtree and Ian Barnett have completed three weeks. That’s a quarter of the program gone already.

Twelve weeks may seem like a long time to some. But it flies by. And, probably because you are nearing the finish and want to squeeze every ounce out of the program, the final six weeks seem to always pass in the flash.

It still feels like early days for these two, but it’s not. I see changes. Sue’s keeping an eye on Ian even though they train at different hours. She’s noticed how his face has altered and his upper body, too.

Sue’s observed how her shoulders have taken on an appearance she’s never seen before. Best of all, though, she’s walking around with confidence. Yes, real confidence.

“I don’t know what it is,” she said. “But lifting weights has really made me confident in my body.”

There’s genuine surprise in her voice as she says it. I’m not surprised. I see it all the time. But to hear it from a one-time weight-training skeptic is somewhat satisfying.

IMPROVING HER SKIP: a chance to warm-up and practice at the same time

That’s not all. Whilst we’re in confession mode, Sue also told me how surprised she is by the way weight-lifting has made her more mindful.

“It really is,” she said. “You really do have to be more mindful. It’s amazing.”

There’s a saying: ‘Where focus goes, energy flows.’ You need your energy when lifting weights and you need it to be channelled in the right direction. If your head is somewhere else, you could be in trouble. You won’t perform. The connection between mind and body is weaker. Sue’s learning this. She’s open-minded, though, and that’s essential.

She added, “Mentally, I feel brilliant.”

Oh yeah, I shouldn’t forget how she’s come to understand also the importance of breathing – not just breathing, but WHEN and HOW.

Ian’s reporting similar feedback. Even though he does the early-morning shift (mostly 6am) and is dripping sweat while most of you are still tucked in bed, he walks out of Core Results gym with a wry smile on his face, the sort of look that comes with getting your day off to a great start and leading with a sense of accomplishment.

This week I played around a little with Ian’s program. It was at his request, to be honest, because, as someone who’s done some martial arts, Ian asked for some boxing and I obliged, without compromising the essence of the Amazing 12.

AGONY AND ECSTACY: often real joy is hard-earned

It’s made training a tad tougher for him. He’s been breathing harder, but it’s going to accelerate his fitness levels.

“It feels like hell doing it, but, I must admit, I feel brilliant afterwards,” Ian confessed.

As you can probably tell, the process is one of ups and downs. You get good days and then there are tough days. There are workouts and movements you like and there are ones you do not. That’s how it is in the gym. That’s how making progress works.

If you don’t understand or realise that, it can feel alarming, so I try to explain the process as much as I can.

I like most those moments when someone walks away from the weights and feels they’ve performed poorly and I reveal (by looking at my numbers) how well they have actually done. It happened with both Ian and Sue this week. Funny how instantly what seemed or felt like a disappointing effort can be turned on its head with a different perspective or some data.

It proves that satisfaction is a totally mental construct, a matter of how you choose to look at something.

FAVOURITE: Ian’s enjoying pulldowns right now

The best way to navigate the Amazing 12 is day by day, moment to moment and without conducting a deep enquiry into every repetition and training session.

“For me it’s about the journey,” said Sue, which sounded like music to my ears when she uttered those words.

To get the most out of the ‘journey’ requires the utmost presence. It reminded me of something I read this week about how there is nothing more important than what we are doing and experiencing in the moment.

“Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”

Strive for progress, not perfection

CONCENTRATION: Sue has her mind on the job

I THINK Sue Crabtree, back on her second week of the Amazing 12 Chichester after missing a week through being ill, is beginning to see why I enjoy and value lifting weights so much.

“I’m finding that, mentally, it’s fantastic,” she admitted.

Of course, weight-lifting and training is also working us in the physical realm, but it’s the thinking and concentration side that most people overlook or sell short.

As she’s new to working with the steel, Sue’s realising just how “switched-on” you need to be. While that may be frustrating and taxing for some of us, for me it’s one of the attractions.

LEANER: Ian’s dropped half a stone so far

Ian Barnett, also on his second week of the Amazing 12, has done weight-training previously and, especially as he’s trying to regain his fitness, appreciates the value of what it can do for him.

He missed a few days this week – one because he had a work conference in London pre-booked and the other because he felt really rough (onset of a cold). But Ian was itching to get back in the gym at Core Results even though he felt below par. And by the end that early morning (6am) session, he felt much better for it.

Lifting weights and exercising can be like meditation from the point of view it requires – for the best results and, more importantly, to avoid injury – that you focus your attention on the one thing you’re doing.

ADJUSTMENT: better technique this week on battle ropes

As an always-on-the-go-type person, Sue’s having to adjust to the different pace of training with weights and the way it’s done on the Amazing 12.

Runners often like to allow their minds to roam when they are out covering the miles and that’s one of the joys of running. But in the gym, with a weight on your back or in your hands, you can’t afford to go off into dreamland or admire your surroundings. That’s when you can get hurt.

Weight-training is great for Sue, in my opinion, because I believe we should choose movements and types of training that are the opposite of or offset the way we tend to live our lives and complement the strengths we already have.

HEAVIER: getting stronger means increased challenges

If your life is fast-paced, stressed and hectic, go take a yoga class or, if you prefer the gym, pick movements that are slower, more deliberate and require patience. Do what you need and not what you want.

Technique-wise, I recognise how Sue’s starting to find her groove. It was all alien to her when she started. She admits that she’s someone who needs continual reminding (and I oblige), but, as the process of practice dictates, Sue’s requiring fewer pointers as the days go by. Her body is beginning to remember the new patterns.

As someone who has continually had some back pain, Sue declared she’s felt nothing since lifting weights except the feeling you get from working your muscles. She’s particularly pleased about that.

I’m noticing her becoming stronger, engaging her core muscles better and understanding what movements are challenging what muscle parts.

NEW GEAR: Ian turns on the turbo with the prowler

It’s the same for Ian. While he has a good grasp of technique, with Ian it’s a case of removing the rust.

“I thought about what you said last week,” he said. “Doing this [the Amazing 12] is a return to fitness for me, but making progress is the way to go [long-term].”

Ian has already shed half a stone. There’s definitely a difference in him and his appearance. He’s growing in strength and confidence. He already has his sights on a challenging cycle ride later this year.

Progress is what the Amazing 12 is all about. And it is achieved through practice. Methodical practice. Intelligently-constructed practice. It’s not about being perfect. Perfection is the aspiration – the end of the rainbow that we try to find, but never can lay our hands on.

Perfection has an end date. Then what? Practice is infinite. Perfection can rouse in us a fear of failure. Practice encourages it.

So replace any frustration with patience and attention and dedication and trust.

Practice doesn’t just apply to technique. Sue, for example, likes to stay within her comfort zone. She called it “lazy”, I think I said she was “cautious”.

Our mindset receives far more practice than our body. If your thoughts are not in alignment with your intentions, you are most likely impeding your own progress.

So I challenged Sue to move closer to the discomfort zone. The more you venture there, the less daunting it seems. Stay in the comfort zone – the part that’s really easy – and you can feel like you’ve been treading water for years. Nothing much changes.

The beauty of having a trainer is that he or she not only tells you what to do and, if competent, helps you to do it correctly, but holds you accountable. In addition, being on a program like the Amazing 12 means that, when executed properly, adaptations happen naturally.

As far as I’m concerned, as the coach, these two are warming well to the task. For me, it’s always more about the progress than perfection. If you are feeling daunted by a challenge, I encourage you to move towards and not away from it. Real growth comes from taking and completing those brave steps.

Sometimes we just need to jump

FOR all of us there will be situations and actions that make us anxious and uncomfortable. Some things we’re better at than others.

However, I understand also that I, like you, CAN do anything, that my potential is great. I believe that to be true for everyone.

Often, though, something is holding us back from moving towards that great thing we are capable of or the goal we want to achieve or the change we want to create. That something is usually fear or doubt or uncertainty.

TWO-TIMER: Adriano Satta after his second round of the Amazing 12

It’s like a wall that stands between where we are and where we want to be and, unfortunately, we can’t go around it.

When it comes to getting in shape and fit, many of us have the best intentions, especially at this time of year. Some of us don’t even make it to the starting blocks, while many will begin and then quickly fall back into old patterns of behaviour (habits).

SHORT VERSION: But Catriona, at 50 and new to weight-training, still made tremendous progress

It’s easier to stay in the relative comfort of what we know, even if it doesn’t serve us well.

But sometimes you have to look yourself in the eye, have that hard conversation and ask, ‘what’s going to happen if I do nothing or continue as I’ve been doing?’

With the Amazing 12 Chichester program, I help people get into better shape – shape their bodies, minds and the way their bodies can function by increasing strength, stability, flexibility, fitness and movement and, consequently, there’s a lot more that comes with it.

FIRST TIME: Jon, a father and business owner, has since gone on to the A12 Chichester another time

I’m advertising my next round of the Amazing 12 Chichester program for February 2018. For those who don’t know, it’s an outstanding training program.

There aren’t, to my knowledge, too many programs out there that can do so much in one hit and I’ve been training for more than 35 years.

You’ll learn about training, how to lift, how to eat optimally, the potential of your body and the workings of your mind. You’ll discover a lot more about yourself than you bargained for. And I think that’s a good thing.

TURNAROUND: Jemma lost 32lbs, gained confidence and strength and a new body

I love seeing the transformations happen. Sometimes it’s purely physical and at other times it’s everything. But it gives me massive satisfaction. I relish working with people and helping them to improve, develop and, ultimately, flourish.

Training – or working out – is my game. It’s what I love. I don’t require motivating. I’m driven every day to do it. Nutrition isn’t an obstacle for me either. I’ve been committed to lead by example most of my life. I find those habits simple to master.

I don’t say it to brag that, at 50, I’m in better shape than I was at 20. I’m stronger and fitter, too. I’m just consistent and have continued to make better lifestyle choices and habits.

But there are other areas of life that I’m hopeless at and challenge me more and where I’m not as motivated or committed or enthusiastic or confident. Sometimes I fail miserably.

We all favour doing what we excel at, but it’s the other stuff that we really need to focus our attention on.

DISAPPOINTED: This was Rich, a 49-year-old, who wanted to get leaner, but felt as if he didn’t

As a seeker – a seeker of self-development and constantly evolving – I seldom rest in my desire to go to the next level, but I play the avoidance game, too, and it’s usually when I face my old adversaries, fear and uncertainty.

And though I know on the other side of fear is all that is preventing us from staying small, I can be like anyone else and cower in the face of taking that step forwards.

I know the challenging stuff gets uncomfortable. I know it’s going to test me and that it could prove to be inconvenient. I know I may not even like the process. But I also recognise that once I get to the other side, I’m going to be much better for it – that the riches are in the experience and the relationships and the overcoming of doubts. And that is the nugget that helps me bite the bullet.

I recognise and respect also that sometimes I need help getting to the other side. I require the accountability that I provide to my clients on the Amazing 12. That help can be in the form of a nudge or encouragement or a kick up the backside or having to report to or work alongside someone. Whatever works.

MARVEL: Since having a son 18 months ago, Stacey has done the Amazing 12 twice

So this is where I am now. I’ve just finished taking Stacey Satta and Rich Evans through the Amazing 12 and am encouraging others who want to get into the best possible shape to sign up with me for the next one. At the same time, coincidentally or not, I had someone else (I won’t reveal who) banging in my ear, waving at me to sign up with them for an undisputedly world class program, like the Amazing 12 (though not fitness-related), that could, potentially, help me to conquer many of the inhibitions that for years have held me back.

Guess what? I started having the same insecurities that infect many of those who desperately would like to try the Amazing 12, but back off and can’t pull the trigger.

I kept putting it off, saying I’m not ready or that it would cost too much or questioning whether I could succeed. I basically started listing excuses.

The more I did so, the more I said to myself: “How can I expect people to commit to me on the Amazing 12 if I won’t take a chance on myself?”

I mulled this over for weeks, literally. I felt like a hypocrite. I reached a point where I believed that, to be fair, I couldn’t ask someone to take a step I wasn’t prepared to take myself.

GUILT: Sue, a mother of two, had to overcome the guilt of taking time out for herself

I asked myself also whether I wanted to be a 50 per cent version of myself. We only live once. I knew that I deserved better, my children deserved better, my clients deserved better…

“Do not die with the music still inside you!” is a quote that reverberated inside of me.

So what did I do?

Even without being properly able to afford it, I took the plunge. I thought, ‘this is an investment. This isn’t about money. This is about life. This is about freedom. This is about being yourself. This is about realising potential. This is about life experience, good or bad. This is about going to the next level, evolving. This is about living without regret, walking with your head held high. This is about eliminating what ifs. This is about speculating to accumulate’.

So I did it. I signed up. Done. I’m in. I’m going to do it. I made it happen. In an instant I made a decision. I took action. No turning back.

I jumped!

If you’re thinking about the Amazing 12, don’t think. Just do it. Get it done. Close your eyes, leap towards it, enjoy the ride, experience the change and, like all the graduates photographed on this page, realise what was always possible.

Contact me NOW – claude@intelligentstrength.co.uk – schedule a free consultation and let’s get the wheels in motion and transform you into that spectacular physical being you were born to be.

I’ve decided 2018 is going to be a year of change and massive progress. I’m tired of waiting because, to be blunt, waiting brings nothing. Just seize the opportunity!

Are you IN or are you not?

Rich (December 2017)

END PRODUCT: 12 weeks of hard training that were far from straightforward

IT’S not every day you get to work with a former secret agent. Jokes aside, Mr. Brosnan-lookalike, Rich Evans, signed up for the Amazing 12 Chichester on a specific mission: to beat the fat loss conundrum.

Irrespective of anything else he achieved on the program over what was, in fact, nearly 13 weeks training at Core Results, his definition of success or failure would rest on one thing only, fat loss.

As a personal trainer and avid skier, he kept himself active and fit. As a vegan of many years, Rich took care as to what he put into his body. As someone who would frequently joke about himself being a “freak” in reference to what typically worked on others had no effect on him, Rich had tried everything.

Comprehensive DNA profiling revealed the extent of the challenge. His report indicated: “a severe potential for poor fat release”. This means “a tendency to put on weight via abdominal fat” and “a susceptibility to carry more weight and a struggle to lose weight easily with exercise.”

So it certainly sounded like the odds were stacked against Rich from the get-go. He’s not the type to do things half-heartedly, though. Rich is all-in. There are few people I’ve met as organised, thorough, diligent and structured as Rich. I knew he would be totally committed.

And so, several years after first hearing about the Amazing 12, he decided to go for it.

“I had tried all sorts and been told by nutritionists and others that what I
was eating was good [80 per cent whole foods, organic with some
processed foods at weekends],” said Rich.

“I had done different levels of exercise over the years – mainly bodyweight but some weights and other cardio work as well, but not shifted body fat.”

But if the task wasn’t already a testing one, Rich had more to contend with that was totally unexpected and beyond anyone’s control.

At the end of week two his mother passed away and then at the end of week nine he injured his left knee badly: a classic wear-and-tear injury. Subsequent scans revealed the cartilage had worn away.

Rich, who turned 49 during the program, limped out of the gym that day, disheartened having put so much into the training and thinking it was over. He was in pain, unable to bend his leg.

Effective and immediate treatment, a positive attitude and determination got Rich back in the game quickly. However, the consequences of the injury meant I’d lost my two strength-building big guns: the back squat and deadlift. Also, equipment like the prowler, a great conditioner, was out, too. Rich would continue, but training his upper body only.

Rich also had to stop a crawling program I had him on which, interestingly, elevated his heart rate more than anything else. Up until week nine, it was worth noting, too, how his average and peak heartrate during crawling started to decrease even though the challenge I set him each week was, on paper, harder.

Because of his mother’s funeral arrangements and taking the time to be with family as well as a few other previous commitments that meant he would be away for a short time, Rich opted to add on an extra week to the program. This decision was taken before the knee injury.

BEFORE: Rich wasn’t in bad shape and certainly had a broad back

AFTER: Definitely leaner and more muscular

However, it meant four weeks of mostly upper body training and it was around this time, coincidentally or not, that I noticed the weight beginning to come off him.

Usually, when you see someone more or less every day, it’s hard to spot the changes. But with Rich it was apparent and Stacey Satta, his occasional training partner, noticed it, too. Still, Rich’s scales were telling a slightly different story and he wasn’t fully buying into the success.

The passing of his mother was obviously a difficult time and coincided with when Rich struggled most, around weeks five-seven.

“Mum died at the end of week two and we had the funeral during week four. My mind was, for obvious reasons, elsewhere,” admitted Rich.

Until then, though, Rich, being as meticulous as he is, had taken notes from when he started the program.

At the end of week one he wrote, “I’ve had the of the worst nights sleep I can remember for months – I feel battered and am today [Saturday] feeling tired after not sleeping well last night.

“But I am pleased to be doing the A12 and with two days off am, in a
strange way, looking forward to training again on Monday.”

Rich’s sleep patterns soon returned to normal, but he also had difficulty with the nutrition side of things. Being someone who weighed and measured his food with precision, changing to a different system that was less than surgically precise in terms of calculations was difficult for him. But he went along with it.

“I was so used to eating low carb and not much [in total] and was being told to eat much more, and more carbs,” he explained.

“But my body doesn’t like them [carbs] – I know that through trial and error. I feel sluggish and am wanting more food than I have done for ages. Is this the training or the carbs that my body isn’t used to?” he wrote in his diary.

After the first week, Rich had put on 2lbs. “It’s nothing,” he wrote. “It’s a snapshot. I need longer to see a trend and most of that is muscle, but that bloody fat % is the same! Grrrrr….

“Trust the system. Trust Claude. I do, but I have a small nagging doubt
in my mind will it work with me? I hope so – I’m investing lots of
money, time and effort in this after all.”

So you can see where Rich was coming from. In week six his weight reached a peak of 12st 8lbs. His muscle mass was highest in week five. It was in week five that Rich felt most tired and found it tough, at one point being unable to comprehend how, if things didn’t improve, he would make it to the finish.

In week six he had a particularly frustrating session trying to find his technique with the deadlift and by week seven he was back to being tired and exhausted.

But then I sensed he was turning a corner – until his knee ‘went’ in week nine and we had to consider how to best proceed.

OVERHEAD PRESSING: the toughest part of the training for Rich

A solution was found and, again, Rich turned up and gave it all he had. In week 10, he took off a few days to ‘celebrate’ his birthday and it probably came at a good time as he was nursing his leg and the rest most likely did some good because from week 11 until the finish Rich was sailing.

I think you can tell clearly from the photos, even if the numbers on the scales aren’t significantly different, that Rich leaned out, especially around the waist, and packed on size to his arms, shoulders and chest.

His overall weight went from 12st 4lbs 6oz at the beginning to 11st 12lbs 2oz (a drop of around half a stone). His body fat percentage began at 22.7 and fell to 20.9. His muscle mass started at 9.0.8, peaked in week five at 9.5.6, fell to its lowest in week 12 at 8.13.2 and finished at 9.0.2.

It’s fairly typical, though, if you are carrying extra body fat to have to get leaner first before you can build muscle. All the numbers, however, point towards Rich moving in the right direction except for the reduction in muscle mass. We had many conversations about this and, not being a big eater, Rich probably didn’t consume enough calories to retain and build further muscle, although the priority was always fat loss. Getting that balance right was the tricky part.

PERCEPTION: Even though he looks leaner, Rich doesn’t ‘feel’ lean

“I really hoped that this [the A12] would shift the body fat and I’d look leaner,” he said.

“I have never been what you’d call body-confident, so was hoping that at last I’d shed the fat, look and feel leaner and with that be less self-conscious of my lack of leanness. Maybe that should be my self-perceived lack of being in shape, as I’m probably not as bad as I think!”

Rich, though, went into the program with the understanding that – based on past experience, testing and DNA reports – his body would not respond to the training in the same way as thousands of others who’ve been through the Amazing 12.

But he was hoping it wouldn’t be the case and maybe what this proves, in Rich’s case and at least for now, is that any loss of body fat is not influenced by training and diet alone. There’s maybe a missing factor – something not working as it should – and to get the results he wants will take longer than it would for the average person.

If 12 weeks of training on the Amazing 12 and eating well failed to reduce his fat levels massively (other factors like sleep and stress didn’t seem poor), I firmly believe no amount of training with any other system over the same time period would have provided better results.

“Now I know I wasn’t deluding myself, living a lie and making excuses that I struggled to lose body fat,” he said.

“Whilst I desperately wanted it to work – to get to the end with all the
exercise and eating according to an incredible plan that has been
carefully worked out and gets incredible results – to find that it didn’t
work for me maybe proved that I don’t react like normal people.”

There wasn’t a shred of doubt he became much stronger. Here a some examples. In week 10, I had him try some pull-ups and he managed a few and then, quickly, hit a wall and couldn’t lift himself at all.

In the final week, Rich was able to do 45 bodweight chin-ups in 15 minutes. A week after the program, he completed a chin-up from a dead-hang position with 14kgs attached!

I started him with 15kgs doing the Military Press, the exercise he found the hardest. I recall how tough he found it when the weight got to 19kgs (week two), 22kgs (week three) and 27kgs (week six), yet at the finish he was pumping out reps using 41kgs!

Similarly, doing incline dumbbell bench presses, he went from completing a set of 15 reps with a 17.5kg in week five to 19 reps with 20kg in week 10.

Across the board, Rich increased his strength, as did the quality of his movement. Even Rich could see and feel the changes happening – but not significantly enough.

COMMITTED: Rich’s attitude to training and nutrition couldn’t be faulted

“I’m delighted with my strength and fitness levels,” he said, admitting he’s never been this strong in his life.

“I knew I would get stronger – having read blogs from Claude’s and other A12 trainers. All the results from the A12 show this that really was
a given and, yes, would be good,” said Rich.

“I’ve never been keen on weights, so haven’t really done them.
This was going to be a good challenge – I’d get stronger, which as I get
older is important. That was going to be a postive.

“And I believe that doing something you aren’t ‘good at’ is always a
good thing as it challenges you and can only improve you.”

I found that Rich’s technique on most movements was spotless and, consequently, he grew in strength. I kept adding weight and Rich continued meeting my targets.

And a week following the program, I had Rich back in the squat rack with a weight on his back doing reps not only without any discomfort to his knee, but with better technique than I’ve seen from him before!

He completed every session he turned up for (missing six of a possible 63 for the reasons I explained earlier), the only exception being one afternoon when, suddenly, he had to take off because he’d remembered he’d left something cooking on the stove. Rich was relieved to find his house hadn’t burned down, but the sweet potatoes were beyond saving – unless you like them looking and tasting like charcoal!

He can be excused for that. Fact is, he gave it everything. I can’t deny that. Rich carried himself with integrity, which I respect greatly.

“I struggle to understand why anyone can’t commit to this or why it would be difficult,” he said. “Yes, it takes time out of your day, but it is so structured and we always find time to do what we want to.”

Rich, though, would probably admit he’s hard on himself. “I hoped that with the strength improvements my self-confidence would return –
most people wouldn’t think that I lack this but we all have a mask –
a different mask for different people,” he said.

“Working part-time as a PT, I want to look the part as well as act it. Whilst most of my clients seem to think I am fit -and I probably am compared with them and almost certainly am compared with your average male in his late 40s – I don’t want to compare myself to this.

“I look at people at least 10 or 20 years younger than me and see no reason why I can’t be that fit, lean and in shape?

“Who am I kidding? Being completely honest, most of this is
personal! I clearly have ‘issues’, but then don’t we all? We do…..don’t
we…….?”

Ultimately, he was disappointed. I’m not used to hearing that. But I gave my best and Rich gave his best, albeit under at times trying circumstances. We knew from the beginning that, with Rich’s knee history, he wouldn’t be able to do the Amazing 12 exactly as prescribed. And from week 10 it was a more modified version because of the injury. But I constructed the program in the best way possible given the limitations.

You, the reader, may look at Rich’s results and see what he achieved and disagree with his evaluation. But I respect his honesty.

“Yes, I know I have changed shape and am stronger than I probably
ever have been [fitness is relative – sport specific so I am not
going to say fitter] and should really focus on the positives.

“Whilst I have changed shape and know that it is not all about the numbers, I do not feel lean.”

Asked what he’d say to someone contemplating the program, Rich replied: “Do it. It gets results. It’s an incredible program and, yes, it can be a challenge,but it really is easy to do – turn up, do what Claude tells you to and go home. Get results! What’s not to like?

“Stronger, healthier, fitter – where else can you get results like this? Why
wouldn’t you?”

He added: “The best thing about the program is the support Claude gives you. He is always there to answer questions [and I had a lot!] whether by email, text, WhatsApp or phone – you never feel alone through the whole program.”

Stacey (December 2017)

DEFYING ALL LOGIC: Stacey achieved amazing results in spite of the many hurdles in her way Photos: Sue Saunders Photography

IF you look at Stacey Satta and haven’t read one of my blogs during the 12 weeks of her training on the Amazing 12 Chichester, you could be forgiven for thinking everything went precisely to plan. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Stacey, now one of only four people to have completed the Amazing 12 Chichester twice, is quite a remarkable woman and you’ll find out why.

Her reason for doing it a second time was simple: to build upon the massive achievements she made during her first 12 weeks.

“I knew I’d get results,” she explained of her decision.

LEANER AND STRONGER: more than happy with her results

You can see from her impressive photos that she was successful. But the striking images do not tell the background story.

As was the case with her first Amazing 12 that ended in April, Stacey completed the program on little sleep, which for most people simply would not have been manageable.

But that wasn’t the full extent of what she had to contend with. In fact, I’d say this most recent Amazing 12 was tougher than the first (which wasn’t easy) even though when she started in September, Stacey was in better shape and condition.

“It was a little different [second time] because I knew what to expect,” said Stacey. “I found that it [the 12 weeks] went much quicker, but it was more challenging. I was struggling with sleep and the weights were getting heavier.”

TURNING BACK THE CLOCK: Stacey’s now as light as she was in her teenage days

Stacey also had an injury to contend with. As early as week two, she started having issues with the rotator cuff on her right shoulder and by week five I not only had to remove bench-pressing all together, but had to practically redesign her shoulder program.

Yet, despite not having done bench press from before the halfway mark of the program, by the end her shoulder issues had practically cleared up (I partly put it down to rest and lots of Turkish Get-ups) and when I retested her bench press a week after she had finished the A12, Stacey managed to lift more (50kg for one rep) than ever before!

That’s not an isolated strength improvement. Her back squat went from a 77.5kg struggle (in April) to a technically spot-on 95kg – at 54kg bodyweight!

WRITING ON THE LEGGINGS: as determined as she is strong

Her deadlift went from 87.5kg to 92.5kg, although during the program her working weight peaked at 80kg for reps and sets compared with 72.5kg in the spring.

I still think Stacey could have topped that deadlift weight, but it’s an exercise where, if her mind isn’t right, she falls to bits.

I tried getting Stacey to lift without telling her how much was on the bar (so she wouldn’t psyche herself out), but she couldn’t resist taking a peak. And that was that.

But she admitted: “I learned that I can do most things if I can get into the right mindset.”

TOP GUNS: she worked hard for those muscles

In fact, she made improvements across the board. For example, doing the Military Press she finished in April getting 27 reps with 30kg whereas second time round she hit 40 reps with 32kg in the same time period.

Doing chin-ups, in April she managed 38 bodyweight in a set time, whereas most recently Stacey nailed 49 in the same time frame with an additional 1kg attached and looked as fresh as a daisy when she was finished!

“The most satisfying part was seeing my body getting leaner while also feeling stronger and lifting weights I didn’t think it would be possible for me to lift – EVER!” she said.

In terms of body composition, her weight loss went like this: first Amazing 12 – 10st 2lbs to 8st 10lbs; second Amazing 12 – 9st 2 1/4lbs to 8st 6 1/2lbs, which is the lightest she has been since her teenage days. But this mother is now 38 and I bet she has more muscle and can lift plenty more than she could back then.

Stacey’s main obsession was with lowering her body fat and after dropping from 26% to 21% in April, she came into the second Amazing 12 at 23.6% and by the end was exactly 20%

In essence, she dropped weight, lost fat and gained in strength, muscle and fitness all in spite of her continual struggle to sleep and more.

Miraculously, she missed only six of the 60 training sessions (one more than on the first Amazing 12). In eight sessions she did attend I had to amend the workouts or cut them short because Stacey was simply too exhausted to take on the added stress of any hard training.

Had she been well rested after every session, attended all the workouts and been able to test herself fully (she always gave 100 per cent), I shudder to imagine what she would have accomplished.

“My lack of sleep was the most challenging part,” she admitted. “It affected my rest and recovery. I missed a few sessions because of it and couldn’t always perform as well as I would have liked.”

There wasn’t a single week when she didn’t come in for at least one training session feeling either run down or shattered. Usually, Stacey still looks remarkable on a few hours sleep, but I started to get concerned when she turned up on a few occasions barely able to keep her eyes open.

“The hardest part was around weeks eight and nine when the diet and training, for some reason, became really challenging,” she recalled. “I had to really dig deep and stay focused.”

That Stacey was so determined to keep going proves she was never short of commitment. She never found that to be a problem except on the days when she felt so depleted. I can count on one hand maybe the amount of training sessions at Core Results gym we had when she was full of beans and operating on all cylinders.

If anything, I’d say the final four weeks were probably the worst (in terms of exhaustion) and those are the critical stages when, generally, the most ground is made.

Somehow, though, she came through it and was delighted with the outcome.

“It was remarkable given everything I went through and I feel I achieved more than I thought I would,” she said. “I’m very happy with the results.”

Obviously, it was far from an easy ride for Stacey. She had a lot to contend with.

“Dedication and commitment are the keys to success on the program,” she said. “If you’re up for a challenge, want to look great and feel great, just go for it,” she said. “You won’t regret it.”

Just make sure you’ve got your sleeping sorted first!

If you want to become an Amazing 12 Chichester graduate like Stacey or find out more about the program, contact Claude@intelligentstrength.co.uk. We are taking applications for the next round in 2018.

Week 11 & 12: When life doesn’t go according to plan

RAISING THE BAR: Rich and Stacey, in their own way, have made impressive progress

ANOTHER Amazing 12 Chichester is nearly complete. Stacey Satta, on her second circuit of the Amazing 12, completed her final week. Rich Evans has a few more days to go.

There’s a reason for the different schedule: Rich, 49, knew before he started that he was going to miss a few days here and there because of prior commitments and then he lost more days when his mother passed away, so we agreed to continue into another week to try to make up the difference.

It’s certainly been an extraordinary experience for me as a coach. Even the weeks passed by incredibly fast, I had a feeling it was going to be challenging and it proved to be so – in a good way.

As a coach, you have to think on your feet sometimes. Seldom does everything go exactly to plan and it’s how you respond in those instances that matters most.

GETTING A GRIP: it’s been tough-going for Stacey at times

My goal, as always with the Amazing 12, is to guide the participant to the finish. We can only do our utmost in the circumstances we are presented with. The finish is the destination and the program is the way. But this time we had to take many detours.

I wish I could say Rich and Stacey completed the program precisely how Paul McIlroy had designed it. But it didn’t go that way.

Things happen and over the past 12 weeks many things happened. I’ll perhaps elaborate more in future posts.

However, they each made it. And though finishing was never in doubt for either Stacey or Rich and they each modestly dilute the merits of staying the course, I consider it an achievement worth validating.

It requires commitment, discipline and dedication to apply oneself for three months straight as they have. And, particularly given the obstacles they each faced, the achievement is made more praiseworthy (in my opinion). It says a lot about their character that in the face of trying conditions they never bailed out.

As I’ve detailed practically every week for the past three months, Stacey coped with disturbed sleep to turn up at Core Results for training five days a week. She did miss a few sessions here and there. And some workouts were never fully completed because I had to scale her workouts appropriately. To push someone when they are obviously fatigued simply isn’t sensible and nor is it commendable.

It was always a case of trying to make progress while not adding to her exhaustion.

If anything, it highlights the importance of sleep for recovery and human function. That may sound obvious, but Stacey has simply got used to operating at a lower level than most of us would be prepared to tolerate or capable of dealing with. That doesn’t make it right or, more importantly, in any way healthy.

SLEEK AND SLENDER: Stacey hasn’t lost any strength

It’s partly because Stacey for so long has soldiered on through life half-awake that she often doesn’t bat a tired eyelid at training when her system is clearly running near to empty.

She had a good run through weeks 10 and 11 and then I jinxed her one night on week 12, saying how impressive it had been that she hadn’t missed a session for about two weeks straight. That night she came down with a sore throat and in the morning woke up feeling terrible.

But she was determined, being so close to the finish, not to be derailed. Somehow she recovered enough to train that evening and, as was often the case on nights like that, we played it by ear.

GET UP AND GO: some days have been better than others

Typically, Stacey performed. Sometimes she just defies logic or biological science. “Even when I feel terrible, I never feel worse by training,” she said.

In spite of the sleep problem, Stacey has made incredible progress. Looking so slender that some of the ladies in the gym were enviously eyeing her up, she stacked a heavy barbell on her back this week and squatted for reps beyond what I tested her as a maximum a week after her first Amazing 12.

The difference is that Stacey, a few days ago, was only warming up rather than trying to explore what her limits were!

And then on the deadlift, which had thwarted her on week 11 when her technique went awry and she lost confidence, Stacey nailed it relatively comfortably.

She admitted as she approached the bar for the first set that half her head was saying it was going to be hard, while the other half was urging her on and saying she could do it.

The weight went up quite effortlessly and I could see the expression on her face – that look of ‘that was easier than I thought it was going to be’.

WALKING A FINE LINE: it’s been a case of seeking progress without adding to Stacey’s tiredness

The next day, though, Stacey had hit rock bottom again. Again, there was no point pushing the envelope when what she needed – if she insisted on training (as she did) – was a session that helped her to tick over and nothing more.

Even in her depleted state, saying she was feeling weak, there were some positives to be found. She could still complete 47 bodyweight chin-ups in 15 minutes compared to the 38 she did at this very stage on her first Amazing 12 experience when feeling much better.

The next day, in what was her final session, Stacey again came in on only a few hours proper sleep and not having eaten well (feeling a little sick), but was able to grind her way through another session that I calculated wasn’t going to break her.

GAINS: injury has added focus to the upper body

For Rich it’s been a different story. He hasn’t been able to squat or deadlift from week 9, when he injured his knee. He also had to stop a crawling program I had him on. He’s moving much better now compared to when he sustained the injury, but we didn’t want to risk making it worse.

Not one to sit around and wait for miracles to happen, he got the knee checked out. He’s seen acupuncturist and specialists and physios, had scans etc. He has cartilage damage in one knee and, most likely, faces an operation sometime in the future.

From a training and results perspective, though, it wasn’t the best outcome. There’s no better total-body muscle-builder (in my opinion) than the back squat and no greater strength-builder than the deadlift.

But the show has to go on – even without my two trump cards. And, if there’s a silver lining in this dark cloud, Rich has consequently worked a lot more on his upper body and can at least still train.

DREADED: Rich didn’t enjoy this movement much

While it was clear from week to week (especially from the halfway stage) he was looking different – and Rich acknowledged the changes – his scales still recorded his overall body fat and muscle mass as the same!

“I know – I’m a freak,” he said.

There is no question he is stronger. Much stronger. For example, by the end of this week he was bench-pressing for repetitions more than he was back squatting at week 9. I keep upping the weight and Rich continues to hit the targets I have in mind for him.

“I’m streets ahead of where I’ve ever been, strength-wise,” he admitted. “I’ve never been this strong in my life.”

Of course, it’s easy to ask what difference it would have made had he not got injured, but in reality there’s no point. You can’t change what’s happened and, as in life, it’s about making the best of what you have at your disposal.

Rich knew going into the program that his body, for whatever reason, held on to body fat even when exposed to physical training. What we wanted to discover is how his body would respond to the Amazing 12.

Sure enough, the fat wasn’t dropping off him like it does for most on the program even though his strength and fitness was elevating. It was frustrating for him to see Stacey shrinking week by week while his fat loss remained consistent.

“What I need to find is someone who studies people like me,” said Rich. Trouble is, I’m not convinced there is anyone else like Rich.

NO ESCAPE: circuit day tests Rich’s resolve

Only part of the way through the program did we consider a visit to an acupuncturist Rich had visited previously for his knee and held in high regard. He diagnosed an issue with a valve that wasn’t functioning optimally and possibly held the key to the fat loss.

It certainly seems that since this treatment, Rich’s shape has changed more significantly, which bodes well for the future.

He now goes into the final week, which is all about reaching a peak. The protocol is different and especially for a vegan as compared to a meat-eater. And with Rich being Rich, it will be fascinating to discover what happens next with him in the remaining days.

Find out how Stacey and Rich finished by subscribing to these blog posts. And if you’d like to be next on the Amazing 12 – and think you have the commitment and drive to take yourself to the next level – apply by contacting Claude@intelligentstrength.co.uk.

Week 10: The CANs and CAN’Ts

BACK TO LIFE: Stacey during one of her more high-spirited sessions this week

MY best friend and I, when we were much younger, used to play this game when things didn’t go according to plan. It was called “10 good things”.

How it went is that no matter how bad the situation or circumstance, we had to come up with 10 good things about it.

This game used to annoy the hell out of a girl I was seeing at the time. But in spite of the eye-rolling glances she used to give me, I’m grateful we discovered it. Yes, I could come up with 10 good reasons why!

It could be my friend’s influence or that game that’s helped me to see the proverbial cup more as half full than half empty.

Like anyone, I have my moments when the world seems bleak, but, thankfully, most of the time I’m optimistic rather than pessimistic, hopeful rather than in despair, searching for solutions rather than fixated with the problem.

The fact is that in life we’re going to be served with curve balls and sometimes demolition balls and we need to know how to deal with them. Avoiding or running away from them just isn’t always possible, realistic or even productive.

As I mentioned in my last blog on the Amazing 12 Chichester, Rich Evans suffered a knee injury in practically the last exercise he did during that week’s training at Core Results. He’s had surgery on the knee twice, first from when he played football over 20 years ago and then from playing tennis. He’s had to give up both.

Periodically, the knee has flared up and caused niggles here and there. But last week, as he started pushing the prowler, it ‘went’. He was stopped in his tracks and couldn’t continue, grimacing.

He had it checked out. It got better after a few days’ rest, but then Rich inadvertently caught his foot while walking and the sharp pain instantly returned. He felt as if he was back to square one.

TWISTS AND TURNS: injured Rich having to adapt

Determined as he is, Rich still came to train as week 10 commenced. We did what we could. He could barely bend the left knee or put much weight on it. That’s a massive limiting factor. So he and I had to adapt.

It would be easy – and understandable – to want to give up. Rich admitted those thoughts ran through his mind. He had a mini-slump, when he felt the world on his shoulders.

But Rich is a resourceful guy. He’s a creative rather than reactive man. So he quickly pulled himself together, contacted people who could help diagnose the problem and started mapping out a road to recovery.

BALANCING ACT: finding a way to continue getting fitter and stronger without worsening his injury

We continued training, modifying the program almost exclusively for the upper body. After his final session of the week, early in the morning on his 49th birthday, Rich said: “I actually feel really good after that. It was so good to know I could get a good workout without using my legs.”

The crux of the story is that we focus on what we CAN do rather than what we CANNOT. It’s the underlying thought that drives all these incredible athletes who compete in the Paralympics and events of that ilk. They can take on the role of victim or decide to make the best of what they have.

It’s like owning two pairs of glasses. Through one we see everything as impossible (can’t) and the other everything appears possible (can). The question is which glasses do we choose to wear.

Again, as I’ve written about a lot on this blog on the Amazing 12 Chichester, it’s a mindset thing. Yes, Rich’s injury is physical. But how we best cope with it is mental. Where we place our attention is mental.

WHERE THERE’S A WILL…early morning training this week

Rich’s injury looks like cartilage wear. Until we have a clearer idea to the extent of the injury, Rich will be training mostly upper body from here on. We have no option.

It wasn’t a smooth week for Stacey Satta either. At least not to begin with. Her lack of sleep has continued to plague her. She missed two days training on week 9 and still looked shattered at the beginning of this week. I had to scale back parts of the program to compensate for her lack of recovery, meaning she’s not progressing as well as she could.

For two weeks her weight or body fat percentage hadn’t shifted much. And while Stacey has made massive progress from day 1, those numbers not changing has bothered her. The data is not surprising when you consider an estimated 60 per cent of our fat-burning occurs when we sleep and Stacey barely sleeps.

LOADED: Stacey during warm-up for her squats

However, by the end of week 9 she was the same weight and body fat percentage as when she finished her first Amazing 12. The difference is that she’s much stronger. And that’s where she could place her attention.

Rich looks at her in amazement sometimes because shifting fat is his primary goal. However, as Dr Jade Teta, who specialises in knowing about metabolism, points out, women have an advantage. They burn 65 per cent more fat during exercise than men; they can process carbs by between 50-100 per cent times better than men and, finally, they produce almost double the fat-burning hormones than men do.

But Stacey’s fat-burning potential is reduced by (a) her lack of sleep and (b) potential to train optimally through being tired.

Nonetheless, just as we can focus what we can do rather than what we cannot, we can also reflect on what have HAVE achieved rather than what we HAVEN’T. Thus far, Stacey has accomplished a lot – in fact, an incredible amount considering her circumstances.

By the end of this week Stacey had rebounded from her slump. She admitted, “I’m really pleased with where I am so far, considering the sessions I’ve missed the the sleep problems.”

She put in two great sessions this week, in one back-squatting during a warm-up more weight for reps than she could manage as a maximum after the first Amazing 12! Then, when deadlifting, she topped what she achieved on the first Amazing 12 and, on a few occasions when she found her groove, looked at me in astonishment, saying, “that felt so easy.”

That was a lightbulb moment for Stacey – the realisation that with the right technique she could make deadlifting – or any other movement – feel simple and, because it appeared so effortless, she now knows her potential is much greater.

What we’re really talking about here is the difference between efficiency and inefficiency and the secret is to be consistently efficient.

In what was an up-and-down week for her, Stacey can either reflect on the tougher moments or her successes. I think I know which I’d go for.

Rich, for example, half-joked this week that when he said to me earlier in the program that his weight was going up, I replied that it was good as it signified he was putting on muscle. This week he said his weight was going down and I replied that it was good, because he was getting leaner.

HANGING IN THERE: often times you have to in order to see the gains

“How can it be good when it’s going up and good when it’s going down?” he said.

My answer is that it’s always good, meaning that you have to find the good (or the positive) in everything. It’s about feeding ourselves with information that’s going to nourish and grow our confidence and not deplete it. It’s also about receiving feedback and using that feedback to improve us, not destroy us.

I could see Rich’s spirit was lower than usual after the injury. That was understandable. He’d invested a lot in his training. And, sure, getting injured is annoying, especially at this stage. But it’s not the end.

You know I like a mountain analogy, so here’s another. Climbing a mountain, you hurt yourself as you near the peak. Do you turn back and return to base camp or find a way to reach the summit?

If you turn back, you face frustration and disappointment. If you soldier on, finding a way to safely continue, you achieve a sense of accomplishment and sometimes even a greater sense of accomplishment from having overcome an impediment.

Life is going to continually present us with hurdles and unexpected challenges and we have to be ready for them. We need to be trained for them. Every time we soldier on, we are teaching and reminding ourselves that we CAN. We’re strengthening our resolve. We’re creating a habit. That’s progress.

Yes, the Amazing 12 Chichester is primarily about physical change. It’s about gaining strength, developing fitness, creating an optimal physique, but in reality, as Rich and Stacey are discovering, it is more far-reaching if we recognise all the opportunities for growth that come on the path to completing a dedicated program like this.