Amazing 12 women 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.

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.

Jemma (August 2017)

THE PAY OFF: Jemma’s new body after her hard work (Photos: Sue Saunders Photography)

EVERYONE has a story – a past, a life of experiences. Some are worth telling and some not.

What you may not know about Jemma – and would not from simply looking at her photos – is that as a teenager, she was, quite literally, all skin and bones, down to 5 1/2st (77lbs) and losing a battle with anorexia.

If you had suggested back then that at close to 30 she’d complete a three-month program that included lifting weights five days a week, eating healthily and dramatically ramping up her fitness levels, it would have seemed unfathomable.

What it shows, though, is that no matter how grim things are, there’s usually a way out and a way to move forwards.

Jemma admits that anorexia nearly took her life. She was hospitalised. It caused a lot of misery and suffering. But she survived.

However, Jemma’s relationship with her bodyweight has been a rollercoaster ride. When she was anorexic (for five years between the ages of 12 and 17), she said her skin was grey and her hair falling out. She doesn’t know how she didn’t die.

When you take that as the starting point, she’s done incredibly well to get to where she is now.

Overcoming anorexia didn’t mean the fight with body image had ended. Before starting the Amazing 12, Jemma was still unhappy with her appearance. She’d gained weight. None of her dresses fitted. Looking at her reflection, she was frequently reduced to tears. It’s a scenario that, sadly, many people can identify with.

This time when she saw herself as too heavy, she was closer to 13st (182lbs) than 5st. Jemma admitted it was down to poor lifestyle choices. She held herself accountable.

“I was lazy,” she said of her mindset before the program. “I used to cry every night looking at myself. I wasn’t happy with how I’d become. But I just didn’t do anything about it. I was drinking a lot, eating take-aways, not doing much exercise.

“Now [after completing the Amazing 12] I know what it takes. I feel so much better. I don’t miss drinking [alcohol]. Whenever I eat bad food, I feel terrible.”

NO GOING BACK: Jemma’s determined to maintain a healthier lifestyle (Photo: Sue Saunders Photography)

Jemma had reached the point where her desire to change was greater than her desire to stay the same. She chose to take action. She made changes. She signed up for the Amazing 12 Chichester almost without hesitation.

Often it takes a lot of bravery to embrace change. There’s a lot of fear involved.

In many cases we, as humans, would prefer to remain unhappy rather than face uncertainty.

Jemma didn’t know the intricate details of what she was signing up for, but she’d seen the results, had read on this website about what the program could do and how previous graduates had coped. Then she decided to take that leap.

If fact, I can’t recall anyone I’ve guided and coached through the program who has been more enthusiastic from beginning to end. She simply didn’t want it to finish.

That’s not to say it was smooth sailing by any means. It was tough for Jemma. She complained – a lot!

But, as I have written in previous blogs, the limiting factor for Jemma was her thinking and not her strength or technique or fitness levels. I could always see her potential and knew, with her level of willingness, anything was possible.

We worked on it during every session. It’s a process. I tried to remind her that EVERY training session and EVERY day presented an opportunity for change and improvement. That’s the reality for us all.

In 12 weeks I got the best out of her that I could. Through consistency and commitment and application, she lost 32lbs in weight! But the transformation was even greater than that number might suggest, as she clearly developed muscle while also shedding fat.

TOP GUN: Now Jemma has biceps, but not just for show (Photos: Sue Saunders Photography)

She can undoubtedly go on from here to becoming stronger and fitter. Jemma’s already said she wants to do the program again next year, before she gets married.

Her transformation is not just about how her body looks. It is also about what her body can now do, how she feels in herself, her approach to nutrition and the increased self-belief she has cultivated.

“I feel so much happier,” she said. “Even people at work have commented how I’m back to my old self. There’s no way I’m going back [to being overweight].

ACHIEVEMENT: getting the results she was after (Photos: Sue Saunders Photography)

“I did the Amazing 12 to lose weight, tone up and change my lifestyle. I wanted to better my knowledge and learn how to lift weights correctly.

“It’s made me much more confident about my body. I’ve even had my legs out without tights on! This was a no-no before. And it’s given me the confidence to know what I’m doing in the gym is correct.”

Jemma is so much more empowered. I’ve seen her blossom in the past 12 weeks, not just in physique and fitness, but also in stature and confidence.

This girl showed tremendous discipline. She missed only one of the 60 training sessions and still hasn’t completely forgiven herself even though she couldn’t do much about it.

“I was very dedicated and had great support in my home life which made it easier for me,” said Jemma. “I was worried having a full-time job and the travel and also getting another puppy would get to me. But it was doable and the time has flown by. It was well worth the hard work.

“I was so down and depressed before. But this [the Amazing 12] turned me around. I’ve learned so much. Claude has been the best coach and so supportive.”

There were times I had Jemma do some training by herself in addition to the gym sessions with me – which is all part of the program – and I don’t suspect that she skipped any of it.

FEEL-GOOD FACTOR: discovering how training can be a fantastic mood-enhancer (Photo: Sue Saunders Photography)

Sometimes she was tired and aching, but she still got it done. Often I’d get a text message in the morning telling me how great she felt for doing so.

There were numerous occasions, too, when Jemma came to the gym feeling stressed or worn out or sore or not on her game and practically every time, though, she’d leave feeling much more upbeat and revitalised.

“It’s amazing how that happens,” she’d say repeatedly.

In terms of following and sticking to the eating plan, Jemma found it tricky in the beginning, but had it figured out most of the time.

“It did seem a bit daunting at first,” she admitted. “But once I got into it I wasn’t having to prep hardly as much and it was simple. I mostly enjoyed it. I didn’t feel hungry at all and having a cheat day made it even easier. I’ll be sticking to a similar way of eating going forwards.”

Jemma’s mindset throughout was ‘I have invested too much into this to let myself down’.

Because she applied herself completely and had total trust in me and the program, the Amazing 12 really worked well for her. The weight kept dropping off and her strength and fitness increased.

Especially during the last few weeks, I could see her shape changing. By the end, she not only looked like an athlete, she was stronger – physically and mentally – as well.

TECHNIQUE: creating the arch for a strong bench press

“No-one is going to accuse me of being Photoshopped,” she said. “I’ve worked bloody hard.”

Week after week and session after session, almost without fail, Jemma would repeat, “I just can’t believe…” and would follow those words with “how much stronger I am” or “how much fitter I’ve become” or “how much weight I have lost”.

To say she felt proud and those around her were proud of her also, is a massive understatement. And she deserves every morsel of praise for her efforts.

It’s not as if she lives around the corner from the Core Results gym either. Jemma travelled each day from Waterlooville, near Portsmouth. Most days we’d finish training around 9pm.

PULLING HER WEIGHT: in terms of devotion if not kilos

Jemma may have been impatient at times – actually, most of the time – but she embodied the other factors I consider crucial for progress with any training program: commitment and consistency.

At first she was desperately self-conscious of her movement and worried about how she was doing. After all, she was fairly new to the type of training on the Amazing 12. She’d compare herself to others and be concerned that she was slowing everyone down. She’d fret over never being good enough or that 12 weeks wouldn’t be long enough for her to make the necessary changes to her technique.

Gradually, as she changed and learned and improved, those worries began to disintegrate as easily as some of the excess weight she was carrying in the beginning.

HOT OFF THE PRESS: Jemma’s shaping up on the final day

Her fitness levels altered quite dramatically. Where she struggled during short workouts at the beginning of the program, by week 12 she was going for much longer and with heavier weights and at a higher intensity without compromising her form.

“I feel ABSOLUTELY AMAZING,” she said after she’d finished. “I can’t describe my happiness in how I look and feel.

“Even my fitness has literally rocketed and I can run without stopping and aching. I feel so much stronger and energetic.

“Confidence-wise, I’m even pushing through reps when it gets tougher instead of thinking I can’t do it.”

I recall how, when she started with me and we had a training session before the program to assess her strength levels and how she moved, Jemma told me how she felt she had no upper body strength.

LOOKOUT: keeping a watchful eye on Jemma’s form

Here are some examples of how much progress she made. I started her with 7.5k for the Military/overhead Press and she finished with 26k for reps. For the bench press, she began with 15k and wound up lifting, for reps, 40k. Her back squat needed so much work that I had her begin with a 20k bar with the aim of getting her to squat more deeply and she ended up doing 77.5k quite comfortably (meaning she could do more) for two reps and impressive technique. Her deadlift, for multiple reps, went from 30k to 75k. There are many more examples I could give. On all of those lifts, she has the capacity to continue improving.

Jemma’s determined to keep going. She knows she has to stay on top of the way she eats. She knows how easy it is to start consuming take-aways regularly again and see all the hard work disappear.

There has to be a balance. There is no escaping the fact that to stay in shape and healthy requires paying greater attention to what you eat and how much of it your consume. Like it or hate it, that’s just the way it is.

GIRL OF STEEL: Jemma discovered her inner and outer strength (photo: Sue Saunders Photography)

Jemma’s come to recognise through this experience how much cleaner food, a dedication to training, following a progressive program and keeping a more positive mindset can be transformative.

“There’s nothing I’d change about the Amazing 12,” she told me. “Everything was spot-on and I felt really looked after and well informed throughout.”

To those contemplating doing the program, she said this: “Do it. You won’t regret it. It was the best experience ever. Loved it. I was so chuffed with my transformation.

“If you want to be physically and mentally stronger as well as improve your lifestyle and fitness, this will help you. But you have to be fully committed and willing to learn.”

*If you’re in need of or desire a transformation, want to learn how to train smartly and effectively, would like to challenge yourself to get stronger and fitter, require guidance with food and nutrition and are inspired by Jemma’s results, get in touch at Claude@intelligentstrength.co.uk. The next Amazing 12 Chichester begins on September 18. Don’t delay. Places are limited and results are achieved only by taking action.

Week 11: The Power of Now

MIND ON THE JOB: Believing in yourself can make all the difference

DO you ever find your mind continually straying? It dwells on the past or drifts into the future. But how often are you present and in the moment? I mean, REALLY in the moment.

Jemma, now 11 weeks into the Amazing 12 Chichester at Core Results, has a classic case of a wandering mind. And it’s at the root of her anxiety and worry. She knows it.

She’s much better at dealing with it now than when she started the Amazing 12. Jemma admits her stress levels have dropped significantly.

Jemma laughs that I “always bring her back to reality”. Sure enough, without fail, in EVERY session there comes a point when I remind her that all that matters is where we are now and what she is doing in that very second. Not the set she just completed or the next exercise or what she is going to eat next week or what she’s going to wear for her photo shoot or a conversation she had at work that day.

Anything that takes you out of the present moment is a distraction and diminishes the quality of what you are trying to achieve.

There has probably never been a harder time to be present. In this highly technological age, we are continually distracted and our electronic devices are doing precisely that – training and honing us for distraction.

We pride ourselves on being multi-taskers in order to get more done, but it’s been scientifically proven that multi-taskers are actually less effective. It stands to reason that trying to do more than one thing simultaneously means quality will suffer. The focus becomes the doing rather than the experiencing.

SWEATY NIGHT: But Jemma’s still going strong

The gym or exercise/training arena is a great opportunity to turn off the ‘noise’. For me, training is like moving meditation. It’s why I’m against my clients having their phones on or accessible when they are training. The moment they check in with the phone their mind is diverted elsewhere. If you are on the phone, you can’t be training. You might be doing something, but it’s not training.

When it comes to lifting weights or attempting anything that has an element of risk or complexity, concentration should be paramount.

Sometimes Jemma will try to carry on a conversation with me while training and, with my eyes, I’ll point to the equipment as if to say, ‘concentrate on what you’re supposed to be doing’.

If you are talking while training there is no way the exercise can be executed with complete focus. You’re missing the opportunity and limiting your results.

Ever notice why some repetitions feel easier than others? It may feel accidental or random, but I reckon it’s because sometimes you are more centred and focused than at other times.

The harder or more challenging the exercise/movement, the more dialled in you need to be.

When I get Jemma to crawl with a foam roller on her lower back as part of her warm-up, initially she may start complaining. But when I tell her she will start again if it falls off, suddenly her complaining ends and she goes into a different mode. In those moments I see what she is really capable of.

This week we had another example. I had Jemma slamming a ball and hitting a tyre with a sledgehammer. Halfway through, she started complaining her back was feeling tight and sore.

It’s not uncommon for Jemma to complain and I know she likes a bit of drama, but, nonetheless, I told her we would stop if the discomfort was too great.

With Jemma I’ve come to identify the difference between hurt and pain. Her use of the word ‘hurt’ is when her muscles are being worked with some degree of intensity. Pain is when she has damaged something. Nearly always, she is dealing with hurt. I wouldn’t ever encourage her to train through pain.

Not wanting to short-change herself, though, Jemma elected to carry on. She is driven to get the best results possible. And what was brilliant was that she not only went silent, but connected fully to her body, corrected her positioning and channelled her concentration into every repetition for the remainder of the session.

The outcome: improved form; no discomfort; greater workrate; better workout; higher feel-good factor; more energy.

Training clearly is a way to bring about more focus and enable us to practice being in that ‘now’ moment. It’s a skill that can be taken into our outside-the-gym-training-area life, too.

It is a massively important skill to have, though far from an easy one to sustain, never mind master.

FOCUS: the main difference between a good and bad lift

To execute a movement to a high standard in the gym, for instance, you need to be switched on and in the zone. For starters, the mind has to stop chattering and firing at you messages that are defeating and unproductive.

When you are completely in ‘the now’, no fear or worry or pain exists. How do you get there? Like anything else, it comes with practice.

When I watch tennis or world class sports people in action, I see that it is not necessarily the advantage in technique or skill that makes the difference at the highest level, but the ability to return to the ‘now’ for each point or second.

With lifting weights, successes are made or broken by our state of mind. Anyone who has been on the Amazing 12 Chichester and is self-aware enough will discover this. Jemma this week had a tough time deadlifting, for instance. Admittedly, she was lifting a heavier weight than ever before, but it wasn’t a weight that was beyond her (or else I wouldn’t have prescribed it). I know that because she was able to lift it.

But in difficult moments her thoughts got the better of her. She couldn’t turn off the internal commentary.

“It’s too heavy,” she moaned. “I can’t do it.”

“It’s not the weight that’s too heavy. It’s the weight of your thoughts that is too heavy,” I replied.

As Eckhart Tolle says in his brilliant book, The Power of Now, “When you are full of problems, there is no room for anything new to enter, no room for a solution.”

Jemma had lost focus. She became consumed by her grip, the previous set, the difficult repetition, the stressful week she’d had, the heat and a host of other thoughts that got in the way of her completing the lift.

Remember, it’s our Central Nervous System that calls the shots. The CNS will protect us if it senses a threat too great. The more we keep feeding it messages of concern or worry or fear or doubt, the less chance we have of being granted the strength to fulfil the task.

Here’s the take-away: challenge yourself to stay in the ‘now’ moment. Give your training complete focus. It doesn’t mean you can’t socialise with those around you. It means that when the time comes to actually train or spring to action or pick up the weights, put ALL of your attention into what you are doing.

Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t maintain it for even short periods. But notice what happens when you do. The mere action of noticing will restore you to the present.

In that space, though, you are not only free of worry, but your actions are more deliberate, movements far more precise and, most importantly, the risk of injury much less.

This wave of the Amazing 12 is now nearly complete. The next one begins on September 18. If you want an experience that is challenging, educating, rewarding and, above all else, will deliver results provided the program is followed precisely, contact me at Claude@intelligentstrength.co.uk. Places are limited, but the potential for growth is great.

Catriona (July 2017)

THE EVIDENCE: eight weeks of graft and dedication (Photos: Sue Saunders Photography)

AS a doctor of more than 20 years, Catriona knows how the body works. She understands the importance of health. She came to me in the spring after plucking up the courage to finally sample the world of weight training.

Until then, the Scottish 50-year-old mother of two had preferred to do cardio as her chosen form of exercise – and lots of it.

Weight-lifting and weight-training seemed too intimidating. Going to a gym was a scary proposition, as was having personal training sessions.

Catriona, being someone who likes to be good at what she’s doing, knew she’d be out of her comfort zone using weights and wrestling with frustrating periods trying to learn new techniques.

She’d heard about the Amazing 12 several years ago through her husband, who I used to coach. It took her that long to decide the time was right for a change.

Catriona admitted to me she was unsure of her abilities to do the movements in the program. We were, effectively, starting from scratch.

“I avoid doing the things I can’t do,” she had told me. “I don’t want to look stupid.”

But the tipping point came when she noticed how some people who do nothing but cardio – as she was doing – took on a scrawny and skin-and-bones look, which didn’t appeal to her.

RAISING THE BAR: Catriona achieved a physique in eight weeks that years of cardio could not

So she set out to become stronger and acquire some muscles. I’m talking and about lean muscle, not big, bulky muscles.

Catriona was, admittedly, already in impressive shape. Her aim was to put on weight rather than to lose it. She wanted to become fitter and stronger. I remember looking at her when she had her ‘before’ photos taken and thinking how Catriona already had a terrific figure and what the Amazing 12 (or 8 in her case) could do for her.

“I’d like to improve my core and upper body,” she had told me. “I’d like to have some muscles and be more toned.”

It was important, too, that she didn’t get injured.

Other concerns were how she’d feel having to avoid a glass of wine or two each night with a meal. The longest she’d go without was about two-three days. It was something she enjoyed.

However, Catriona was genuinely amazed by how she had no craving at all for wine during her eight weeks on the program and, even when it was over, she didn’t feel the urge for a drink.

PRACTICE AND MORE PRACTICE: Every session is an opportunity to improve

Just as importantly, perhaps, Catriona has started to look at her training differently. She’s realised the importance of lifting weights and not overcooking the cardio.

“I wanted to incorporate weights into my regular exercise regime but had never used them before and needed the confidence to do it,” she said.

Understanding that Catriona was a beginner, I handled her carefully. As she said, confidence is what she needed. Push too hard, too soon and confidence can get irreversibly damaged.

EYE OF THE TIGER: committed to getting the best results possible

That’s not to say we didn’t have some testing moments. There were many of them. But Catriona was great to work with. She understood all I was explaining. More importantly, she acted upon my advice. She didn’t complain hardly at all.

“I feel empowered as I have challenged myself to do something new and achieved it,” she said.

As you can see from the photos, Catriona achieved some outstanding results. There was a clear bounce in her step.

Not long after finishing her transformation, Catriona went to the gym in Cardiff, where she used to live. “So many people said I had changed,” she said. “I’m really happy with myself.”

PERFECTIONIST: Catriona doesn’t like to ‘fail’ at anything

I recall her saying during the final training session just before the photo shoot, “It’s unbelievable. It does make your abs look better. I’ve never had abs in my life.”

To get those results just meant following the program. Truth be told, Catriona admitted to me several times how she sneaked in extra cardio sessions when I told her not to – some habits are hard to break and temptations more difficult to avoid than others.

From a dietary perspective, though, Catriona said she had no difficulties. She told me one day, “It’s simple. You just follow the instructions.”

For some this is easier than for others. While Catriona admits she has difficulty following her own advice, she at least took mine.

“The diet reduced my weight and also body fat,” she said. “It was relatively easy for me.”

POSITIVE: Catriona realised how important a part your mindset plays

The hard bits were some of the lifts. In fact, in her first session back after the shoot, Catriona had, by her reckoning, a wobbly session, especially with deadlifts. It nearly reduced her to tears. This had more to do with feeling like she had failed than hurting herself.

Weight-training can challenge us in unexpected ways. And that’s not a bad thing.

Catriona sent me a message a few days later, admitting: “Sometimes it takes an overwhelming breakdown to have an undeniable breakthrough!”

I try to cultivate a positive mindset and Catriona took that on board, difficult as it was at times. For example, she explained: “Told to do 10 reps but only manage 7 – at the beginning of the course I would think I’d failed if I didn’t complete the 10. Now I think, fantastic, 7 is better than 2! I try to think of the positives.”

In previous posts I’ve highlighted some of the progress Catriona has made, like taking her time for a challenge pushing the Prowler on week 1 from 3:30 to 2:50 on week 7. For a short time trial that requires all-out effort, that’s a massive improvement.

I remember when Catriona came to see me at Core Results Gym prior to starting. We went through some of the program and she could barely squat to any depth. I had to contemplate alternatives, but instead stuck with the back squat and, steadily, she made great improvement, finishing after eight weeks at 80% bodyweight for high reps and with much-improved form.

LEAN MACHINE: Catriona discovered the benefits of lifting weights and acquiring stronger muscles

Similarly, Catriona’s bench press went from 17.5kg to 28kg, her deadlift from 40kg (using blocks) to 65kg for reps and, using a lat pulldown machine, she went from 17.5kg to being able to do a controlled chin-up, something she’d never done previously and without us ever attempting one during the program.

I couldn’t have hoped for a more committed individual. Typically, this and nutrition are the toughest challenges on the program, but commitment was never a factor with Catriona.

She was in practically every day, punctual and smiling and ready for action. She skipped a few sessions, but for reasons that were unavoidable and never because she didn’t fancy training.

HAPPY CUSTOMER: Catriona described the experience as ‘fantastic’

For her the final week was the toughest. “The weights were heavier and the diet stricter,” she said. “But I still enjoyed it.”

In terms of satisfaction, Catriona summed it up like this: “Amazing, fantastic, unbelievable!”

She added: “I think the whole experience was excellent. If you’re thinking of doing it, just do it.”

If you’re ready to take Catriona’s advice, have commitment and want to know more about the next wave of the Amazing 12 Chichester, starting September 18, drop me a line at Claude@intelligentstrength.co.uk

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