Week 11, Day 3 of my 12 Week Transformation

Nutrition
6.30am - 2 Brazil nuts, 4 almonds and a 35ml Yakult yogurt drink

7.15am - white Americano, no sugar

10am - 4 poached eggs, a large handful of spinach and half a tin of kidney beans in chilli sauce



12 noon - 10 almonds and a spoon of organic coconut

2.15pm - Mexican black beans, peppers, onions, chicken breast, steak, sour cream, cheese and avocado

4pm - white coffee

6.30pm - large fillet of salmon with a Greek salad and avocado

9.30pm - mug of green tea

Training (legs and shoulders)
Deadlift - 6 sets of 10 reps at 80kg
Arnie press - 4 x 12 at 17.5kg

Shoulder blast, called 'around the world':
- Lat raise, hands start at hips, 3 x 7 at 4kg (super set with below)
- Lat raise, hands start at lower back, 3 x 7 at 4kg (super set with below)
- Db reverse fly, 3 x 7 at 4kg

Cheers,

Rob G

Week 11, Day 2 of my 12 week Transformation

The Final Push!

After a great trip to see the sights of New York, I return with just 2 weeks left of my 12 week transformation. In my last blog post I spoke about how I was finding the training and nutrition easy, but I’m challenging myself to eat super clean for the remainder of my 12 week transformation and I’m going to blog exactly what I eat and what I do for training every day for these last 14 days to keep myself honest.

Here is what I ate yesterday:

5.30am – Yalkult yogurt + 2 Brazil nuts and 4 almonds

6.30am – black coffee with no sugar

8.30am – porridge made with water and small squeeze of honey

10.00am –Micro whey protein shake straight after training

12.30pm – organic chicken breast with sweet potato, broccoli and carrots and half an avocado

3pm – black coffee with no sugar

4pm – 8 almonds and a cup of green tea

7.30pm – Fillet of baked cod with stir fried vegetables cooked in organic butter (broccoli, red pepper, asparagus, courgette)

8.30pm – green tea and slice of lemon

Training
As you may remember, the last 4 weeks of the Revolution 12 week transformation is where we enter the circuit phase of training. I’ve tailored my programme so I do 3 weight training days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and two days of very high intensity cardio training (Tuesday and Thursday) of either 6 x 600m sprints or boxing.

Today was chest and back, and even though that is classically used for hypertrophy I created the circuit-style feel by increasing my rep range to 15 or over, and by super-setting every exercise.

Bench Press (4 x 20/15/15/15), superset with chin ups (4 x 15/12/10/8)

Incline bench press (4 x 20/15/15/15) superset with seated close row (4 x 20/15/15/15)

Db chest flys (4 x 20/15/15/15), superset with wide bent over row (4 x 20/15/15/15)

Dips (3 x 15), superset with close grip chin ups (3 x 15)

I was taken through my workout today by my business partner Giuseppe, and when I was unable to get to my 15 rep goal he made sure I did. Believe me, Giuseppe is not a man to be messed with!

Cheers,

Rob G

Week 8, Day 1 of my 12 Week Transformation

Goal Setting - The Revolution Way

I’m now at the half way point of my 12 week transformation, and my results so far are in. My weight when I started was 89.2kg, and now it is 85.2kg so that’s 4kg lost (or in old money, 9 pounds). My body fat started at 17.7% and is now down to 14%, and I’ve lost exactly 2 inches from my waist. I’m bang on target to hit my goal of under 10% body fat and feeling highly motivated to train and eat right.

This brings me nicely on to what I really wanted to talk about in this blog post. Since Revolution opened in 2005, our company has helped thousands of people transform their bodies and achieve their goals. But why do some people totally transform their bodies whilst other people, who have all the same access to dietary advice and training plans, cannot?

Firstly, you simply have to stop making excuses. It does sound a little harsh, but it’s true. “I’m really busy”, “I work crazy hours”, “I’ve got 3 young kids”, “I’ve got a bad back”, “I haven’t got time to cook”. Believe me, over the 10 years I’ve been a personal trainer, I’ve heard them all. And if I’m honest, I’ve said at least 2 of the above myself.

Secondly, I think the reason some people who have been unable to change their bodies physically has been due to their inability to control their emotions. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a beer or a chocolate bar, but the problem comes when we find ourselves having these things when we don’t really want them. I can say from personal experience that before I started my 12 week transformation, I found myself eating high sugar snacks every night. This is a classic example of our emotions taking over our logical thoughts. We know that what we are eating is bad for us, and we don’t even want the food we are putting into our bodies, yet we still eat it.

The answer lies in our ability to set goals in a way that provides us with clarity and purpose. When we set a goal which excites us and we know exactly what we want to achieve, we stop making excuses and more importantly we get the power of our emotions working for us rather than against us.

I could write pages and pages on how to set goals, but instead I’m going to give you a fast-track lesson on how to set goals the Revolution way.

1. Know exactly what you want to achieve and over what time frame. Remember that the more clarity you have, the more likely you are to achieve your goal.

2. Why do you want to achieve your goal? The ‘why’ is the emotional pull, so don’t underestimate its power. Be really honest with yourself.

3. Asses your progress by taking a waist measurement or weighing yourself every 3-4 weeks (or any other evaluation which is applicable to your goals).

4. Visualise what you want to achieve, and if you’re someone who is not good at visualisation, then simply find a picture of someone you want to look like and put it on your fridge.

I thought I'd finish this blog post with some 'before and after' photos of a couple of a Revolution clients, Sarah and Moshe, who achieved amazing results by following the Revolution system of goal setting, training and nutrition.


Cheers,

Rob
Revolution

Newsletter: January 2010

Revolution Personal Training Studios would like to take this opportunity to wish all our clients a happy and healthy new year, and also to reflect upon the amazing achievements of our clients during 2009.

A selection of some of the 12 week transformations from 2009

Benedict’s 12 week transformation

Simone's 12 week transformation

Anthony lost 20kg in 12 weeks

Paul lost 20kg in 12 weeks


Phil lost 2.5 stone in 12 weeks

If you’re one of the many people who have set a new years resolution and are keen to achieve results similar to the guys above, then follow the Revolution system to guide you:

1) Set a 12 week goal
2) Be really honest about why you want to achieve your desired outcome
3) Plan your training schedule
4) Keep a food diary
5) Evaluate your progress by taking measurements at the start of your training and every 4 weeks thereafter

Revolution Fancy dress
This year was a resounding success with the final amount raised for the Sue Ryder cancer charity being over £1500. We would like to thank all clients for their donations and also a special mention to Aaron who organised the day. As you can see from the photo, some brilliant costumes were worn and a great day was had by all. My two personal favourites were Neil, who came as a camp elf, and Erik who came as an Umpa Lumpa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory .

Best regards,

The REVOLUTION team

Tel: 0207 288 6121
Email: info@revolution-pts.com
Web: http://www.revolution-pts.com/

Newsletter November 2009

Revolution Personal Training Studios would like to take this opportunity to update you on what’s been going on over the month of November 2009.

Clients Stepping Up To The Plate in November

Carol Manswell
Revolution would like to say well done to Carol who has lost an amazing 11.5kg and 5.5 inches off of her waist in under 8 weeks. We’re really looking forward to seeing her reach her 12 week goal!


Andrew Hillery
After training and following Revolution’s simple but tasty nutrition plan Andrew lost 5kg in 5 weeks.

Felicity Gorman
In under 8 weeks Felicity has lost 5kg and 5.3 inches off of the waist.

Revolution Sport
Well done to John Director and Personal Trainer who won his last boxing match on the 4th November 2009 at Hayes in Middlesex.

If you’re interested in a course of boxing coaching then contact us via the information below.

The Adrian Francis 1RM Bench Press Challenge
The bench press challenge is going great so far with 30 people posting fantastic weights! Here’s are the leaders for the men and women:

Men

1) Armin Forsner - 117kg
2) Paul Andrew - 112kg
3) Brett Wood - 110kg

Women

1) Annie Howie - 52kg

2) Seema Salam - 47.5kg

3) Jacqui Shelley - 40kg

Christmas Gift Voucher
Still looking for that perfect Christmas gift? Why not buy a Revolution Personal Training Voucher for a friend or family member to delicately let them know that it’s time to get in shape! Remember nothing says ‘I love you’ like a gesture of kindness crossed with a kick up the behind.
If you're interested in buying a gift voucher email Rob on the contact details below.

Best regards,

The REVOLUTION team

Steve Vullo testimonial

Below is an account from one of Revolution's clients, Steve Vullo (in red above), about his journey from never having boxed to boxing in front of 850 people in just 12 weeks!

"In June of this year I agreed to take part in my first white collar boxing event. When saying yes, I had no idea what was going to be involved.

"As it was, I boxed at the Grosvenor Hotel in front of 850 people at a black tie do. It was a charity event and the contestants were drawn from the legal world of solicitors, barristers and their clerks. Over £50,000 was raised for the Bobby Moore Foundation.

"I only had to fight three 1½ minute rounds; how hard could it be? I thought I was fairly fit but nevertheless decided to go to the Revolution gym in Angel to properly prepare. I am glad I did.
I would not have lasted 20 seconds if I had not. In fact I did not last that long in my first session with John Grim on the heavy punch bag.

"During the 12 weeks that followed I was taken through some of the hardest training I have ever done, all carefully designed not just to get me fit, but the right type of fit for boxing. I had never boxed before and they taught me that too, carefully pushing me further and further.

"In the last 4 weeks it took over my whole life and everyone at Revolution helped me out and supported my efforts, even down to choosing my ring name, ‘Steve The Steam Train Vullo’ (which has to be said in a long slurring southern state U.S. accent) and my entrance music.

"On the night, John Grim volunteered to be my corner man and without him preparing me mentally the night would have been very different indeed.

"My opponent was 6’3”, I am half Sicilian and the other half is less than 3 feet but everything came together on the night and I am now basking in the glory of having put on a really good show and fighting hard all the way through the three rounds.

"The fight was on October 9th but every day I see colleagues in court who rush up to talk about the night. If I had jogged a bit in the park as I originally planned to do, I would have been in big trouble. As it was, my decision to go to Revolution left me as prepared as I could possibly have been and it showed. I am massively grateful to all of them, but especially John Grim who saw me through not just the lion share of the training but the fight itself.

"It has without doubt been one of the most interesting and rewarding things I have ever done. If anyone is unsure whether to give it a go, I would say do it but get professional training behind you to get the most out of it. I did".

Stephen Vullo is 42 years old and a barrister at the Chambers of William Clegg QC at 2 Bedford Row in London. He had never boxed before.

Fat loss tip

Nutrition is obviously really key when it comes to fat loss. One thing Colin was able to take on board to achieve this great 12 week transformation was that after he'd eaten his dinner he wouldn't eat anything else (he would always eat by 6.30pm).

Colin Before and after his 12 weeks of training at Revlution

The key is to understand that each meal should give you enough energy to go about your daily activities and until you need to eat again. How much energy do you need to go to sleep at night?

Also by not eating 3 hours before you go to bed, you will sleep much better as the body is not working hard to digest food. This is paramount to general health as well as fat loss and muscle gain.

Good luck,

Rob

August 09 exercise of the month

Results in July 2009

Revolution Personal Training Studios would like to take this opportunity to update you on what’s been going on over the month of July.

Clients Stepping Up To The Plate in July
Ronald Cheap

Who achieved this amazing transformation in under 8 weeks, gaining 1 ½ inches on his biceps, gaining ½ a stone of muscle and reducing his body fat by 5%!

Lawrence Gunn

Lost 8 kilos, stopped smoking and dropped 7% body fat!

Ben Cranham
Gained over an inch on his bicep, lost 6 % body fat and 6 and half kilos in 8 weeks.

Philip Morris
Lost 8 kilos in just over 12 weeks and managed to fit into his suit for his son’s wedding looking very svelte.

Ed Bullard
Lost 9 kilos in 12 weeks and has transformed his whole lifestyle (he now eats chicken bhuna instead of lamb bhuna).

The Paul Morris 250m Rower Challenge
This month saw the start of our latest challenge. Over 50 clients have taken up the challenge with the only disappointment being the Morris brothers. They are bringing up the rear and are in the last two places.

The top 5 places are as follows;
Men

1) Brett Alegre 41.4 secs
2) The Stig 41.6 secs
3) Armin Forstner 42.0 secs
4) Juddy 42.2 secs
5) Steve Watson 43.6 secs

Women

1) Jacqui Shelly - 49.0 secs

2) Emily van Eyssen - 50.3 secs
3) Annie Howie - 51.9 secs

4) Sarah Moorjani - 53.8 secs

5) Rebecca Rawlinson - 54.4 secs

There has been a lot of conjecture about the identity of the Stig and all that we are at liberty to say is that he is definitely not one of the trainers!

The Revolution is expanding!
We are delighted to say that we have just agreed terms to take on the unit next door. This will double the space available and will be a great way to improve our service even further. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our clients and trainers for helping us achieve this expansion. This has been particularly pleasing given the economic climate over the last year and a half.

Client Results June 2009

Clients Stepping Up To The Plate in June 09

Saddiq Khan
Achieved this amazing transformation in just over 9 weeks:


Craig Smith
Lost 5 and half kilos and 3% body fat in just 4 weeks.

Will Stor
Gained an inch on his bicep and improved his overall physique in under 4 weeks.

Ben Cranham
Has gained an inch on his bicep and has reduced his body fat by over 3%.

Ronald Cheape
Gained ½ a stone of muscle and reduced his body fat by over 4% in 4 weeks.

Russell Child
Ran the Southend half marathon in 1hr 42mins.

Jamie Bishop 1km Run
This month saw the end of our latest challenge with the top 3 places as follows:

Men
1. Jamie Bishop – 3 mins and 9 sec
2. Ben Peace – 3 mins and 9 sec
3. Paul Lack – 3 mins and 11 sec

Women
1. Jacqui Shelly – 3 mins and 44 sec
2. Andrea McNeil – 3 mins and 44 sec
3. Gail Brindley – 4 mins

Client Results For March 2009

Clients Who Have Reached Their 12 Week Goals

Andy Ndoca - Lost 5kg and reduced his body fat by 6%.

Simone Barker - "The lightest I've been in over 5 years!" has lost 12kg. She'll be on the bill boards outside the Business Design Centre over the bank holiday weekend.

Paul Winter - Lost an incredible 17kg! Potentially a poster boy!

Tim Curtis - Lost 8kg and completed the Bath 10k run in 54 mins.

Other Results

Russell Child - Completed the Natwest Tower Stair Run in 7 mins (42 flights of stairs)

Irfan Alam - For the last 3 years Irfan has suffered from extreme pain in his achillies tendon, making it hard to walk or even stand. His original 12 week goal was to be able to run 10 metres for the bus. In under 4 weeks Irfan can already run totally pain free! He has also added 1 inch to his bicep and lost 1 1/2 inches from his waist.

Emily Van Eyssen - Has lost 3 1/2 inches from her waist.

Ashley Williamson - Has lost 4kg as she works towards her 12 week wedding goal.

Fiona Metzstein - Has overcome a hip - knee - foot issue and has lost an amazing 5 inches from her waist.

Jenny Ash - Has lost 1/2 a stone in 3 weeks. Just 1/2 a stone to go to reach her 12 week goal.

John Colville - Has lost over a stone. Check out the amazing transtormation below.

New Poster Boy - Interview

Click below to watch a short interview with Anthony, about his life changing journey where he lost an amazing 20kg in 12 weeks of training at Revolution Personal Training Studios. Also look out for his poster on the billboards outside the Business Design Centre, coming soon!



Well done Anthony!!!

Edison 'Pantera' Miranda

Here's a clip of the world No3 light heavy weight boxer on the pads with his coach at Revolution Personal Training Studios before his fight vs Joey Vegas at York Hall Friday 20th March 09.

Kyte 500m Rower Challenge

Here's the top 3 men's and female's rower times:

Men Time Woman Time
1) Matthew Brown 1:29.4 Jacqui Shelley 1:45.8
2) Jamie Luxford 1:30.3 Sarah Lowry 1:51.9
3) Bastien Fitoussi 1:30.6 Simone Barker 1:55.0

The rower's resistance is set on level 7.

Congratulations to Matthew for being the first client to break the 1:30.0 mark!

What Have You Been Eating This Week?

We thought that it would be a great idea for clients to post their recipes and food diaries for the week and talk about their findings.

Add a comment and get involved in some nutritional banter!!!

John's Debut Fight

Check out this link. The fight was in April 2007 at the Hilton in Brighton. John won 'Best Boxer' and was presented an award by Alan Minter!

The Amazing Pete Suttle

Check out this unbelievable set of strength by Peter Suttle: Look at this little monkey go!

John's first pads of the year!!

Check out the link of John's first bit of boxing training of 2009


John's also doing a 'Boxer's Diary' of his 12 week build up to his next fight. If you're interested check out the link:
http://www.theboxersdiary.blogspot.com