27/02/2025
Yes, I train women too... 😉
It’s a tall order when a new client, who has absolutely no gym experience whatsoever, tells you that they want to compete in physique competitions.
My former client Emma walked in with that exact request and my first job as her coach was to help manage her expectations and build realistic time frames to achieve what she wanted.
I explained to Emma that we could do this, but that at the very least we would need 6 to 12 months to build muscle to her frame, to teach her to train with correct form and intensity and that it would require unwavering commitment from her when she eventually decided to prep for her chosen competition.
We trained together 3x a week for the best part of 9 months, and as a coach, I soon found that I was working with a ‘robot client’ who was willing to do whatever it took to realise her goal.
Her gym intensity was nothing short of epic. 💪🏼
After 9 months, I agreed that she was ready to do her first competition with UKBFF Beginners Bikini.
Emma had stayed in healthy body-fat ranges but for the following 12 weeks, we would be taking her to a body-fat which was much lower than she’d ever been in her life.
Mentally I knew that after 9 committed months of training and eating she could do it and that now it would just be a case of being consistent with her dieting for 12 weeks.
She did everything I asked and looked phenomenal for her 1st show.
I am proud of the results she achieved with her body but more so of the person she became along the way, congratulations to you my friend. 👊🏼
The cool thing, for me, is that I know sure I can now deliver this level of result online, just as I used to 1-1 in person.
If you’re ready to take on your own transformation just drop me a DM to discuss coaching.
22/02/2025
One of my first and favourite transformations was with former Online client Alix.
This was ‘ way ‘ back in 2014 when we were still using Word docs for programming. 😆
I’ve refined the systems and made the process a heck of a lot easier for clients over time, but the calibre of results remains high.
Here’s what Alix had to say about it:
“ Just saying a big thanks to Ben for the consistent effort and communication throughout my online programming.
To anyone thinking of working with Ben, get signed up, put your trust in his knowledge and start the journey.
Ben was willing and able to work with me across 8 timezones, dealing with equipment shortfalls, pre-existing injury concerns and dietary habits and nuances. “
If you’re keen to get started with coaching drop me a DM.
19/02/2025
Picture the scene…
You’re already in the gym more than most of your friends.
Your training as hard you can with the programme you found online.
Heck, you’ve even got the protein shake at the ready post training but…
Each time you check the mirror post workout it’s just not where you want to be.
It was the same for Hamish.
His efforts were not being rewarded with the physique and strength changes he expected.
He wanted a lean physique without the extra weight in the midsection.
We worked together on putting a routine that would suit his busy schedule and that would maximise his gains, whilst trimming off the bodyfat.
Now he feels like he actually looks like the effort he puts into the gym!
If you’re reading this and have been hitting the gym for 6 months, or more, but still look like a gym bro vs pro it is time for us to have a chat.
You can do this far quicker. 👊🏼
My DM’s are open.
15/02/2025
Does this sound familiar?
You’re hitting up the gym 3,4,5x a week and feel like you’re training pretty hard.
You eat more food to gain weight because you want to grow muscle.
But after a few months, you look at yourself in the mirror and look more chubby.
Your T-shirts are snug around your arms, but also around your waist.
So you hop into a cut.
Fast forward 8 weeks and you’ve trimmed the fat…
But again, looking the same as you always have.
It is a frustrating cycle.
One that many guys never break.
But Damon has.
In 2 years, he has been eating + 3,000 calories daily and hitting insane PBs consistently.
DB Presses have gone from 32kg to 42kg
Romanian Deadlifts from 110kg to 145kg
Leg Pressing over 300kg
Doing Chin ups with +15kg hanging off him
Weighted dips with 30kg +
And I’m not even talking about 1 rep maxes, these are all for 6 or more reps.
He’s gotten ridiculously strong in the gym.
And this is exactly why Damon has dwarfed his initial start point and looks even more jacked now.
If you want to break the cycle of being a bit leaner or fatter with the same amount of muscle DM me.
12/02/2025
“ I’m too busy to do this right now. “
Sorry, but I don’t buy it. If you say this you’re only kidding yourself.
We’re all busy! I am, my clients are and you are too - just not right now as you’re reading this post. 😆
I could map out how many hours there are in a week, a day and tell you how you can get in all your work, training and sleep but I’m not going to insult your intelligence.
This really just comes down to priorities vs time management.
Realistically, it takes 45-60 mins of training 3x per week, a smart nutrition plan, and a reasonable step count in the region of 5-10k daily to make visible changes.
Pick apart your diary and I’m sure you can find 3 slots to train in. That and a light step count (5,000 daily for example) are very easy to squeeze.
Nutrition couldn’t be simpler, utilise easy to go foods on MyFitnessPal or dial in a meal plan. This takes next to no time and will have profound effects on your results and health.
Rather than worrying about a lack of time consider that you’re not prioritising yourself.
I highly doubt there’s anyone reading this who can’t commit to a few rules per week to improve their health and well-being.
10/02/2025
This is what losing 26kg looks like ☝️
And if anyone had an excuse not to lose that much weight, it was Bhavin.
He was already in his mid-40s.
Plus he was spending more and more time in the back of ambulances.
His health was deteriorating.
The picture on the left was taken around the time doctors told him he’d need to go on Statins.
That was the wake-up call he needed.
Last year, Bhavin turned 50.
And to say he’s changed the trajectory of his life would be an understatement.
He dropped 26 kilos down from his heaviest.
He rocked a six-pack…
He doesn’t need statins…
And every area of his life is better than 10 years ago.
Productivity. Relationships. Energy. Confidence.
Doesn’t matter if you’re 21 or 51.
Whether you have 5kg or 26kg to lose.
There’s no “too late” when it comes to putting yourself first.
Drop me a DM and let’s see what we can do.
09/02/2025
10 reasons you’ve stopped losing body fat.
1. You are over eating. Whether that’s consciously or unconsciously this is the main reason for most.
Simple as it gets but can’t be overlooked, without a calorie deficit in place you won’t lose fat.
Stop reading this now if you haven’t done this first step already.
2. You’re not consistent with your nutrition. Having 5 good days and over eating/drinking on the weekend are both fast track ways to stop progress.
Stop rewarding yourself with food and find other activities that suit your goals. 🥘
3. You’re not consistent with training! Commit to 3-4 training sessions a week and keep getting stronger. 👊🏼
4. Your steps are too low and or you’re avoiding cardio!
At some point food intake isn’t going to be a variable you’ll want to sacrifice further.
Embrace your daily steps and think about adding cardio in your routine. 🚲
5. You’re sleeping less than 6 hours and/or your sleep is fragmented.
Poor sleep = Increased cravings, poor cognition, elevated cortisol to name a few.
Get a bed time ritual together and prioritise sleep. 😴
6. You are too stressed out and need to make some lifestyle changes. Try guided breathing and make time for yourself to relax. 🙏🏼
7. You’re not being realistic! 20lbs of fat isn’t going to disappear in 2 weeks.
Weekly average scale weight drops should be in the range of 0.5-2% total body weight a week. 🤷🏻♂️
1% per week is the gold standard!
8. You’ve hit a plateau. You need to change your nutrition, training and or cardio to see further progress. 📉
9. You are re-comping composition. You’re putting on muscle fast and dropping fat.
Scale weight should not be your only metric for progress. Use progress pictures, circumference measures and calliper too (if possible).💪🏼
10. You’ve been dieting for way too long and have exhausted what you can keep doing with your cardio, nutrition and training.
Take a diet break and go again once you’re in a better place to do so. ☺️
06/02/2025
Contrary to what you probably think, being single digit body-fat really is NOT the place you want to be to start muscle building.
Super low body-fat is accompanied by a down regulation in s*x hormones, lowered teststrone, less glycogen storage = reduced force capabilities, lower energy and so on.
It looks great on pictures but it’s not ideal for performance.
If you want to put on muscle you need to be in a better state with the ability to perform well in the gym.
Ideally you’d want to be in a body-fat range that allows you to build up food over time to support muscle growth, without getting over fat.
Apart from all the negative health consequences of high body-fat most people want to look great throughout the year.
To give a working example, as a male you may target getting yourself in the range of 10-15% body-fat and then spending time pushing back up towards 15-20%.
Whilst you do, you will be training as hard as possible and gaining strength month on month.
By doing so you’re ensuring every chance of more muscle being added to your frame.
Take my client here for example. He’s spent the first 12 weeks laying the foundations for muscle building.
The goal here was to get to a place where he’d be responsive to growing, but also where we’d be able to buy time to push his bodyweight up.
He dropped from 70.5kg to 64.25kg. If we wanted the super lean look more would need to come off, but that wasn’t the goal.
From here, maximising time spent in a calorie surplus, slowly edging his body weight up whilst improving his overall strength was key.
When you do it this way you’ll look great year round and actually see improvements to your physique.
If you need help with you training drop me a DM as I have coaching spaces available.
05/02/2025
Information isn’t your problem.
You can jump on Google, YouTube, and even TikTok…. Cringe.
You might scramble together a training plan and some diet advice.
But, the issue is…
You don’t consistently know what works best.
You second guess yourself at every stage.
Some of the advice might be bad advice, for you.
What you do find, you won’t stick with.
And you don’t have anybody to keep you accountable.
Or to steer you in the right direction.
This was Sam’s situation before we started 1-1 online coaching.
He convinced himself he could piece it all together himself and that he didn’t need a coach.
It resulted in wasted time, effort and weight gain.
He was frustrated and eventually outsourced to me (after following my IG for a while) 😊.
Fast forward 1 year and he’d achieved a physique he couldn’t even picture.
He surpassed all his expectations and achieved more a year than he had in several others.
What started out as ‘ let’s lose 10kg ‘ turned into him getting into the shape of his life and doing a photoshoot.
You could do that too. (And no… you don’t have to do a shoot if you don’t want to).
If you’d like my help and want to discuss coaching just drop me a DM.
10/02/2025
09/02/2025
06/02/2025
05/02/2025