Hannah Davies – ‘adapted things to suit me’

Hannah, what were your goals when signing up with me?

I wanted to gain control over my eating habits and go onto a productive training programme.

What reservations if any did you have before we started working together?

I was worried that I may become obsessed with my eating and feel stressed by this. Furthermore, due to handing over control of my training, which I love I was worried I would enjoy it less.

How was I able to help you with your reservations?

Initially when we started I began tracking macro’s, however this brought out feelings of obsession and stressed me out. You were able to produce a system that stopped me stressing and kept my nutrition on point.

Also when developing my training programme you discussed with me your suggestions and allowed me to have my own input. I could then incorporate some of the exercises I love.

In point form, can you list your achievements training with me thus far?

• Control over my eating.
• Furthered my education in regards to nutrition.
• Faster progress in the gym, seeing positive strength increases.

I have really enjoyed working with Hannah, she presented new challenges that I had not encountered before. We got round these challenges together by developing a method of nutrition that she could understand, do easily and still be accountable towards. Furthermore, we made sure that her training was productive but also importantly something she would enjoy doing. I have seen Hannah become more and more confident in both aspects and I am very proud of what we have achieved to date.

Interested in online coaching? You can check out what I have to offer here.

Protected: How I Died & Revived – Steve Hall Laid Bare

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Ted Hill – ‘in 4 months I got into the best shape of my life and was the strongest I’ve ever been’

Ted, what were your goals when signing up with me?

Gain lean muscle mass and become significantly stronger, especially on the squat, bench and deadlift. Also help in rehabilitating my rowing back injury, preventing me squatting and deadlifting.

What reservations if any did you have before we started working together?

I was slightly concerned about how flexible my life at university would be, especially with regards to eating meals prepared by my housemates, and going on nights out whilst drinking.

How was I able to help you with your reservations?

The IIFYM approach was clearly broken down to me be Steve and by understanding the method of dieting I felt confident enough to undertake the new lifestyle. Even when I got it wrong in the early stages Steve went about informing me and explaining how to improve next time – Like how to go about incorporating alcohol into my diet.

In point form, can you list your achievements training with me thus far?

• Gained lean muscle mass
• Increased strength
• Fully recovered from previous injuries
• Prepped successfully for a cat walk
• In 4 months my total on the big three went up 142.5kg or a 49% increase.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Steve has genuinely transformed my approach to gym and dieting. I have never seen such continual progress in the gym! Having accountability and someone who knows how to set up correct training and macro split is essential.

I have thoroughly enjoyed coaching Ted, it hasn’t always been easy with his lagging injuries and competitive rowing and living the student lifestyle, all competing with not only his training but also nutrition. Ted has done tremendously well in balancing everything in his life, and the progress he has made is outstanding. I look forward to working with Ted again in the future, he has a great future ahead of him.

Interested in online coaching? You can check out what I have to offer here.

The Fundamentals Make The Athlete

Back to basics

We all know those people who want to know the latest best exercise, or the new amazing supplement on the market. They are so focussed on the latest and greatest but have not taken the time to develop what matters most, and that is a strong foundation.

What makes up a strong base?

We all know that the best things in life are based of a few simple core principles. Apple products are great because they are so easy to use, this is the strong base they develop from. Costa produce some fantastic coffee variations and these all stem from top quality coffee beans. To be the best or to develop and grow you need a strong foundation to do it from. For the athlete this means perfect (or near to) technique on the main compound lifts, that’s squats, deadlifts and pressing varieties. It also requires a strong nutritional base, that’s your protein, carbs and fats, getting what you require by the end of the day, consistently. Developing these two aspects in the early stages of an athletes career pays massive dividends later on.

Stop looking for ‘training secrets’ & ‘magical supplements’
I know when I first started training I was far too concerned with the wrong things. Thinking if I took this shake and did this bicep tri-set routine I’d be cut and jacked in no time. I missed the bigger picture, and that was getting key basic principles correct. Any supplement or new training protocol is only ever going to be like the sprinkles on a cake. If you have a poor quality sponge, no matter how good those darn sprinkles are every bite will taste terrible. Just like no matter how good a supposed supplement or training method is meant to be, if you have poor technique on the main compounds or do not hit the your personal macro requirements by the end of the day, you will not see the results you desire. I know this first hand.

A coach can really help you get these aspects nailed, and keep you from straying too far from what matters. Not only do they keep you accountable for your nutrition, but if they are any good they know no matter how advanced you are as an athlete you can’t go wrong with a good squat, deadlift or pressing pattern. Making sure you are continually getting the basics right, each and every day.

Connor Stanbridge – ‘educated me dramatically through the process and always have time to answer my questions’

Connor, what were your goals when signing up with me?

I wanted to increase my weight slowly, because I wanted to add mainly lean muscle without the fat. I also wanted to increase my weights in the gym mainly focusing on my compound movements.

What reservations if any did you have before we started working together?

I was concerned about adding too much fat, and being told what to do and never why.

How was I able to help you with your reservations?

You helped me by increasing my weight and the I calories consumed, without adding fat. Plus I dramatically increased the weight used on the compound lifts. Finally, one major part is you have educated me along the way massively.

In point form, can you list your achievements training with me thus far?

• Gained lean muscle mass
• Increased strength
• Furthered my education
• Improved my confidence
• Made me love training, no longer seeing it as a chore

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I would just like to say it has been a pleasure being coached by you and I am really looking forward to many more months to come. You have seriously helped me along the way with increasing my weight and lifts, and not only are you a great coach you are a really down to earth guy and become a great friend. One massive point for me although I have got a hell of a lot to learn, you have educated me dramatically through the process and always have time to answer my questions, which I admire and respect a lot. Once again thank you and looking forward to many more months.

I have really enjoyed coaching Connor, he is always looking to learn and understand the process behind his training and nutrition. This is something I really admire in my clients and encourage. He is currently doing a Personal Training course and in future has the goal of stepping on stage as a Mens Physique Competitor.

Interested in online coaching? You can check out what I have to offer here.

Steve Tagg- ‘what pleasantly surprised me is how sustainable it is’

Steve was an avid runner, but wanted to switch it up. He approached me and I introduced him to the main compound lifts; deadlifts, squats, bench press. We worked one on one for a number of weeks before Steve felt confident enough to do everything online.

Steve is a family man, who runs his own business and therefore is fairly time poor. I made sure to give him an exercise programme that worked towards his goals but also fit his lifestyle. He has been on a full body split, training 3 times week while with me, each time he enters the gym he is starting with the Big Three. Each week he practices Power, Hypertrophy and Strength for each of these lifts, a Conjugated type of periodisation. Steve has seen great results, dropping fat and getting stronger. His physique speaks for itself:

I have been working with Steve since June. Initially I worked with him on weight training but, as I learned about his interest in nutrition and natural bodybuilding, I decided to give Revive a go. In 3 months I have hit a weight last seen nearly 14 years ago – when I got married. Further, I am more toned than I have ever been (according to my wife), and have more energy.

The other aspect of Revive that has pleasantly surprised me is how sustainable it is – I have a real weakness for wine, and a bit of a sweet tooth, but can honestly say that I have had to make very few sacrifices.  I have been amazed by my progress and would recommend Revive to everyone.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Steve, and he is a great example of how easy it can be to get results if you put the work in consistently. We are now going to enter a Strength focussed Meso-Cyle and progress this linearly. Currently Steve is enjoyed a much deserved and needed diet break, before going onto drop a few more pounds of fat!

Limited Online Coaching Deals

Hey guys, so I could write a load of spiel about how my coaching services are all bespoke, fit around your lifestyle and will get you great results. But, you’ve heard all that before, and so it doesn’t really incentivise you to pick me up as your coach.

So why choose me, as opposed to all the other coaches out there? Well for me the most important part of being an online coach is to keep it PERSONAL. I pride myself in the fact I can say I am friends with all my online clients, I know a bit about what is going on with their life, I take interest in more than what their macro intake and weight room progress was for the week. And I feel this is the key difference between me and the many others out there, I really care about YOU. 

Down to the deals:

– Buy 1 Month & get 1 Month FREE – £99.99 – Save £50
– Buy 3 Months & get 10% off & NO SIGN UP FEE – £135 – Save £84.99
– Buy 6 Months  & get 15% off & NO SIGN UP FEE – £255 – Save £94.99

These are all limited and are given on a FIRST COME FIRST SERVE basis – I do have limited capacity.

So if you want a coach that cares about you, then give me a shot 🙂

Black Friday Coaching Special!!!

So it’s holiday season, time to enjoy time with others, relax and eat all sorts of goodies. Good on you, this shows you know how to live a little! And I’m going to give you one more reason to sit back and relax. However, you’ve slaved away in the gym all year, getting into good shape, and it required work. Now with less time, more opportunities to fall off or stall than ever. You might look to take a break, or give up all together, using the holidays as an excuse. I am here to help, by giving you THE SECRET WEAPON to add to your arsenal, to stay fighting fit. That is your own Personal Coach, me. Yes I am your secret weapon, and can be the difference between failure and success. I will be there for constant support, allowing you to stay on track. No more guessing, how many calories? how much cardio? which exercises? I will be there to cover your back, so you can focus your energy on doing the simple things. What do you get by choosing me as your coach? Nutrition guidelines built for you, allowing you to gain muscle, lose fat or just get fitter. Training plans individualised for your personal goals, lifestyle and experience. Accountability via daily tracking and weekly check-ins to keep you on track. Stress reduction through constant support via email, giving you peace of mind you have all you need to hit your goals. All of this is very affordable, and I will be offering a limited offer for Black Friday! To get in on these deals early be sure to contact me asap (snhall90@gmail.com). Join Team Revive Today!

Scale Weight Fluctuations

Day to day changes in weight, what do they mean?

The scale, some days we love it and others we hate it, if it doesn’t go in the right direction it can really screw us up. However, what do these daily fluctuations really mean for our body composition, should we get so emotionally attached to the scale? I am here to tell you why our bodyweight can vary so much day to day, and whether or not it’s important and how to accurately know whether you’re on track.

The biggest culprit for scale fluctuation is water. Everyone holds onto it differently, and it can also be impacted by our stress levels, hormones & foods we have eaten.

Someone who is in a harsh deficit and training intensely will hold onto more water, also if you consume foods high in sodium the water you retain will go up. In addition women have the added difficulty of their menstrual cycle, and even between females this variable can be very different in terms of its impact on water.

Furthermore, foods high in fibre can cause your weight to go up, because you’ll have more waste moving through your colon. If you have a higher carb day your weight will go up, because you will hold onto a lot more water. However, if you perform a glycogen depleting workout your weight will plummet because you will drop a load of stored water.

Finally a note needs to be made regarding body fat levels, because the leaner you are, the less important scale weight changes mean. Why? Because, you have less fat to lose and therefore the scale will not be an important predictor in body composition changes. So the leaner you are the less focus you want to give to the scale.

The Solution

• Keep your diet variables to a minimum– do not have large day to day changes in the amount of fibre or sodium consumed.
• Recognise when your diet variables change– if you have a high carb day, understand the impact on the scale.
• Have a long term view– take weekly or for women monthly averages.
• Use other measurements– remember the scale is only one way of tracking progress, you have the way clothes fit, how you are looking in the mirror and you can even take circumference measurements of your waist and other areas.
• Have a realistic weight loss target and make small adjustments, but account for performance– For the average person a 1% loss of weight per week is a realistic, if it is much above or below this then a 10% increase or reduction in calories is sensible. However, if performance is low then a reduction in calories should not be made.
• Get a good coach- a coach can prevent you being your own worst enemy, they can take an objective view that is unbiased and stop you stressing the small stuff.

Adjusting your diet based on daily changes in scale weight is never a good idea. It will lead to no progression towards your goals because you will adjust calories up and down pointlessly, based on a meaningless change in scale weight.

Please if you think anyone else can benefit from the above share via social media 😀 Thanks. If you want someone else to take the hard work out of assessing your weight and progress then check out my online coaching services, might be just what you need, just click HERE.

Harry Holland- ‘Having a knowledgeable coach to be accountable to each week makes all the difference’

We all know the best body transformations come from fat loss, going from podgy to lean. However, for those to look good you need to have a solid foundation to cut down from, that means muscle. Everyone therefore must go about adding weight to their body, trying to minimise fat and maximise muscle. Harry is a perfect example about how to go about it, and you can read more about how to go about it here. Harry has been very consistent, compliant and a joy to work with, below is his testimonial.

“I’ve known Steve for some time now from around our local gym – he’s always been happy to help out and give advice ever since we met. Even before he went professional I couldn’t fault Steve on his evidence based approach to nutrition and training.Since July this year Steve has been putting me through my paces, setting my nutrition and training goals each week, updating me via email. At university I row and  Steve  accounts for this change in lifestyle, adjusting my nutrition and training regime accordingly.

I came back from University before summer feeling pretty weak, having focused heavily on my rowing. Now I am stronger than I’ve ever been, and have gained around 4lb’s of lean mass.

Some lift increases for you..

July:
Squat – 80kg x 5
Deadlift – 120kg x 5
Bench – 70kg x 5Total: 1350kg

October:
Squat – 110kg x 4
Deadlift – 160kg x 4
Bench – 85kg x 5

Total: 1505kg

That’s an increase of over 10% in 3 months!

Regardless of whether you’re new to weight training, experienced, or even looking to step on stage I would highly recommend Steve’s services. Having a knowledgeable coach to be accountable to each week makes all the difference. No foods are off limits, and none are put on a pedestal (clean/dirty foods..) it’s all totally flexible within reason.

I couldn’t be happier with my training with Steve. His science based approach, passion for health & fitness, and drive to constantly be learning more are second to none.”

Harry has enjoyed great results, eating and training to preference. His results are down to being consistent and flexible at the same time, as if he wasn’t given the flexibility to enjoy University to the full he wouldn’t follow the training or nutritional protocols. Managing this is what has led to Harry’s success, and if that sounds appealing to you, then please be sure to contact me about my online coaching services at snhall90@gmail.com and you can see my services here.