How Hadrien Reached 7,4% Body Fat While Partying Every Weekend
Hadrien, EY
One of the most successful transformations among many of my clients is Hadrien’s. He’s now trained with me on two separate occasions and both times successfully shredded a lot of fat while building his upper body and core strength. But what’s remarkable is that he’s achieved his great results along with partying almost every weekend. And ultimately he’s managed to go from 22% body fat down to 7,4%!!
Hadrien’s lost 5kg of bodyweight and 5% body fat in his first 3 months.
The numbers you see in the top picture include his initial numbers from almost 2 years ago. I initially met Hadrien in the gym when he was making his transition into weights training. And while we didn’t start training straight away I got a call from him a few months later when he decided it was time to get some serious results. We had our initial consultation and he got set up with a training programme and nutritional guidelines along with our PT sessions. The goal was simply to get him defined while building his muscle up and building a sustainable routine he could use once we stopped training together. And thanks to his effort he’s turned out to be quite a success!
So Let's See How We Did It
Sustainable training approach
Hadrien was looking for something that would be sustainable for long term and fit his lifestyle as well. His programme included weights and running and his eating approach allowed for some drinks and flexible eating on the weekends. So he stayed focused Monday to Friday and enjoyed himself weekends like he normally would.
Weekly PT sessions
The focus of our sessions was first on learning the proper exercise form and understanding the philosophy behind the programme. And his form improved really quickly which meant much better quality of contraction, muscle mind connection and muscle activation during his workouts. It’s also meant he would stay injury free both inside and outside our sessions. And once we mastered it, the sessions became more dynamic with new exercises and increased intensity.
Programme based around weights
We started with a combination of weighs, rowing and running as Hadrien was a member of a rowing club, always liked running and wanted to build his muscle with weights. The focus would be on big compound movements like deadlifts, squats, lat pulldowns, military press and bench press and we would mix in some other alternatives or supporting exercises as well.
Leaving the sugar out
And lastly we would aim for a very low carb diet with increased protein intake during the week and have a cheat weekend. And because Hadrien’s body was responding well we never needed to adjust. The combination of clean eating and good training during the week was just perfect for him to have a few drinks during the weekend and perhaps some pizza or something sweet as well.
And Once Hadrien Learned To Get Results He Continued To Train On His Own
There are obviously many angles to personal training. One of them is making sure the things you do will give you results. And while there are many approaches out there most people normally get it wrong. So once Hadrien found the right approach for him through personal training he was happy to continue training and pushing for better results on his own. And after a few more months he got down to 12% body fat!
Yet He Comes Again!
I hear from Hadrien again about a year after we stopped training and we’re about to train again. This time he’s after a six pack and so the plan is to push it down from 12% body fat to 8% and see what’s possible. At the same time he’d like to increase his arms muscle mass since his arms didn’t get much of an improvement previously.
So this time we chose a different lifting approach
Because he’s been following the same approach for the last year it’s time to change it completely. Instead of full body workouts Hadrien’s now going to do a 3 day split with more focus on his arms primarily. By now he’s stopped doing rowing but still enjoys running so it’s built into the programme as well.
His approach to lifestyle stays the same
He goes back to disciplined eating during the week and loosens it up a bit during the weekends which again proves exceptionally well for him. His workload during the week is heavy but he manages to stick to his training well. “If it works you don’t need to change it.”
And yet again he gets fantastic results!
Soon enough the results start coming in and his body fat drops to 7,4%! That alone clearly makes him happy, he feels great and can finally see his abdominal muscle.
13/10/2016 27/10/2016 11/11/2016
Hadrien’s Perspective On Things
Hadrien – When I started my professional life, my student’s years had left me with quite a few kilos in excess (15). To lose weight, I subscribed to a gym membership. I was mainly doing cardio machines and I plateaued rapidly with both my weight loss and motivation. For 2 years, I was on and off the gym. Some months I would train 3 to 4 times a week, and other months I was not going at all.
When I decided to quit smoking, I thought I would need to define body goals to avoid the usual weight gain … and thought a PT would push me and help me to, at least, not gain weight (and the monthly cost would be close to the cost of my cigarettes anyways). One of my friends highly recommend me to have a PT so I thought I would give it a go.
When I had my first chat with Vlad, we defined my objectives and my motivation, which to be honest, I had not given much thought to. Loosely I wanted to “lose weight” but realised that was not enough. Once Vlad asked me various, more specific questions, I understood that, whatever the motivation is, it is important to understand your own motivation before starting to train.
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We also discussed my eating routine, and realised that, while not eating junk food every day, my overall diet was not great and the first step we took was to define a eating regime that would help me achieve my goals – I have to say here that I have been extremely surprised to see how easy it is to change your diet without having a restrictive diet as described in magazines. The key is finding a diet that suits you and your lifestyle.
After a few weeks of training with Vlad, I could see the results, but also that my motivation was higher than ever. I’ve found a training routine that I’ve kept ever since.
I think PT has been very useful. I gained motivation and reached the goals I thought I never would. It has been great to learn the basics from a professional and to find a suitable routine for my lifestyle (I work a lot, go out a lot…) but also to progress and get my motivation back when I wasn’t progressing as much in my training.
Asking Hadrien About His Experience
Just for anyone who’s reading this to understand, what was your approach to fitness, training and eating before?
I had been a gym member for 2 years before I started Personal Training. I was mainly doing cardio as I didn’t know how to train properly with weights. As a result, I plateaued quickly and struggled to train regularly. But apart my gym membership, I didn’t do anything else to maintain my fitness. My main obstacle was a lack of motivation as I did not have strong results. I also used to eat badly and irregularly.
What was the pivotal moment that made you think ok let’s do this?
When I decided to stop smoking and wanted to 1) build more muscle and 2) make sure I didn’t put on weight as a result.
What’s the most important factor for you when training?
For me, the most important factor was getting results. When I decided to train with a PT, I wanted to get external support to reach my goals.
What about training with me contributed to your achievements? What are your thoughts about personal training?
The best thing about personal training with Vlad is that it made my goals seem achievable from day one, and the most important thing I’ve learnt, is that finding the right balance and training that fits your lifestyle really is key for success. I would recommend this to people with clear goals and are willing to commit, although Vlad was great with helping me define my goals. Training with a PT has helped me change my eating habits dramatically, which are now much healthier than before. My fitness routine is also now much more regular, but not as ‘painful’ as I actually enjoy going to the gym now. For a long time, I thought that personal training wouldn’t be right for me. But this has definitely changed my opinion about it!
What is the greatest value personal training has brought to you?
Definitely motivation and achievement.
What are your top 3 pieces of advice/tips for people in a similar position that you were in?
First you really need to define your goals, then understand your motivations for working towards these goals. What's really important, is the find a training routine that fits your own lifestyle if you want real results.
In your opinion who is training with Sets In The City perfect for?
"Sets In The City really provides you with bespoke training that fits your lifestyle, perfect for anyone in the City looking to get some real results."
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