Just how much can you improve in six months? For our four Optimum Nutrition Upgraders, who spent that time combining elite-level coaching with tailored nutrition, a bespoke supplementation plan and good old-fashioned hard work, the answer to that turned out to be: a hell of a lot.
All four drastically reshaped their bodies while improving their performance in and out of the gym, and laid the foundations for further improvements in the weeks, months and years to come.
The process started in March, when hundreds of men applied to be chosen by Optimum Nutrition to upgrade their fitness. Four were chosen: upcoming CrossFit athlete Alistair McGovern, aspiring fitness model Matt Botwright, long-time gym-goer Ben Marum and amateur rugby veteran Niall Moody. The four were all different in age, experience and aims, but what they had in common was a desire to improve and a willingness to push themselves to the limit in order to do it.
Men’s Fitness and Optimum Nutrition were there to help. As well as assigning them a coach and nutritionist to guide them through every workout, meal and rest day, we provided them with an array of supplements tailored to their goals. How much did they improve? Turn the page and find out.
RUGBY
Niall Moody
For his last season on the amateur rugby pitch, Niall wanted to go out in a blaze of glory
With almost a decade of playing rugby behind him, Niall Moody’s no stranger to the weights room or to protein shakes - but, going into his final season on the field, he still managed to learn plenty of new tricks from Saracens rugby coach Andy Edwards. “The biggest change was structure,’’ says Niall. “Before, I kind of knew what I was doing, but having a structure to the workouts, nutrition, rest, sleep and everything else meant I got more out of everything. It was about getting my performance level back, feeling more confident in my movement, and I did that. I feel better than I have in years.”
Niall also benefited from a combination of old-school weight training and cutting-edge tech. “Going to Saracens was amazing,” he says. “It beat all my expectations. It was part back-to-basics, part sports science and up-to-the-minute gizmos. Andy Edwards was treating me like one of the older members of the squad, and it was stacked with information and advice – I was using the Wattbike just like the squad do, testing my vertical jump on a force plate... I was nudging them about a contract, but I think I’m getting on a bit!’
So is this really his last season? “Never say never,” he laughs. “But certainly at the moment it looks like it. I’ve got a baby on the way, and I think my wife would kill me if I decided to go for another one...”
Supplement spotlight
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout
“Having the products available was fantastic,” says Niall. “I’ve often used protein powders in the past, but I’ve never used pre-workouts before. Especially on heavy squat days, it really made a difference when I needed to get up and get going.”
BEACH BODY
Ben Marum
Six months of hard training combined with a rigorous nutrition plan helped Ben get in the shape of his life
You’d think that getting ripped would involve cutting back on food, but for the first few months, beach body Upgrader Ben Marum actually got to increase it. “The initial bulking phase was fun,” he says enthusiastically. “I started on 3,000 calories a day and kept increasing from there – up to 5,000 at one point.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t to last. “The ‘leaning out’ phase over the last three months was a lot more restrictive,” Ben says. “I had to be that guy who brings his own Tupperware tubs to the barbecue all summer. It was a challenge – but an enjoyable one.”
His nutrition wasn’t the only thing that stepped up a gear. “In the past, I’d been too sociable at the gym. I’d put the work in, but I’d take long rests and chat to friends. Tim Chase, my coach, changed all that, upping the intensity and cutting my rests to 60 seconds max. It was tough, but the upside was that my workouts were far quicker than before.”
As well as sculpting a killer six-pack, Marum significantly boosted his numbers in key lifts. “My dumbbell chest press had been stuck on a plateau for ages,” he says, “but after the six months I’d managed to increase it to 48kg in each hand, just 4kg short of my goal of a combined 100kg, which I was really happy about.”
So what’s next? “I’m off on holiday to put my beach body to good use,” Ben says with a grin.
Supplement spotlight
Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder
“I encouraged Ben to take Micronized Creatine Powder post-workout,” says Optimum Nutrition performance nutritionist Dr Críonna Tobin. “It really helped enhance his performance during bursts of high-intensity exercise, and also improved his power output.”
FITNESS MODELING
Matt Botwright
The aspiring physique athlete took his training and diet to the next level with the help of top fitness model Shaun Stafford
Personal trainer Matt had been lifting weights for nearly five years, and had always harboured ambitions of competing as a physique athlete. But without a coach of his own, he’d struggled to reach his goal. Enter two-time WBFF Pro Fitness Model World Champ and Optimum Nutrition ambassador Shaun Stafford, whose first port of call was to completely overhaul Matt’s training. “Shaun had me doing a lot of upper- and lower-body superset splits – for example, I might do a back exercise immediately followed by hamstring curls,” he says. “It really got my heart rate up and helped me to get lean.”
The other key game-changer was nutrition. “I had no idea how important diet was for getting lean,’ Matt says. “Shaun put me on a low-carb, high-fat diet, which was tough at first, but I got used to it. It was stressful with the constant temptation of going out drinking, but I stuck to my guns – I’ve actually been teetotal since January.”
Within just six weeks of starting his Upgrade, Matt had fulfilled his dream of competing in a competition. ‘It was nerve-wracking, but I’m really glad I did it,” he says. “My long-term goal now is to enter a big competition at the BodyPower Expo in May 2016. To get there I need to bulk up between now and January, then go on a ‘lean out’ phase until the comp. The Upgrade has been amazing, so I’m keen to keep progressing.”
Supplement spotlight Optimum Nutrition gold standard 100% whey
Matt’s diet was carefully monitored and tweaked throughout the six months, but his post-workout shake remained constant. “A Gold Standard 100% Whey shake contains 24g of protein,” says Stafford. “It was vital for repairing and building Matt’s muscles after a tough training session.”
CROSSFIT
Alistair McGovern
Technical proficiency and smart supplementation sent Alistair’s lifts through the roof
For most CrossFitters, a couple of extra kilos on the big lifts a month is a success. Alistair McGovern is now measuring the difference in 20kg plates. “My back squat went from 145kg to 175kg for three reps,” he says, with a (reasonably) modest smile. “I’ve just hit a 90kg snatch, and my clean’s gone up to 120kg.”
Alistair, who worked with Dragon CrossFit coach Andy Edwards (not the Saracens man), puts the difference down to a laser focus on technique – “We worked it constantly, little things make a huge difference” – and eating big. “I was on about 5,000 calories a day,” he says. “I was training a lot, usually six days a week and sometimes twice a day, but as long as you manage your recovery and nutrition properly, it isn’t a problem.”
Alistair used a combination of protein shakes and good-quality food to meet his targets. He kept his weight down to 73kg, which is essential for CrossFit workouts that combine heavy weights with pull-ups, press-ups or gymnastic movements.
Next comes a step up to the big leagues. “I’ll be doing the Athlete Games, Britain’s biggest functional fitness competition, in January,” says Alistair. “Then I’ll try for the CrossFit Regionals later in the year – at some point, I want to make it to the Games. I’m only 24, and now I’m hitting numbers that most people take years to get to. I’ve got plenty of time.” Don’t bet against him.
Supplement spotlight Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein
“I didn’t struggle to get my calories in as much as you might expect,” says Alistair. “I was still trying to eat fairly clean, getting in good-quality meat and veg a lot of the time, but I did also have a couple of shakes a day. Casein was the big new one for me – I’d take it late at night to help recovery, and it really helped me get through my two-a-day workouts.’
