Body Transformation: Robbie Solidified His Frame For Heavy Training!

Robbie was a beast on the Rugby field until knee injuries ruined his career. See how he recovered and recalibrated to crush heavy weights and build a frame of iron!

Why I decided to transform

I had a passion for rugby and athletics growing up but consecutive debilitating career-ending knee injuries forced me to retire and resort to the gym to channel my energies. In my final year of high school rugby, I was weak and ineffective in contact and genuinely intimidated by larger opponents. I lost confidence in my ability and was too small to deal with the physical demands.

I looked to weight training to rectify my physical limitations. Prior to this resolution, I had limited lifting experience. I learned lifting fundamentals in my high school's strength and conditioning program but never saw progressive gains and felt discouraged. I later discovered the fundamental importance of nutrition to achieve my goals but was na?ve during my formative years.

As I fought to build muscle for rugby, I discovered passion for bodybuilding and made progress by sticking to a program for several weeks. After three years of progressive improvement, I held myself accountable for training and dieting and decided to step on stage at the 2012 ANB Asia Pacific Fitness Model Champions. As a direct result of competing, I landed a cover feature at age 22 in Australian Natural Bodz Magazine.

Before /// 158 lbs
After /// 187 lbs
AGE 17 / HEIGHT 5'9" / BODY FAT 8%
AGE 23 / HEIGHT 5'9" / BODY FAT 7%

Bodybuilding provided structure to my life and helped me channel positive energy. The sacrifice, preparation, and discipline required to achieve a standout physique are key facets that carried over into my work and studies.

How I accomplished my goals

I researched effective ways to develop my physique by reading articles and forum threads on Bodybuilding.com. When I started, I was determined, but my energy was misdirected.

Fortunately, I discovered informative articles on Bodybuilding.com and made changes to my programming. It's been a continuous process of trial and error for five years to determine what works for my body and how to apply these methods consistently.

Establishing long-term goals is imperative and influences decisions which form the basis of your lifestyle. Nutritional and sleep decisions subconsciously influence our desire to fulfil our greater vision.

I covered my walls with photographs of fitness models like Steve Cook, James Ellis, Rob Riches, Marco Pietrowski, and Greg Plitt. Some view my habits as obsessive and weird, but they provide me with daily motivation to persevere.

What aspect challenged me the most

The aspect that challenges me most is "the other 23 hours of the day." Working at a health club, I see hundreds of people daily who let their results lag because of unhealthy lifestyle choices made outside of the gym.

When I first started training, I was unwilling to make sacrifices required to achieve a top-notch physique for fear of social ridicule. Abstaining from alcohol and eating healthy on a disciplined training protocol can be challenging for family and peers to understand.

It can be difficult in the beginning to validate your lifestyle change, but you can't afford to rely solely on one hour of weight training to achieve your goal.

"The secret ingredient to success in life is to set realistic and challenging goals and achieve them by any means necessary."

My future fitness plans

I haven't determined when I will compete next, so for now I'm enjoying the process to transform my body and help others do the same as a personal trainer.

Suggestions for aspiring transformers

The process won't happen overnight, so have patience. There's no quick fix and results won't happen through drastic measures. The secret ingredient to success in life is to set realistic and challenging goals and achieve them by any means necessary.

How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals

Apart from being where I purchase supplements, Bodybuilding.com is an encyclopedia of fitness-related knowledge. I refer to the site when I'm stuck in a rut. I regularly visit The Misc. when I have free time.

Robbie's Top 5 Gym Tracks

  1. "Mammoth" by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
  2. "Shot Me Down" by David Guetta (Feat. Skylar Grey)
  3. "Calling (Lose My Mind)" by Sebastian Ingrosso, Alesso
  4. "Slow Down" by Showtek
  5. "My Way" by Limp Bizkit

Thanks

My accomplishments in and out of the gym are heavily attributed to my wonderful family and beautiful girlfriend. Their unwavering support and understanding allowed me to thoroughly enjoy transforming and my pursuit of fitness. I'd also like to thank the coaches, mentors, training partners, colleagues, and friends who assisted and guided me on my journey.