He’s turned the humble squat into an art form and transformed the Biggest Loser girls from grizzly to gorgeous, now Commando Steve’s got some makeover advice for our members ...
You’ve trained The Biggest Losers and hundreds of people through your gym. What is the biggest mistake people make?
Being inconsistent! The tendency is to go too hard, especially when people are first starting out. They end up too sore to train and have to take a few days off. They get into a vicious cycle, but hit-and-miss training won’t get you anywhere. Consistency and volume are what brings results.
When it comes to weight loss, what’s more important – diet or exercise?
They’re equally important. You can’t have one without the other. I think of it like a triangle with good nutrition as the foundation, on top of that is cardiovascular exercise, then gym work, weights and at the top is sport.
You’re a ‘no excuses’ man, but you must have heard some beauties from your clients. What’s the most common one?
“I don’t have the time,” I hear it all the time!
And what do you say to them?
It’s simple: you’ve got to make the time. Like with nutrition, you have to plan your meals and give them some forethought. Training’s the same. Essentially, it comes down to what is most important in your life. And if you strip everything back to the bare basics, without health and quality of life, nothing else really matters. A lot of people feel that exercise is a chore, it’s too hard, they’d rather be doing other things. That’s their choice. The only one who can make that choice is yourself.
But for people just starting out, stepping into a gym is pretty daunting ... especially yours! Do you have any advice for our members who are apprehensive about exercise?
You’ve got to start. Just step over the line. Stop procrastinating. And it needs to be relative to your abilities, both physically and mentally. You can’t expect anymore from a person than their best. With consistency that will improve. If you haven’t done something before, why would you expect to be good at it straight away? Of course people worry about how they are perceived and unfamiliar territory can be daunting. But you’ve just got to let go of that.
Click to enlarge photos
In his element
Laying down the law
Let the games begin
No excuses
What is your single favourite exercise?
Squats
are the movement of life – no exaggeration! Once you have an awareness of your hip, everything else falls into place. I can spend days teaching someone to squat properly. Everything comes easily from there. I’m all about setting a foundation and building on that. It’s not about bells and whistles. The simpler approach is going to set you up for the long run.
Should we do the same workout every day?
No, mix it up – constantly vary it.
What would you suggest for anyone who finds exercise boring?
Find someone who doesn’t! It could be a fitness group, a PT or a coach – surround yourself with people who are into it. Start playing a sport or join a boot camp. That group consciousness, forming friendships through hardship, is a fantastic way to boost motivation.
What do you say to yourself when you want to give up?
I think of times when I’ve seen others people give up and I don’t want to be like them. But it depends what you class as giving up. Some people feel you shouldn’t stop and rest in a workout but I’ll allow myself a little break to catch my breath. It’s about grit and determination; you just pick it up again and keep going.
Does it help to have a mantra?
It certainly does. And you know mine: there are no excuses. But it doesn’t have to be overbearing, it’s just about doing the best you can with what you’ve got in any given situation.
How do you maintain your focus and discipline?
I think it’s just a part of how I am. That’s the way I see life. Doing my best, it’s remaining grounded. It helps me to have a single focus when I’m training. It’s like meditation for me. And I like to test myself, how far, how hard can I push myself.
Are most people surprised by what their bodies can do when they really try?
Yes, absolutely, especially when they are taught how to do something properly. The education process is unbelievable. A general physical preparedness will get you through life and all its curveballs. When you’re fit, you’re more confident. It gives you a psychological edge to take on the day.