An Extreme Effort

After 12 weeks of dedication and determination, driven by strong will, Rick Brennan is Australian IRONMAN magazine’s 12-Week Body Blitz Grand Champion. But the win is just the icing on the cake for the Gold Coast resident. Since the 12-Week Challenge, Rick’s life has  gone from strength to strength as he continues with his transformation.

Not only has he transformed his body, but his life has also taken on a whole new meaning. He now owns and runs ABC Lifestyle Fitness, works in radio advertising and does fashion and sports modelling, while still managing to maintain and improve  his physique.

"I won the Body Blitz challenge in May’s Australian IRONMAN (10#5) and now I’m being used as the body behind Syn-tec supplements for Australia. I did a lot of fashion modelling years ago but stopped because of my football. I gained a lot of weight and had a few operations. My body was really out of whack, which was when I went in the Body Blitz 12-Week Challenge," says Rick.

Things were pretty tough for the 29-year-old before he did the Challenge. He had a range of personal issues to sift through, underwent a finger reconstruction and had a major knee operation. Rick went from fit to frumpy and lost sight of his goals and ambitions. But thanks to some very special people he was able to build himself up again.

He says it was his brother Jeff and sister-in-law Carlie who were the most support to him throughout the Challenge. "I always trained with my brother. He had to be there because of the injuries with my knee and finger and he had to strap me on to the different pieces of equipment. He looked after me because I was dealing with a fair amount of stress."

Looking at the 2003 Body Blitz champion today, you would never guess that he was once introverted and lived life just going through the day-to-day motions, unmotivated to do anything. Rick recalls feeling as though his life was out of control, so he thought by at least doing the Challenge it was one aspect of his life he could control.

Working long days in an office while training up to three hours a day, and then going home to cook and prepare meals was a big adjustment, particularly compared to his previous habits of little exercise and a diet consisting of takeaway food.  

"The biggest challenge, other than getting off my butt and starting was trying to fit it all into my busy schedule. I just put whatever spare time and energy I had left into my training. I didn’t have a lot of time to catch-up with friends or go out, any spare time I did have I spent training."

From day one Rick was out there to win, despite most believing he was crazy, trying to achieve all this while working such long days. But no matter what anyone said, Rick stayed in control, knowing that he could reach new heights.

"No matter what people said I just kept pursuing it and when it got to about the tenth week my outlook on life changed, and I became more goal orientated. I was a lot more out there in socialising with people; I was becoming more of an extravert."

The majority of Rick’s training took place in a shed at a friend’s place that was originally built for packing grapes. It was here that he set up all his own pieces of training equipment, including bars, a Smith Machine and bench press.

"I did weights six days a week and cardio everyday. Sunday was the only day I didn’t do weights, I just did lots of cardio. So I didn’t have a rest day," he recalls.

Rick combined his strict diet and training regime with a supplementation program using Syn-tec products including Thermalene, Nitro-Plex and Mass-Plex protein powders and Volumax.  While these supplements helped Rick his results can be attributed to the dedication he showed in the gym.  

Rick worked hard and was rewarded not only by losing weight and building muscle, but also with the extra confidence he gained and the positive mind set he developed. Gone were the days when he saw the bad in everything – the new Rick could see the good in every opportunity.

"I’ve done motivational talks for a few women’s groups and at the end of the half-hour talk they say, ‘Mate you’re amazing! How could you have done it?’ And I say, ‘I’m not amazing, all I’ve done is get off my backside and changed my life for the better’."

Rick’s down-to-earth nature, along with the lean and chiselled physique he sports are just two of his inspiring character traits. The experience of doing the Challenge is still evident in every aspect of his new life. He says, "Every door I knock on seems to open for me and it’s not only about how you look but how you see yourself as well. It’s all about confidence."

Although his life is still jam packed with work and training, Rick is now making positive and productive decisions which will further his success. With high ambitions, Rick refuses to doubt that he or anyone else can achieve whatever it is they aspire to.

"I want to get my own exercise TV show up and running. It’s a reality type of program, which consists of finding people all over Australia to take part. I’d also like to further my modelling and look at eventually going into film and TV full-time."

There seems to be no limits to Rick’s goals for the future, but he is adamant that it’s all about finding the balance between a healthy body and a healthy mind and believing in yourself.

"In an instant you can change your mind-set and pull yourself out of anything. The world is your oyster and as long as you don’t sell yourself short, there is no dream that you can’t achieve."

Rick would like to say a special thank you to his brother Jeff and sister-in-law Carlie, Glen McLean, managing director of Syntec Supplements and the staff at Miami Fitness. 

By Amy Curwin