Benjamin is 44 years old, a father of two, and works in forensic investigation for the police. The job sounds physical. In reality, however, he spends a large part of his time at his desk.
There was still movement. Benjamin was always active. Running, cycling, endurance training. Things that worked well for many years. Strength training, on the other hand, played hardly any role.
He was active, but not really strong, and he no longer liked his upper body in the mirror.
Many changes begin with a small thing. For Benjamin, it was looking in the mirror.
He describes it himself quite soberly. He simply didn't like his torso. And honestly, he had never really liked it.
Running and cycling had given him endurance, but not built any visible strength. Added to this was a thought that suddenly occurred more often in his mid-forties.
How do I actually want to get old?
Benjamin puts it this way:
„If I don't change anything now, it won't get any easier later.“
So why not start now building something that will still work in ten or twenty years?
„How do I actually want to get older?“
That's how most people do it in the end. Registration, equipment, a training plan from the internet, maybe a few videos on YouTube.
Benjamin thought about it. Then he dismissed the idea again.
He had doubts as to whether the motivation would last in the long term for regular visits to a traditional gym. Added to that was the atmosphere.
When beginners enter a fitness studio, they often feel like they are surrounded by people who know exactly what they are doing. For many, this is not a problem. For others, it feels more like an alien environment.
Benjamin describes it as: As a newcomer, you first feel uncomfortable among all the fitness gurus. So he kept looking.
And finally stumbled upon Mainperformance.
Benjamin started at the beginning of November and is taking a first look at his progress three months later.
His original goal was clear. Building upper body muscle, developing strength, and feeling stronger overall. However, it quickly became apparent during the first session that another issue was also at play.
The body analysis revealed a higher percentage of abdominal fat than Benjamin had expected. Nothing dramatic, but significant enough to set a new goal: to reduce fat and build muscle simultaneously.
This shifted the focus slightly. Building muscle remained important, but losing body fat should come first.
What particularly surprised Benjamin was the clarity of the approach. He had done a lot of endurance training before, but he lacked any structure when it came to strength training.
This is precisely where the difference between training and coaching lies. At Mainperformance, Benjamin didn't simply receive a training plan. Each session was accompanied, and each exercise was explained and corrected.
For someone who has hardly done any strength training so far, this is crucial. Performing an exercise correctly often feels unusual at first. Small details make a big difference and without feedback, mistakes quickly creep in.
Benjamin himself says that this particular point is one of the biggest advantages for him.
In addition to training, diet also played an important role.
Benjamin had never eaten extremely unhealthily. But here too, there was a lack of structure.
Thanks to the dietary recommendations in personal training, he was able to implement changes relatively quickly. No complicated diets, but simple rules that can be integrated into everyday life.
The result showed itself faster than expected.
Body fat began to decrease while muscle was built up at the same time.
After three months of training, the development looks like this:
These numbers only tell part of the story.
The other part shows itself in everyday life.
Benjamin describes a situation that many people know.
He used to be able to carry something heavy, for example a full shopping bag. Afterwards, his arms would feel shaky for a long time. Sometimes there was even pain.
The training has changed it.
Today, he clearly notices that his body is coping better with exertion. Strength is no longer just a concept from training, but something that is noticeable in everyday life.
That's exactly what functional strength training is all about.
Not about moving the most impressive weights. But about making the body more resilient.
In your early twenties, your body functions almost on its own. In your forties, movement becomes more conscious.
Muscle mass slowly begins to decrease if nothing is done about it. Loss of strength happens gradually, and many only notice it when simple tasks suddenly become strenuous.
Benjamin didn't want to wait for this point.
His goal is clearly formulated. He wants to create the right conditions to stay fit even in older age.
Strength training is one of the most important building blocks for this.
Above all, busy people with responsibilities such as entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals, or managers benefit from structured strength training.
You can find out which habits characterise successful people in our blog post.
When asked what makes the biggest difference, Benjamin doesn't name a single exercise or a specific training plan.
It's the care.
The coaches take time for questions.
He is receiving dietary advice.
And above all, every exercise will be corrected until it is performed cleanly.
Alone in a gym, that would have been hardly possible.
Right at the beginning, it's difficult to judge if a movement is technically correct. Coaching provides confidence and ensures that progress actually remains progress.
After three months, it's clear to Benjamin that the training will continue.
The fat loss has worked well. Now, muscle building is taking more of a focus, especially in the upper body.
The plan is not short-term. It is not about a project for a few weeks, but a long-term change.
More power and more stability.
For a body that remains capable in the decades to come.
Benjamin started with a simple decision.
He realised that his training so far was not enough to achieve his goals. And he has sought support.
Sometimes that's precisely the crucial step.
If you feel that your training is no longer yielding the results you desire, or if you want to approach weight training in a structured way for the first time, then a conversation is worthwhile.
During a free initial consultation, we'll look together at where you currently stand and which steps make sense for you.
You don't have to figure everything out alone.
Book your free initial consultation with Mainperformance now and find out what your personal path could look like.
