When I first met with The ASP Team, I had been resting for 3 months with a back injury sustained playing basketball in Europe. I was very out of shape, had little strength or tone to my body and was in need of a major physical makeover. After my initial BioSignature testing it was clear that there was a long way to go, as my body fat percentage was 18% and I didn’t feel or look like much of an international athlete.
In the gym I was hesitant to go back to Olympic lifts as this was how I injured my back initially. Although with guidance and a gradual plan, by week 10 of my ASP training I was lifting 80kg deadlifts, 60kg front squats and 40kg jerks!
I was now looking and feeling like an international athlete again!
Hannah's 12-Week Transformation
This was a huge improvement as I have avoided these lifts since hurting my back doing front squats in 2005. I was feeling strong and stable in my core again and knew that I had got my jump back after I could comfortably jump on a 108cm platform!
My body composition changed out of sight with my final readings having me at 13.5% body fat, I was now looking and feeling like an international athlete again!
- An important point that athletes need to understand is that gut inflammation can affect the function of the core. Consuming foods that one may be intolerant to such as yeast, gluten, malt, nuts and milk can cause bloating, inflammation, discomfort and pain to the gut. This often has a negative effect on the athlete’s ability for optimal core contraction and function. In a sport like basketball, where jumping and impact is necessary, poor core function can sure lead to injuries.
- This was a big issue for Hannah. Her recurring slip disc was no doubt a combination of poor strength in the lumbar musculature and a constantly inflamed gut that lead to poor core function and thus overall stability in movement. As such, this was a key area we focused on for her recovery and her drastic change in body composition.
Overall, I don’t think I could have dropped the amount of fat in such a short time that I did if I hadn’t worked with Ben, he educated me on proper nutrition for high-intensity training and helped me create healthy habits with my eating that I will now maintain throughout my training.Hannah Z.
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