I first learned about Paul McIlroy and The Amazing 12 a couple of years ago, when researching programming and the ‘the world’s best body transformation programs’. I had been a strength coach and kettlebell coach for several years and was able to deliver pretty good results to my clients but I knew something was missing (excellent programming) and I wanted to give my clients the whole package. Even more than that I wanted to experience it myself and see just how far I could take my strength training in 12 weeks.
After studying Paul and the Amazing 12, I emailed their office in Belfast and told them that I wanted to move to Ireland for 3 months in order to train with Paul and learn the Amazing 12 so that I could bring it home to my clients. My request included needing information about logistics, such as recommendations on where to live, the likelihood of learning what I needed to know in the 3 months and exactly how realistic it was to expect to be able to translate this to my clients.
Shortly after, I received an email from Damian McIlroy telling me that I was in luck. He asked me to tell him about my background as a coach and trainer and then informed me that they would be holding the first ever Amazing 12 certification in Dublin in October 2014, and he encouraged me to attend. That was all she wrote, I was going!
I learned so much valuable information that October during the certification, and knew this was going to completely change the magnitude of my personal training business. First of all, Paul is such a fountain of knowledge and the way he delivers information resonates and gives you the confidence to know that you can absolutely apply it to your business immediately. He was very thorough and gave so much important information, information that I had never heard before. Paul is absolutely on fire for his creation The Amazing 12, as he should be, because this certification is like no other and that excitement flows directly to all of his coaches.
Upon returning home I immediately began the Amazing 12 program myself and recruited 10 of my friends and clients to do it as well. In 12 weeks my mind was officially blown! Everyone’s results were just simply amazing! Everyone not only had tremendous strength gains but for the first time had transformed their bodies in ways they had never been able to before. Not only had they achieved physical transformations but for many, they were able to overcome a wide range of emotional obstacles and barriers they had due to life situations beyond their control. My own A12 success story is one I’m very proud of. For years had been very guarded with weight training because of an accident that landed me in the hospital for 2 months and compromised not only my strength but my core skeletal system. The Amazing 12 made me stronger and more capable than I had ever been, even stronger than when I was a serious athlete.
Since that first wave I have steadily continued the Amazing 12 with wave after wave. Every single time I’ve had at least 12-20 clients and have a waiting list for future waves continually going. My business has literally quadrupled and in the last year I’ve opened my own training facility with a friend and fellow A12 coach. In 6 months we have completely out grown our space due to the popularity of this program in our area and we are planning to expand to a much larger space within the next 6 months.
The majority of my clients are women and in the beginning many of them were concerned about ‘bulking up’ or ‘being too out of shape’ or ‘too old’ to do the Amazing 12. I’m here to tell you that this program is for everyone! Women are finally starting to realise that is takes strength training and weight lifting to actually lose the weight they’ve never been able to get rid of. Not only do they lose the pounds and inches, they gain empowerment through being strong and capable! I’ve not had a single women come through this program that didn’t end up looking and feeling fantastic.
Just recently I had a woman call me and say that she wanted to lose 30 pounds and ‘tone up’ but she didn’t want to look ‘all big and muscly’ like me. I suggested that we meet in person to talk about her long term goals and learn a little about her history. When she arrived at the studio she took one look at me and said “oh wait! I thought you were going to be huge since you lift such heavy weights!” Thankfully with all of the women in this area who have done the Amazing 12, I have walking testaments to just how successful anyone can be with their health, strength and longevity, an NO they do not look like the incredible hulk!
“I’m too old.” That’s another one I love. A 45 year woman called me last week and told me she changed her mind because she was “too old and had too many past injuries and I just didn’t understand what she’s been through” After I let her finish and still hoping to encourage her, I informed her that I was 48 years old, had 5 titanium ribs, a plate over my sternum, titanium in both knees and a surgically repaired rotator cuff from being hit by an out of control skier during a race. I assured her that it was because of the Amazing 12 that I was able to reclaim my strength. She became an Amazing 12 student that day and is so happy she made the right decision. Currently my oldest student is a 70 year old woman and she’s rockin it!
I’m so thankful for Paul and the Amazing 12 and his Belfast crew! I know without a doubt my training business and my own personal strength journey would not be where it is today without them.
