The 10 week program the retired Wallaby used to get into “better shape than when he was playing”.

I was only 10 minutes from home when I bumped into Drew…

He was on a walk cutting weight after a boozy Rugby 7’s podcast tour. We'd become friends when he joined Lockeroom as an ambassador a couple years ago - recently retired, dabbling in media, and flirting with the idea of a corporate job.

He trained with us casually, but at 41, his body comp was sliding. Still strong, but bit soft around the edges.

He mentioned he was dropping a few kilos and cutting back on booze.

That’s when I had the thought: What if we actually gave this a proper crack?

No more “soft Drew” to “slightly less soft.” A full transformation.

Next day, I called him.

Me: “Drew.”
Drew: “Yes mate?”
Me: “What if we got you in better shape than when you were playing… in 10 weeks?”
Drew: “Tell me what to do. I’ll do it.”
Me: “Done.”

Helping a client get in shape over 6-12 months is one thing. Getting Australia’s best winger in better shape than his prime—in just 10 weeks—is another.

Here’s how we did it.

1. The Training Program

a. The Training Goal

Primary focus: Increase muscle mass and strength whilst reducing body fat.
Secondary focus: improve, stabilise and protect old injuries

b. The Weekly Routine

Monday – Upper Body + 20 min cardio intense 8/10
Tuesday - Lower Body + 15 min steady cardio
Wednesday – Upper Focus + 15 min Conditioning
Thursday – Lower Body + 10 min Cardio Finisher
Friday - Rest
Saturday (optional) - Sport specific sprint drills 40-50min at the oval
Sunday - Rest

c. Lower body day example session

d. Upper body day example session

2. The Diet: Simple, Smart, Sustainable

a. The Goal & Challenges

Primary focus: reduce body fat in a sustainable manner whilst increasing muscle mass

Challenges: Drew travels nearly every week for 2-4 days at a time. Drew also likes a drink with friends so trying to limit alcohol was tough as it’s tied to socialising.

b. How We Structured It

Overview: the nutrition had to be easy, accessible and repeatable. Drew typically trains at 7am.

Drew although was an elite athlete never knew the “why” behind his sport nutrition.
We had to educate him on the basics from scratch

c. Typical Daily Structure

Meal 1 (breakfast):

½ litre of electrolyte infused water

Two eggs
half avo
Tomato
100g chicken

Post workout:

Rockerbys protein shake
1 medium banana
1x yo pro

Meal 2 (lunch):

Mitch’s Meals (food prep company)
Char Sui Chicken (350 calories)
150g chicken
50g brocolini
200g white rice

Meal 3 (lunch):

Mitch’s Meals (food prep company)
Steak brown rice (420 calories)
200g steam
50g brocolini
200g brown rice

Optional snack:

Protein bar

Final comments: At the start of the 10 weeks Drew was given more flexibility to eat out on weekends as long as he chose high protein salads where possible or reduced his servings sizes significantly.

3. The Lifestyle Shifts

Key changes to Drew’s lifestyle:

Step count: maintaining an average of 15k steps per day. This often required a 30-40 min dedicated walk at the end of each day.
Sleep: slept was made a priority often getting to bed before 9am when possible and using the Pillar Triple Magnesium for deeper sleep.
Alcohol: limited to 1-2 drinks per week max.

“Whenever I was travelling I made it a point to keep my step count higher as I didn’t always have access to a gym, those days I’d try and get over 20k”

4. The Results

Bodyfat %: -10%
Fat loss (kg): -8kg
Muscle mass increase (kg): +4kg

“Things like, improved sleep, more motivation, better productivity, less brain fog, less anxiety which has led me to feeling better about myself.”

Below is data captured from weeks 3-10

Drew’s Advice to Others

“It was hard!! Early starts, discipline to say no to things, what to eat and drink (and what not to), getting my daily steps in, feeling hungry etc
What I realised, was the only thing stopping me from being in good shape was me and my excuses!!”

Drew’s results aren’t rare. They’re repeatable.

At Lockeroom, we use data, world-class coaching and personal accountability to help executives and founders take control of their health—without sacrificing their career or lifestyle.

Looking for your own transformation?

Speak with our team today to learn more:

🔗 Book a consultation at Lockeroom today.

How Drew Mitchell Got in the Best Shape of His Life at 41