How Drew Mitchell Got in the Best Shape of His Life at 41
Written by
Lachlan Rowston
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 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 |
b. Lower / upper body day example sessions
2. The Diet: Simple, Smart, Sustainable
a. 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.
b. Typical daily structure
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
“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
Week 1 → Week 10
“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 week 3–10 with the InBody Scanner. We use this device for all our clients to accurately track their body composition over time.
“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 advice to others
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.
