So, naturally, we went straight to the acclaimed trainer to learn more about her love for transforming physiques, picking up a killer arm workout for building rock-solid guns along the way.
“Before I was a personal trainer, I was a musical theater performer,” says Marshall, who first worked with Bullion some 10-years earlier, on stage. “Looking after my health and my body was a big part of my acting career. I found myself fascinated with fitness and nutrition, and I had struggled with my own food demons due to the pressures of the entertainment industry in my 20s, but training was always my grounding, my time to gain mental clarity and I just love feeling strong.”
Marshall, now 38, first gained her coaching qualifications through Premier Global NASM in the U.K., and learned an understanding of how to look after her own aesthetic, while fueling her body from a performance perspective. When an injury ended her dreams of continuing with musical theater, she threw herself into transforming her fitness clients, and never looked back. “Working with actors from ‘The Witcher’ Season 2 is definitely one of the highlights of my career, so far,” says Marshall. “I was a fan of the show, and then being able to work with the characters, and get them aesthetically ready for their roles was an incredible experience.”
Leanne Marshall’s fitness musts
Marshall sets out some of the “musts” that she uses when helping to transform physiques. “Consume protein to build lean muscle tissue,” she says. “Your body needs to synthesize more muscle protein than it breaks down. And eat whole foods, giving the body nutrients such as calcium, fiber, vitamins B and D, magnesium, essential fatty acids and potassium will keep your cells functioning as they should.”
The popular PT is a proponent of keeping training simple. “A fancy training routine or protocol is great, but if you can’t lift the weight and execute the movement with good form, then you will not create enough adaptation or progressive overload for that muscle to change and grow” says Marshall. “Simple movements, done well, while lifting heavy and pushing yourself hard, can have a significant overall effect on your changing physique.”
Take ownership of your transformation
“Motivation can waver, life can get busy, but if you have a plan, structure and routine, you will create better habits and daily routines,” says Marshall. “It’s consistency that creates the outcome, not an ‘all or nothing’ behavior. I tell my clients to tick the boxes they have set themselves for each day.” This PT asserts that taking ownership of your behaviors, habits and situations is essential for making positive health and fitness changes. “No one can do this for you,” she says.
Of course, calories are king, so if you are tracking your food, Marshall says that remembering your weekly total intake, rather than your daily total is important for seeing progress. And, should one indulge on special occasions, there’s a hack for that. “Adding a little extra cardio before a big night out creates a little more of an energy deficit, ready to be replenished that evening,” says Marshall. “Put the higher calorie foods to good use by training bigger body parts; like legs on those types of days, refreshing those glycogen stores.”
Get your arms ‘Witcher’-ready
Leanne Marshall has trained cast members of Peaky Blinders and Gangs of London and loves to get her clients screen-ready. “I got Paul Bullion and Joey Batey in shape for “The Witcher,” Season 2,” she says. “We know that the gents in that show have physically demanding roles, but they also need to stand up to incredible physiques like Henry Cavill!”
Try this thorough arm workout provided by the passionate PT, to transform those guns into warrior shape.
D1) Cable overhead triceps extension (Sets 3 – Reps 12-15 / 10s Rest – Set 3 Drop set 5 Reps drop pin, repeat drop x 2 Total Reps this set 15) (Tempo 2-1-1-1)
D2) Cable triceps pushdown (Sets 3 – Reps 12-15 / 60s Rest – Set 3 Drop set 5 Reps drop pin, repeat drop x2 Total Reps this set 15) (Tempo 2-1-1-1)
Ab Finisher
A1) Lying ab crunch, Legs vertical (2 sets – 25 reps / 10 sec. rest)
A2) Hanging leg raise (2 Sets -12-15 reps / 10 sec. rest)
