{"id":645860,"date":"2026-08-19T18:08:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T18:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/645860\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T18:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T18:08:17","slug":"the-specific-workouts-this-42-year-old-gym-owner-used-to-transform-his-body-and-get-visible-abs-in-6-months","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/645860\/","title":{"rendered":"The Specific Workouts This 42-Year-Old Gym Owner Used to Transform His Body (and Get Visible Abs) in 6 Months"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eric Falstrault was never really in bad shape. As a gym owner, he’s worked in the fitness industry for the past 20 years. To be a good example to his clients, he’s always tried to practise what he preached.<\/p>\n

The 42-year-old from Montreal, Quebec, has always kept up a fairly steady routine of strength training, alongside some martial arts. Last November, though, things started to go downhill after a vacation in Mexico left him with a stomach bug, leaving him out of commission for a couple of weeks. Before he knew it, the holidays arrived in full force, packed with indulgences and even more excuses to ignore his daily workouts.<\/p>\n

‘The vacation and Christmas time really got to me. I lost a lot of muscle mass quickly because I wasn\u2019t going to the gym,’ Falstrault recalls.<\/p>\n

He could see and feel the difference. Falstrault was tipping the scale at 198 pounds [90kg] and his body fat percentage spiked to 23%, leaving him with a small gut. He had no energy, felt depressed, and just didn\u2019t like the way he looked.<\/p>\n

‘I was fed up with how I felt. So I decided to do something about it,’ he says.<\/p>\n

Making a Change<\/p>\n

Because his entire job revolves around motivating others to get fit and healthy, Falstrault knew exactly what he needed to do to get back in shape \u2013 but he avoided making any dramatic changes to his routine because he knew they wouldn\u2019t stick.<\/p>\n

‘I was cheating a lot, so I cut out the packaged foods I was eating, like cookies, and I cut back from two glasses of wine a night to one,’ he explains. Currently, he chows down on lots of protein and vegetables throughout the day.<\/p>\n

Trying Something New<\/p>\n

The other major change that helped him drop down to 13% body fat and 188 pounds [85kg] six months later? A new workout. <\/p>\n

Falstrault was always into fighting and martial arts. He\u2019s been practising a variety of martial arts workouts for the past 12 years, but he knew he needed to do something more challenging than what he had been doing before \u2013 something different, he says.<\/p>\n

‘Challenging’ was the only word that came to mind when Falstrault first tried Brazilian jiu-jitsu about 10 years ago. It was both physically and mentally demanding, and that’s the exact change of pace he was looking for.<\/p>\n

After only six months of practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Falstrault is not only back in shape, but his energy levels are higher and he’s sleeping better.<\/p>\n

The Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu<\/p>\n

‘I did some 10 years earlier along with judo and loved the “chess game” aspect of it. One move leads to another but you also need to have a counter move to what your opponent is trying to do at the same time,’ Falstrault says. ‘When you get good at it, it becomes more of a game of who makes the first mistake. I like that tactical aspect of it a lot.’ <\/p>\n

Even though he was no stranger to a tough workout, starting a new fitness regime is never easy, especially after months of hardly any gym time. ‘In the beginning, my body could only handle two sessions a week. I was so sore after the first session,’ he says.<\/p>\n

That soreness \u2013 especially in his core and back \u2013 told Falstrault he had found the right workout, so he kept pushing himself during his training sessions, which would sometimes last over an hour.<\/p>\n

A typical jiu-jitsu class begins with a 10 to 15 minute warm-up, which consists of footwork, arm pummelling and sprawls \u2013 moves commonly used in the sparring part of class. The next 30 to 40 minutes are spent learning new techniques and mastering drills. Much of jiu-jitsu is centred around escaping and achieving submission, Falstrault explains, which requires a lot of core and back strength.<\/p>\n

The class ends with 15 to 20 minutes of randori, or fighting and rolling, where all the drills and techniques are put together against another person. This is where the physical and mental strength come together. <\/p>\n

Falstrault started noticing changes in his body after about four weeks of dedication, especially in his abs. He credits his impressive six-pack to jiu-jitsu, because his core muscles are constantly engaged throughout every movement and technique. <\/p>\n

He also experienced massive strength gains in his hands, because so much of Brazilian jiu-jitsu emphasises grip strength. As his body adjusted, he was able to train more frequently, and six months later he still can’t seem to get enough, and trains five days a week. <\/p>\n

‘I was always in decent shape without trying too hard. I\u2019d train three to four days a week and eat well and look pretty fit. But I wasn\u2019t sleeping well at all\u2014 that\u2019s one of the biggest differences I\u2019ve noticed.’<\/p>\n

He continues: ‘I\u2019ve found something that I love, and I can\u2019t see myself stopping anytime soon. I feel too good right now.’<\/p>\n

While Falstrault may have had 12 years of martial arts experience under his belt prior to starting his jiu-jitsu training, he emphasises that it is truly a workout for anyone. ‘No matter who you are, you need to go into jiu-jitsu as a beginner. Finding a good teacher is the most important part. You\u2019ll learn the basics and will be able to go far from there,’ he says.<\/p>\n

Plus, it isn’t as tough on your joints<\/a> as it looks. ‘I\u2019m over 40 years old, so of course I was worried what it\u2019d do to my knees. But it\u2019s surprisingly easy on the joints,’ he says.<\/p>\n

Falstrault’s Gym Routine<\/p>\n

Jiu-jitsu is just one part of his weekly routine, though. In addition to his martial arts sessions, Falstrault hits the weight room three to four days a week, alternating between upper and lower body exercises. His upper body workouts consist of pull-up variations and grip strength work. His routine currently consists of weighted pull-ups<\/a>, fat-gripped bench presses, high rows and tricep dips, all done on a tempo. His lower body days focus on Olympic lifts such as hang cleans and deadlifts<\/a>, both done at a tempo, along with more high rows and tricep dips.<\/p>\n

His favourite moves are ‘definitely various kinds of pull-ups and Olympic lifts,’ he says.<\/p>\n

Besides finding a good coach, Falstrault \u2013 who is no stranger to motivating people in the gym \u2013 says that the best piece of advice he can offer to those ready to make a change is to start as soon as you can.<\/p>\n

‘The one thing I hear people say in the gym is, “I\u2019ll start Monday”. Don\u2019t wait until Monday. There\u2019s never a good time to make a change \u2013 start right now and don\u2019t look back.’<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it\u2019s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in \u2013 all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here<\/a> to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men\u2019s Health app.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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