I met Ruan Retief in 2022. A CrossFit injury (torn bicep) led me to him in desperate need of rehabilitation of the muscle. After only a few months, Ruan helped me to recover and strengthen the muscle. Today my bicep has full mobility and is 99% back to normal. Since starting my training with Ruan, he has also helped me improve my weightlifting technique and as a result I gained back my confidence to start doing CrossFit again. In terms of weight loss, Ruan is also exceptional with helping to gauge and monitor your body’s specific calory intake and needs, according to your personal weight loss goals. He is brilliant with focusing on attention to detail and he sincerely cares about your physical growth, but what sets him apart is the fact that one’s emotional wellbeing is also looked after during these training sessions. He thoroughly and patiently talks you through every step and focuses on making fun experiences.     

I am an actor/stage performer, and during January of this year I approached Ruan once again, but this time with a slightly different request. I needed some next level body transformation assistance for a lead role as one of the main characters in a big theatre production currently running at the Afriforum Theatre in Pretoria. This stage production tells the story of a bunch of young teenage boys joining the South African army during the year 1980, to be recruited as soldiers fighting the war against communism on the border of Angola. My real age being 31, but having to play a character that is 18 years old, I once again had one goal in mind: To lose as much fat as possible and to get ripped and toned to the extent where I can be a believable 18-year-old on stage. Ruan guided me once again in terms of my workouts as well as calory intake. In only a few months I succeeded my goals. I lost 10kg in weight, drastically decreased my body fat and I put on lean muscle. I achieved exactly what I had to achieve for my work and I feel stronger and lighter than ever before. I also have much more energy during the day, and I am sleeping better during the evening. I have never been as ripped or physically fit in my entire life. I don’t recognise myself, but in a good way. I thank God that Ruan Retief crossed my path.