He’s behind some of the most dramatic celebrity body transformations in the country including Guy Sebastian (The Voice), Roger Corser (Doctor Doctor), Manu Feildel (My Kitchen Rules), David Campbell (Weekend Today), James Stewart (Home and Away) and Uli Latukefu (The End).
Known as a “rapid transformation” coach, trainer Chief Brabon transforms all types of bodies in a matter of weeks, aiding in muscle growth and weight loss, and turning his clients into lean, mean fighting machines.
Along with his wife of ten years, Emilie Brabon, the couple design programs specifically for the individual — complimenting their strengths and weaknesses, a key to any exercise program.
“Everybody’s body reacts differently to different types of training,” Chief explained during an interview with TheLatch—.
A former infantry soldier, Chief came up with his program after seeing another soldier struggling in regards to his fitness and not improving through the confines of the military.
“I started spending just a bit of time in the afternoon with him to try and do a little bit of extra work to help him to be able to pass his basic training,” he revealed, before admitting that he was approached by “more and more soldiers asking me to help train them”.
“I just realised that I really loved the whole process of it,” he admitted.
After the military, Chief began the very first Original Bootcamp in Australia and hired former soldiers to be in his team.
It wasn’t until he met and hired Emilie, a Fitness First spin instructor, that he had his first female employee. Not only did she become the first female Bootcamp instructor in the country but she would also become his wife.
The program was bought by Fitness First and was so successful that it ended up in 50 locations across Australia and Malaysia.
But while the success was there, Chief and Emilie left the franchise after three years, going back to their roots.
Now, the pair runs one of the most successful transformation studios in the business, SKWOD — focusing on both fitness and nutrition.
While anyone can join their gym, Chief says there is a key difference between ‘normal clients’ and a high-profile media personality.
“There’s very much a time limit of when we need to achieve goals by,” Chief said.
“That’s a major difference, is that they are going to be prepared to take their shirt off or be doing something physically within a specific time.”
“Someone like Roger Corser is a good example. He had two goals. He had four weeks to prepare for a role in the TV show called Glitch where he had to be absolutely shredded and actually almost looking a little bit emaciated for the role. Then four weeks later, he was doing another project where he had to be much more muscular and athletic.”
While they have physical motivators, Chief says that there’s another reason these celebrities are successful when it comes to health and fitness.
“They’re A-Type personalities,” he said. “They are already driven. They’re disciplined within themselves and in other areas of their life. We just basically tap into that and show them how to translate that to their training.”
One of Chief’s most successful transformations came in the form of The Bachelor’s Osher Günsberg who not only changed his entire physical appearance but his mental health as well.
“Osher actually came off his medication,” Chief said. “That was something we were dealing with along the way. I think the healthier you are, the stronger you feel and the more in control of your life you feel.
“When you’re more physically active in general, you tend to be able to battle against depression, and even Osher has said, it actually became an addiction to train because of the endorphin release. It’s so beneficial to you in regards to your mental health.”
If you’re not training for a role, or in the case of Sebastian and Campbell, getting on stage to do a show, Chief has some great exercise tips for you to get you started.
“Make it regular, as regular as possible,” he said. “Even you can do every workday, and just make it part of your day. Make it like having an appointment. An appointment you’ve made with yourself or with your coach or whatever it might be. You want to make sure you get into a rhythm. By doing it five days a week, even if it’s one day is something lighter, like yoga to help you recover, it’s still making that time each day. It becomes part of your lifestyle,” he said.
And the second?
“Try do things that are going to see rapid results,” he said. “There have been university studies that have talked about that. You are much more likely to achieve your goals the sooner you see a result. If we can show them a result within the first week, they’re going to be much more driven towards achieving their overall goal.”
What is SKWOD?
Founded by internationally renowned fitness experts Chief Brabon & Emilie Brabon-Hames, SKWOD is the company behind some of Australia’s most successful health and fitness initiatives including the world’s longest-running, and most respected boot camp fitness programs ORIGINAL BOOTCAMP, and the groundbreaking rapid transformation program & best-selling book 8 Weeks To WOW!.
The SKWOD Sweat & Social Club is Australia’s most exclusive new training facility, offering the ultimate in results-based personal and small group coaching.
You can contact Chief and Emilie Brabon here.