More than three decades since it first launched, Gladiators is back and with a brand new group of superhuman-like athletes challenging members of the public to take them on.
Looking at the group’s bulging biceps and chiseled abs it’s set to be a David and Goliath situation for the brave contenders going up against them.
Yet not too long ago, the fit and fearless gladiators looked no different to ordinary members of the public.
Their Instagram pages are littered with photographs documenting their progress in a bid to inspire others to start their fitness journey
But do YOU have what to takes to get a body like a Gladiator? Read on for the secrets for the success.
Gladiators is back and now the superhuman-like athletes have revealed their fitness secrets (Top row – left to right: Legend, Fire, Bionic, Diamond, Nitro. Second row – left to right: Electro, Giant, Steel, Apollo, Comet. Third row – left to right: Viper, Athena, Fury, Phantom, Bottom – Left to right: Sabre, Dynamite)
Zack George aka Steel has undergone a fitness transformation after admitting he lead an ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ in his youth
George was overweight as a child, admitting ‘I practically inhaled chocolate and ate McDonald’s and KFC — a family bucket — five times a week’
Steel
Zack George aka Steel has undergone a fitness transformation after admitting he lead an ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ in his youth.
He was overweight as a child, telling The Sun: ‘I practically inhaled chocolate and ate McDonald’s and KFC — a family bucket — five times a week. The more fast food I ate, the more I craved it. It was a vicious cycle.
‘Being overweight makes you feel rubbish. You can’t walk or run far so you don’t want to exercise and you often end up finding comfort in fast food.’
Yet Zack was soon inspired to make healthy changes in his life and after catching the exercise bug he soon became a devotee of CrossFit, a fitness regimen focused on performing functional movements performed at a high intensity.
He now trains four hours a day, six days per week, with the results visible in his ripped physique.
Comet
Over the last four years, Ella-Mae Rayner aka Comet has found weight lifting and nutrition the key to changing her physique
Ella-Mae said of her transformation: ‘It was only when I was left with no choice but to educate myself about the gym (as it was the only thing I could do) that the journey really begun’
Over the last four years, Ella-Mae Rayner aka Comet has found weight lifting and nutrition the key to changing her physique.
She explained: ‘Fitness truly did save me from a very dark place years ago after suffering a life changing injury.
‘Although, I had always been into sport including gymnastics in my younger years, diving as a teen and then cheerleading during my university days, I had never been taught much about weight lifting/nutrition.
‘It was only when I was left with no choice but to educate myself about the gym (as it was the only thing I could do) that the journey really begun.
‘It is not the physical change where I have noticed the biggest transformation despite what you see here, but the it’s the mental one that’s changed the most.
‘It’s the feeling of confidence in my body, the feeling of strength inside and outside the gym, it’s having constant energy, getting a good sleep every night, an elevated mood and knowing that I am setting myself up a long and healthy life.’
Now armed with a selection of protein shakes and eating little and often, Ella-Mae sticks to consuming 1800 calories and 150g protein
Giant
At 6ft5 and weighing in at 20 stone, Jamie Johal aka Giant, is perhaps the most intimating Gladiator of the group
It’s taken two decades of commitment to training and eating 10,000 calories a day for the ex-police officer to build his current stature
At 6ft5 and weighing in at 20 stone, Jamie Johal aka Giant, is perhaps the most intimating Gladiator of the group.
However, it’s taken two decades of commitment to training and eating 10,000 calories a day for the ex-police officer to build his current stature.
He told about his transformation: ‘Being this tall when I was 14 years old and weighed 13stone, it’s a very different look. I was a tall, skinny, gangly teenager. I even had the nickname Lamppost at school.
‘Now I’m 6ft5 and 20stone 5lbs… To maintain my physique currently, I am eating around 4,500 calories per day but when I was trying to get as big as possible, I was eating up to 10,000 calories a day… 70,000 calories a week is not a cheap food bill.
‘I would eat up to seven meals a day and they would be, if you imagined the biggest Sunday dinner you could have at your parents’ house, that would be every meal.
‘Each meal would be a 1000-1500 calorie meal… it is a lot of food and digestion plus some sleeping as well because eating all of that makes you sleepy. I would eat oats, chicken, steak, all good foods.’
The father-of-two says alongside his vigorous diet, he completes 10 hours of weight training every week, targeting a different muscle group each session.
Diamond
Livi Sheldon aka Diamond was always sporty and even played football for Worcester City Ladies before she got into weightlifting
In 2012 she began her weight training journey and has credited it not just with shaping with her physique but ‘molding her as a person’
Livi Sheldon aka Diamond was always sporty and even played football for Worcester City Ladies.
Yet in 2012 she began her weight training journey and has credited it not just with shaping with her physique but ‘molding her as a person’.
She explained: ‘When I first started training it was initially “to lose weight” but later as I got more consistent with training I realised how much it was changing my body shape and I loved it.
‘The training was never the problem for me, I could train all day long, push myself, and never miss a session.
‘It was the diet, I struggled sooo many years with emotional eating – which I didn’t realise at the time but I do now – I would jump to a chocolate bar, or a pizza for comfort.
‘It’s taken many years for me to see food as fuel and not as ‘food’” but once that clicked I understood. And that didn’t come from dieting, it’s taken the years of being in a maintenance phase to understand that.
‘Because I haven’t deprived myself of anything, seen how my body has reacted to the consistent training, food and love that I’ve given it, and now I have a much better understanding I am mentally stronger because of this too and I know I am in control.’
Legend
Fitness YouTuber Matt Morsia aka Legend began his fitness journey in athletics and in 2011 he was ranked among the top three triple jumpers in the country
Matt changed course from triple jumping and became a powerlifter, winning a silver medal in the European Championships in 2016
Fitness YouTuber Matt Morsia aka Legend began his fitness journey in athletics and in 2011 he was ranked among the top three triple jumpers in the country.
Yet he changed course and became a powerlifter, winning a silver medal in the European Championships in 2016.
After retiring from international competitions, he continued performing to a huge audience becoming highly successful fitness influencer and professional YouTuber – amassing over 355 million views.
In 2020, he released his first book, The 24/7 Body. Bringing all his power and strength to the series, the contenders will not forget Legend.
He said: ‘I’ve been training like a beast for the show but realistically I didn’t need to. I could’ve spent the last two months eating doughnuts and playing Dungeons & Dragons and I’d still be better than everyone else.
‘I’m called Legend for a reason! I can only apologise for the irreparable damage I’m about to do to the contenders. Actually, that’s a lie, I’m not sorry at all. I’m actively looking forward to it’.
Electro
Jade Packer aka Electro began her fitness journey as a sprinter
By 2019 she got into weight training after she discovered the sport on social media platform Instagram, and her subsequent dedication to training won her several awards
Jade Packer aka Electro began her fitness journey as a sprinter.
Her speed led to her being ranked amongst the Top 10 Fastest Runners in the UK aged 12 for 150m and she went onto to race for titles at various championships over the 100m and 200m.
As a result of her gruelling training regime she had little muscle and moderate body fat weighing 142lbs.
By 2019 she got into weight training after she discovered the sport on social media platform Instagram, and her subsequent dedication to training won her 4 x Top 3 UKBFF Placings in the Wellness Category, an invite to compete at the Arnold Classic and an IFBB Elite Pro Card by taking Gold at the English Grand Prix.
After training for only a year before her first show, she became an instant sensation and went on to represent the UK in both Barcelona and Madrid throughout her 2 seasons.
Now training in CrossFit, with a unique hybrid-style that incorporates her athletic background, she still describes running as ‘her forte.’
Athena
Karenjeet Kaur Bains aka Athena uses her platform to help smash South Asian female stereotypes and wants other women to follow in her fitness footsteps
She told fans: ‘I initially went into the gym with the mindset to “Keep Fit” naïve of the STRENGTH and POWER a Female could achieve when they start lifting’
Karenjeet Kaur Bains aka Athena uses her platform to help smash South Asian female stereotypes and wants other women to follow in her fitness footsteps.
She often shares her progress pics from sprinter to weight lifter and told fans: ‘I initially went into the gym with the mindset to “Keep Fit” naïve of the STRENGTH and POWER a Female could achieve when they start lifting! Little did I realise the power I would feel when I touched the weights.
‘It was EMPOWERING! And frankly hitting lift after lift it became addictive to know what was the next weight or PB I could SMASH!
‘WE are often fed the narrative as South Asian women of being “quiet, dainty and submissive” not to be too LOUD or take up too much SPACE.
‘Walking into testosterone filled gyms especially when I started lifting was INTIMIDATING at FIRST. I’ve BEEN there!
‘If you’re reading this and can relate – I want you to know that if I can OVERCOME that feeling so can you
‘Work on toughening your MIND as much as you do your BODY! Just know you’re NOT alone if you feel like that…But I encourage you to OWN your space. Stick to it and don’t let anything ever intimidate you.’
Gladiators returns on Saturday at 5.50pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
Gladiators returns on Saturday at 5.50pm on BBC One and iPlayer and will be hosted by Bradley Walsh and his son Barney