Here’s What Our Clients Say About Us
Journey to FREAKhood – Amber Lowes’ Story
I first came to FREAK Fitness boot camp in September 2008. I had just moved to Winnipeg and wanted to lose weight. At six feet tall, I was overweight (over 190 lbs!) and was completely out of shape. Surrounded by some of the best bodies I had ever seen – all trained by Darren and Christina Mehling – I grunted, wheezed and sweated my way through what felt like the hardest 45 minutes of my life! I had to sit out almost every other exercise and was lapped multiple times by super athletes (aka FREAKS) during the running portion of the class.
Crazy as it seems, I loved every second of it. After nursing my body for a few days, I ventured back to FREAK for the WOD (Workout Of the Day). The warm up alone was harder than anything I had put myself through in a gym. Then we did the “300” – 25 pull ups, 50 pushups, 50 dead lifts, 50 floor sweepers, 50 box jumps, 50 kettle bell swings and another 25 pull ups, as fast as you can. My pull ups were from the floor on my back to a bar about three feet from the ground. Pushups? Well, I could hardly do them from my knees. My floor sweepers were ugly, I was afraid to jump onto the box and I didn’t know what a kettle bell was. It took me over 20 minutes to get through it.
I started to clean up my diet and consulted with Darren three times weekly. I eliminated junk from my diet, while learning what to eat for optimal athletic performance and weight loss. About one month into my new found love of fitness, the WOD was max dead lift. I was able (after multiple fails) to barely lift 225 lbs – I wanted more!
I had not gone back to Boot Camp since my first attempt, but in December 2008 I added Boot Camp as a fourth workout each week. Then, in January 2009 I added a fifth workout to my weekly training schedule.
By this time, I was feeling great. My diet was going well – I was down over 20 lbs and countless inches. I had learned that the super athletes around me at FREAK were Fitness and Figure competitors. Strong and beautiful and with more drive than I ever imagined, I watched as they trained, dieted and transformed. Inspired by their example, I wanted to be one of them.
I continued to get stronger, leaner and fitter. In February 2009 I finally performed my first unassisted pull up! Dead lifts had quickly become a favourite alongside the kettle bells. I watched the FREAK female athletes compete at the Manitoba Novice and Provincial shows and couldn’t wait to get on stage myself. I was also excited for these women, many of whom I had become good friends. Then in late May 2009 Darren announced, “Amber, today’s the day!” “For what?” I wondered – I had no idea. “Today is the day you start to train like a Figure competitor,” Darren said.
So, for the next ten months I trained, dieted and transformed, and I learned how to be a true Figure competitor under the careful guidance of Christina Mehling who is a Pro Fitness and Figure athlete herself.
In December 2009, I dead lifted almost 300 lbs. I no longer wheezed my way through Boot Camp and was able to add cardio sessions to my program. I now weighed less than 150 lbs and could perform pushups from my toes and easily do 20” box jumps.
I stepped onstage for the first time in March 2010 at the Manitoba Novice competition – no words can explain the feeling. Being up on stage with people calling your name is an experience like no other. I am hooked. Thank you Darren and Christina!
“It has been an honour and pleasure to work with Darren Mehling. I have come to admire the various qualities and characteristics he posses that make him a strong, compassionate, dependable, and thoughtful leader. Darren is a natural leader with a personality so well suited to working with people who want to make a “difference” in their lives. He has truly made a difference and impression in my life and for that, I am grateful.” Michael Ansah
“Darren, thank you for all your coaching, motivation, encouragement, and friendship over the past year! It’s been a great journey, and you have helped me make significant improvements in my physique, discipline, and willpower! I love my new muscles!
Christina, thank you for sharing your posing expertise with us. You helped me have confidence on stage so I could really enjoy my first figure competition experience. This is only the beginning for me and I look forward to whatever the future holds as a member of Team GOTS!”
Shawna Goossen
“I wanted to thank you for being the greatest trainer/coach ever! I am so glad I decided to compete and I have you and Christina to thank for inspiring me and being behind me. You have built what I think is a fantastic team of people I am proud to call my friends. You’re the best!!!” Sasha Herwig
“Darren, I just wanted to say thanks for everything you have provided me over the past year. Training with you, Christina and the rest of Team GOTS has been quite an amazing experience. I had been training at the gym for years and was never able to get results like I have since I started training with you. You really couldn’t have picked a better name then Team GOTS because not only do the group of individuals you train feel like a family to me, you have been able to transform my body into something I could only dream of. Thank you so much for your continued support, your dedication, and commitment to helping me achieve things I never thought were possible. You ROCK!!!” Natalie Poisson
“I have been competing and training for 38 years and thought I knew it all. Darren became my trainer for the Masters competition at the 2007 nationals and, at the age of 47, Darren got me in the best shape of my life. I was in better shape then in 2002 when I won the overall at the Manitoba’s. Darren’s knowledge of training and nutrition is second to none. I would recommend to any one competing or even just trying to keep in shape to use Darren as a trainer. Although I am retired from competing I still use Darren’s training methods because I feel they are the best. Forget what you read in the magazines and get in touch with Darren if you want to be all that you can be.” Henry Van Dijk
“Hey D! Just wanted to say that I really like your dedication and the example you set... you really have a gift for coaching! Way to go!” Allison Casselman
“Darren, I want to thank you for all your help. I have to say that I haven’t felt this good in a few years and I look forward to working out. Training with you has literally changed my life. It’s changed the way I look at myself and I have made changes that are life long now and I know there is no going back. I love learning and training and I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your time and all your help. Words cannot express how much it means to me to have a coach like you.” Evan Duke
“Hey Coach! If it wasn’t for you and Christina and Team GOTS I would not be where I am today! You have helped me grow stronger both mentally and physically., and I have honestly made some enormous personal changes since knowing you. My life and my outlook have changed all for the better! I thank you for bettering my life!” Dominique Pujo
“Darren, I wanted you to know, that you have a personality, and knowledge base that will make you a very successful man. Your ability and desire to encourage and help people are amazing traits that most don’t have. Your positive attitude is contagious. Thank you!” Val Nolan
“I just wanted to say thanks a million for helping me over the past few months. Since I started coming to boot camps and then the diet, it’s made me realize what kind of physique I was capable of having and the potential I have to go further and eventually compete. I appreciate all of your encouragement.. Thank you, thank you, thank you! :)” Christina Falvo–Carvalho
“I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you. All the way along you always know just what to say to keep me going. I could not have gotten to this point and in this kind of shape without you, so thank you. I looked at the pictures and couldn’t believe how good I looked. A lot of that is your doing... I can’t thank you enough.” Colin Klassen
“Thank you for taking me to this new level I have never been before. You are a great coach and took everything you said to me to heart and applied it to me the best that I could. You really made me believe IN ME !!! and that is important in what we do and go through.”
Jody Witwicki
“Thanks so much for everything Darren! I’m so happy I met you...and I really couldn’t have done this with out you!! I feel so good and it’s all thanks to you:)” Mia Kulba
“Thanks for everything that you and Christina have done, you both have helped me gain some self confidence that I have always wanted to gain, you both have also helped me become aware of my own potential, and also helped me find a new found interest that that makes me feel good about myself. Looking forward to the journey ahead and also having you guys beside me helping me as far as I can go! Many Many THANKS TO YOU” Vaneethy Tumolva
