He’s the former Sale Sharks, London Welsh and Canada wing who’s now changing lives around the world. Meet Phil Mackenzie, proud founder of the Lean Squad. Let’s Get Lean

The Lean Squad is a business idea that grew from my passion for helping others reach their fitness goals. While I was playing for Sale my buddies and I would send each other exercises and advice on the best ways to live a lean and healthy lifestyle. We set up a Whatsapp group so we could ask each other questions and motivate ourselves each day. From that point on it just grew and grew and I reached out to more and more people, growing a small base of online clients. Once my rugby career came to an end, I started to build my website and Instagram account, focusing on inspiring others to reach their goals. I now have more than 150 clients who I work with on a daily basis. A Positive Response I have been gradually growing the business online for the last six months, and just last month I had more than 30 new clients sign up to the programme. My philosophy is all about embracing short, high-intensity training which makes you feel great, while also focusing on maintaining a lean diet. The biggest thing I want to get across to my clients is that my diet plans aren’t boring, they don’t revolve around chicken, rice or broccoli. My dishes are full of amazing flavour.

The Personal Touch I have taken a huge amount of inspiration from the success of other fitness programmes on the market. The Body Coach is someone I have always admired. I love how he interacts with his clients and inspires others with his humour. The Lean Squad offers a similar approach but I pride myself on about building a visual community, where my clients can interact with their fellow ‘Squadies’ and can take inspiration through the success stories which I post through my digital channels. Every workout plan I create is individually designed for the client. I take the time to analyse their body types and their current health and fitness levels. I also make sure I am always contactable. They can call or text me whenever they have a question or need advice. Helping Others Throughout my rugby career I was always a huge fitness nerd. I learnt so much from speaking to my club fitness trainers, physiotherapists and nutritionists. This is where my passion to help others came from. I loved the feeling of eating well and smashing out a daily routine in the gym. From these experiences I know the positive impact exercise can have on the body and the mind, and I want my clients to feel the same. The Perfect Transition When I was a full-time rugby player I could never imagine doing anything else and would think about the game 24/7. It’s a scary thought having to envisage what life after rugby might look like. However, through the RPA I completed a degree through Northumbria University which was incredibly beneficial and set the tone for how I wanted to approach my next chapter. The Lean Squad has made my transition so much easier. I now have a new focus and I feel like I am part of a team, helping others to reach their goals and live a healthy and happy lifestyle. To learn more about the Lean Squad please visit: http://lean-squad.com/ or follow them on Instagram: @leansquad