At Onfit Training College, we’re always proud to showcase the achievements of our trainers and assessors. One story that stands out is Rob Gardener’s, who recently turned a long-time dream into reality by stepping on stage at the I Compete Natural (ICN) Sunshine Coast Classic.
The Beginning of the Challenge
“My journey started about 10 months before competition,” Rob explains. “I’d come off a couple of bouts of sickness and wasn’t happy with where my body was at. I decided now was the time. It has always been a goal of mine to get into competition shape one day in my life, and this was the catalyst to make that goal the focus.”
Rob began with a DEXA scan to establish his starting point. “I wanted to know exactly where I was at,” he says. “From there, I set the goal of a small bulk over four months to get to 115kg. I started at 103.4kg and got very close, reaching 113.6kg. That was the launching point for the 23-week cut.”
“With a starting body fat of 20.6%—that’s 23.4kg of fat—it was a tough starting point for such a short cut. But I knew with Kate doing my nutrition plans, it was achievable.”
The Ups and Downs of Prep
The 23-week cut was not straightforward. “There were times where my body didn’t respond how we thought it would,” Rob says. “Weight would stay the same, or even increase, even though calories were cut further and cardio was added. That was a real mental game—to keep my focus and not get disheartened.”
“Kate to the rescue! She was always adjusting my meal plans, changing not only calories but food types along the way to find what worked for me.”
Exercise was one area Rob felt more comfortable with. “I created my own training plans throughout the whole process and adjusted as needed based on energy levels and how my body was responding. Honestly, that was the ‘easiest’ part for me.”
Then came the posing. “That was a huge learning curve,” Rob laughs. “I didn’t know a whole lot about it at all. Luckily my cousin, who has competed multiple times, was my posing coach. Having his help was massive.”
With support from friends, family, and his posing coach, Rob locked in his categories: Fitness and Physique.
Stage Day at the ICN Sunshine Coast Classic
“Fast forward 23 weeks and it was time for the final DEXA scan,” Rob says. “I was honestly amazed. My final weight was 88.8kg, with 7.9% body fat—just 7kg of fat. Seeing those numbers was a real moment.”
When the big day arrived, the nerves hit. “Getting up in front of the crowd and judges was nerve-wracking the first time,” Rob admits. “But it was also a lot of fun. Each time I went on stage, it felt more natural.”
His only goal was not to look out of place—but he exceeded all expectations:
🏆 1st in Physique Over 30’s
🏆 1st in Physique First Timers
🥈 2nd in Fitness First Timers
🥉 3rd in Fitness Over 30’s
“I can honestly say I was surprised by how well I did,” Rob says. “The people were amazing—so welcoming and supportive. All the competitors were great and complimentary towards each other. That was something I honestly didn’t expect.”
And after all that discipline, one reward stood out: “That first meal after competition—a 1kg burger—tasted incredible!”
Kate’s Perspective
Dietitian and Onfit Trainer & Assessor, Kate Lister, says Rob was a dream client to work with:
“The experience of working with Rob to achieve his goals was simple and a breeze! He set out with a big goal and we got to work fast, starting with a baseline deficit target focussing on important nutrients to retain muscle growth for the first few months. With 16 weeks out we began chiselling away.
Updating his macros and calories almost weekly to get to the goal. Rob stuck to the plan perfectly, highlighting the importance of consistency, compliance and trusting the process. Every gram and ml was followed to the tee, and we went from 113.6 to 88.8kg and Rob cleaned up the awards!
Seeing his body change and achieve what he set out to was incredibly inspiring and a very proud moment. If every client were like Rob – choosing a winner for events would be impossible!”
A True Inspiration
For Rob, the whole experience was about much more than a competition. “Every step of the way I was learning about myself—physically and mentally,” he reflects. “It was tough, but I enjoyed the process. My only goal was not to look out of place, and to walk away with the results I did was incredible.”
As one of our trainers and assessors here at Onfit, Rob now brings the lessons he’s learned into his teaching. “This journey showed me the importance of persistence, planning, and trusting the process,” he says. “That’s what I want to pass on to my students—because if you commit and stay consistent, you really can surprise yourself.”