66 JUNE 2017
“Your body has
an amazing ability
to adapt to its
environment’’66 JUNE 2017 http://www.mens-health.com.my 67
BUILD A GYM-FREE BODY
Do this workout three times a week at an outdoor gym to build total-body muscle
in 3 weeks. In the first week, do all exercises with no break, rest 1 minute and
repeat twice. In weeks 2 and 3 build up to 4 and then 5 rounds respectively.1 / High box jumps
x 11
With feet together,
explosively jump up onto
a bench or picnic table,
and back down.2 / Sissy squat x 11
With feet shoulder-width
apart, your hips and waist
straight, and core and
back tight, bend your
knees, pushing them
down as you lift your
heels off the ground.
Return to the starting
position. You may use a
pole for balance.3 / L-sit pull up x 11
From a dead hang
position, raise your knees
so that your legs are
extended straight in front
of you. Pull yourself up
until your chin is above
the bar. Pause for a
moment before slowly
lowering yourself down.4 / Archer push-ups
x 11
Lower your body down
until your left shoulder is
in line with your left
elbow while simultaneously
allowing your right hand
to push out to the side.
Reverse movement back
to starting position, and
repeat on opposite side.5 / Front lever tuck
hold x 30 secs
Grasp the bar with an
overhand grip. Pull your
legs and hips up, at the
same time leaning back.
Your back should be
rounded and your body
tucked up into a ball.
Progress to extending
each leg one at a time.6 / Straight-bar dip
x 11
On a straight bar with
arms extended, lower
yourself down, keeping
your elbows tucked in,
and leaning your torso
over the bar. Extend your
legs in front of you for
balance. Return to the
starting position.FLIP THE SCRIPT
The contrast is startling: the 2008
Tim Robards had more of a boyish,
underwear model vibe. The Tim
Robards of today has a more
masculine, slightly furrier look.
The differences extend beyond
his faltering relationship with a
razor. Back then, he was merely a
gym guy. Since he was 13 years old,
Robards worked out in his mum’s
home set-up as he attempted to get
bigger for high school rugby league.
When he moved into modeling
while at uni, the gym remained his
workshop, as he flogged himself for
up to two hours a day with mates
before classes. Our colleagues in
MH Australia, where he shot his
first cover, attest that he looked
“pretty decent”.
But Robards’ training worldview
was literally flipped on its head
when he saw his first Cirque du
Soleil show. “These guys were doing
incredible things with their bodies
that seemed so far out of reach, andthey also had these unbelievable
physiques,” he recalls.
It spurred his interest in
calisthenics and gymnastics-
style training. At the same time
life was getting busier: his sports
chiropractic business was taking off
and then his lead role on Australian
reality TV show The Bachelor
sent everything into overdrive.
He was looking to pare back his
training, prioritising efficiency
and simplicity in what his mates
began to jokingly refer to as “The
Robards Method”. Two years ago, it
was still a slightly nebulous, almost
mystical fitness philosophy. Now?
It’s become a fully-fledged workout
equipment. Key to the system’s
success is its one-size-fits all nature,
offering a sense of progression and
achievement that’s critical to getting
people to stick with it. “The exercises
ramp up in intensity,” Robards says,
“from stuff my grandmother could
do to stuff the best street workout
guys in the country will get a great
workout doing.”FIND YOUR WHY
When Robards looks back on the way
his training has evolved over eight
years, the main difference he sees
isn’t physical. It’s the motivation
he takes into his workouts. Back in
2008 it was important to look good
for modeling. Aesthetics remain
a factor, he admits, and can be a
powerful motivational tool. “You
need to identify a clear ‘why’ for your
training,” he says. “If you’re driven
by aesthetics that’s fine. Stick a photo
up on your wall to remind yourself
exactly what you want to achieve.”
But for Robards these days, greater
motivation lies in taking on the
challenges posed by calisthenics.
“Now I train to learn to move my
body in new ways, to keep pushing it,”
he says. “Your body has an amazing
ability to adapt to its environment.”
He pauses for a moment as he sits up
on the grass. “Your body is a reflection
of the environment you put it in.”
Looking to build a beach body? Then
visit therobardsmethod.comSONNY RAMIREZ/THE ILLUSTRATION ROOM