With little expectation or knowledge of fitness I started Hour of Power in January on 1.5kg weights ,now I'm lifting 4kg and I feel fitter and stronger than I thought possible,my endurance and stamina are improving,my body is toned,confidence increased and although it's been 7 months, each class is always a new challenge,not to mention an enjoyable experience.

The most valuable thing I've achieved from the classes is a deep insight and belief in my own physical ability and the encouragement to achieve and surpass my fitness goals. The expertise & genuine interest that Xavier & Gordon both possess is one in a million and they have earned my deepest gratitude and respect, I would highly recommend their training methods.

I recently did my gym work placement with Xavier and participated in both Fitness4x4 and Hour of Power. Up until I had taken part in those classes, I had competed in a wide variety of sports including athletics and kickboxing and found Xavier's training to be more intense and satisfying than any I had done previously. This, coupled with his vast knowledge of nutrition and other training techniques helped me learn more than I thought possible in such a short space of time.

After only 6 personal training sessions with Xavier, I have increased my muscle mass by 4kg and lost 6% bodyfat. I cut dairy, sugar, alcool, red meat and wheat as Xavier advised, and started eating mostly fresh, uncooked food instead. No boring calorie-controlled diet here, and dramatic improvements in strenght, vitality and recovery. No longer do I have to stay in bed all sunday morning if I go out the night before.

I have found the Hour of Power class a great way to cross train in a highly challenging way.

Not only is the content superb, the instruction is also first rate with instructors who are passionate about what they do and in making you challenge yourself to be the best you can be

It's without doubt a winning combination and the best class I have attended in over a decade

I used to train with martial arts and thought that I was very fit. Then I began attending Fitness 4x4 and Hour of Power some months ago and despite being 38 years of age I have never been as fit or as strong as I now am. Thanks to the training with Xavier and Gordon I competed onstage in the 2009 Dragan Challenge where I outlifted competetitors who appeared bigger and stronger than me. These are excellent classes and I highly recommend them to everybody.

4x4 has changed the way I train forever, it maximises my time in the gym and its a fantastic workout!

I first heard about Xavier's Hour Power Class through a friend in college that does the class on a regular basis. My friend said that the class is really great to improve your body's fitness and Endurance but because i go to the gym regularly i thought that i would not have any physcial probelm is taking Xavier's class. At the start of the class i introduced myself to Xavier, i told him i was really looking forward to his class but i was under the impression his class was going to be a peice of cake. I was eagar to get started and i was suprised when he handed me a set of three Kilo weights, i thought that Xavier was joking with me. I thought the class was going to be a waste of time because he only handed me a set of three kilo weights for a body conditiong class. When i go to the gym i would be looking to lift ten Kilo weights or something around that region. Going into the main phase i shocked to see that my fitness was nothing compared to what i expected it to be. At the end of the session i was very dissappointed that i could not finish the session. I was determined to improve my fitness. So i changed my diet around cutting out all fatty foods and took up an hour of power class once a week. Three weeks down the line my fitness improved by an amazing 50%. In one month Xavier has changed the way i will ever train in a gym. He has even turned my diet around that now. Why would i change it when I feel so good?

Embracing the principles of Fitness 4x4 has allowed me to maximise the results of my efforts in the gym while reducing the amount of time I need to train. Combined with the dietary and nutritional advice imparted to me by Xavier during my PT sessions, I have been able to lose weight, gain fitness and build muscle all at the same time. The principles of Fitness 4x4 are simple, its the intensity each person brings that will determine the results.

Xavier, Last year i took on one of the most difficult challenges in my life to date, The Dublin City Marathon, with your help and training i can honestly say that i would not have finished the 26 mile run across Dublin in October 2008.
From a professional sporting perspective i have never come across a fitness class like the hour of power. It has the perfect structure to challenge beginner to elite fitness in a group ethic of training which promotes all particiants to really achieve there goals. The intensity of the class is designed to work lower and upper body to the max.
If you are looking to improve there fitness and strenght i could not speak highly enough about this method of training.

Xavier, I am writing to express my thanks and gratitude for the personal training through the winter using the Fitness 4x4 methodology. I was training to tackle the world renowned Classic Haute Route backcountry ski mountaineering traverse, involving 6 consecutive days of between 8 - 11 hours of ski trekking, climbing, and mountaineering, with a 20KG pack, at altitudes normally above 3,500 metres. The requirement was to become 'Super' fit with an optimum capacity for strength and endurance. Your consultation and subsequent 'excruciating' hourly sessions increased my capacity significantly, and I can honestly say that without this specific bespoke training, I would have failed to complete this gruelling challenge. Thankfully, my 'no pain no gain' training paid off, and the attempt was an outstanding success. Thank you for all your help.

I've been training with Gordon in Club Vitae since January 2008. After being overweight most of my life, culminating in a trip to ultra-healthy Japan where I felt like the largest man in the country, I finally bit the bullet and decided to come to the gym.

Gordon comes up with programmes that are both varied and challenging to stop me from losing interest. He always encourages me to push myself to the limits and get a great workout through overloading. Gordon also paid a lot of detail to my diet, helping me to realise where I was going wrong and always suggesting healthy, tasty, new foods to try.

In less than a year I lost 7 1/2 stone and 12 inches from my waist with Gordon's help, but once I hit my target weight, it didn't stop there. Gordon continuously works with me to increase my fitness, meeting my own goals with a structured program both in and out of the gym - he even went the extra mile and encouraged me to take on a 10km run he was also doing - something I never thought I'd be able to do, but came in with a time of 52 minutes. Not only am I much fitter and healthier than I ever was, but I'm a lot happier and confident since I started training. My whole outlook on life has changed and I have just returned from a 10 day activities/fitness holiday in France where I did altitude running, whitewater swimming, mountain biking and climbing. Bofore I started training with Gordon I would never had thought of participating in one of these holidays.

Hour Of Power and Fitness 4x4 are the workouts I have been looking
for all my life

Hour of Power Class

I have been doing the class now for a few years and have found it the most challenging class I have ever done. No matter what level of fitness you are at you will be able to jump in. It is a great energetic class and I love working out to the music, it kind of makes you take your mind off the hard work you will be doing. In all honesty you will do more in this one hour class than an hour by yourself in the gym. It is a great all over work out combining cardio and resistance and the Hour of Power instructors are super supportive. I would totally recommend this class to guys and girls of all fitness levels, you can really push yourself and you will see and feel the difference. The first few classes are tough - bit of a shock to the body but it does get easier and your technique will improve and you will feel better for it. If you are looking for a challenge you have to come along and try this class!

Since taking up Hour of Power I have made the panel for the Irish Softball team and represented Ireland in two European Championships. I will definitely be using the Hour of Power in my training for the 2010 European Championships in Holland.

From Multiple Sclerosis to Dragan Challenge...

I had the pleasure of meeting and training with Xavier and Gordon over the last year. In a nutshell, they have changed my life and improved my quality of life using a smart and comprehensive training program including Fitness 4X4, Hour of Power and personal training combined with advanced nutrition guidelines.  I can not say enough on the professionalism and efficiency they have shared their knowledge to help me with my multiple sclerosis condition.  Since I have started training with Xavier and Gordon, my MS symptoms have decreased tremendously and I anticipate further improvements in the coming months.  I have now recovered my balance and strength in my arms that I had lost over the last few years.  With the nutrition advices given,at age 47, I have now an energy level that I had not experienced since twenty years ago and was able to perform more than 40 consecutive vertical lifts with 20kg dumb-bells during the strenght-endurance Dragan Challenge, Birmingham-UK, after only one week of specific preparation.   I will be forever grateful to Xavier and Gordon for their kindness and willingness to help me have a better life.  Both of them form the perfect team !

I had suffered with a bad lower back for many years and after consulting with a back specialist I was advised to build up the muscles around my back. Gordon has been training me for a few months now and he has tailored the training exercise programme to suit my specific needs. Not only has the pain I have carried for years in my lower back gone but I feel so much stronger than I ever did even before I had the back pain. My body has also transformed and I have toned-up all over and discovered muscles I never thought I had. The one-to-one training with Gordon was the only way for me to achieve these amazing results. Thank you so much Gordon for a pain-free life again!

I have been doing personal training with Xavier for over a year, and in that time I have experienced huge improvements in my strength, endurance, energy levels and fitness. The key principles of Fitness 4X4 is what I apply in my daily gym routines and I have found the programme both enjoyable and challenging. I would recommend the personal training offered by Xavier, as the results are real, and the gains have easily surpassed my initial expectations. I have tried in the past many different fitness routines
but this undoubtedly has been the best.

I considered myself to be a pretty fit 38 year old, going to the gym three times a week, mixing spinning classes with my own weights program. However, I had an ongoing back problem which affected every facet of my life, from picking my children up to completing a full turn in my golf swing. I mentioned this to Gordon one day and agreed to begin a course of PT to focus on strengthening my "core" and in turn, address the problems caused by my weak back.

Gordon put me on a program which was simultaneously challenging and achievable. Within two weeks I noticed a dramatic difference in my flexibility and physical appearance and my back pain was completely gone after years of ongoing discomfort. People who hadn't seen me in a month were fascinated by the change. I went from a snug 38 waist to a comfortable 34. I lost over an inch around my neck. In all, I lost nearly 14 pounds and this has stayed off. More importantly however, my core strength is incredible. I can throw my children around like a wrestler now (and they love it!), and my newfound ability to complete a full golf swing would make Rory McIlroy jealous!

I cannot speak highly enough of Gordon’s expertise and professionalism. His creativity in terms of new exercises never ceased to amaze me and this is only matched by Gordon's passion for his job and his drive to see his clients achieve their goals. Even for somebody who went to the gym regularly, Gordon's ability to make visible improvements in a short space of time makes the effort worth it.

I am 41 and like most of my peers sit at a desk 5 days a week. But unlike most of my friends whose beer-bellies are getting bigger I seem to be getting stronger, leaner and fitter as each month passes. The secret is simple: fitness 4x4 classes, and personal training sessions, which I started 3 years ago with Xavier. In the past 20 years I must have joined 10 different gyms. Each time the story was the same. I would attend on day one, get assessed and be given my chart with a set number of reps to do on a dozen different machines. I'd go maybe three times in the first week, twice in the second week, once the week after and intermittently for a few months until I gave up due to lack of results, lack of motivation and lack of direction and support. 4 x 4 is different. It is as effective as it is simple. You're in a class with a dozen others and the only equipment anybody needs is their pair of dumbells. You lift for 15 minutes. You squat for 15 minutes. That's it. In doing that, all 4 limbs and your entire core are worked to the max. As a result, I now take no medication for the lower back pain that plagued me for 15 years. The only treatment is 4 x 4. Having started by lifting a pair of 8kg dumbells in my first class, I'm now lifting a pair of 16kgs for a quarter of an hour non stop. Frankly if you'd told the 38 year old me that the 41 year old me would be doing that I'd have laughed in your face. But I'm certain that one day I'll be moving up to 17.5kg and then to 20kg as my performance further improves, despite my getting older. Because the movements are all compound movements (ie you lift a weight vertically over you head and lower it in an equally controlled manner, you squat down and stand back up), the muscles are being worked in natural, practical way and muscle development is balanced all over the body. Fat is burned off to be replaced by lean useful muscle. Nobody would mistake a 4 x 4 class for a group of bodybuilders. Instead of bulky guys who spend their days doing arm curls, the class look like what it is ie a group of people who are way fitter and healthier and with more energy than your average office drones. Gone are the days of spending hours wandering around a gym from machine to machine with long breaks between sets. Now it's all about energy output - an entire class spending half their lunchbreak pushing themselves to the max without rest and it's incredible what can be achieved in that half an hour. The energy and goodwill in the class is also a huge factor. In the class, with everybody willing eachother on, you can achieve so much more than on your own. Everybody is in this together, male and female, with ages in the class ranging from early 20s to retirement age, each trying to improve but encouraging eachother no matter whether someone is lifting 5kg or 20kg. The point is that everybody will have their own goals and will be working to their absolute potential to achieve them. 4 x 4 is perfectly designed to suit every fitness level and every age. The only requirement is that the person wants to get fitter and is willing to take the all important step of spending just 5 euro to spend half an hour having Xavier tear up the rule book about what you can achieve.

I started personal training with Xavier 12 weeks ago and in that time my strenght and fitness has nearly tripled. Personal training, Fitness 4x4 and Hour Of Power is the best training I've ever done. Dropped 10.8% body fat and built 4.9kg of muscle. No more words can convince you until you try it yourself !

Love both classes but tough on the legs ... couldn't walk for few days after my first Hour of Power class !!! Serious fitness.

These are realy good classes, just one month and you can feel realy good, everybody must try...

I've lost 60 kilos by training with Xavier . My life has changed forever.

One day I had a hair brained idea. Without a days experience of running, I decided that I wanted to run a half marathon, with less than three months to go to the big day. I overheard Gordon coaching a client in the gym one day and thought – that’s the man for me. Gordon took me under his wing and to say that he did absolutely everything he possibly could to help and support me with my training, is a gross understatement. I cannot speak highly enough of Gordon’s expertise, creativity, professionalism, patience, understanding and most of all his passion for his job and his drive to see his clients achieve their goals. Following Gordon’s tailored and very creative training programme I ran my very first half marathon in 2 hours and 2 minutes and it is Gordon I have to thank for that achievement. In fact he was the first person I contacted right after I crossed the finish line. I’ve now set Gordon and I a new challenge – my first Triathlon…

I have been training and playing rugby for 16 years. In less than 1 year with Xavier my fitness, power and strength have all gone through the roof. I have had an injury free season and probably played my best rugby. I captained Old Belvedere to one of our most successful seasons ever. ( 3 trophies ). I know a bit about training and this boy knows his shit !!!

Over and above the personal training, I do the hour of power, fitness 4x4 and fitness 21 classes. I have never known a better fitness regime.

I respect Xavier because he is the living proof of the efficiency of his way of training. It's been a pleasure and a daily challenge to be trained by him.

I'm 44 years old and I feel in better shape than ever and my fitness is increasing. The technique is fabulous and I have experienced a new level of strength and fitness.

Arguably the most intense fitness class existing today. Participation is possible for all age / fitness levels due to the unique nature of Hour of Power which allows you to adjust the weight / intensity as you get fitter. Simply magic !

As a fitness instructor I have taught and participated in many different classes but Xavier's Hour of Power challenged both my physical and mental abilities and I left having completed one of the best classes going.

Possibly the best training I've done, really gives an all over workout ! Makes you feel toned and more energetic in everyday tasks.

I am quite an active person and attend several different fitness classes, however I can honestly say the HOP is the most effective class I have ever attended. This is in no small part due to the enthusiasm, professionalism & expertise of Xavier Dolino.

I am so impressed with this programme, I make a round trip of 80 km to attend the class and had no hesitation in recommending it to several friends and colleagues, who have found the class excellent also.

I always thought thought I was fit until I came across Fitness 4X4. The intensity and total body conditioning of this class has taken my Fitness Level to a new height and I keep improving every week.

Before I used to work out 3 times a week and felt ok but since I started this class I have felt like a new person. My body shape has changed and my energy levels have shot up immensely.

In my rehab from a cruciate ligament reconstruction, I have put a lot of time into various programmes designed to rehabilitate my knee. This has been by far the most effective class for me and has allowed me to achieve higher levels of performance in my sport.

Training six times a week with no results. Since doing more upper body work and concentrating on specific running exercises my times have reduced and my technique has improved. 28.30 before, 26.45 after in only 3 weeks. Fitness 4x4 gave me more strength to run fast.