“I finally have abs and I’ve doubled my strength on every exercise!”
How many months’ progress do your pictures represent? What were your stats for each picture?
A full year of progress. I went from 19% body fat to 10%!
What has happened so far on the program?
The first thing I did was reverse diet. I was under eating for too long without knowing it. After I read Bigger Leaner Stronger, I realized I had the symptoms associated with under-eating and overtraining for years. Once I corrected these symptoms, I went on my first cut and I went from 167 pounds and 19% body fat to 150 pounds and 10% Body fat.
I bulked back up to 163 pounds over the course of 4 months, not the leanest bulk I could have done, but I’ll do it better next time. I cut again back down to 153 pounds and 10% body fat.
I have doubled my strength on every exercise I can think of by following up Bigger Leaner Stronger with Beyond Bigger Leaner Stronger and combining the info from the new articles on the ultimate exercises.
My big lifts as of 1 year and 3 months are:
Bench press: 75 pounds to 265 pounds for 2 reps
Squat: 135 pounds to 325 pounds for 2 reps (I hate squats haha)
Deadlifts: 185 pounds to 425 pounds for 1 rep max
Military press: 85 pounds to 195 pounds for 1 rep max
What workout split from the book did you use?
The 5-day split from the PDF of Bigger Leaner Stronger for year one and now I’m using the 5-day split from the Beyond Bigger Leaner Stronger PDF and alternating rep ranges from hypertrophy (8-10) to power (2-3) to strength (4-6) on a weekly basis–all thanks to the articles on Muscle for Life!
What, if anything, almost kept you from buying the book or starting the program?
Nothing was going to stop me from buying the book. I was even desperate enough to pay $70 for some youtuber’s three month diet and exercise plan. I’m so glad I’m frugal and decided to buy Bigger Leaner Stronger instead.
What do you like most about the program?
I finally have abs! Everyone always says “abs come from diet more than anything,” but I’ve learned there is more to it than that.
But I guess what I really like the most is watching the douchebags at the gym stay exactly the same. Watching them live at the gym wasting their time with no results brings me many smiles.
While the smaller, quieter, and more polite guy comes in, lifts more weight, and has an all around proportional physique. Sure, thats not a modest thing to say, but I’m being honest.
When people ask me what I’m doing I give them a short answer: “I follow this one book called Bigger Leaner Stronger,” but for some reason no one wants to read it.
How does this program compare with others you’ve tried?
I had tried doing things on my own before the program with no improvements to show for, besides being able to do one-arm pushups.
How has what you’ve achieved with your body changed other areas of your life?
I get a lot of comments about my physique from strangers and coworkers (all of them have been men, lol). Before I used to only get comments about my height, so getting comments on my physique has been a real confidence booster.
Who would you recommend this program to and why?
I recommend it to everyone–with little success, though. The three people I talked into buying the book didn’t seem to retain the information or reverted back to whatever they were doing before reading the book. The biggest downfall of the book is the reader unfortunately.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
After reading the book, read the occasional article on the subject that you feel is your weakest–it may fill in some knowledge gaps that you have. Listen to the podcast–there’s lots of useful advice there as well.
Did you use any Legion supplements?
I’ve pretty much tried all of them lol. Phoenix made a good difference during my cuts. The Silverplus shirt is my best workout shirt–you need to try it, you’ll thank me later.
Want to become a success story too? Here’s how he did it
The program that made this transformation possible:
The meal plan that makes building muscle and losing fat easy and enjoyable:
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Mike Matthews
Mike Matthews is the founder of Legion as well as the author of several award-winning fitness books, including Bigger Leaner Stronger, Muscle for Life, and The Shredded Chef.
His simple and science-based approach to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy has sold over a million books and helped thousands of people build their best bodies ever, and his work has been featured in many popular outlets including Esquire, Men’s Health, Elle, Women’s Health, Muscle & Strength, and more, as well as on FOX and ABC.
You can find Mike on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
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