Let me start by clearly stating: THIS IS 100% FREE. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO LET ME KNOW YOU'RE PARTICIPATING, BUT IT WOULD BE COOL IF YOU DID. I DO NOT WANT ANY OF YOUR MONEY TO JOIN THIS CHALLENGE. I JUST WANT TO GET SHREDDED ALONGSIDE SOME LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS.
Okay, now that we've got that out of the way, let's get down to business.
I notice a lot of challenges like this are 30 days. I'm going for 60 days because 30 days is not enough time to really make any reasonable changes. Especially since this plan is very "doable." This is not a "lose 1 million pounds in 30 (or 60) days" program.
This is a challenge to provide you some direction, encouragement, and – dare I say – motivation to get fit, lean, and proud of your physique for this summer. My hope is that for those that need it, this will act as a springboard into the 30 minute physique (sustainable fitness) lifestyle.
For those that are already health-heathens, my hope is for this to provide a fun community to push each other to achieve greater levels of shreddiness than ever before, which will then set us up for a very gainful bulking phase afterward. Wins all around and maybe some new friends to share our fitness journey with.
Community is lost in the era of social media. But, I think we can battle the negative of social media, the internet, and the devil himself, with a positive communal approach to social media/the Internet and build a fitness community that some of you may be missing in the "real world."
That's okay. All of us in this corner of the "virtual world" clearly have similar goals and values. And with similar goals and values, we have the opportunity to establish a strong, positive community – even if it's not available in the flesh.
Anyway – the challenge. Right.
Here's the parameters:
Lift weights 3-6 days per week.
Eat your bodyweight (in pounds) x 13 as your calorie goal. As you lose weight, recalculate your current (based on your weekly average) bodyweight x 13. So if you weigh 205 pounds (my current weight) you'll eat around 2,600 calories per day.
Eat 1 gram of protein per GOAL bodyweight (or more).
The program I'm doing is my go-to "Basic PPL."
Feel free to do the same or something different.
Here's my plan:
Pull
Ex 1: pullups-2x5-8
Ex 2: rows (single arm or inverted)-2x6-12
Ex 3: incline DB curls-2x6-10
Ex 4: incline hammer curls or shrugs or rear delt fly-2x6-15
Push
Ex 1: incline DB bench press-2x6-12
Ex 2: KB military press-2x6-12
Ex 3: single arm cable pushdowns-2x6-12
Ex 4: DB lateral raise-2x10-15
Legs
Ex 1: Bulgarian split squat-2x6-12
Ex 2: single leg RDL or leg curls-2x10-15
Ex 3: leg extensions-2x12-20
Ex 4: calf raise-2x12-20
Do the exercise variations you enjoy. So feel free to do barbell bench press, overhead press, squats, and deadlifts if you're barbell-inclined.
If you're kettlebell and bodyweight inclined, do kettlebell or bodyweight variations of the exercises. But follow the general template of 4 pulling/pushing/leg(ing?) exercises for 2 sets on the appropriate days.
Rotate through the sessions in succession. I don't care if you do 5 days straight; every other day; 3 days per week in any order. 4 days per week; 2 days on, 1 day off, 4 days on, 1 day off; 3 days on; 1 day off; or if you go extra and do 6 days straight. Just get at least 3 of these sessions done per week and alternate through the sessions in succession.
That means push always follows pull, legs follow push, and pull follows legs.
You can do this. It's just 8 sets per session! These sessions will take 25-35 minutes. You HAVE the time. Commit to it and lean on me and whoever else for support.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that every session must be an award winning session. It won't be. During a calorie deficit, there will be even fewer award winning sessions than usual because you're literally in an energy deficit. You're going to feel tired. You're going to want to skip sessions. But, I challenge you to suck it up and just get it done. Go light if you need to. Rest longer if you need to do so. But get in the gym for 30 minutes and get the session done.
Taking each set close to failure is important for muscle growth – true. I stress this all the time. But showing up and checking the box is even more important. So check that box at least 3 days per week. Work hard most days, but on days where you're tired, sick, or short on time – just show up and get it done even if you don't work hard that day. It's still better than not showing up.
If you're into this, let's get a forum together on the 30 Minute Physique or Facebook or even Discord (majority rules – whichever you all prefer) and let's keep each other accountable.
Respond to this post if you're down and which platform (if any) you'd like to share your journey with the rest of the group. If you'd like to just join but not be apart of any group, message me directly to let me know that you're in and let's check to see how things panned out for you at the end of the 60 days.
Challenge starts Monday, 05/13/2024.
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