We always read about transformation stories online and think that the people who achieved that remarkable transformation has something that we don’t have. In some cases this can be true, for example, they might have more drive and commitment than we do.
But that isn’t to say that we can’t have a successful transformation story of our own.
It’s true that in order to successfully transform your body, you need to have the commitment and motivation to do so because changing your body composition ain’t easy, nor is it a delight at times. But I’ll tell you this, it’s completely worth the effort and suffering that you put yourself through.
Information Can Be Overwhelming
When people feel the need to change their physical appearance and decide to hop onto the internet to find a starting point, they can often become overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information available to them.
More often than not, the information available can be rather contradictory to the other, leaving some people confused about what they actually should be doing.
They might read an article about why intermittent fasting is great and then right below it, an article on why intermittent fasting gives you man boobs — both written by the same writer.
Or they’ll see an article on HIIT being the best form of cardio, and then another about why steady-state cardio is the number one form of cardio.
All this information can lead to confusion, and the person who wants to transform their body ends up ditching it all because they aren’t provided with a clear cut answer about anything; they don’t know if they should do this or that or even why they should be doing one thing over the other.
So, in light of the above-mentioned situation, here are three guidelines that could very well help the confused potential body transformer, and even those who need refreshing, to stick to a few that work every single time, no matter how you look at it.
These three guidelines will help you to get the ball rolling. And once you get the get started, you’ll see how easy things come to you.
The 3 Guidelines to Success
1. Consistent Training = Success
In case you didn’t know, being consistent with your training can be the best first step you take to successfully transforming your body.
You could have 5 years worth of weight training under your belt, but if you weren’t consistent with your training in those 5 years, I guarantee that your physique looks pretty average despite all the years of ‘work’ that you put in at the gym.
You may ask what constitutes as “consistent training,” well, basically it’s any form of training that you perform in a repetitive pattern.
This could be training from Monday to Friday or training on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, or whichever days you choose to schedule your training on.
And then there’s the question of what you do in your workouts on those days. You could be going to gym five days a week but you only train what you feel like training on the day. This form of sporadic training could be a big factor in hindering your results.
2. Make It A Habit to Go to Gym
Piggybacking off of the point mentioned above, it’s important to turn the gym into a habit, or at least going to the gym.
How would you turn going to the gym into a habit? By preparing to go before you actually go to the gym. This means that you should plan ahead of time.
You do this by packing your gym bag with your training clothes the night before. Or if you train before going to work in the mornings, lay out the gym clothes you plan on wearing next to your bed. That way when you get up, you’ll be ‘programmed’ to hit the gym right after waking up.
Set yourself up for gym success by having constant little reminders that prevent you from skipping out on a workout.
3. Start With The Basics
All too often we’ll see new gym members perform the most common exercises known to the entire gym community; curls, bench presses, pulldowns, and crunches. This isn’t their fault, so I’m not pointing any fingers or making fun of anyone.
For those who are still a little uncertain about what exercises to start off with, beginning with the basics of bodybuilding and strength training is what will get you to places that you need to be, physically.
Without the basic, fundamental exercises, you won’t be able to build the foundation on which your future gains will stand. These movements are primarily the squat, bench press, and deadlift. However, fundamental exercises aren’t limited to these three.
There is a myriad of fundamentals that need to be performed, but the above-mentioned are the most important as they lay down a foundation for all strength and size training platforms.
These fundamental movements will be included in the 8 week challenge training program.
The 8 Week Challenge to Success
The workouts below are numbered from 1-3. Two workouts will be performed once a week and one workout will be performed twice a week. However, the order in which the workouts are performed will vary from week to week.
Doing it this way will allow your body and muscles to be ‘shocked’ and thus it will incur a muscular change in your body.
Remember, this is an 8 week challenge and so, the workouts will be alternated through week 1 to 4. When you reach week 5, start again from the same order as week 1, except this time, increase the number of sets for each exercise by 1, except for the three main lifts; increase their sets by 2.
Just to recap:
- Workouts will be alternated throughout the entire 8 week challenge.
- When you’ve reached week 5, repeat the workout order of weeks 1 to 4.
- In week 5, increase the number of sets for all exercises with 1 set, except for the squat, bench press, and deadlift — add 2 sets to those lifts.
The workouts should be alternated as follows: 1-2-3-1/2-3-1-2/3-1-2-3/1-2-3-1.
The Workouts
Workout 1
- Back Squat — 3 sets, 5-8 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press Superset with One-Arm Dumbbell Row — 3 sets, 8 reps
- One-Arm Dumbbell Row — 3 sets, 10 reps (each arm)
- Dumbbell Stationary Lunge — 3 sets, 10 reps (each leg)
- Landmine Press — 3 sets, 10 reps
Workout 2
- Barbell Bench Press Superset with Chin-Up — 3 sets, 5-8 reps
- Deadlift — 3 sets, 5-8 reps
- Seated Barbell Military Press — 3 sets, 10 reps
- Seated Cable Rows — 3 sets, 10 reps
- Farmer’s Walk — 3 sets, 20 reps
- Planks — 3 sets, 30-second hold
Workout 3
- Barbell Curls — 3 sets, 10 reps
- Landmine 180’s — 3 sets, 8 reps (each arm)
- Skull crushers — 3 sets, 8-10 reps
- Inverted Row — 3 sets, 8 reps
- Russian Twists — 3 sets, 10 reps (each side)
- Standing Calf Raises — 3 sets, 15 reps
In Conclusion
This isn’t the most specified bodybuilding or strength training program, but it is enough to bring about a positive change in your body composition.
Remember to keep the three guidelines at the top of your mind and do your best to stick to them. Change doesn’t happen overnight but is a constant process of repetition, just like lifting weights are. Don’t forget to increase your sets after week 4. This is very important.
If you decide to follow this 8 week challenge, record your progress. Take a before photo and then an after photo once you’ve given your everything to those 8 weeks. Or even send in your successful transform to us for a chance to be featured!
