"Losing weight challenged me emotionally to face various beliefs I had about lovability, safety, self-expression, etc."
Ben's Progress
Before
12 Months
12 Months
After
How many months’ progress do your pictures represent? What were your stats for each picture?
The pictures are separated by roughly 12 months. I started at 182 pounds and dropped to 151 pounds. I never took body fat numbers. I assume it dropped by more than 15%.
I suspect I am around 10%-11% right now and assuming 3 pounds of new muscle over the year to account for strength gains, that would have put me at about 27% body fat at the beginning. From comparative pictures, I would say that’s fair.
What has happened so far on the program?
The cut went on for 12 months. There were breaks along the way, over the holidays, work trips, and vacations, but generally, I was attentive to what I was doing. I lost 31 pounds of body fat, at least, not figuring for increases in muscle mass.
My deadlift went from 155 to 255 (5 reps)
My back squat went from 135 to 225
My front squat went from 105 to 185 (4 reps)
Pull-ups got a lot easier. My PR with chin-ups is 15.
Ring dips 15.
Wide grip Pull-ups 10.
Push-Ups 50.
Handstand push-ups facing the wall 10.
These all doubled, more or less from the beginning.
What workout split from the book did you use?
I worked out 5 days per week. Every week. I started with the push-pull leg pattern but then started designing my own full-body workouts with an eye towards balancing unilateral leg movements with bilateral. And, also paying attention to vertical vs horizontal pushing and pulling. Mixing it up kept things interesting to me.
What, if anything, almost kept you from buying the book or starting the program?
I was looking for something. I really don’t like cardio that much, so it was an easy pick. The author was obviously fairly grounded and presented ideas in ways that were hard to argue with. Lol.
What do you like most about the program?
The program was about as difficult as I thought. I was fortunate in that my wife got on board with lifting and focusing more on her diet as well. Results were a long drawn out affair, but slowly, they kept coming. Looking back, I think it would have been wise to do a 6-week bulk maybe a couple of times during the year. Increasing my muscle mass would have made it easier to burn fat. Learning as I go.
How does this program compare with others you’ve tried?
I haven’t really done other programs. Pushing iron around is different than my background in bodyweight training. It has been fun to learn and integrate into my training.
How has what you’ve achieved with your body changed other areas of your life?
Dropping the fat has let me sleep better, no more snoring, no more joint aches in the morning (remember I am 53). Setting strength PR’s at my age is really far out and inspiring to see what else is possible.
Losing weight challenged me emotionally to face various beliefs I had about lovability, safety, self-expression, etc. So, shedding fat was also shedding the past in ways I would not have predicted. And this shedding of the past process has allowed me to feel more comfortable being myself.
Who would you recommend this program to and why?
I would heartily recommend this program and have done so. It’s fact-based. The results are measurable. Its focus is really body positive and I think just about everyone would benefit from being physically more powerful.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
My advice would be to go for it. Don’t hold back. Look at it like an experiment. You can always go back to your old way of doing things if you don’t like the results.
And, find a way to fall in love with the workouts. Keep them fun, with music, good company, private focus, visualizations, whatever it takes.
Did you use any Legion supplements?
I did not use any. My wife tried some of them.
