"I saw amazing results and have a newfound sense of confidence!"
Derek's Progress
Before
12 Months
How many months’ progress do your pictures represent? What were your stats for each picture?
The photos provided represent 12 months of progress–from July 2016 to July 2017.
My starting body fat percentage was approximately 20% and after the program I ended around 12%. I was 200 lb in my before picture and 170 lb in my after.
What has happened so far on the program?
After using the Bigger Leaner Stronger fundamentals for over a year, I’ve lost 30 lb of fat and have made significant strength gains on almost all of my lifts. I was already doing many of Mike’s recommended exercises for arms, shoulders, and chest and was able to increase all my lifts by about 25% using his recommended rep ranges.
My most significant area of improvement was in squats and deadlifts. Having a surgically repaired knee and nagging lower back issue, the idea of doing squats and deadlifts scared me. However, after starting light and learning proper technique, I improved my deadlift 1RM from 205 to 330 and back squat from 185 to 275 while losing 30 lb in the process!
Whenever I lost weight in the past, I usually also lost strength. But by maintaining the intensity in my workouts and sticking to a high protein diet (and eating my carbs around lifting sessions), I was still able to make fantastic gains while being in a deficit.
What workout split from the book did you use?
I had success with the 5-day split when I first started Bigger Leaner Stronger, but within a few months of increasing the intensity of my workouts, I was unable to recover in a timely fashion. So I ended up increasing the amount of rest days and changed to a modified 3-day split of chest/shoulders/ triceps, back/biceps, and legs.
What, if anything, almost kept you from buying the book or starting the program?
What could have kept me from starting this program is the same thing that keeps me from believing most fitness professionals–what is their purpose in fitness and how do they live their life?
My goal in fitness, or anything in life for that matter, is to align myself with individuals with similar goals and values. Fitness is a massively large business and I believe most people don’t follow the proper blueprint for their specific goals.
I live a sober lifestyle and it was important to me to be a part of a drug-free program that would boost my overall health and confidence. After reading Mike’s thoughts about the fitness world–especially the unregulated supplement industry–I knew we shared similar goals and values.
What do you like most about the program?
The program was not easy, but it was simple! I don’t mind hard work and suffering as long as I’m on the right path. There is nothing more frustrating than suffering through a program only to see no results!
After seeing significant results in only 6 weeks, I knew I was on the right path and it was no longer something I had to get through but something I loved! It’s important to love the process or you’ll never stay consistent.
How does this program compare with others you’ve tried?
I never dieted much, but when I did it was usually very low-carb. I found myself losing muscle mass and unable to maintain energy during training sessions. Bigger Leaner Stronger keeps things basic with no gimmicks or hacks. Burn more calories than you consume. Period.
How has what you’ve achieved with your body changed other areas of your life?
Meeting my fitness goals was very empowering and resulted in a new high. I found that committing to real change and achieving this goal created a new confidence that bled into all other areas of my life. Knowing you can progress to that level, and can do it whenever you want, is very fulfilling.
Who would you recommend this program to and why?
I would recommend Bigger Leaner Stronger to someone who is new to the fitness world or someone who is an experienced lifter who has plateaued. It’s an excellent program to get you back on track!
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
In the Bigger Leaner Stronger program, please pay special attention to chapter 2, “The Inner Game.” In my opinion, this is by far the most important section of the book!
At the time I started this program I told myself I will succeed with this transformation no matter what. In fact, “No matter what” was the mantra I would repeat to myself over and over again when I had nothing left. Once you mentally commit and KNOW you’re going to accomplish this goal, the rest is easy.
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.
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We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. Holy moo cows. And that means you can say "yes" now and decide later.
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Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you live in the United States, your order ships free regardless of order size, if you live in the UK or Canada, your order ships free when it’s over $99, and if you live elsewhere, your order ships free when it’s over $199.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you live in the UK or Canada, your order ships free when it’s over $99.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you’re outside the USA, your order ships free when it’s over $199.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
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Many ingredients in supplements don’t have any scientifically validated benefits, and many ingredients that do are often underdosed to the point of irrelevance.
That’s why we only use the choice ingredients and precise doses shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
Clinically Effective Doses
You need more than great ingredients to make great products—you also need proper doses. That’s why we use the precise doses of ingredients shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
100% Natural Ingredients
“Natural” doesn’t always mean “better,” but in many cases, natural ingredients are superior to artificial ones for various reasons, including purity, safety, and efficacy.
That’s why all of our ingredients in all of our products come from plant and animal sources, including sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
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That’s why all of our supplements are made in America in NSF-certified and FDA-inspected facilities that operate in accordance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations.
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Did you know that supplements can contain dangerously high levels of toxins like lead, arsenic, and cadmium?
That’s why we test every ingredient of every supplement we produce for heavy metals, microbes, allergens, and other contaminants and ensure they meet the strict purity standards set by the FDA.
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While artificial sweeteners may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of these chemicals may indeed be harmful to our health.
That’s why all of our supplements are naturally sweetened and flavored and contain no artificial food dyes, fillers, or other unnecessary junk.
Science-Backed Ingredients
Many ingredients in supplements don’t have any scientifically validated benefits. That’s why we only use choice ingredients shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
No Chemical Junk
“Natural” doesn’t always mean “better,” but in many cases, natural ingredients are superior to artificial ones for various reasons, including purity, safety, and efficacy.
That’s why all of our ingredients in all of our products come from plant and animal sources, including sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
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In consideration of the services and/or products offered by Legion Athletics, Inc. (“Legion”) including, but not limited to, nutrition plans, exercise routines and coaching, and in addition to the payment of any fee or charge:
I knowingly and voluntarily enter into this waiver and release of liability and hereby waive any and all rights, claims or causes of action of any kind whatsoever arising out of my use of Legion’s services and/or products, and I hereby release and hold harmless Legion and its consultants, officers, contractors, agents, owners and employees from any and all responsibility, liability, cost and expenses, including for injuries, damages or disorders (physical, metabolic, or otherwise), resulting from my use of Legion’s services and/or products.
I understand that fitness activities including, but not limited to, strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular exercise, with or without the use of equipment, are potentially hazardous activities that involve a risk of injury and even death, and I am voluntarily participating in these activities and using equipment and machinery with knowledge of the risks involved. I hereby agree to assume and accept any and all risks of injury or death related to said fitness activities.
I understand Legion’s services and products are not meant to treat or manage any health conditions or circumstances, and I acknowledge that Legion has recommended I obtain a healthcare provider’s approval for my use of Legion’s services and/or products, through regular physical examination(s) and/or consultation. I acknowledge that I have obtained my healthcare provider’s approval or have decided to use Legion’s services and/or products without such approval and hereby assume all responsibility for my use of said services and/or products.
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Some popular pre-workouts are all-natural. Some contain the right mix of high-quality ingredients. Some provide clinically effective doses. But only Pulse checks each of these boxes.
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Analyzed for purity and potency in a state-of-the-art ISO 17025 accredited lab, the gold standard of third-party lab testing.
This product doesn’t just “contain natural ingredients’’—every ingredient is naturally sourced from plants and animals. This product contains no artificial or synthetic substances of any kind.
Our scientific review board of nutritionists, dietitians, molecular biologists, doctors, and other accredited experts is responsible for reviewing every article, podcast, and video we produce to ensure they’re evidence based, accurate, trustworthy, and current.
Thanks to their connections, credentials, and academic experience, this team of MDs, PhDs, and other professionals has access to a wealth of research published in the largest and most prestigious journals in the world.
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