I just completed version 1.0 of Kayla Itsines' Bikini Body Guide, or BBG for short. 1.0 consists of four weeks of pre-training followed by 12 weeks of regular training, so I've been going basically since the beginning of last semester. And what happens now? Well, version 2.0, of course. But before I get there, I am going to reflect on the experience thus far.
What is BBG? Three times a week you complete 28 minutes of resistance training using not much more than your body weight and a set of dumbbells. Each day is focused on something else; for instance, Monday will be legs, Wednesday will be arms, and Friday will be abs. Each workout is broken into circuits with short breaks. You're not working out for very long, but you learn it doesn't take long to make you sweat... a lot.
On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday you do Low-Intensity Steady State training (LISS), which means you take a slow jog, power walk, elliptical session, whatever floats your boat. It's cardio, basically. 35-45 minutes worth. Then, as you enter weeks 9-12 of the program, you incorporate High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which means sprint intervals commonly done on a treadmill. 10-15 minutes worth of 30:30 intervals (which means you're sprinting for the same amount of time that you're resting/walking).
If you want more information on the program in general, you can visit kaylaitsines.com! Disclaimer: I found an 80% off code and was able to buy the largest package for $40 instead of its usual price of over $100. It was embedded within a woman's review of the program, so if you're thinking of purchasing, read all the reviews on the first few pages of Google, and you should find it.
Anyway, what did I think? If you look up before and after photos from this program online, some girls seem to get ripped after just 12 weeks. This did not happen for me, so obviously, results may vary.
What did happen is that I lost a handful of pounds of fat and gained a bit of muscle. I still don't have a visible six-pack (hopefully that will come with 2.0), but I can still say that I am in what could be the best shape of my life. Towards the end of the program, I was able to complete resistance exercises I may never have attempted before. I feel stronger than I ever have, even if it doesn't show as loudly as it does for some of the other participants of the program.
It was very hard. The exercises are tiring and difficult. But, you can do them anywhere, they don't take much time, and when you finish, you feel very accomplished. The program is so regimented that it is easy to get into a routine and stay on track. Discipline like that is very important to me when it comes to working out because if there isn't something telling me what to do, I won't do anything.
I am very proud that I stuck with the program, and I am excited to keep going. I would certainly recommend this workout for anybody, especially if you're looking for something that's effective without taking much time. I will say that it does what's promised if you put in the work.
