This guy is supposed to write me a program: is he being dishonest about his gains?

[Tybittz3]

I've hired someone to write me a program and when I look at his instagram profile I find a before and after photo of him and the after photo shows a developed 6 pack. It just seems a little suspicious in a 4 month time frame. What is everyone's honest thoughts?? I have the pic attached.

[TolerantLactose]

The guy already has a good amount of muscle. For someone experienced, 4 months is plenty of time to cut down. One thing that stands out are his delts. Those are notoriously hard to develop as a natural. It could just be the angle and tendency of people finding just the perfect photo to post.

[Tybittz3]

The guy already has a good amount of muscle. For someone experienced, 4 months is plenty of time to cut down. One thing that stands out are his delts. Those are notoriously hard to develop as a natural. It could just be the angle and tendency of people finding just the perfect photo to post.

this is what I'm hoping is the case. I know lighting can do a lot.

[SuicideGripMe]

this is what I'm hoping is the case. I know lighting can do a lot.

Lighting and pump is what people typically associate with before and after photos... however, usually in the before photo people eat foods that bloat them and make them actually look worse. You are basically seeing someone at their worst and best in two photos... take it with a grain of salt.

[radrd]

There are plenty of free programs out there. I wouldn't pay someone to write one for me unless I was paying them to be my trainer which I also wouldn't pay for.

[Camarija]

I know you're the noob troll, but for any actual newer people lookong for real advice:

1. Run this program until you're hitting working sets of:
1x Bodyweight Bench Press for 5-6 reps
1.5 x Bodyweight Squat for 5-6 reps
2 x Bodyweight Deadlift for 5-6 reps
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=159678631

Shouldn't take longer than 2 to 6 months.

2. Use this nutrition.
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=173439001

Generally, cut down until you're 12% body fat first, losing no more than 1% bodyweight a week.
Then gain weight no more than 0.5% bodyweight a week until you hit a fluffy beef % of 18 - 20 %

[Tybittz3]

I know you're the noob troll, but for any actual newer people lookong for real advice:

1. Run this program until you're hitting working sets of:
1x Bodyweight Bench Press for 5-6 reps
1.5 x Bodyweight Squat for 5-6 reps
2 x Bodyweight Deadlift for 5-6 reps
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=159678631

Shouldn't take longer than 2 to 6 months.

2. Use this nutrition.
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=173439001

Generally, cut down until you're 12% body fat first, losing no more than 1% bodyweight a week.
Then gain weight no more than 0.5% bodyweight a week until you hit a fluffy beef % of 18 - 20 %

and I know your an a**hole and don't need to comment on my post. it was a serious question. Everyone's different. some people require coaching. I'm dealing with multiple mental health conditions that interfere with retaining information. also, try lifting while feeling suicidal and going through withdrawals from medication and then come back and criticize me. you guys act like Fierce 5 is the only program that works.

[Tybittz3]

Lighting and pump is what people typically associate with before and after photos... however, usually in the before photo people eat foods that bloat them and make them actually look worse. You are basically seeing someone at their worst and best in two photos... take it with a grain of salt.

this also makes sense. I asked him if he was natural and he said "it depends on what you mean by natural" which imo is a better answer than saying yes. he mentioned taking some stuff for competition but I didn't ask for specifics. not judging anyone if they're somewhat open about it.

[air2fakie]

Fierce 5.

[Tybittz3]

Fierce 5.

that's what I'll do if all else fails.

[air2fakie]

that's what I'll do if all else fails.

Well if you'd rather fail at everything else first, then I guess your 50 threads across the various forums in a few weeks makes more sense now.

Although one might say you're overcomplicated the lifting and eating process. It's a lot more straightforward than you think.

[Tybittz3]

Well if you'd rather fail at everything else first, then I guess your 50 threads across the various forums in a few weeks makes more sense now.

Although one might say you're overcomplicated the lifting and eating process. It's a lot more straightforward than you think.

how do we know I won't succeed if I'm consistent?

[Tybittz3]

Well if you'd rather fail at everything else first, then I guess your 50 threads across the various forums in a few weeks makes more sense now.

Although one might say you're overcomplicated the lifting and eating process. It's a lot more straightforward than you think.

it's not straightforward to me when information from different sources conflict and when I get different calculations from different macro calculators.

[EliKoehn]

OP, it's a good idea to get off of instagram and go back to the basics. For one, it's only going to present you (indeed, as even this example illustrates) the most idealized and idyllic portrayal of any individual person in the name of receiving the maximum amount of attention possible. To some extent (as here, among a serious community) showing your progress is good and warranted, that's vetted by the fact that people are serious and not posing, and posers get called out vehemently. On mainline social media, it's almost all going to be distorted (and don't forget that these days we're well past the heyday of Photoshop, which saw plenty of use in such a context anyway), with real and realistic negatives mitigated and possibly paltry or borderline-nonexistent positives both magnified as much as believably possible, in the name of selling a program or gaining a following. Don't associate someone's ostensible progress in such a light with your own path towards real success, much less pay for that!

For your own long term success and your own mental health today, learn to love the process. Go to the gym and relish the feel of iron in your hands resisting the movement you're applying to it, the sound of plates rattling, the triumph of yet another small personal goal, and challenging the only real critic of importance: you yesterday, or last week, or the last time you took a real look at yourself.

That's the frame of mind that builds meaningful success, and it won't be something anyone can take away from you.

[air2fakie]

it's not straightforward to me when information from different sources conflict and when I get different calculations from different macro calculators.

It's your mindset. You can easily make gains without a single macro calculator. You don't need to do and fail at everything else before you try something others you've asked repeatedly have repeatedly recommended.

that's what I'll do if all else fails.

[Tybittz3]

It's your mindset. You can easily make gains without a single macro calculator. You don't need to do and fail at everything else before you try something others you've asked repeatedly have repeatedly recommended.

apparently some people don't. my friend doesn't track macros and he does fine. I should've probably just done fierce 5 before ever going with a trainer tbh. I just figured as the type of person I am, I needed more individualized attention and I ended up going to some of the wrong places.

[air2fakie]

apparently some people don't. my friend doesn't track macros and he does fine. I should've probably just done fierce 5 before ever going with a trainer tbh. I just figured as the type of person I am, I needed more individualized attention and I ended up going to some of the wrong places.

Let us know how that works out for you. Good luck!

[coachcalande]

I've hired someone to write me a program and when I look at his instagram profile I find a before and after photo of him and the after photo shows a developed 6 pack. It just seems a little suspicious in a 4 month time frame. What is everyone's honest thoughts?? I have the pic attached.

I’ll never understand why people feel the need to pay for a program. Go to the library and borrow bodybuilding books.

[Tybittz3]

I’ll never understand why people feel the need to pay for a program. Go to the library and borrow bodybuilding books.

because they may need something specialized for their needs and body.

[Tybittz3]

Let us know how that works out for you. Good luck!

I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not.

[TolerantLactose]

because they may need something specialized for their needs and body.

What, if anything, have you told this new trainer about your previous training and what you've gained or not gained from it to get you a specialized plan? Did he assess your lifting proficiency?

[air2fakie]

Let us know how that works out for you. Good luck!

Not sarcasm as much as an acknowledgement that - even though none of the specialized/customized stuff you’ve done so far has yielded meaningful results - you’re not willing to change your mindset or take any one else’s advice even though you keep asking for them post after post.

[radrd]

because they may need something specialized for their needs and body.

This belief is one of the biggest mistakes that novices make. The only way to know if you may benefit from some level of specialized programming is by running a novice program. A well-written novice program is designed to help you achieve maximum gains in the shortest amount of time based on principals that have worked for lifters of all shapes and sizes.

Unless you have a physical disability and can't perform certain movements, specialized programming as a novice will likely hinder your progress because you'll likely be over-emphasizing and neglecting key muscle groups and/or following inefficient progression protocols.

Once you've enjoy making all the gains available through following a couple good novice and intermediate programs that have worked for others, you'll have a good understanding of effective training techniques and what programming works for you. Then you can move into specialization to hit your goals and it's likely you won't need to pay for someone to write you a program because you'll know from your experience how best to proceed.

Best-case scenario, your geared-up friend will sell you a decent novice program that you could have gotten for free at the public library. Worst-case scenario, he'll sell you a BS PPL routine that you'll struggle with for a while before coming back to learn his pharmaceutical supplement recommendations as well.

[Tybittz3]

This belief is one of the biggest mistakes that novices make. The only way to know if you may benefit from some level of specialized programming is by running a novice program. A well-written novice program is designed to help you achieve maximum gains in the shortest amount of time based on principals that have worked for lifters of all shapes and sizes.

Unless you have a physical disability and can't perform certain movements, specialized programming as a novice will likely hinder your progress because you'll likely be over-emphasizing and neglecting key muscle groups and/or following inefficient progression protocols.

Once you've enjoy making all the gains available through following a couple good novice and intermediate programs that have worked for others, you'll have a good understanding of effective training techniques and what programming works for you. Then you can move into specialization to hit your goals and it's likely you won't need to pay for someone to write you a program because you'll know from your experience how best to proceed.

Best-case scenario, your geared-up friend will sell you a decent novice program that you could have gotten for free at the public library. Worst-case scenario, he'll sell you a BS PPL routine that you'll struggle with for a while before coming back to learn his pharmaceutical supplement recommendations as well.

to be fair I have also heard that novices don't need a customized program. but for example, with me my barbell bench press gets uneven the heavier I go which is why I think some exercises won't work for me.

[Tybittz3]

Not sarcasm as much as an acknowledgement that - even though none of the specialized/customized stuff you’ve done so far has yielded meaningful results - you’re not willing to change your mindset or take any one else’s advice even though you keep asking for them post after post.

I think the last program that I did wasn't working because I wasn't eating enough, not necessarily because it was a bad program.

[Tybittz3]

It's your mindset. You can easily make gains without a single macro calculator. You don't need to do and fail at everything else before you try something others you've asked repeatedly have repeatedly recommended.

also why do they say we should keep track of macros if we don't have to calculate them?

[Tybittz3]

What, if anything, have you told this new trainer about your previous training and what you've gained or not gained from it to get you a specialized plan? Did he assess your lifting proficiency?

yea I told him about my previous plan. he wasn't even sure I needed a new one because he said the one I have now is good already. but everyone on here is saying it isn't good so I don't know what to believe. and he isn't in person so there wasn't a physical assessment.

[air2fakie]

also why do they say we should keep track of macros if we don't have to calculate them?

Do whatever works for you regardless of this nebulous “they” says - or even us.

But when what you’re doing - and everything you’ve done in the past - isn’t working, you need to look within yourself and make a meaningful change in your approach.

Simpler is always better - special needs as a beginner is rarely a thing. Complicated sometimes may be necessary further down the road in one’s development.

Good luck!

[TolerantLactose]

to be fair I have also heard that novices don't need a customized program. but for example, with me my barbell bench press gets uneven the heavier I go which is why I think some exercises won't work for me.

You're practicing a skill. You get better at skills by practicing at ever increasing difficulty. Do you always give up when things get difficult?

yea I told him about my previous plan.

If you didn't give him a summary of your training progress, then you really didn't tell him anything. A good online coach generally requires you to record your workouts for him to review.

[paulinkansas]

If you spent the time lifting instead of posting on this forum you would have some good results.