39 M 6' 1" 207lbs
Background in running and basic lifting for fitness with KB experience being swings only.
In 2020 I ran. A lot. Got down to 181lbs and did a half marathon in December. Spent the holidays eating whatever and messing around with KBs but not doing any structured programming.
Started Joe's KBOMG on February 1st at 198lbs with a goal weight of 206lbs.
I ate as much as possible. Shot for 3600-3800 cals a day depending on cals burned to try and get 500+ a day average. I didn't track macros as well as I could've but tracked overall cals pretty strictly.
I drank one scoop of Legion protein a day, 6 days a week. No other supplements.
I did the program as prescribed every M,T,Th,F. On Wednesdays and Saturdays I rowed 3-6kms on a rowing machine. Took all Sundays off.
Beginning PR metrics.
Press: 2-3 each side with a 24kg
Clean: Double 24kg for a handful
LC: Had never tried it
Snatch: Hadn't done them
TGU: hadn't done them more than once or twice
Ending PR metrics.
Press: 2-3 each side with a 32kg
Clean: Can clean double 32kgs for a couple. Can run sets of clean with double 28kgs comfortably.
LC: Can get a few reps with 32kgs. Can run sets of 6-8 with 28kgs comfortably.
Snatch: Can snatch 28kgs single for awhile and double 24kgs for awhile.
TGU: 24kgs
Bottom line:
I got stronger! By a lot, I think.
I learned a lot of new movements. I stuck to an 8 week plan for the first time in my life.
I moved a lot of weight and burned a shit ton of calories 4 days a week.
The aesthetic gains weren't necessarily what I wanted but 8 weeks isn't a long time and my nutrition could've been better.
Overall I really enjoyed the program and recommend it to anyone and everyone. You cannot go wrong with this unless maybe you’ve never held a KB in your life. I plan to spend the next 4-6 weeks cutting down some of the fat I put on during the program (and holidays). I'm expecting my first kid in a couple weeks so once that happens and sleep schedules get figured out between my wife and I, I will run this again in it's entirety.
My only criticisms are minor. There are some lifts/movements that are not self explanatory (at least weren't to me) and for some of them there is a hyperlink to a video of Joe demo-ing the movement, but not all. I'm sure Joe has a million things going on and he's probably linking videos regularly to fill that in but as it stands now there are some that are not clear. Joe was very responsive on IG to answer any questions, though.
On that note, thanks to /@vanania for posting about and introducing me to KBOMG, my neighbor /@cloudyapples for always answering questions and just generally shooting the shit about KB stuff, /@josh_ats, /@martincy and everyone else posting legit training videos/advice/comments/shirtless pull up videos... And obviously /@rabbie77 for creating the various programs, answering direct questions, making it affordable and pretty damn fun.
Before and after pic
Flex pic when I was feeling pumped after week 7
- I'm aware my chest tattoo is terrible-
Background in running and basic lifting for fitness with KB experience being swings only.
In 2020 I ran. A lot. Got down to 181lbs and did a half marathon in December. Spent the holidays eating whatever and messing around with KBs but not doing any structured programming.
Started Joe's KBOMG on February 1st at 198lbs with a goal weight of 206lbs.
I ate as much as possible. Shot for 3600-3800 cals a day depending on cals burned to try and get 500+ a day average. I didn't track macros as well as I could've but tracked overall cals pretty strictly.
I drank one scoop of Legion protein a day, 6 days a week. No other supplements.
I did the program as prescribed every M,T,Th,F. On Wednesdays and Saturdays I rowed 3-6kms on a rowing machine. Took all Sundays off.
Beginning PR metrics.
Press: 2-3 each side with a 24kg
Clean: Double 24kg for a handful
LC: Had never tried it
Snatch: Hadn't done them
TGU: hadn't done them more than once or twice
Ending PR metrics.
Press: 2-3 each side with a 32kg
Clean: Can clean double 32kgs for a couple. Can run sets of clean with double 28kgs comfortably.
LC: Can get a few reps with 32kgs. Can run sets of 6-8 with 28kgs comfortably.
Snatch: Can snatch 28kgs single for awhile and double 24kgs for awhile.
TGU: 24kgs
Bottom line:
I got stronger! By a lot, I think.
I learned a lot of new movements. I stuck to an 8 week plan for the first time in my life.
I moved a lot of weight and burned a shit ton of calories 4 days a week.
The aesthetic gains weren't necessarily what I wanted but 8 weeks isn't a long time and my nutrition could've been better.
Overall I really enjoyed the program and recommend it to anyone and everyone. You cannot go wrong with this unless maybe you’ve never held a KB in your life. I plan to spend the next 4-6 weeks cutting down some of the fat I put on during the program (and holidays). I'm expecting my first kid in a couple weeks so once that happens and sleep schedules get figured out between my wife and I, I will run this again in it's entirety.
My only criticisms are minor. There are some lifts/movements that are not self explanatory (at least weren't to me) and for some of them there is a hyperlink to a video of Joe demo-ing the movement, but not all. I'm sure Joe has a million things going on and he's probably linking videos regularly to fill that in but as it stands now there are some that are not clear. Joe was very responsive on IG to answer any questions, though.
On that note, thanks to /@vanania for posting about and introducing me to KBOMG, my neighbor /@cloudyapples for always answering questions and just generally shooting the shit about KB stuff, /@josh_ats, /@martincy and everyone else posting legit training videos/advice/comments/shirtless pull up videos... And obviously /@rabbie77 for creating the various programs, answering direct questions, making it affordable and pretty damn fun.
Before and after pic
Flex pic when I was feeling pumped after week 7
- I'm aware my chest tattoo is terrible-
