Fyi, for anyone not sure what they’re gonna do for the challenge. Grunt Style is launching their fitness app (gruntfit) on the 1st. I’m either going to try it or I might do Wendlers 5/3/1 bodybuilding (I saw it on facebook the other day).
I’m in. I threw up a pic before reading all the directions but will have spotty to no cell service the week leading up to NYE. I’ll post my after by May 23 to even things out. I’ll get a side relaxed up there, too.
Ya, I think that’s what I’m going to start with. I might push the conditioning more than Jim recommends, but I’m not sure yet. I might wait until March or so for that, though.
Yeah, there’s no technical sign up form or whatever. It’s useful to start a training log and tag it with t-ransformation2018, so you can get some feedback along the way.
Other than that, you can toss your pics in this thread on/around Jan 1, do your thing throughout, and post afters at the end. Like I said in the opening post though, last year we had quite a few people that tried flying under the radar (no training log, no interaction in the main thread, doing the challenge while basically lurking) and they fizzled out without completing it. Don’t be one of those people.
Note About Progress Pics: I made one slight edit to the intro post. In an effort to simplify things as much as possible and minimize complications/user error, the only mandatory progress pic is a front relaxed. The profile, while very useful in judging progress, isn’t necessarily essential. A simple, straight-forward front relaxed pic with arms at the sides (not front lat spread, not front double biceps, not crab pose most muscular), should be easy enough to consistently replicate and obvious enough to showcase progress.
Good examples of front relaxed before/afters. As similar conditiong as possible with minimal variation in pose, location, lighting, clothing, etc.:
Being able to see a difference in the before/afters isn’t the same as having a useful comparison pic. Do those “not-good” pics show that the people worked hard and saw results? Yep, but we can’t judge the details very effectively and some of the change can be attributed to generous lighting, contorted positioning, etc.
Hey, @Chris_Colucci, I’ve been waiting till the end of the year so no one could cheat, but I have an idea for another award.
How about something for the 2017 participant who maintained or improved their transformation through the rest of the year?
I didn’t play last year so I have nothing to gain here. I think maintaining is worthy of something though. Maybe you could use repeat participants’ before photo for the 2018 challenge and compare it to their after photo for 2017.
What you’re talking about sounds kinda like the “Most Improved” category we’re having that will compare year-to-year progress (as opposed to 6-month progress). That should end up rewarding more long-term consistency, as opposed to folks who buckle down during the contest and then fall off hard and fast as soon as it’s over, which it sounds like may have happened to a handful of dudes. (No judgement. Stuff happens. That’s why we’re in this thing anyway.)
But having a reward for maintaining a physique as part of a transformation contest is kinda counter-productive. For sure, not everyone has aesthetic-based goals or is trying to get ripped or massive or whatever, but the crux of the contest is to encourage/motivate/promote consistent improvement.
After reading articles on this site for years, I joined specifically to do this challenge. I will turn 48 during the challenge and I want to be the best 48 I can possibly be. I mostly want to do something 'hardcore" and measure myself against other people being ‘hardcore’.
I’m excited to be in a group with stronger, younger, more experienced, and better athletes than me.