Reflections on Body for Life

BFL is a full-on plan. It's too much for me to sustain: I can't go to the gym three times a week, and I don't want to follow such a strict eating plan. I also have lost interest in supplements.

However, some people find to their great surprise that they are able to sustain such a plan, even though they may have been living very unhealthily for years. If you are one of these people, imagine how wonderful it is to completely change the way you look and feel. None of these people would have any idea or expectation that they can make such a drastic change after years of over-eating and insufficient exercise. The only way to find out if you are also one of these people is to try it.

If you do try it, and need to find something less intensive but still with long term health and fitness benefits, you will be in the same situation as me.

My problems with BFL are mainly with the weight training.The weight training program is not for beginners. It uses very advanced techniques such as supersets and pyramid weight levels. For someone new to weights, it is intimidating and confusing. I found it impossible to complete the routines in the time indicated -- you could only do this if you had a personal trainer changing weights for you. I also think that one minute rest between sets is too short; after changing weights, which is required after each set, you only have a few seconds of real rest. The 'superset' methodology where you do a final set of a completely different exercise without a break is also impractical for those who are training on their own -- you have to set up and clear weights for just one set, and there is really not much benefit to one set of a different exercise for beginners. It is also unnecessary to change exercises every four weeks. Beginners are much better off mastering good form for the essential foundation exercises, such as the squat, which takes longer than four weeks.

 

Comments. Page modified: August 11, 2003

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