Beyond Bulk: The Teen's 3 Month Muscle Growth Transformation: ALL IN ONE Personal Training Guide for Teens and Beginners Paperback – 22 Nov. 2023

I’ve been looking for a book for my nephew who is fifteen and wants to start hitting the gym and, like many a teenager, wants to get MASSIVE. I picked up this book as it is specifically aimed at teenagers. Impressions are that if you follow the general advice on diet and lifting and follow the three month lifting plan, I’m sure it will work - you will see results in 3 months. The advice is fairly sound, nothing ground-breaking just tried and tested stuff. So, a good book for a beginner.However, I do have a few issues.I think the three month thing is a bit gimmicky (like many courses/DVDs it’s a number that seems achievable). However, this 12 week course has you do the first month in the classic upper/lower/rest/upper/lower/resr/rest week structure and then a week of recovery and then a month in the push/pull/lower/push/pull/lower routine. Personally, I would probably start with total body workouts three times per week, then do a 4 day split but for more than a month, and probably wouldn’t even get to the push/pull/lower twice per week until much later. And I think the only reason it switches quickly here is to fit within the magic 12 weeks.My other issue is that this is supposedly pitched at teenagers but I don’t think there is anything specific to that demographic. Some of this is not a problem. The workouts require a gym as they use exercises like machine chest press, lat pulldowns, leg extensions, cable flyes etc, so this would not be suitable for home workouts in the garage (where I think a lot of teenagers start). Not a bad thing to start in a gym because you should probably cut your teeth there and learn proper form first. Another point on this is that the author says that proper form and technique is vital (I agree) and he recommends that you have a trainer or coach demonstrate technique. However, at the start of the book he talks about the value of his book over a personal trainer that can cost over 1000$ per month. So in the hands of an absolute beginner, I’m not sure what the message is here. My advice: perhaps use a book like this to gauge the key exercises you need – mainly the compound movements that will likely stay with you for your entire lifting career, presses, squats etc, and then pay for a few sessions with a trainer to go over form on these. This would be smart and I don’t like the message you often get from books that claim trainers and coaches are a total waste of money. Yes, it’s in (some of) their interests to keep you as a client for as long as possible so won’t want to share all their secrets at once which means they are not always working for your best interests just their wallets, but even the more profit-orientated amongst them should still be useful for showing technique and getting a well-researched person ready.Lastly I wanted to mention the diet advice and meal plans. This is all good, as far as I can see, and if you stick to the meal plans recommended you will get results. But these sample plans include ground beef tacos, baked salmon with asparagus, mixed green salad with vinaigrette dressing, grilled steak etc. Can a typical teenager afford that/put it together (and if I’d asked my mum to make me baked salmon for lunch every day as a fifteen year old I know what she would have said!)? Maybe more cheaper/easier things like tinned tuna, peanut butter etc would have felt more targeted at teenagers. Even to have an “ideal” version eating salmon and steak every day, and then a more basic easier version would have seemed more targeted at the (typical) teen reader.So, in conclusion, this book contains good advice, it has photos illustrating warm up techniques and lifting techniques and if you follow the diet and the exercise plan I’m sure it will work. But for a typical teenager beginner, I would have kept everything from the exercises, workout plans and diet a bit simpler and more accessible. Therefore this loses a star because I don’t feel it is specifically aimed at teenagers, it is more a beginners guide (and for the latter is it does a decent job).

I was expecting more

This book 'Embark on Your Muscle Growth Journey with 'Beyond Bulk: The Ultimate 3-Month Teen Muscle Transformation'!' gives lots the ready lots of information about muscle growth and how to achieve this. The book is presented as one for teenagers and beginners although the text is very dense and there is a lot of jargon that a newbie would not necessarily know. Also, the focus is on achieving success in three months which is catchy but seems very ambitious. Nevertheless, the book does give a rounded approach and has a focus on diet as well as exercise.

The author’s thorough exploration of various angles, from effective training advice to innovative diet plans, makes this book an indispensable resource for anyone seeking a holistic approach to fitness. Its practical strategies and well-rounded approach ensure a rewarding journey toward health and wellness.