I started this program 3 times and quit every time for some reason. The 4th time was the charm and I can now proudly say that I finally completed the program. Here is an overview of the BBG workout program and my impressions of this program.
What is BBG?
BBG stand for Bikini Body Guide but don’t let the name fool you. This is a tough 12-week program with resistance training, cardio and rehabilitation. The guide also contains additional 4-weeks pre-training to ease into this kind of workouts and to get to know this style of exercise.
The 12 weeks are split into 4 week phases, where each phase gets more difficult. The guide describes all phases and workout routines in detail. Exercises are also explained and each workout includes pictures with the movements.
Resistance training
Each week consists of 3-4 resistance training workouts, targeting legs, arms, abs and full body. Each workouts is made up of 2 circuits, each with 4 exercises and each exercise with a given number of repetitions. The circuits are performed for 7 minutes (repeat the 4 exercises in the circuit until the 7 minutes are up) with a total of 4 rounds and 30-90 seconds rest between the rounds so that both circuits are repeated twice.
The exercises in the circuit include weight training using dumbbells, body-weight training and plyometrics. You will need dumbbells (you can use water bottles), stepper (you can use a chair), a mat and skip rope is optional (you can do air skip jumps).
I did all the resistance training sessions at home. This training includes lots of jumping so make sure you will not disturb your neighbors. Also if you have knee or other type of relevant injuries, make sure you are allowed to do this kind of exercises or adjust the workouts accordingly (do other alternative exercises instead of jumping).
Cardio
Some resistance training sessions include cardio in the form of plyometric movements. Additionally Kayla recommends LISS or low intensity steady state cardio in the form of power walks and later in the program also HIIT or high intensity interval training in the form of interval sprints. The guide includes the recommended speed for both LISS and HIIT.
I did all the LISS and HIIT sessions outdoors in the park.
Rehabilitation
Kayla recommends stretching after each resistance training and a rehabilitation day each week which consists of foam rolling and a full body stretching session. The guide includes the foam rolling and stretching movements.
Results
All parts are essential for getting good results in the end. Resistance training builds muscles, cardio and plyometrics torches fat and rehabilitation helps relax the muscles and builds flexibility.
If you perform the 12 weeks as it is laid out in the guide, you can expect feeling sore most of the time :D, building nice muscles, slimmer waist, toned abs, less cellulite and toned legs.
I and many others experienced a flatter booty though, so I recommend adding some extra booty exercises to give it a nice round shape.
BBG Community
One of the best thing about BBG is the community on social media and in real life. Girls (and also some boys :)) all over the world are supporting each other in their BBG journey on Instagram and in Facebook groups.
Many girls are organizing BBG meetups all over the world where the girls meet and do a BBG-similar workout together.
FAQ
Can I do this at home or do I need a gym
You can certainly do BBG at home. You will need some basic equipment or you can use whatever you have at home. LISS and HIIT you can do outside.
You can also do BBG at the gym, you will need some space and you will have to bring some equipment to your workout spot. Kepp in mind that you will need this space and equipment for 28 minutes so you might get evil looks from others who want to use the same equipment.
I did a few weeks in the gym and it wasn’t a problem, I got some looks but usually people were just curious what program I am doing.
When did I start to see changes
The most important advice that I can give you is to not give up, to keep at it, to stay consistent and to complete the entire 12 weeks. Some days you will see great changes, other days you will see little changes but don’t let this ruin your motivation and everything you have worked for.
I started seeing results with week 8 and I was getting lots of compliments by week 12. This is a slow process, it’s a lifestyle change and not a quick fix. Trust the process.
Additional tools and guides
The continuation of BBG 1.0 is BBG 2.0 with the next weeks 13-24 which includes harder circuits (more reps and overall more intense) and it is available in ebook format.
BBG 3.0 was just released in Kayla’s new app Sweat With Kayla. I am planning to do both guides soon.
Kayla published a HELP Nutrition Guide (also in Vegetarian version) to help with the nutrition part. It includes detailed explanation of the basics of a healthy diet and the recommended portion guide for each food group.
I recommend using a heart rate monitor and a foam roller. You can get water bottle, towel, heart rate monitor and foam roller on Kayla’s online shop. Or get them at your favorite sports store.
Kayla just released her new app Sweat With Kayla which you can use to do all her BBG guides, track your workouts and your nutrition. The app costs extra and payment is weekly or monthly.
You can choose to use either the ebooks with BBG 1 and 2 (one-time payment) or the app (continuous payment) which includes BBG 3.
FitGeekGirl 