We often see amazing transformations and think “Wow, I wonder if they kept it up after the 12 weeks”… As a coach, I can tell you the reality is that most people do not, and this is why Alex invented the FreakMode Fitness Plan.
With promises of creating a new and fitter you way past the post picture, can it really be true?
About the Author – Alex Savva
The most successful coaches are the ones that not only talk the walk but have actually walked that walk. Alex Savva is not only a graduate with a degree in Physical and Health Education, but he used to be a competitive bodybuilder.
Combine brain and brawn as Alex has, and you’re on your way to fitness success. Alex takes a rather scientific approach to his coaching style, but does harness some of that good ‘ol “grip and rip” energy.
He is also a rather successful entrepreneur, as he has his hands in the following companies:
- He is the co-founder of the supplement brand PHARMAFREAK®
- He is the founder of Toronto fitness studio CircuitFIT®
- He is also the co-founder of SD Pharmaceuticals(TM)
He has more than 10 years of experience in the fitness and health industry and has taken that experience and begun coaching individuals to reach their best selves. He is also a familiar face on fitness talk shows and magazines.
FreakMode 12-Week Fitness Plan Overview
The FreakMode 12-Week Fitness Plan is not only a plan that will help you lose weight and build strength over the course of 12 weeks but also aims to educate you on how to live a fitness lifestyle in a sustainable manner.
- Fitness level: Intermediate
- Duration: 12 weeks
- Workouts per week: 6 workouts per week
- Average workout duration: 30 – 45 minutes
- Equipment needed: Full gym
- Goal: Lose weight
While the overarching goal of the plan is weight loss (similar to Tailored by Alpha M), Alex does mention that a simple adjustment of calorie intake can lead to muscle gain – good, means he understands basic science – of course, he does!
The program is simple, yet effective. The mechanisms of fat loss are going to be used to their maximum potential, which means it might seem boring to some, but fat loss is pretty boring for the most part.
There is an attempt to spice this up, as you will not only be doing weight training, but you will spend a decent amount of time doing HIIT and cardio as well. This, unfortunately, means you might run into recovery issues if you are not the type of person who pays attention to recovery.
So, the idea is to get you fit, and then to keep you fit even after the initial period. Bold goal – let’s take a closer look.
FreakMode 12-Week Fitness Plan Details
As with most 12 Week Programs, it is split up into 3 phases that you will do after one another, each having a certain purpose:
Phase 1, Weeks 1-4: Prime mover and synergist
The first phase is simply laying down the strength and size foundation for what is to come. This means the workouts are going to be rather intense, and you’ll be hitting muscles on a once-per-week week frequency.
Another interesting thing about this frequency is that the actual volume per session is quite big. You can expect more than 20 sets per session, which means you’re going to be building some serious lactic acid – good luck.
Phase 2, Weeks 5-8: 8×8 volume training
This is going to be about as bad as that title hints at. 8×8 Training is going to be (surprise) 8 sets for 8 reps on compound lifts, and apparently has the goal of hypertrophy and fat loss, at the same time.
Phase 3, Weeks 9-12: High-intensity weight training
This is your basic, short-rest-period weight training. The primary goal at this stage is fat loss, whilst the other goals such as hypertrophy take a backseat.
You can, again, expect a tonne of volume with mere seconds of rest in between. This could actually put you at a greater risk of injury so you better be careful.
2 FreakMode 12-Week Fitness Plan Pros
- It could be useful for a beginner: this program has nothing that is incredibly over the top to understand, and most beginners should be able to understand
- Short training sessions: The program is designed to be quick and easy to do (somehow possible with all that volume)
3 FreakMode 12-Week Fitness Plan Cons
- Volume: Every single session has more than 20 working sets, and you have to do more cardio on rest days? Good luck recovering from that. Consider Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Blueprint to Cut if you want a more manageable volume. (Then again, if 20 sets aren’t nearly enough, in your opinion, the Keto Muscle Program tops that with 21 sets on day one).
- Not scientific: While I’m sure Alex is a smart person, the fact that the “goal” of a weight training session is ‘fat loss’ and not just hypertrophy makes me have doubts. Everyone knows you don’t burn all that much fat in the gym – rather by your diet
- Rest times: This idea that less rest time means more fat loss is idiotic. More rest time could mean you have more energy for said set – which is why you’re in the gym in the first place
FreakMode 12-Week Fitness Plan – Final Thoughts
I’m not a big fan of this plan. It seems like a collision of high-volume and high-intensity training that should never have happened. Perhaps the genetic elite who sit around all day with no stress could do this – the rest of us? No.
If this was my introduction to fitness, I would not feel obligated to continue afterward – contrary to what the slogan of this program would have you believe.
Rating: 2.0 out of 5
