This is going to be my weigh day. While you should weigh yourself and take pictures at the end of your program, I’m doing it today because I’m going to be in New Jersey on Day 56. Remember that I said earlier that it’s crucial to take photos in the same environment so you have a direct comparison? That’s why I’m taking my photos today. This will also provide you with additional info about how to prep for your photos.

I began at about 213 pounds, but I’ve dieted to lean out for photo shoots and appearances for the past several days. I’ve gained nearly four pounds, and I’ve lost a considerable amount of body fat. I’ve put on a good deal of muscle mass. I’m very happy with the way my body has responded, especially considering that I have been training for 20 years completely natural.

Today’s workout is shoulders and upper abs, but I’m going to take my shots at the gym first. This will be the last weight workout of our 8-Week Muscle-Building Trainer series. But again, you shouldn’t feel like this is the end of anything; it’s merely the transition to what you’ll do next.

The first exercise, dumbbell rear delt raises on an incline bench, targets this small muscle group. I’m really happy with the way my shoulders look considering that I have an injury. This proves that you can train around an injury. Perform 8 sets of DTPXtreme with the rest periods that you’ve earned with your reps for each set.

Next up is lateral raises with dumbbells, choosing an angle that doesn’t aggravate my injury. Again, you’ll perform 8 sets of DTPXtreme. You should choose the angle that works best for you, allowing you to feel the middle head of your delts. Don’t swing the weights; emphasize the feeling in these muscles.

The third move is dumbbell shrugs using DTPXtreme. I used wrist straps to make sure that I was targeting my traps rather than worrying about my grip. The final move of this workout is V-ups, touching one hand to the opposite leg, and alternating. This involves the obliques. Perform 5 sets to failure, but only rest about 30–40 seconds between sets. This will fry your abs much better than longer rest periods and more reps. It also encourages faster recovery and growth.

Dumbbell lying rear lateral raise Sets: 8 Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20 Strategy: DTP + DTPXtreme
Dumbbell lateral raise Sets: 8 Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20 Strategy: DTP + DTPXtreme
Dumbbell shrug Sets: 8 Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 10, 15, 20 Strategy: DTP + DTPXtreme
V-ups Sets: 5 Reps: FAILURE Strategy: Regular
HIIT Sets: 1 Reps: 3 Strategy: 4 minutes easy/1 minute full intensity for a total of 15 minutes

TIP

For after pictures, I like to do a few sets and reps at about 50 percent of my max weights and reps to pump the blood into the veins and muscles. I like to start with big upper body muscle groups (chest and back). But I don’t do any leg work because that smooths out my legs. Keep your pre-photo workout to only about 10 minutes, and pay attention to which of your muscle groups look better with a few sets and those that smooth out.