My Visual Impact Transformation and Review
What is Visual Impact Muscle Building?
Visual Impact Muscle Building is a workout program designed to build pure muscle strategically without gaining any fat. This program has 3 phases lasting 2 months each. In addition there is a bonus phase which is pretty cutting edge.
- Phase one focuses on rapid muscle growth to the areas that need it most
- Phase two focuses on a hybrid of muscle growth and muscle density training
- Phase three focuses on pure muscle density training in addition to intense fat loss workouts – this is gonna reveal insane muscle tone
This approach is completely different than any other bodybuilding workout program out there. The idea here isn’t too build as much muscle mass as possible like most bodybuilding programs. Instead the idea is to build muscle in a way that really enhances your physique.
Who is the Author?
Rusty Moore is the author of Visual Impact Muscle Building. He runs a hugely popular site called Fitness Blackbook which is targeted towards building the lean and fit Hollywood physique.
Who is Visual Impact For?
Visual Impact is for guys who want to build a lean, fit and muscular physique. It doesn’t matter if your skinny and need to add muscle or if your bulky and you need to burn fat and increase muscle definition. All that means is that you’ll start at different phases. On a side note – Phase three is the best fat loss / muscle toning routine I have ever followed. It enabled me to lose several pounds of fat per week while maintaining all of my muscle and increasing my strength. In fact I believe every mixed martial artist, boxer or wrestler should utilize phase 3 to cut weight for an event.
What did I like About Visual Impact Muscle Building?
Visual Impact is written by Rusty Moore, a fitness expert who actually gets it. He understands that people would rather look like a lean Hollywood action star or underwear model than a bulky, pumped up bodybuilder. The workout programs are tailored exactly to give your physique the biggest visual impact (hence the name). If you gain 10 pounds of muscle on visual impact you can be damn sure you are going to look 10x better. I can’t say that about any other workout program. The visual impact program is one that will really enhance your life. You don’t have to obsess over eating 6-8x per day, taking 10 different supplements or worrying about losing muscle if you go on a weekend get-away with your friends. A lot of guys don’t want to go traveling with their friends because they are worried they will lose muscle. What’s the point of working out and being fit and healthy if you can’t enjoy yourself?
The bonus phase is really cool too. It explains how to shrink wrap your skin over your muscles to make yourself look extra defined. I haven’t even heard about this little trick UNTIL reading the book and now I use this all the time to get ready for photo shoots. Really makes you stand out against other models. Here is a video of me after completing the shrink wrap phase.
What didn’t I like about visual impact muscle building?
For $47 visual impact has amazing value. But if I had to choose one thing that I felt was missing it would have to be more workouts. This isn’t so much of a problem for me because I can customize my workouts myself. I know the most effective exercises for building the perfect body and I know how to properly implement them into a workout plan that will provide results fast. However for most people out there they really don’t know that much about program design.
Now I decided that Visual Impact Muscle Building has way TOO much value to throw away because of a lack of workout routines. So that is why I decided to create 16 weeks worth of workouts that will really transform your physique to a whole new level. The workouts are especially customized to pack on solid muscle to the areas that need it most using the exact same principles from visual impact muscle building.
So all you have to do is purchase the program through one of the links on my website and send an email to me at gregoryogallagher@gmail.com Title the email, “Visual Impact” and attach your recipt to the email. I will then send you the 16 weeks of additional workouts for free.
Conclusion?
I strongly recommend Visual Impact Muscle Building for anyone that wants to build muscle in the most visually stunning way possible.
Hey Greg,
Just wondering if you’re still offering the additional workouts with the purchase of Visual Impact?
Hey Greg,
I just started the VIMB program about a week ago, so far I am liking it a lot! I have looked at a lot of different programs but none of them seem to focus on having the “Holywood” look, which is exactly what I want.
I am 17, almost 18 (2 more months) I currently weigh 155 LBS and am 5 10″.. I would like to weigh about 170-175 LBS by the end of the program. My question to you is, do you think this is possible? Assuming I do not miss a workout day and eat correctly for the duration of the program.
Also, what would you recommend for my calorie intake? And should I do the program in the order of phase 1-2-3? Or should I switch them around for my particular weight and height?
Any advice, tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Gaining 15-20 lbs of muscle will take at-least a year. I recommend eating around 16.5 calories per pound of bodyweight. Adjust accordingly so that you’re gaining about 0.5 lbs per week consistently.
Hi, I have a back issue and was wondering if I can substitute ab wheels and renegade rows for different exercises?
Yes, you may need to do planks instead.
Hey Greg,
I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate your site–it’s off the hook! I was wondering what your opinion of Clay Rogers’ Hollywood Physique workout was. How does it compare with VI, Adonis, or your Shredded/Muscle Building Courses? Might be tricky to be objective on that last one :)
Thanks again!
Thanks man! Appreciate the adoration.
I’ve actually never read Clay Rogers workout program so I have no clue.
Hey Greg,
I’ve been doing VIMB phase 1 for 3 weeks now and I’m having trouble increasing the weights. I did get slightly stronger on the bigger compound movements (incline DB press and bent over rows) but I’ve been using the same weight in my isolation movements (lateral raises, barbell curls, dumbell curls) for the last 3 weeks, I can’t increase the weight (I’m getting similar reps workout after workout).
Is this expected or should I be getting stronger in the isolation movements as well? Will not increasing the weight in those movements hinder muscle gains in this phase? I go to near failure on most sets (except the last set of each exercise), is that the problem (Rusty said going to failure was alright in this phase)?
Thanks.
Yes, I’ve ran into similar issues in terms of progressing in weight. My kinobody muscle building course overcomes all of these issues and will get you seriously strong. https://kinobody.com/kinobody-muscle-building-course/
Glad to know it is expected, I was getting worried.
I’d like to ask 2 more questions:
1) In phase 2 Rusty recommends HIIT, but wouldn’t that be necessary only for people looking to lose fat in this phase?
I want to build muscle and strenght, therefore being in a caloric surplus, so I’m thinking about not doing the HIIT, what do you think?
2) I can’t lift heavy weights safely where I workout (home), so I won’t be able to do a phase 3 type workout. Would doing a phase 2 type workout combined with the HIIT he recommends and a caloric deficit provide similar results to doing phase 3 style workouts (losing fat while maintaining muscle mass)?
Thanks Greg.
1) Yah if you don’t need to lose fat then you won’t need HIIT. You could just do 2 HIIT sessions per week if you want.
2) Yeah you’ll get the same fat loss benefits eating at a calorie deficit with phase 2 training. You just won’t build quite as much strength.
Hi Greg! Great website! You thought me a lot! :)
I got the Visual Impact Muscle Building Course and I have a question. Can I do phase 3 first in order to lower my bf to around 8% and then do the other two phases?
I ask this because you always suggest that we should lean down first and then start a lean bulk to out weight goal.
Thanks and keep up the good work!
I forgot to mention that I am averagely built at 6 feet 160 lbs and bf around 14-15% and looking to get to ~175 lbs and 8-9% body fat.
Yes, cut first to 10% body fat, then focus on gaining muscle.
Yes you can do that for sure! That’s what I did when I started.
Thanks! :D
Hey Greg,
Did you do phase 1 with all the volume Rusty recommends? Phase 2 and 3 look solid to me, but Phase 1 looks way too high in volume, specially the chest, triceps and shoulders day (upper body specialization). Furthermore, don’t you think it’s unbalanced? There’s way less pull work than push in phase 1 (I’ve always heard you should either pull as much or more than you push).
I’m thinking of starting VIMB upper body specialization, but with the following tweaks:
1. Less volume on Day 1 (I’ll probably eliminate the dumbbell flys and the lying tricep extensions)
2. Eliminate the Nautilus Pullover (pullups are enough for lats) and do an additional 4 sets of Seated Cable Rows instead (for a total of 8 sets of seated cable rows) on day 2
3.Do less ab work (I’m expecting my abs to stand out when I finish phase 3 and I don’t want to get the “gut of abs”)
What do you think? My main goal is to build muscle size (and density, later on) in the upper body with special focus on the shoulders (I’m aiming for that golden ratio ;) ).
Thank for all your support!
Phase one is very, very high volume! But it’s very good for sarcoplasmic growth. Yes, you can make those adjustments, I think that will work just fine given your goals. That said, I don’t think you really need to do an extra 4 sets of cable rows. Maybe do 2-3 sets of one arm dumbbell rows or renegade rows instead.
hey greg im about 177 lbs and im 6 ft 2 should i keep gaining weight up to about 185 lbs or should i start getting shreaded now
thanks
If you’re over 12% bf I’d recommend cutting down to 10%. If you’re under 12% you can focus on building muscle up to 185 lbs.
hey greg im still skinny and i want to keep gaining weight but i have love handles should i try getting rid of them first or should i just keep gaining weight
Get rid of them first! Lean down slowly and keep strength training. Once you lose the love handles you can focus on building muscle.
Hey Greg currently I am doing phase 3 but idk when to increase the weight?
What diet did you follow in Phase 3?
Hey Greg,
I’ve only just stumbled upon your site and fantastic advice for so many people wishing to improve both the visual impact of their bodies as well as their general fitness levels.
What you have achieved is such a tremendous inspiration, and I wanted to ask your advice on initial weight loss.
I’m 6ft 1, and currently weigh 230lbs. My weight has fluctuated for the past few years from as much as 252lbs to as little as 205lbs. I’m now determined to break the 200lb barrier and have started a very low calorie diet (400-600 a day) combined with daily exercise.
I’m just wondering if you feel it a more beneficial idea to lose the weight first and then build muscle and tone up, or build the musle at the same time as losing weight (fat)? Does that make sense?
I’m basically struggling to get back to a ‘good enough’ weight and physique that I can be happy with!
Thanks in advance for your help!
Best wises to you and your family…
Whenever you’re dieting you want to do 3 strength workouts per week! This will at the very least ensure you don’t lose any muscle and strength. Most likely you will experience some muscle gain and good strength gains while dieting with the right program. If you don’t lift when you’re dieting you will lose muscle and you won’t actually lose as much body fat as you could.
400-600 is extremely low calories, I don’t advise this! At the very lowest I would go with 10 calories per pound of goal bodyweight, 2000 for example. If you want to lose weight a bit faster I’d addd in 30-45 minutes of cardio per day. If you go too low in calories you’ll just be losing more muscle and the same amount of fat.
Hey Greg,
Thank you so much for your advice. I really appreciate it! I’ll certainly increase both the calorie intake and the workout/ cardio. I think my greatest problem was wanting to lose my excess weight too fast! I really do have an issue with looking in the mirror right now so to lose the weight as quickly as possible had been my only focus. I guess starving myself is not the best way to go!
Thanks again for giving us overweight guys something to believe in!
Best as always and continued thanks…
We all want to reach our goals as fast as possible! What is much more important than hitting our goals is building the proper habits/lifestyle so when we get there we can continue it for life. Learning to adopt a healthy nutrition program that allows you to lose weight without starving/suffering and building your fitness levels is most important. Once you nail that you’re set.
Hey Greg, i just finished three months of P90X and i just got this product Visual impact muscle building and i read through it and it says to work out three days a week but thats not going to be enough for me as im used to working out 6 days a week. The problem im having is on day 1 it says
Exercise – Barbell bench press
Sets & reps – 12, 10, 8, 6, 12-15
Notes – pyramid the weight
what does this mean?
cheers
You should read more carefully! There are three workouts but you will be training 4-5 times per week. 2 days on 1 day off.
Use the same weight for 12, 10, 8, 6. Short rest periods will mean you won’t be able to do as many reps. Then reduce the weight for the last set.
Yeah my bad i read through the whole book this time, before i just scanned throught it but thanks for the reply.
Hi Greg, I have a few questions regarding Visual Impact :)
Did you follow the upper body specialisation routines in phase 1+2 ?
And why does Rusty say for phase 1 only 3 days per week, whereas in the upper body specialisation it is 4 days per week?
Thanks
Yes I did upperbody specialization.
Ed, you need to read more carefully. In phase one there are 3 workouts but you will actually be working out 4 days per week cycling through the 3 workouts. Ex: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.
What happens if I choose to only do phase 3?
You’ll experience good fat loss and strength increases but you won’t get the big increases in muscle size.
So you’d recommend doing Visual impact backwards? Phase 3, phase 2 and then phase 1?
If you have fat to lose first then yes.
What if your just turning 16? How much should I be doing these ab “V” exsersises a week?
You can do them 2x per week.
For how long and how many sets? Especially since I’m trying to get the “V” on my abs to pop out as soon as possible but I just don want to over work them.
Follow the routine in the v abs article.
Hey Greg love the site,
I just purchased Rusty’s program and am pretty psyched to start it. I’m 5’10 and currently weigh 160 pounds and I’m not really sure which phase to start at. I’ve been working out consistently over the past year and a half and am in pretty good shape and look pretty good also. I’m really looking to cut down on body fat and get the lean angular look, but I don’t really know where to start at. I want to start phase II but I might start at phase I just to be safe. Any advice on which phase I should start at?
If you’re more focused on cutting down your body fat then I’d recommend doing phase two and then phase 3 before going back to phase one.
Hey greg love this blog. Listen I am currently 5’11 and weigh 150 pounds. I would like to put on 10 pounds of muscle. I bought visual bodybuilding but I am confused with the diet. How many cals should I be eating?
The amount of calories it takes to gain roughly 0.5 lbs per week. This is different for everyone. You can start at 2500 and adjust from there.
Gregg,
I am wanting to start your shrink wrap plan. I am 6’1 and weigh around 185 pounds. I have an athletic body type and have been lifting for a while. I would just like some tips on what to eat for my diet plan and the times to eat my meals? Basically I would just like to know a good day by day plan to follow. Thanks for your help!
Sorry Colton but this level of personal attention is reserved for my coaching clients. If you search through my nutrition articles you will be able to get a good start.
Greg that is an amazing physique. I have a question on VI. On phase III how much fat did you lose in 8 weeks or one cycle of phase III? Would you think a guy with 20% body fat could get to under 10% in 8 weeks? Whats the maximum amount of fat loss I could get?
No that’s really not likely. Under optimal conditions you can lose about 1%bf per week and that’s on the high side. 2% body fat per month is a more realistic rate of fat loss, especially if building/maintaining muscle is a priority.
Hey Greg,
I am 5’6″ and 185 pounds i am going to start in phase 3 to lean down a bit. Now when i am finish with phase 3 should i start at phase 1 and go through all the phases or should i go to phase 2 and then phase 1?
After finishing phase 3 then you should go to phase one and then phase two.
Hey Greg,
I’m a beginner to weight lifting, and I was wondering in your opinion, should I go through Visual Impact phase 1 as it’s laid out, or should I do Visual Impact phase 1 Upper Body specialization? I really don’t wanna add any mass to my lower body, i’d rather focus on my upper body. Your thoughts? I’m 23 btw….
If that’s the case then do the upperbody specialization.
Also, you said to train 4 times a week in phase 1, but there are only 3 workouts. So is it like: Mon = workout 1, Tues = workout 2, Thurs = workout 3, Fri = workout 1? In addition to this, could I eat anytime I wanted, so long as I get my daily calorie intake? Lastly, should I follow the eat stop eat routine in phase 1, or is it more suitable for either phase 2 or 3?
You lift mon, tues, thurs, saturday alternating between the three workouts.
Hi again, sorry to ask this separately but what should I do if either my arms or legs are getting too big in phase 1?
Stop training them or just do one exercise for 2 sets.
Hello Greg, I’ve read about 1/2 of the manual and I have found some issues that I cannot figure out in phase 1. Just to point out, I am quite inexperienced in weightlifting as I am a beginner. For instance, it isn’t clear to how heavy the weights are supposed to be, but rather if you can lift around 15 reps with it. So if I don’t have a lot of weights, could I just add more reps and decrease the resting time between sets from around 45 secs to 15-20 secs if I use lighter weights? Also, what should the day spread be between different workouts?
Andrew the short answer is no. You need to use fairly heavy weights to cause muscle growth. Super light weights will cause very early plateua’s.
Hey Greg,
Found out about kinobody through google and after seeing your results of visual impact I am very impressed. I started lifting and after a year I am at 192 and am highly considering starting this program. Since I am 6’2, I was wondering what goal weight should I aim for? And also does Rusty have a diet plan laid out? Thanks man.
I had forgotten to mention that I need to add about 5 1/2 inches to my chest and shoulders according to the perfect proportions article that you had written. I am a 33 inch waist.
There isn’t a diet plan in Visual Impact. That said, stay tuned because I’m realeasing my muscle building program in the next week which is designed at building the kinobody ratio’s and includes a diet routine as well.
190-195 lbs is a great weight for you. I’d aim to be at 192 lbs with a 33″ waist.
I am currently starting the VI rountine. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the weight room through athletics and personsal workouts. But, have not in awhile. I have a decent amount of muscle mass so I was thinking of doing phase 1 for just a month since the lean look is what im after. I am 5’8″, 150lbs. How much calories/day should I be taking in for gaining some mass quickly. I can really feel the workouts working, I just want my diet to be right also. Thanks
If you want to get lean then I would focus on fat loss first. Start with phase two and then progress to phase 3. Eat around 10-11 calories per pound of bodyweight.
Hey Greg,
How many workouts a week did you do for Phase I for visual impact or how many is ideal for best results ?
Thanks
Lewis
Phase One = 4x per week.
Thanks Greg
I recently purchased VI. I was hoping you could give some advice concerning the eating portion of it. I am hypoglycemic and currently eat 4 meals a day. I will burn out ( sugar drop/pass-out) if I workout before I eat. Are there any recommendations for Hypoglycemics?
please can you help me bring down my body fat is two much fat on my body i have like 22 body fat i want to bring it to at list 11 percent
No I can’t help you. You need to do it all on your own.
Greg,
Thanks for your answers – its nice to get such quick replies!!
Now that I have a handle on the execises for phase I of VI, I am trying to get a better understanding of the diet. As far as calories, I’m aiming for 1800-2000/day. I have never counted calories before so havent got a clue as to what caloric value each food has…do you have any recomendations (websites?) for the easiest way to track cals?
The second question regarding diet is number of meals per day and timing.
I have about 10-12 pounds of bodyfat to shed. I was thinking of eating at noon, 3:30, workout from 6:00-7:00, then eat big meal at 7:30. Since I work in an office downtown, I am limited when I can leave work to go eat or workout. Suggestions?
Mike
10-12 calories per pound of goal body weight is a good calorie target for fat loss. Meal timing looks pretty good. Keep your first 2 meals about 20-30% of total calories each. Make your last meal the biggest.
Greg,
Love the website and all the advice you give. I started VI this week and its a great workout. On day 1, my arms dont have any gas left to do the close grip push ups at the end of the routine, and on day 2, I dont have the abs strength to do the hanging leg raises.
As a solution for the pushups, i did knee pushups (somewhat embarassing to do in the gym), figuring that within a few weeks, i will be able to do “traditional” pushups.
As a solution for the hanging leg raises, i kept some weight on one foot and raised one leg for 8 reps, then the other leg 8 reps. I could still feel my abs working pretty hard.
I just thought I would check with you to get your thoughts. Should I keep pushing through or should I substitute those exercises for ones I can perform better?
Mike
If you are so wiped that you don’t have the strength to do close grip push ups at the end of the workout then you should call it a workout. After a few weeks you should be able to fit them in.
If you can’t do hanging leg raises you can do knee raises or lyling leg raises.
Can I start immediately with phase 3?
M
Yes! That is exactly what I did.
Hey Greg,
Love the blog you’re running man, doing a great job with lots of good info. I’ve got a question about Visual Impact bonus phase, as I’m just about to start that. The results so far have been great, so really looking to get this right.
Rusty recommends keeping the diet exactly the same as in Phase 3 and taking creating on top of that. Does that mean you should still go into each session in a fasted state? So far in phase 3 i’ve been doing this and taking BCAA pre and post workout (training in the evening), waiting 1 hour before eating my main meal at dinner time.
Just wondering if this approach would risk muscle loss at all, due to pushing the muscles to failure, and how you would counteract that.
How do you setup your diet in the Bonus Shrink Wrap Phase?
Thanks for the info.
Dan
I would bring the calories up in the bonus phase. 13-14 calories per pound of bodyweight is about right. The idea is to maintain leanness and increase muscle stores with glycogen. Therefore carbs should be higher. Get 1-1.5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight with most coming post workout.
Thanks for the info, Greg. What about post workout? Continue with BCAA post workout and wait an hour before eating, or go with the old protein shake mixed with glucose immediately post workout?
If you’re eating an hour after training there is no benefit to have a protein shake or BCAA right after. Simply just have your meal an hour after your workout. Since your skipping the shake you can make this meal a little bigger.
Hey man!!
I just finished 60 days of p90x and it’s just not cutting it for me. I’m 6 foot 5 and I weigh 155lbs and I want to bulk up but I think the perfect look would be the lean but muscular body. Any tips or ways I should go about planning my workouts?? I just bought the Black Book set. Shoot me an email if you can!
I recommend reading the articles on my blog to find out how I recommend building muscle. I only answer specific questions on my blog not general questions with absolutely no context or information.
So I dont have any weights to be honest and was wondering what you would recommend as body weight exercises that would help me get my chest bigger. Pushups….is that the only thing or is there more?? Im dying to know. And would I have to crank out high reps or just do them in moderation?
Dips and push ups with your feet raised on a bench are two great exercises to build your chest. You can make these exercises more challenging by adding a back pack with weights inside. After about 12 reps muscular endurance takes priority over muscle growth. Therefore it’s best if you add weight to keep you in the 8-12 rep range.
So for a workout program it would be like 4-5 sets of 8-12 reps for pushups? And then for dips that would be the same as well?
Yes. You have the idea.
Seriously man. U are the truth bro. I appreciate you for your patience and knowledge. Wat do you think of the home gym workout? Is it too much?
Workout A Chest
Weighted dips 4-5 sets 8-12
Weighted push ups 4-5 sets 8-12
Workout B Biceps, Triceps, Back
Weighted Chin Ups 4-5 sets 3-5
Bicep Curls 3-4 sets 8-12
Skull crushers 3-4 sets 8-12
Standing shoulder press 3-4 sets 6-7
Workout C
Pistol Squats
Chest workouts ( dips & push ups )
Core workouts ( Hanging leg raises & side twists etc )
Lateral Raises
I mean Im kinda just throwing it together but I want to know if there is any better way to pair the workouts or should this be sufficient. I know this is alot of info. Im kind of wingin it but lemme know what you think.
Bad set up bro! That workout is going to have you hitting chest twice for every one time you hit back, shoulders, arms, legs.
Scrap workout C and add skull crushers to Workout A. Also add abs to Workout A and Pistol Squats and Lateral Raises to Workout B.
I’m on my 4th week of Phase 1 and i’m not seeing any gains at all.
Same body weight before I started till now. Should I just finish Phase 1 and go on to phase two or what? Should i also start taking supplements? I’m not taking any supplements.
I was also reading your article on fasting and at the end of it, I realized i have been fasting all along. My first meal is usually 11am, second meal at 3pm and last meal at 7pm.
My body fats is 11.4% but i’m very light, weighing at only 136.6 lbs.
Derrick continue doing the program. The only way you will see a noticeable difference is if you compare pictures from before to now. You won’t one day magically wake up and look in the mirror and say ‘damn I look so much more jacked!’ That just doesn’t happen. Also taking body measurements is useful for tracking progress (chest, arms, waist). DOn’t get caught up with scale weight.
hey greg. I’ve been doing Phase 1 of visual impact for about 4 weeks now and I’ve been eating a high amount of calories as well so i can bulk up. I’ve been steadily gaining muscle size but I’m also gaining a lot of fat around my stomach and waist area and I’m not sure where its coming from. my diet is clean, I’m eating lean meats, veggies, fruits, and whey protein shakes before and after workouts. my carbs usually come from wheat bagels, brown rice, and oatmeal. i don’t have any unnecessary sugars or processed foods so I’m stumped on why most of the weight I’m gaining seems to be going to my stomach giving me the whole “skinny fat guy
‘ look. I’m not sure what i should adjust in my diet to help me gain weight with minimal fat so any advice you have would be awesome. thanks!
It doesn’t matter if you only eat ‘clean foods’ if you eat too many calories then you will gain fat. A weight gain of about 2 lbs per month is about all you can gain of lean mass. Anything more than 2 lbs per month will tend to be fat. I recommend reducing your calories at-least until you get back down to a leaner state. From then on keep the caloric surplus very modest so you’re not gaining more than 2 lbs per month.
@ Greg
So to keep it very simple, how many meals would you recommend a day in phase 1 . 3-4?
Any meal frequency can work. I personally like 2-3 meal per day but at the end of the day it’s about total calories. The fewer meals the bigger they can be.
what do you do after you’ve done all three phases? I’m not the size i want to be but I’m about to finish phase one. do i go through it all again and repeat it ?
thank s
After you finish all phases you can do any of the phases over again continually. I like phase 2 and phase 3 the most.
what do you do after you’ve done all phases? I’m Atty phase one for just over two months haven’t got the size I want, should i go through the whole 3 phases and then do another cycle afterwards?
Julio.
You may find that you make better muscle gains in phase two. I would go to phase 2.
Hey i was wondering what can i do to build muscle im 120 pounds 5 10 height whats a good workout program i eat a lot!! and good proteins after my workouts but it feels like my workouts are wrong i never feel a burn or anything after any workout if feels like i didnt even lift weights
You can’t go wrong with Visual Impact Muscle Building. It’s my favorite program!
At 120 lbs and 5’10 you are very thin. You will need to make an effort to increase your calorie intake.
hi Greg,
Im currently starting phase 3 of visual impact while trying to incorporate intermittent fasting and eat stop eat. Just want to know if i’m doing it right. I’m currently at 180lbs and my goal is to lose weight to 160-170 lbs with hopefully primarily body fats in 2 months time. Right now, i’m trying to consume about 1600-1700 cal with approximately 120-150 g protein. 20% of cal at 12pm, 20% at 4pm, then the rest 60% an hour after workout (around 9-10pm) since i usually work out at 7pm; you think this will work to maximize the fat loss and improve the muscle density following rusty’s VI impact?.. also, you mentioned taking BCAA before work out and whey protein after, do you still advise to that apart from the 3 meals?
i’m also planning to try the 24 hr fasting from eat stop eat once a week particularly on my rest days…what do you think about that?
thank you. you’re site is such a great help to us.
Looks pretty solid. No need for BCAA or whey in your case. I only take BCAA before a workout if I’m training fasted. One 24 hour fast per week is fine but I wouldn’t advise it. If you are consistently eating low calories there is no need for a 24 hour fast. It will just make the diet more miserable and difficult. If you want to throw in a higher calorie day then you could add a 24 hour fast afterwards to negate the damage. This is how I prefer to use 24 hour fasts.
Also don’t be too rigid with the diet. Track everything, see how your body responds and adjust as necessary.
Hi Greg,
I was wondering what your thoughts are on the Gallon of Milk A Day diet in conjunction with something like Visual Impact for someone who is skinny and needs to gain weight
Nothing special about it except that you will be consuming a large excess of calories from all the milk. It will generally lead to inevitable fat gain. I really wouldn’t advise it. Plus I wouldn’t recommend drastically increasing the quantities of one food when bulking. This doesn’t seem to be the healthiest route since excess of anything seems to be unhealthy.
Greg,
I just bought Visual Impact and it seems like a lot of volume. I noticed most of the workouts you have on your site are significantly less. Do you think eliminating 1-2 sets per exercise would make a huge difference? I only have about an hour a day to workout and that includes cardio. I definitely can’t get these done in an hour if I follow the recommended rest periods strictly.
Also, I’m 5’10” and about 190 lbs. I feel like I probably need to shed a little fat more than gain muscle at the moment. Should I start in phase 3 and then go back through phase 1 and 2 afterwards?
I know that’s a lot of questions and thanks for the awesome site and info!
Yes cut down on the sets as needed to finish your workout in an hour. If it’s phase one make sure to keep the rest short (45-60 seconds). At 190 lbs and 5’10 you are pretty big. Phase 3 on a calorie deficit would be your best bet. You’re probably looking at getting down to at-least 175 lbs to get a good level of leanness.
Been studying VIMB for a wee bit now, looks pretty legit. I haven’t bought the eBook yet, but I’m tempted. Decided I’m going to give the free training programmes a bash first then see what results they produce. Additionally, I have a few questions… if that’s cool?
1. Calorie consumption – I understand this varies depending on the amount of exercise your doing. Could you give me a rough daily guide? I’m currently doing cardio when I wake up (before eating), then gym later in the evening (another session of twenty minutes cardio then strength training). I do morning cardio at least 3-5 days a week and gym at least 2-3, depending on work, etc.
2. I am 5’10”, mesomorph/ectomorph build, could you give me a quick number crunch on what sizes I’d need to aim for for waist, shoulders, arms, etc?
3. Do you use protein supplements at all? If so, which would you recommend? I know there is a controversy over this as people argue you get pretty much all your nutrients, etc, from your food (taking into account you are eating a balanced diet).
I think that’s it for now. If I have any other enquiries I’ll be sure to post. Really appreciate any help given. This build is definitely more appealing than puffy/marshmallow body building.
Regards, Tom.
For fat loss you’re probably looking at consuming 1600-1900 calories per day. Since you’re exercising quite a bit you could probably go up to 1800-2100. Awesome proportion would be waist 31-32,chest 42-44 and arms 15-16. I use protein supplements at times. Sometimes I’ll consume a whey protein shake 1-2 times per day as a quick and easy meal. Whey protein is high in the BCAA which play an internal role in muscle protein synthesis.
Greg,
I’m 150 lbs right now and trying to bulk up to about 190 before cutting down to a lean 175/180. Phase I of this program looks like it could get me on track with the Sarcoplasmic growth but do you think thats the right way to go or should I be following a different workout plan and then come back to Visual Impact once I’m at around 190?
You want to gain 40 lbs??? That’s insane. Take your time and don’t rush the process. Focus on adding quality weight (mostly muscle). That way you will only have to get up to 170 lbs and you’ll look great the whole time.
Visual Impact would work very well to get you to pack on muscle nicely.
Greg,
Thanks for the response, I really appreciate the feedback. I’ll slow it down a bit and focus on adding quality muscle. Also, I just received your Visual Impact Additional Workouts and I was wondering if you recommend doing your workouts in place of what the program sets out?
Follow the program as laid out. After completing it you can do phase one with my workouts.
Hey Greg was curious rusty made a comment saying that you shouldn’t eat 3 hours before you go to the gym and was wondering when you eat lunch let’s say would you go to the gym 3 hours later after eating?
@Chris
If you’re doing a strength workout then 2 hours is fine. If it’s cardio I would rather wait 4-5 hours unless it was a very light meal with mostly lean protein, fruits and veggies. (chicken, salad, fruit)
Hey Greg
I just had a question regarding Phase2 that im starting next week. It says to pick a weight that I can do 8 reps with and do sets of 5×5 with 45-60sec rest. At the same time later in the same chapter, he says not to rush as much as Phase 1. So I was curious, how much rest do you use between sets in Phase2?
Thanks Greg
@Jay
Between the build up sets where you are adding weight you can rest around a minute or so. However when you’re going for your heavy sets I like to rest until I am fully recovered.
Hi Greg,
I’ve been doing Phase I of Visual Impact for almost 2 months and keen to start Phase 2. However, I now have to travel for 6 weeks for work and will have very little to no access to a gym. Is it best to continue with Phase I for a few weeks when I return home or just go straight to Phase 2? I will of course continue to exercise while I’m away but will not really do any proper strength training as such. Thanks.
@Adrian
See if you can incorporate bodyweight training when you are away. 2-3 sessions per week of pull ups, hand stand push ups, one legged squats and one arm push ups would do wonders for maintaining your development.
Got another question for phase 1 did you do just the upper body phase 1 and 2 where it’s broken down into a 2 day workout or did you do the full phase 1 and 2workout? Because rusty included the upper specializing workout to so was wondering of you did that instead
@Chris
I actually did the upperbody specialization routine because I had plenty of leg development from squats and deadlifts in the past. If your legs need some work than I would stick to the regular routine.
@Chris. I agree. Greg is so speedy on replys and very informative.
Thanks Greg for your tips and advice. Greatly appreciated.
Hey Greg
Even though in in phase 1 still of this program, I’m setting my self up for phase 3, diet wise. Does your shredding program include a meal plan or a diet plan? If your principles are the same in phase3 as your shredding program, I might just pick up your program if it includes a diet plan. That whole protein shake in the morning/afternoon/ chicken salad at dinner thing thats outlined in VIMB seems kinda iffy to me. I also remember you said somthing that you went too low in cals at one point and your stregth started to diminish. I just don’t want to make that mistake.
Thanks Greg
@Jay
Yes I include a diet program. When it comes to getting lean diet is very important.
You only went to the gym 4 days a week for every phase? I read in one of your post / workouts that you should be lifting 5days a week
@Chris
I used to be the guy that would lift weights 5-6 times per week. I have switched to 3-4 workouts per week a year ago and actually find it more effective.
Hey Greg,
Did you follow the diet guidelines in VIMB for phase 1? It’s where you use that formula for how much you want to weigh to determine you daily caloric requirements. Also, for phase 1 did you go heavy to achieve failure or light? Thanks.
@Chris
I wasn’t too strict on my diet in phase 1. Just made sure to get enough protein and not eat much junk. I followed the workout guidelines.
Hey Greg
Just wanted to ask: How much did you actually get out of Phase1? Reason im asking is because I’ve been doing it for 4 weeks now( i know its 8weeks) but im not really seeing size gains. Although when im pumped, I look huge but thats only temporary. I’m keeping it really intense and low rest periods 30-45secs using light to moderatly heavy weight and always sticking to the rep ranges. I know Rusty says people who don’t see much in P1 will see progress in p2, but I’d like to know what you take on p1 is.
Thanks Greg,
@Jay
I got best muscle gains from phase 2. Phase 1 I saw some immediate growth but then hit a plateau.
For each phase what was your workout schedule? 2 days on and 1 day off?
@Chris
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Thanks for the reply usually on most sites they dont get back to you ha. Was just wondering if you ate 3 meals and you got your result why does everyone tell me that 6meals is the way go? Everyone says if you eat 3 meals your body won’t be able to use all the nutritions from the meal.
@Chris
Those are myths being sent out my supplement companies to increase sales of their meal replacements and protein shakes. It’s all a bunch of BS.
Oh and forgot to ask while you were doing each phase how many meals were you having in each phase? Did the amount of meals change at all?
@Chris
I usually stuck with 3 meals.
Hey Greg, I have been doing visual impact muscle building for pass 4 months I’m getting some results but none compared to what you got. I was wondering did you follow the workout given to you by rusty or did you make your own?? Also, there is some many different ways to diet it seems like eat stop eat or like 6 meals like Ryan Reynolds did, but what was your diet while doing visual impact muscle building and if you didn’t follow rusty’s workout what was yours?
@Chris
I stuck to the workouts for the most part. When you diet and lean down in phase 3 you will really amaze yourself. Just make sure you’re progressing in weight and reps and that will set you up for some crazy changes in phase 3 with the dieting.
Just curious Greg: Did you do Adonis Index before VIMB? Cause even in your transformation video, you looked pretty jacked.
@Jay
Yah I did the adonis system for 4 months before going to Visual Impact.
What’s up Greg?
What was your diet like during visual impact. Were you doing the high/low as mentioned in your workbook or were you following the visual impact plan a bit more? This is my weak point when it comes to seeing results and I am in desperate need of some guidance. I am starting your version Monday after a week of preparation and want to be sure I nail it from the get go. Thanks for your help.
@Stephen
During phase 3 of visual impact I followed a pretty strict diet. Kept my calories pretty low during the week (8-10 cals per pound of goal bodyweight) and on the weekend I ate what I wanted.
I have a bit of fat that built up in my gut where I’ve been neglecting my health and diet for several years now. I am not fat and never have been fat my whole life but I have developed a tad bit of a spare tire. What phase should I begin with in Visual Impact and will following the program straight up take care of this issue as well as allow me to grow bigger muscles/get shredded?
@Jonathan
I recommend going to phase 2 or phase 3 while following a diet. Trying to build muscle when you’re a little overweight is never a good idea.
Hi Greg,
I read on one of your posts that you recommend working certain body parts more than once a week to achieve optimum results. I have a lot of time on my hands, do you think it would be beneficial to workout more than 3 times a week for phase 1 of visual impact? Perhaps workout chest twice a week?
Many thanks.
@Phillippe
I suggest you re-read the phase one chapter in Visual Impact. There are three separate workouts in phase one but you should be working out 4-5 times per week. It is a 2 days on, one day off protocol.
Hey Greg,
For Phase I do you do 2 days on and one day off or a M/W/F 3 day split? Thanks.
@Chris
Nope. It would be – monday, tuesday, thursday, friday. with wednesday and the weekend off.
Thanks for the Reply Greg
I just finished my back,bicep, forarm workout today and my biceps is destryoed!
I’ve always been shit at doing chin ups and pullups, so today I had a little trouble with
chin ups rest time between sets.
Example: I did my first set of 10reps(proper and strict form)-rest 45secs- then I could only do 3-6reps for the next 3 sets. Between each set, my arms were toasted! Specifically my biceps.
Should I take longer breaks with chins/pull ups?This exercise tend to be taxing on my arms and 45secs isnt really enough to revcover. Or should I just stop being a wuss and deal with it? the rest of my work out today was awesome, I love Phase 1 so far
Thanks Greg
@Jay
If you are looking to increase your performance in pull ups your best bet it so perform a large amount of volume without reaching failure. Perform multiple sets stopping 1-2 reps before muscular failure with 2 minutes rest in between sets.
Might be slightly off topic here, but I’d like to ask: What is better for Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy? Barbell or Dumbells for Phase one?
Thanks.
@Jay
Doesn’t really matter. Both are effective. Although I find dumbbells lend themselves better to higher reps. Whereas barbell are great for low and high reps.
Hi, i’ve been working out quite some time now and i’ve mostly followed your guidelines and the eat-stop-eat diet. If i purchase this programe do i have to start from phase 1? also, can i use this with visual cardio? thanks
@Stephanos
You can start with whichever phase you want. If you are more interested in fat loss then you can start there. You can add the cardio workouts after the strength training sessions.
Hey which one gave you the most attraction from girls adonis index or visual impact?
Hi Greg I also had a question about the volume in phase 1, seems like or more then you usually recommend??? Did you stick to that set and rep range for phase 1 or did you switch things up a bit… Please help!
my mistake, meant upper body for day 1 in phase 1.
I skip the Optional HIIT on “Day 1” and “Day 3” and do the exact workout, it may be closer to the 40 minute mark, I was able to combine the two last night and took an about an hour and 15 mins
I keep my stop watch on the iphone and only rest 30 seconds in between, but have seen unbelievable results at the 30 second mark so don’t see any reason to change.
My concern/question would be if working the two together 3/4 times a week rather than 2/3 a week as laid out would hurt my results?
@Brandon
Stick the program as laid out. You don’t want to hit your muscles more then 2x per week.
Greg,
I’ll be finishing up my third week of Phase 1 on 02/16 and can honestly say that my gains/results in just this short time period have been better than years of NCAA and MLB weight programs that I was on. Theres a lot of small details that Rusty covers that I was never aware of and even professional trainers had never told me.
I have a quick question for you about Phase 1.
I am able to complete each of the arm days in basically 30-35 minutes which is great, Rusty has it broken up into three days. Arm Day 1, Legs/abs/hit and Arm Day 2.
What do you think about combining Arm Day 1 with Arm Day 2 and making it about an hour or so workout and then Doing Abs/hiit the following day and then back to Arms?
So in a 7 day period you would be doing arms 3/4 times with a full day of rest in between.
@Brandon
Nice man! I am so confused though. They are no arm days in phase one. There is chest, shoulders, triceps and the other upper body day is back, biceps, forearms. What are you talking about? If you are doing those workouts as laid out there is no way you can finish in 30-35 minutes. It should take at-least an hour.
Hello. Since July I have gone from 242 pounds of blubber to 182 pounds. I set a goal to be 180 pounds then I will buy this book and start working out. How I lost most of my fat is Dr. Fuhrmans diet eat to live program but I am mostly a vegitarian now exept 1 every two weeks I eat “bad” foods at one dinner.
My question is can someone who only eats veggies and nuts get enough protien to do this kind of program? If not by veggies alone than can I get something else that will help.
I had a friend who bulked up to bodybuild and ate like 2 foot long sandwiches, cookies and all kinds of stuff I dont want to eat again so he had the calories to gain muscle.
@Dave
Rusty talks about how you don’t need nearly as much protein as people think. 90 grams per day may be sufficient. Incorporate some protein shakes (hemp or brown rice) and you should be fine.
Hi!
I read that it doesn’t matter which kind of exercise (methode) you do when you use the VIM program. Is that true? Is it the same if I either use free weights or a machine? I’ll still get the same results?
@Thomas
Visual impact is all about the principles not necessarily the modalities. You can get good results with free weights or machines. For the heavier lifting (phase 2 and 3) I do find free weights more effective because some machines are limited and different.
Hi Greg,
I am not a very strong person and i am a beginner, do you think this program will suit me?
Is there another way to purchase the program besides the webpage?
@Victor.
Unfortunately there is not. The program can only be purchased online.
Thank you for the answer Greg.
I´m planning of doing this 4-6 week cutting phase before starting with VI Phase I.
Do you have any suggestions or general information for managing to change the diet from for example the typical VI Phase III fat-loss Diet to a Muscle-gain Diet for Phase I+II.
Do I have do slowly increase my calorie intake and/or do I have to change it over a couple of days/weeks?
@Tombias
Follow this approach for phase 1 – https://kinobody.com/145/a-simple-diet-approach-to-building-pure-muscle/
Try this for phase 2 – https://kinobody.com/1354/how-to-build-muscle-and-lose-fat/
For the final phase I recommend the diet from this article – https://kinobody.com/1221/christian-bale-american-psycho-workout/
Hey Greg,
you mentioned starting Visual Impact with Phase 3 for cutting before starting the normal programm. Would you recommend this method for people with a certain amount of bodyfat ?
Thanks
Tobias – If you have a decent amount of fat to lose then you want to get that handled first. Phase 3 would therefore be ideal. With that being said if you eat properly in phase one and do the workouts you will definitely see fat loss.
did you follow the visual impact phase 1 exactly as said when you bought the system? seems like a lot of volume ? or did you change things ?
thanks
@Dan
Sent you an email.
thanks greg
I sent you the recipt looking forward to the program good luck in the new year !
Which system gave you the best gains in muscle A.I. or vimpact ? and also if i buy the visual impact can you send me the 16weeks course you used to gain muscle?
thanks
@Dan
I like visual impact. Yes send me an email of your recipt to gregoryogallagher@gmail.com and I will hook yah up!
hey greg
im currently 160lbs at 5’8, 7% body fat, 49 inch shoulders , 29.6 inch waist and am thinking of trying either adonis index or visual impact training to gain some muscle wile staying lean and was wondering which one you prefere to do this? also i do alot of sports e..g. judo , mma and was thinking visual impact training would be better way of training for these sports?
thank you
@Dan
I am a big fan of Visual Impact Muscle Building. With that being said they are both great programs and you can’t go wrong with either. Strength gains tend to be better with visual impact muscle building which I love.
Hey greg
Im starting visual impact today, and I was wondering for phase 1 and 2 what the diet should somewhat look like? And would it be okay if I ate right before working out?
Thank you
@Jesse.
Depends. For phase one and two the goal is to build muscle so you want to have a surplus of calories. I would say eat plenty of healthy meats, veggies, fruits, sweet potatoes, brown rice and brown rice pasta. 3-5 meals per day. Make sure to have a protein meal before your workout and a high protein and high carbohydrate meal after the workouts.
Hi again Greg
I started VI Muscle Building this month, Phase 1. My question: i’m just able to go to the gym 3X per week, is that ok? or should i extend the phase 1 for one more month?
Thanks for your great work.
joão(Portugal)
@Joao
3x per week should be fine. No need to extend the phases.
I think this is what I’ve been looking for, do you know if I this can be shipped outside the US?
@Ross
Visual Impact is a downloadable ebook. So you can purchase it from anywhere in the world.
hey man great results. just a couple of questions ? i started to loose weight before i read rusty moore visual impact and was 194lb at 5ft 11inch tall and went down to 185 and then i found out about it and started at phase 3 and went down to 178lb ive been doing phase 3 since mid september and now its nov 4 and been noticing pretty good results but was wondering if i keep doing phase three for a couple of more months will the skin qet tighter and tighter . meaning the longer i do phase three the better the results cause the skin is still a little loose while doing phase 3 since mid sep. so how long should i do this phase for. thanks man appreciate it.
Yo Greg!
I’m 60 19 years old and my weight is 164 pounds i bought the visual impact program and have started at phase 1 i understand the workouts and the phases but i don’t have a clue about any of the diet programs for each phase could you please give me some advice on the diet tips because i feel that the diet is the most important aspect to your body.
For instance could you tell me a diet program for phase 1 2 3 and bonus phase what i should eat when i should eat it.
Thank you
Send it to this Email porphiriou@hotmail.co.uk
This is my E-mail Thank you
Hi
So basically if you buy this program you get the original visual impact muscle building program which is
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Bonus Phase
and also you will get the modifications and changes that you came up which was your own workouts following the visual impact that you used in order to get your physique and the 16 weeks of additional workouts
when you reply to this message please put a link to where i buy the program
Thanks
Hey Luka!
go here – http://visualimpactmusclebuilding.org/
Once you go to that page then hit one of the links and it will take you to the visual impact page. After you order the program email me at gregoryogallagher@gmail.com and i’ll hook u up!
Hi
I’m very interested in buying the program so could you put a link to this reply about buying the program please?
Also will you send me the 16 weeks of additional workouts?
Thank you
I’m interested in VI (am now up to about 183, but 16% BF at 6’1″) – my goal is 180, sub 10% BF. But what about diet – I know enough that I could come up with my own to start and modify as I go, but are there guidelines for each phase (cals; protein, carb, fat %, etc)? Thanks.
Yeah phase one and two are more relaxed in terms of calorie intake. Rusty recommends a small 250-500 calorie surplus to ensure muscle gain with minimal fat gain. As well as sufficient protein intake. 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
For phase 3 he recommends keeping calories intake low. 10 calories per pound of goal bodyweight. So if you want to be 150 lbs then you would eat only 1500 calories per day. This is very strict and I like to go a 300-500 calories above this number.
Also have a thing for ham curls and leg extens. on the bench..
I’ve been interested in this for awhile now..
Will I be able to do all the exercises you give up for this program with an olympic bench/barbell any weight, adjustable dumbbell any weight, and a ez curl bar?
I can go get a iron gym pull up bar if needed also..
Thanks!
If I start with phase three and complete it can I restart the entire program with phase one and two? And can I still do phase three again and the bonus phase?
Yes! That’s actually what I did.
And is it possible to do the entire program with just using body weight and still get good results?
You can do visual impact bodyweight style and get good results. I actually spent a month doing the workouts with just my body weight. You will have to be very creative to come up with exercises that challenge you. I plan on coming out with a bodyweight training program in the future.
Does this help burn fat? Because I really want to buy this program and want to burn fat and gain a nice and lean physique, and does it come with a meal plan and workout routines?
Yes it does! If your goal is to strip away bodyfat and improve muscle tone then you will find it very useful. When I first purchased the program I had the same goals as you. Basically you will just skip to phase three of the program which is focused on fat loss.
What equipment do I need to do this program at home?
A set of dumbbells or a pair of adjustable dumbbells. An adjustable bench and pull up bar.
I would also recommend an EZ curl bar
do you have to design your own program with visual impact muscle building? How does this work ? Like does it tell you what excersise to do, # of reps, for each workout of the day or do we have to create our own ? Please
Help me.! I am really interested in buying this through your website. my main goal is to gain weight (lean mass) . I am already at a low body fat% but now
I want to get size but at the same time ripped. Not
Puffy muscles, i want well defined/big muscles
Yes! It comes with an easy to follow workout program for each phase. As well as additional workouts depending on your goals and status. Sounds like this program is the perfect fit for you based on your goals.
The visual impact program is perfect for those who do not want to build too much muscles, but don’t want to get very bulky while doing it. You don’t want to look like a competitive bodybuilder but would rather obtain the look of a men’s health cover model. It’s like gaining a Hollywood look.