Every time I do a live Facebook video or check my social media, I'm flooded with questions regarding the 8-Week Hardcore Trainer in BodyFit. For this reason, the good people at Bodybuilding.com and I decided it was time for me to write a "frequently asked questions" feature regarding this program.

Of course, the best way to experience this program is to dive in, watch the daily videos, and work through the obstacles right alongside me. But if you're looking for specific answers in a concise format, bookmark this page and return to it often.



The 8-Week Hardcore Trainer may be the most powerful transformation tool I've ever developed, and I want it to help as many people as possible!

Build Muscle One Grueling Leg Day at a Time
Build Muscle One Grueling Leg Day at a Time
Kris Gethin will show you how to use every tool in the gym in new, effective, and downright cruel ways. It will work, but it will hurt!

1. Do I Have to Do the Exact Repetitions Stated?

Every rep range in the program is there as guidance. Ideally, you should be reaching complete failure within the numbers provided, but given the wide range of movements you'll be doing, that might not always happen.

If you're able to do more reps than the higher number, do them and increase the weight for the next set. Adjust the weight for each set accordingly based on where you reached failure on your last set. This is part art, part science, so embrace it that way. Track everything, adjust, test, and repeat!

2. What Happens If I Miss a Meal?

My stance on missing meals is very strict: I don't tolerate it. You should not miss any meals at all. If you're ever caught in an emergency where there's no food available, have half a serving of Re-Kaged or Kasein as a means of giving your muscles the necessary amino acids to sustain muscle protein synthesis.

If you do miss a meal, then you're a day behind on your progress. That's the rule. Although you cannot make up for this, I recommend you take extra protein with your next meal to achieve your daily net intake.

But let's assume a meal has already been missed. In that case, learn from it! Every time you miss a meal, take responsibility for your actions and understand the impact it's having on your progress. Others trainers might be softer on you, but I'm not about to give you a pat on the back and say "It's OK." It's not OK, so step up and cut the excuses!

Your attitude should be to avoid missing meals through preparation. This is one of the most important skills you can take from this trainer. Like I always say, if you fail to prepare then be prepared to fail.



Cook three days' worth of meal prep in one go, have some meals frozen so you can grab them at a moment's notice and let them defrost through the day. These are the solutions which should mean that you never miss a meal!

3. What Do I Do If I Miss a Cardio Session?

My personal schedule is absolutely manic, and it was doubly so during the filming of this video series, but I didn't miss a single cardio session. During this very trainer I had training partners drop out on me for early morning cardio, but I still got mine done! Perhaps you need to get up earlier or give up watching TV to make time for cardio during this singular and incredibly important eight-week period. Some people take action, others make excuses.

Kris Gethin running in the hills

In the event you do miss your cardio session, make up for it later in the day by adding to the second cardio session you do. This isn't ideal, so don't make a habit of it. There's a reason I've structured the program the way it is!

4. Do I Need All of The Kaged Muscle Supplements Listed?

If you want the most out of this video trainer then my honest answer is yes. The program has been pieced together with precision to give you the best possible chance of success. Every seemingly small detail plays a pivotal role in getting you to the eight-week mark in the best shape of your life.

Usually people who say supplements are expensive waste money on a lot of other stuff in their life. Most people can find the necessary funds to do this if they cut back on things they don't really need. That might be your daily latte from the coffee house, a meal you buy out with co-workers, or going to the cinema every week.

Remember: You have just eight weeks in this program. Make that time as hardcore as possible, and you'll blow your expectations out of the water.

5. What If I Don't Have a Specific Machine In The Gym?

Some gyms won't have the equipment that I had during the filming of this video series. This isn't an excuse, though. When I started training back in Wales my gym was extremely basic! Part of why I do so many unique exercises in the trainer is because I want to show you that you can create quality training with just about any tool at hand!



Look at the exercise I'm doing and pick a "like-for-like" alternative. For example, if you don't have a dip station maybe you can use two flat benches instead. Getting creative usually solves the problem of not having the right machine.

Kris Gethin training in the gym

I've also recently created a series of articles to show different machine "hacks" that allow you to use a wide variety of machines for every upper-body muscle group. Harvest ideas from them!

Gethin-Approved Upper-Body Machine Hacks

Kaged Muscle Re-Kaged
Kaged Muscle Re-Kaged
Designed to Support Lean Muscle Gain with Anabolic Protein Fuel

6. If I'm Tired Should I Still Train?

Yes! This program isn't here to give you comfort, it's here to give you results. There will be days when you're exhausted from work and don't feel like training. I know this feeling very well. Just suck it up and get the work done!

Supplements can be your strategic ally here. Pre-Kaged and Clean Burn will definitely help you find the necessary energy to perform in the gym. Just keep a mindset of never resorting to inaction. Always take steps forward!

7. If I'm Ill Should I Still Train?

No, not if you're really ill.

Everyone is different and consulting your physician is always a good idea, but it's usually best to take a couple of days off to recover. Keep your diet exactly the same, though. There's no reason to eat junk food for comfort; your body needs proper nutrition to get better! You can add some berries to your diet whilst ill to get extra vitamin C and antioxidants.

Weight training in particular shouldn't be done while you're ill because it is very intensive on the central nervous system.



8. Is This Program the Right One for Me?

I get these questions constantly. If your primary goal is to get shredded, build muscle, and look your best ever, then yes, this program is for you.

The only caveat I'm going to throw down is that you can't be feeble of will on my program. It will test every ounce of your resolve and if you have a weak bone in your body, you will get found out! It is hardcore, but it will also make you a more hardcore lifter, and person in general.

My aim is to help you become your best and learn that you're more capable than you believe you are. However, for that to work you have to be completely invested in this program from day one!

9. What Happens If I Want to Lift Early in Morning?

Some people will simply have to adjust the structure of their day to make this program work, and I respect that. All things being equal, I prefer training in the morning as well!

If you need to train in the morning, then your breakfast needs to provide you with very fast-digesting nutrients. For this I'd recommend either Re-Kaged protein, or egg whites and oats 90-120 minutes before training. To make this fit you might have to wake up earlier. That's the sacrifice you need to make. Go to bed earlier if you have to.

A pile of oats

After your workout, take more protein, and perform your morning cardio.

10. Can I Have a Cheat Meal?

No! This is an area some trainers will bend on, but not this one.



You've come to me to get the best results possible in eight short weeks, so don't start asking me to prop you up with a crutch because you find commitment too tough. There is no room for cheat meals on this program. That's non-negotiable.

My intention is for you to experience life-changing results using my 8-Week Hardcore Trainer. This is why I'm so precise about the way you follow my program and it's also why I'm so uncompromising.

Now it's up to you do get the work done!

About the Author

Kris Gethin

Kris Gethin

Kris is a writer and photographer, and periodically provides Bodybuilding.com with articles and pictorial features.

View all articles by this author