Athlean X Jacked Review Dumbbell Training Program

Athlean X Jacked Review

Jeff Cavaliere (of Athlean X jacked review ) is an online fitness icon with over 2.2 million Instagram followers and YouTube views in the billions. The Athlean-X jacked review founder is Jeff Cavaliere.

Jeff’s mission is to help people “get strong, get lean, and feel better.” To that end, he has released multiple books and programs focused on helping athletes achieve their goals through sound training principles and smart exercise selection. All of his programs use concepts such as progressive overload and periodization to ensure that you’re always progressing towards your goal no matter what it may be.

Athlean X Jacked Review Program Review

Athlean-X jacked review program is calling your name. Read on to learn more about Jeff Cavaliere’s 12-week program designed for the home-gymmers with a bench, a set of dumbbells, and eyes on getting jacked

In the world of fitness, there are few things more universal than the humble dumbbell.

Athlean-X jacked has been all about barbells for years — and rightfully so, since they’re an excellent tool for building muscle. But there are plenty of people who don’t have access to a barbell or have never trained with them before.

That’s where Jacked comes in.

Jacked is Athlean-X’s first-ever dumbbell-only program, designed to help you build muscle with minimal equipment and experience. It’s 100% customizable to your training experience and equipment stash and features over 70 unique exercises that can be performed using either adjustable dumbbells or a single pair of dumbbells (or even just one weight).

Fitness level: Any

Duration: Three months (but that “accountability feature” is a devil)

Workouts per week: 5–6 days per week
Average workout duration: 45–60 minutes
Equipment needed: Dumbbells & a weight bench

Goal: Build muscle mass

The Jacked program is a unique combination of strength training, powerlifting and bodybuilding. This program was designed to build muscle mass and improve strength, but it also focuses on fat loss.

This workout program is based on the principles of progressive overload, which means that you gradually increase the weight or resistance of your lifts over time. As your muscles adapt to these increases, they get bigger and stronger.

Jacked is split into two phases: Phase 1 and Phase 2. Each phase has its own unique purpose and training schedule.

Athlean-X Jacked Dumbbell Training Program Details

The Jacked Program is a combination of dumbbell exercises that target every major muscle group. It’s designed to be done at home or in a gym, and it takes about 60 minutes to complete.

Each workout is divided into two parts: lifting and cardio. The goal is to get through all 12 workouts in 12 weeks, with each workout lasting about 10-15 minutes.

Here are some of the key features:

12 unique programs (with a different focus each) that give you options when it comes time to pick your workout.

A nutrition guide with recipes (including a meal plan), tips, and tricks to help you eat right while getting jacked.

Simple tips on how to maximize your results by adding variety to your workouts without having to spend hours in the gym every day.

Dashboard

The dashboard picks up wherever you left off on your current Athlean-X program (Jacked, in this case). From this page, you can access your:

1. 1. 1. Workout calendar
      2. Today’s workout
   athlean x jacked review
   1. Other purchased Athlean-X programs

1. 1. “More” stuff — like the Six-Pack Shuffle (a really watered-down version of Core4)
   2. A Challenge Leaderboard ranking the top-performing AX’ers for Jacked’s Pull, Push, Legs, and 10 by 400 challenges (plus, you can throw a “Prove It” flag if petty is in your blood)

1. 1. A newsfeed where the community can post questions, ask for advice, access videos, etc.

Honestly, the dashboard itself is somewhat idiot-proof as long as you mark your Jacked workouts as complete and master the art of trial-and-error.

The Workouts [What to Expect]

Jacked is the latest in a long line of routines to come out of the ATHLEAN-X empire. It’s a dumbbell-only workout, which means no barbells needed, no spotters needed and minimal equipment needed (just some dumbbells).

This is also a “bro split” — meaning it targets all the major muscle groups in one workout.

The first part of this review will cover the program overview, then we’ll dive into what makes Jacked different from other high-intensity dumbbell routines on the market today.

What You Get With Jacked

This is a full-body workout designed for those who want to see results fast. But don’t expect this to be easy. The first thing you notice about Jacked is that it doesn’t follow the traditional split routine format that many people are used to seeing when they look at their workouts. While other programs may have you hitting chest one day, then moving onto back or arms another day before returning to chest again two days later, this program takes a different approach: each week targets four muscle groups at once (for example, chest day is followed by back day so that your chest muscles can rest while your back gets.

Take the example of Chest A’s first exercise — the dumbbell bench press. Here’s how your path forward would change based on how many reps you perform in the original Ignitor set:

Note: Your “path” will vary for each exercise. For example, you could follow the Jacked path for the bench press, Jacked Up for floor flies, and Pink Dumbbell Protector for push-ups.

(The module also has a spot to record the weight used, sets, and reps to better track your progress when you cycle back to the same workout in two weeks!)

Calendar

One of our biggest gripes with Athlean-X programs (including Jacked) is that damn “accountability feature.” Cavaliere essentially locks you out of months two and three until enough time has passed and he’s sure you completed month one, which is a bit startling given the price tag of this program.

Regardless, Jacked’s schedule is full of satisfying consistency and will captivate the bro-split-lovers:

If you don’t want to lug your computer around or access the module daily, you can also download PDF versions of the monthly meal plans and workouts. Just make sure you watch the Phase Explanation video first, as the charts galore in the workout PDFs are a mindf**k.

Nutrition

Last (but most important) is the Jacked Meal Plan, which will look and taste extremely familiar if you’re an Athlean-X addict — it’s the same-old X-Factor Meal Plan (2.0 at least).

1. 1. 1. While the food choices are undoubtedly healthy, the lack of calories, macros, and serving sizes is a huge oversight — at least for newbies.
      2. Every meal includes a breakdown of the ingredients as well as why you’re eating it (color-coding proteins, starchy carbs, fibrous carbs, and fats).
      3. The X-Factor 2.0 Meal Plan lists three main meals and three snacks per day.
   athlean x jacked review

1. You’ll cycle through every meal eventually. Cavaliere also leaves you the option of picking and choosing your favorite meals if you’re a picky eater.
2. Each major meal has a Standard Meal, a Shred Swap (to lose fat), and a Size Swap (to maximize lean mass) with slight ingredient variations for each. (Jacked is a mass-building program, so the inclusion of a Shred Swap is unusual and potentially confusing.)
3. Cavaliere does include nods to his Athlean-RX supplement line each day.

The Jacked nutrition plan is slightly repetitive (eventually) and glosses over a few key bits of information. But we can’t deny it — the dishes sound pretty darn good, and there’s no doubt they’re healthy.

7 Athlean-X Jacked Pros

1. 1. Jacked is an excuse-free zone. If you have literally any dumbbells and an adjustable weight bench, you’re set.
   2. Every bit of it is modifiable. The Size Swaps (for mass) and Shred Swaps (for fat loss) in the X-Factor Meal Plan are only the beginning. Each exercise has five unique “paths” customized to your original Ignitor Set and dumbbell access — Jacked Up, Jacked, Jacked Down, Pink Dumbbell Protector, and Hi-Load Lifeline.

1. 1. 1. Jacked leans heavily on the principles of hypertrophy. The American College of Sports Medicine lists 8–12 reps per set for maximum muscle mass. However, a new theory published in 2021 by one of the leading voices in exercise science (Brad Schoenfeld) suggests that both high and low-load sets can build mass efficiently at the right volume.
      2. Consistency, consistency, consistency. Every week follows the same format, at least for the first 28 days. Month one of the Jacked alternates between “A” and “B” workouts following the same “bro split,” with the second half of the month following a “Beat Your Totals” theme.
      3. Month one is a so-called “educated” bro split. Cavaliere really shines a spotlight on his biomechanics background on this one. Alternating between antagonistic muscle groups encourages more recovery on rest days while also not settling for a once-a-week frequency. Research from 2021 also suggests that bro splits aren’t deserving of their bad rap, with a 10-week study proving that splits are better for mass while full-body routines are preferable for strength.
      4. Each month of Jacked has its unique twist. We’ve only seen month one because of that damn accountability feature. But based on feedback from other users, month two is a different split and introduces those classic Athlean-X challenges and super sets. Month three cuts the weekly workouts in half (to three) for more of a de-load, full-body vibe.
   athlean x jacked review

1. 1. The program depends on the dumbbells you have and your current strength levels. Many Athlean-X programs require full-gym access or are strictly beginner or advanced programs. If benching with a set of 20-pound dumbbells is “too easy,” the Jacked Down path will increase the volume through higher reps and decrease the rest between sets.

6 Jacked Dumbbell Training Program Cons

1. 1. Athlean-X has a strict no-refund policy. But in the rare case, that they do offer an exchange, or you accidentally buy Jacked when you meant to buy another, make sure you don’t download the PDFs.
   2. That “accountability feature” is a blessing and a curse. Unless you read online reviews from those who’ve completed Jacked in its entirety, months two and three will be complete surprises.
   3. The X-Factor Meal Plan (2.0) is missing a few key parts. The X-Factor Meal Plan pretends macronutrients, calories, and serving sizes don’t exist. Not that it matters that much, since more than half of us completely ignore calorie counts on restaurant menus anyway.
   4. At first glance, it’s complicated. The Jacked terminology is ridiculously confusing unless you watch the 15-minute video where Cavaliere explains it in detail. Even then, it might take a few days to really master the concept of Box Scores, Ignitor Sets, and which path to follow for each exercise.

1. 1. The workouts tend to be long. Many disappointed users complain that many Jacked workouts inch close to the two-hour mark.
   2. Many agree it loses its spark by months two and three. Jacked has its fair share of critics, as all programs do. The lack of cardio and Burst training makes this one a definite fan favorite for many home-lifters. But the challenges in month two are frustratingly intense, and the training intensity takes a nosedive in the final month.

Athlean-X Jacked Dumbbell Training Workout – Final Thoughts

Honestly, the Jacked program is one of the better Athlean-X programs we’ve reviewed.

It’s modifiable to any experience level, and it’s doable with nothing more than a set of dumbbells and an adjustable bench — though we’d recommend an adjustable dumbbell set. Plus, it doesn’t overcomplicate training (for the most part) and is compatible with home gyms.

Of course, if you have a tight schedule, fragile ego, or no nutrition experience whatsoever, Jacked may require a longer adjustment period.

All in all, this is one of our faves from the Athlean-X line-up.

If you found this blog helpful, then do share it with your friends or share it on social media so that we can reach more people and can grow our audience.

For the latest news and updates please follow us on Instagram.