Xtreme Shredded 8 (XS8) Program Overview

Super Shredded 8 is the most popular physique-transforming training program I’ve ever created. Thousands of ambitious JYM Army members have completed SS8, with amazing fat loss and even muscle-building results to show for it. There’s no other program quite like it, until now... Xtreme Shredded 8 (XS8).

XS8 is an updated and more challenging version of SS8. Many training elements remain the same from the original, while others make the program even more extreme – to give you more extreme results.

Why did I design a “2.0” version of Super Shredded 8? Because I wanted to offer a slightly different take on SS8 that utilizes the same training principles but offers a fresh take on the workouts and an even greater challenge. I believe I've accomplished that with XS8.

When it comes to training for maximum results, you never want to be stagnant. This is particularly pertinent for those who have done SS8 multiple times. Even the best programs need to be changed and enhanced at some point to continue working their magic. That’s what I’ve done with Super Shredded 8 – I’ve taken a highly advanced fat loss program and cranked it up a few notches.

If you haven’t done the original Super Shredded 8 program yet, I recommend starting with that first. But if you’re ready for the ultimate challenge and the best possible fat-burning, physique-building results, give XS8 a try.

Xtreme Shredded 8 Supersets

As in the original SS8 program (“OG SS8” for short), all exercises in this version will be done as supersets – more specifically, compound sets, where both exercises in each pairing work the same muscle group.

However, there’s a major shake-up in how the compound sets are configured this time around: in OG SS8, two different compound sets were performed for each major muscle group (four exercises total). The first compound set was a multijoint exercise followed by a single-joint movement. The second compound – called a pre-exhaust set – reversed the order, with a single-joint exercise followed by a multijoint movement. For example, when training the chest, the first compound set in OG SS8 was the bench press followed by dumbbell flye. Then, the second compound set was incline dumbbell flye followed by incline dumbbell press.

In XS8, the compound supersets take on a more rigorous pattern. And, you’ll be doing three different compound sets instead of two for a total of six exercises per major muscle group.

Workouts 1-3 Compound Sets

Here’s how the compound sets are laid out the first three workouts of each week (ie, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday):

Compound Set #1: Multijoint + Multijoint – The first compound set for most major muscle groups is composed of two multi-joint exercises. For example, for chest it will be bench press followed by reverse-grip bench press.

Compound Set #2: Single-Joint + Multijoint – The second compound set is a pre-exhaust compound set, starting with a single-joint exercise followed by a multijoint exercise. For chest, this will be incline dumbbell flye followed by incline dumbbell press.

Compound Set #3: Single-Joint + Single-Joint – The last compound set pairs two single-joint exercises to finish off the muscle group with complete isolation and full exhaustion. For chest, this will be low-pulley cable crossover followed by high-pulley cable crossover.

Workouts 4-6 Compound Sets

In the last three workouts of each week (ie, Thursday, Friday, Saturday), when you repeat the muscle groups already trained earlier in the week, the order of the compound sets is reversed to create a true pre-exhaust workout scheme:

Compound Set #1: Single-Joint + Single-Joint

Compound Set #2: Single-Joint + Multijoint

Compound Set #3: Multijoint + Multijoint

Here, the first compound set will be the two single-joint exercises (low-pulley cable crossover and high-pulley cable crossover for chest). The second compound set will remain the same as the first three days: single-joint exercise followed by multijoint (incline dumbbell flye with incline dumbbell press). The last compound set will be two multijoint exercises compound set (bench press followed by reverse-grip bench press).

XS8 Training Split

One thing that carries over completely from OG SS8 to this new version is the workout split. You’ll train each muscle group twice a week, with Workouts 1 and 4 training chest, shoulders, and triceps; Workouts 2 and 5 training legs, calves and abs; and Workouts 3 and 6 hitting back, traps, biceps, and forearms.

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XS8 Rep Ranges and Rest Periods

The rep ranges for XS8 will be the same as they were for OG SS8, but they’ll be performed in a different pattern over the course of eight weeks. In the original program, rep ranges were repeated for two weeks before moving on to the next set of reps. This time around, rep ranges will change weekly, with Weeks 1-4 mirroring Weeks 5-8 in this respect.

If you recall from the original SS8, both “heavy” and “light” exercises were incorporated – heavier weights and lower rep counts for multijoint exercises, and lighter weights and higher reps for single-joint moves. As the program progressed, the heavy sets got heavier (with lower reps) and the light sets got lighter (with higher reps). This combination of heavy and light resistance is great for building muscle and strength, as well as stimulating calorie- and fat-burning.

The same principle holds with XS8. The only difference is that you'll now have some supersets pairing two heavy exercises and others with two light exercises (compound sets #1 and #3). Also,  you won’t have two weeks to get used to rep ranges. Instead, you’ll move on to the next pair of rep ranges after just one week. Then, in Week 5, you’ll go back to the Week 1 rep ranges and repeat the rep progression again through Week 8. This way, you’ll still be doing all rep ranges for two weeks total.

Rest periods are exactly the same in both SS8 versions – starting at 60 seconds between compound sets, and dropping by 15 seconds every two weeks.

Here’s how the rep ranges and rest will progress week by week in the program: 

XS8 Rep and Rest Progessions

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More Fat-Burning with More Tabatas

As in OG SS8, you’ll be doing Tabata HIIT cardio intervals between all muscle groups in all workouts. But since XS8 takes everything up a notch, you won’t be starting with one Tabata between muscle groups; rather, you’ll start with two Tabatas right out of the gate.

I’m also giving you the option of adding a third Tabata between muscle groups. This is an extremely advanced step, though, so only exercise this option if you’re in excellent condition and want the greatest, most extreme high-intensity challenge possible. And I recommend not adding the third Tabata until at least Week 3 or 4, if at all. Each additional Tabata will add 4 minutes to the workout, so if you add a third Tabata after each muscle group it will add 12 minutes.

How to Modify XS8 to Match Your Fitness Level

The great thing about XS8 (and any of my training programs, really) is that you can modify it based on your experience, fitness level, and/or current state of conditioning (ie, currently in good shape vs. out of shape). Modifying XS8 to accommodate a less advanced fitness level is a simple matter of taking the workouts as written and decreasing the volume (total number of sets performed) and/or intensity by doing fewer Tabata exercises in each workout.

Make no mistake, XS8 is a highly challenging program. But if you're not fully prepared to take on the challenge just yet, no problem. Just follow these guidelines for modifying XS8 workouts, based on your fitness and experience level:

If you have less than 1 year of training experience: Do only one set of each compound set in all workouts, and do only one Tabata exercise between musle groups. This recommendation also holds for those who have more than one year of experience but are currently "de-conditioned" (out of shape). 

If you have 1-3 years of training experience: Start with only one set of each compound set and one Tabata exercise between muscle groups, then progress to two sets of each compound set and two Tabata exercises between muscle groups at some point during the 8-week program.

If you have more than 3 years of training experience: Start with two sets of each compound set and two Tabata exercises after each muscle group in all workouts; in other words, do the XS8 program as written from the outset. If you're really advanced and want the ultimate challenge, consider doing three sets of each compound set and three Tabata exercises after each muscle group. If you want a more advanced version but don't want to go full-blown "xtreme," do three sets on the first compound set of each muscle group and two sets on subsequent ones, and do three Tabata exercises after the first muscle group only and two thereafter. 

The important thing to remember is that you should always feel free to modify any workout of mine to suit your individual needs and preferences. Take as long as you like at lower volume before increasing sets and/or Tabata exercises. Don't worry, even the first option above (less than 1 year of experience) will provide a great workout and have you burning fat and building muscle. 

What Diet to Follow with XS8

The original Super Shredded 8 program was accompanied by a specific set of meal plans – the Super Shredded 8 Diet. I recommend following that same plan for this program, unless you prefer to use Dieting 101 or another fat-loss diet.

The SS8 Diet is a multi-phase plan where you progress to different levels based on your results. In total, it’s seven phases, but not everyone will need to go through all phases. In fact, you may not even start with Phase 1. To view the diet, start with Phases 1 and 2 here and follow the link at the bottom of the article to move to Phase 3 and beyond.

What Supplements to Take with XS8

My SS8 Advanced Fat Burner is the ideal product to take while doing this program to maximize fat loss. I also recommend taking Pre JYM X before workouts, and you can even sip on it during your training session if you prefer not to drink it all beforehand.

SS8 is the leveled-up version of my original Shred JYM fat burner, with new ingredients and delivery technology added for better fat loss results. And Pre JYM X builds off the original Pre JYM formula to provide greater muscle pumps and mental focus via increased serving sizes of must-have pre-workout ingredients like creatine HCl, beta-alanine, and citrulline malate.

In fact, I developed a supplement stack to be used specifically with this training program – the JYM XS8 Stack, sold exclusively at JYMSupps.com . In addition to SS8 to Pre JYM X, the XS8 Stack includes my Pro JYM protein blend formula to maximize protein synthesis, muscle recovery, and overall gains in muscle size and strength. (The XS8 Stack also includes a free shaker cup, while supplies last.)

An advanced-level fat burner, high-performance pre-workout, and my best-selling protein powder – a supplement stack doesn't get any better than that!

 

Xtreme Shredded 8 Workouts

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