Hey, I'm a new guy to the forum, but I've been training since the beginning of this year following Francesco Castano's MuscleNow program. I've been able to lose 1/4" from my waist every week while either maintaining or increasing strength since January. I was just wondering if anyone else has tried the program or would like to hear more about it to critique it?

Shafe

Hey, I am a musclenow user. I am also a member of the musclenow yahoo group. In fact, that is how i found out about this one.. you posted something suggesting this one.

I like the program a lot. It has definately brought me to a whole new level. Though i havent been following it as strictly as i should in regards to the diet and the weekly measurements... so i can only imagine the results id get if i did it exactly as its supposed to be.

I saw your before/after pics in another thread... Its hard to believe that its the same person. Was that strictly using musclenow?

Sure, let's hear about it.

I was just wondering if anyone else has tried the program or would like to hear more about it to critique it?
I think the progress pics you posted a while ago are a pretty glowing endorsement for the program. I'd love to hear more about it.

He once advised me to cut calories back to 500 daily, that was 4 years ago.

Also the photo's on his site are fake for all I know.

Once a con-artist, always a con-artist.

He once advised me to cut calories back to 500 daily, that was 4 years ago.

Also the photo's on his site are fake for all I know.

Once a con-artist, always a con-artist.

Lets hear about it first - it's obviously working for some.

He once advised me to cut calories back to 500 daily, that was 4 years ago.

Also the photo's on his site are fake for all I know.

Once a con-artist, always a con-artist.


Are you suggesting that Francesco Castano, the author of musclenow advised you to cut to 500 calories?!

Perhaps you misunderstood him. Basically he has a routine whereby you calculate a daily diet, and you keep the diet in check by measuring yourself every week, and based on the results of the measurement you either increase or decrease your diet by 500 cal. So, perhaps when you were advised to "cut calories back to 500 daily", you were really advised to cut back BY 500 calories. I could be wrong, but i find it hard to believe.

Lets hear about it first - it's obviously working for some.

The main gist of the program is that you take all your sets to failure, meaning that you have to decrease the weight in every set in order to keep up. Also, instead of changing your routine every couple of weeks, he advises to stick to the same basic exercises always. but from week to week you alter the number of sets, the number of reps, and the time between sets. It also includes a detialed diet plan, outlining number of calories, types of calories, exactly what to eat and when to eat it.

Overall its a very thorough program, and has worked very well for me. The price is steep (100 bucks!!), but considering how quick of a read it is, how thorough it is, and the fact that he personally answers e-mails from anyone who buys the book, its something that you probably couldn't from anyone else.

He markets it by saying it saves you money because you will never have to buy another supplement again.... however, the amount of food you are required to eat probably costs more than supplements.

I am actually going to take a break from the program as ive been doing it for the past six months. I've been going to the gym on and off for the past 6 years or so and have stayed away from all supplements aside from protien. But the more i read this and other forums, the more tempted i am to try things like creatine, glutamine, and others. I'll probably do 1 cycle of supplements to experiment, then go back to musclenow.

Any other musclenow users out there?

I emailed him several times saying that I didn't loose fat quick enough.

What I did not know was that fatloss was very slow progress, but that is not stated anywhere in his program, he makes it sound like it's fast progress, that's why I bought his book in the first place.

After some time I was eating 1000 calories for some days but did not loose weight, thus emailed him and he said to cut another 500 calories to 500 calories.

This was when I was 16 years old, 5 years ago, completely in the dark about fitness in general. His book was supposed to give me awnsers, but his book and advice was more like poison.

He painted a unrealistic picture about his program, thus he's a scam in my eyes.

I emailed him several times saying that I didn't loose fat quick enough.

What I did not know was that fatloss was very slow progress, but that is not stated anywhere in his program, he makes it sound like it's fast progress, that's why I bought his book in the first place.

After some time I was eating 1000 calories for some days but did not loose weight, thus emailed him and he said to cut another 500 calories to 500 calories.

This was when I was 16 years old, 5 years ago, completely in the dark about fitness in general. His book was supposed to give me awnsers, but his book and advice was more like poison.

He painted a unrealistic picture about his program, thus he's a scam in my eyes.

I think I'm quite late posting about Musclenow here... as this thread seemed to end in 2004 :P But I think I'll just say something about the program in case somebody finds this thread via Google or Yahoo etc.

Musclenow worked for me for losing fat. Actually, by following this program, I was able to obtain a v-shape physique. I believe Sazuki might have misunderstood what he said... because he would only reccommend to cut calories by 500 if U are not getting any progress in fat loss after 1 week.

But then again, there's always the fact that there's no 1 program for eveyone. Maybe, Musclenow is not for you Sazuki. But for a great many, it works :D

And.. the pics on his site are not doctored in any way form what I can see. All seem genuine...

As for my case... I started the program after goin on and off the Body For Life program. Of course I did not take any EAS products, and did not consume any supplements at all (not even multi-vits!)

Then, I went on Musclenow for fat loss. I went from 78 kilos (an almost spoon shaped physique) to a staggering 68kgs.... And I started seeing shapes on my body I never thought existed (e.g. my biceps, veins from some parts of my body, as well as the v-shape of my torso)....

But after that... (as you might have noticed from my on and off with BFL)... I stopped for a rest :P 2 months later, went back on the program. Managed to increase my bicep size this time because I went on the bulking phase. But again, I succumbbed to temptation and stopped again and rested for a long time also. (Until now as a matter of fact ;P). Nows 2009, and I stopped Aug 2004! But... I have to say, I have managed to maintain my v-shape .... of course body fat is up as i am not engaging in cardio n weights on a regular basis :(

But in all.. the program worked for me. Th down side mught be the price. It is a bit expensive :( And I honestly think Francesco should work on that.

As for email... I've been emailing him since 1998... and not once has he failed to answer promptly! (I am living in MAlaysia... hence getting a reply in 2 days max is very2 good!) :D

Ok... thats all I guess :D

After some time I was eating 1000 calories for some days but did not loose weight, thus emailed him and he said to cut another 500 calories to 500 calories.

How can someone not lose weight at 1000 calories a day, especially at 16? Maybe he suspected you were really 2000 calories a day and suggested you cut another 500 down to 1500?

$200 is steep.

$200 is steep.

Not if it works. People spend a years chasing less.

I like MuscleNow. It was talking about a form of macronutrient meal timing years before it became popular all over the net.

It also uses a simple form of progress monitoring that is failsafe.

I havent email Francesco in years, but back when I got it....he never let me down with a email response.

You can get built on MuscleNow. FatVanish his other program is almost MuscleNow with less intensity & a few other small variables.

It was the first source I saw that was in plain-talk & doesn't require supplement heaven. He is all about plain simple food & cheap protein supplements. You won't find the whey casein drama like everywhere else & Francesco & his guys are all built.

He also has a unique form of periodization that works well & was not talked about much on the net at the time of it's publication.

For diet, I am more of a Clarence Bass disciple now, but I still use Francesco's tips from MuscleNow. Big fan.

I would take his paid advice anytime over the "Free advice" offered everywhere and what kind of time release protein I need & other expensive baloney supplements.

Him, Vince Gironda & Clarence Bass are the cutting edge for me.

And I have a bodybuilding library including most crap ebooks.