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Our rating: 4.5/5, based on plan structure, credentials, price clarity, and fit for men over 50.
Jim Stoppani is an exercise scientist who sells workout programs, nutrition guides, and supplement guides through his JimStoppani.com membership and app. His supplement company is a separate business. This write-up is based on the maker’s own pages and public biography, not hands-on use of the app. It covers what you get, what it costs, how to cancel, where it falls short, and who should pass.
Is Jim Stoppani legit?
Yes, his credentials are real and easy to check. His biography says he earned a doctorate in exercise physiology with a minor in biochemistry from the University of Connecticut, then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Yale University School of Medicine. The doctorate is from Connecticut, and the Yale part is the fellowship. The maker’s own offer page says “Yale-educated PhD,” so read the biography for the detail.
He was also senior science editor at Weider Publications for 11 years, covering Muscle & Fitness, FLEX, and Muscle & Fitness Hers. In 2013 he left to start JYM Supplement Science, his own company. You can read the full background on the maker’s about page. A strong resume does not mean every workout fits every body, which is why the rest of this page looks at fit, cost, and weak points.
What do you get in the app?
You get a library of training plans plus nutrition and supplements guidance. The maker’s offer page lists unlimited access to all plans, more than 50 expert-designed plans, daily workouts with video instructions, nutrition guides, meal plans, simple recipes, and supplement guides.
The app also has a calendar for scheduling each workout and a log for your reps and weights. It runs on iOS, Android, and the web. That log matters more than it sounds. Muscle growth generally needs you to add load or effort over time, and you can’t do that if you can’t see last week’s numbers.
The diet and supplements side is an add-on, not the main event. Questions about protein, creatine, or how to lose body fat are worth taking to your doctor or a dietitian, because a meal plan in an app cannot see your labs. Training, a sensible diet, enough protein, and enough sleep all work together when you want to build muscle and lose fat. Cardio and weight management are part of that picture too, and no single workout covers all of it.
How much does it cost?
The pages I checked on October 5, 2026 show only an introductory price, and the two pages disagree. The maker’s homepage shows a $1 introductory offer with “Cancel Anytime.” Its offer page shows “only $14.” Neither page I read printed the ongoing price. The maker’s terms say a trial such as $1 for the first 30 days renews at the regular rate, and they list monthly, quarterly, six-month, and annual plans.
So treat any trial price as a door, not the cost. Before you enter a card, find the renewal price and date on the checkout screen. If you want to look at the current offer yourself, start with the Jim Stoppani app trial and read the billing terms first.
How do you cancel the membership?
It depends on where you subscribed. On an Apple device, you cancel yourself under Settings, then Subscriptions. On Android or the website, the maker says to email or call its support team. It also offers a pause of 30, 60, or 90 days, with no billing and no access during the pause.
Two details from the maker’s support page are worth knowing. If you were billed through Apple, deleting your account does not stop the charge, because Apple subscriptions can only be cancelled through Apple. Refund eligibility is reviewed by email, and the maker’s terms say cancelling does not refund charges already processed. The steps are on the maker’s subscription support page.
What level of experience does Shortcut to Size require?
Jim Stoppani built Shortcut to Size as a 12-week program for men and women, beginner and advanced, per the maker. It runs in three 4-week phases, with 4 training days and 3 rest days each week, and it is built to build muscle.
The split is chest and triceps on Monday, back and biceps on Tuesday, shoulders on Thursday, and legs on Friday. The maker lists the first two workouts at 75 to 90 minutes and the last two usually within 60 minutes. For a man over 50, that is the detail to plan around. Long sessions need recovery, so this workout plan works best when sleep, food, and joint health back it up.
Is Shortcut to Shred good for men over 50?
Only if you already train, and the maker says so on its own page. Shortcut to Shred runs 6 weeks with 6 workouts a week, needs a commercial gym or a well-equipped home gym, and is listed as Intermediate on the maker’s featured workouts page. The maker’s own note says that if you are a beginner or just getting back to the gym after months or years away, it will likely be too intense.
This one is built for rapid fat loss and muscle definition, using cardioacceleration (cardio between strength sets), rest-pause, drop sets, and microcycle periodization. The maker’s overview of this fat-loss plan has the full description. If you want a gentler restart first, our 4-week home workout plan is a better on-ramp.
How long is each workout?
The only session lengths I could confirm come from Shortcut to Size, at 60 to 90 minutes. That is a real block of time, and the answer changes by plan, so check each plan’s overview before you commit.
The CDC’s guidance for adults is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week and at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity. You can read the CDC adult activity guidelines yourself. Four strength days a week covers the muscle-strengthening part, but it does not replace the weekly cardio the CDC describes, so walking and other cardio still count toward your weekly training.
What are the weak points?
Price is not clear up front. The two pages I checked show different introductory prices, and neither shows the renewal price.
Long sessions. Some plans run 60 to 90 minutes, which is hard to keep up on a busy schedule.
Not for a cold restart. The maker flags Shortcut to Shred as too intense for anyone returning after a long break.
Cancelling takes an email or a call. Apple users can cancel in settings. Android and website users have to email or call support.
None of these is a deal-breaker. They are the reason this earns 4.5 and not 5.
Who should skip it?
Skip it if you want a fixed price before you sign up, or if you have not trained in years and want a gentle restart. In that case, start with our guide to maintaining muscle mass after 50 and come back when you have a few months of consistent training behind you.
Skip it too if you only want a diet plan or a single supplements answer. The nutrition guides from Jim Stoppani sit alongside the training, not in place of medical advice.
Is it worth it for men over 50?
Yes, if you already lift and want a structured way to build muscle with real credentials behind it. The plans are organized, the app logs your work, and the maker is open about who each plan is not for. The Jim Stoppani membership offer is the place to see how the training and nutrition pieces fit together.
If you are still comparing options, our guide to the best workout apps for men over 50 lays out the field, and the Bodi review and Shred app review cover two other styles of training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the app free?
No. The maker advertises a low introductory price, $1 on its homepage and $14 on its offer page when I checked, and then a paid membership. Read the renewal price at checkout.
How old is Jim Stoppani?
The maker’s pages do not state his age, so I will not guess. His biography says he was senior science editor at Weider Publications for 11 years and left in 2013 to start his supplement company.
Does the creator have a doctorate?
Yes. His biography lists a doctorate in exercise physiology with a minor in biochemistry from the University of Connecticut, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine.
How many minutes a day does a session take?
It depends on the plan. The maker lists Shortcut to Size sessions at 60 to 90 minutes, four days a week, and Shortcut to Shred at 6 sessions a week.
Can you pause the subscription instead of cancelling?
Yes. The maker offers a pause of 30, 60, or 90 days, with no billing and no access during the pause.
Is Shortcut to Size good for beginners?
The maker describes it as suited to beginner and advanced lifters. With sessions that can run 75 to 90 minutes, a beginner over 50 should start slowly and get a doctor’s okay first.
Medical disclaimer: This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise or supplement routine, especially if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, joint problems, or other health concerns. Sources: the maker’s about page, its subscription support page, its Shortcut to Shred overview, and the CDC adult physical activity guidelines.
