Athlean-X hardly wants an introduction, being probably the most well-known health YouTubers on the planet and all. However might this be what’s robbing you of your features?!
Properly, no, as a result of that is truly a assessment of one in every of his exercise movies on YouTube — “The PERFECT House Exercise (Units and Reps Included).”
So is it actually a terrific exercise program? Let’s discover out.
The PERFECT House Exercise (Units and Reps Included)
That is the video we’re basing this assessment on:
In case you don’t know, Athlean X on YouTube is definitely Jeff Cavaliere in actual life, who occurs to be the founding father of the ATHLEAN-X™ Coaching firm.
Jeff has at all times been occupied with health in a method or one other, and that is solely confirmed by his schooling:
Bachelor of Utilized Science (B.A.Sc.) Physioneurobiology (from the College of Connecticut)
Masters Bodily Remedy (MSPT) Bodily Remedy (additionally from the College of Connecticut)
He discovered himself as the top bodily therapist and assistant power coach on the New York Mets from 2006 to 2009, even serving to them to turn into Nationwide League East Champions from 2006 to 2008.
By then, he’d additionally been a contributing author for Males’s Health for 2 years and continues to be writing for them right this moment.
However Jeff is usually identified for his antics on YouTube, the place he helps hundreds of thousands of viewers practice and progress as an athlete would. His strategies are sometimes grounded in science, however there are nonetheless those that oppose him.
He has an affinity for face pulls and telling you that [insert any task, exercise, food, activity here] will “kill your features.”
That mentioned, he nonetheless has greater than 13 million subscribers on YouTube! He’s additionally probably the most well-known and profitable health YouTubers and continues to develop about as quick as his viewers do. By way of Athlean X, he additionally has a number of packages, together with Xero (body weight coaching), All-American Muscle, and Jacked Dumbbell Coaching.
The video in query (the one above) was launched three years in the past, and as of Could 26, 2023, it has greater than 12 million views. Jeff states the exercise was launched to attempt to assist these caught at residence as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns.
Whereas the title would possibly make you imagine just one exercise program is included, there are literally two included.
There’s Exercise A — which is completed twice in Week 1 — and Exercise B — which is completed solely as soon as in Week 1. The week after, the frequency modifications, and many others.
For these of us which might be reasonably crappy at taking notes whereas somebody is speaking, there’s additionally a pleasant printed model of the exercise program within the description.
The Guidelines
“Zero tools” — okay, I like that.
“… you are able to do this it doesn’t matter what stage you’re at…” — a daring declare.
“Newbie and superior model!” — you had my curiosity, however now you may have my curiosity.
All of those are acknowledged at first and do make me actually excited. It’s not typically we come throughout exercises that supply body weight workouts for newcomers and superior people alike.
However as you would possibly anticipate, there are some ‘guidelines’.
Rule 1: The timing of exercises, which we already talked about
Rule 2: Concentrate on the features of the physique reasonably than the muscle mass
Rule 3: Don’t relaxation between the workouts of a sure operate, however when you want relaxation within the set, you may take a relaxation
Which actions, you would possibly ask? Properly, they’re as follows:
Anterior decrease physique (squat)
Higher push
Posterior decrease physique (hinge)
Higher pull
Abs
Corrective train
For every, you’ll do three completely different workouts with no relaxation between the workouts, and also you’re speculated to carry out them as a drop set. You’ll do 1 minute per train and carry out 2 to three rounds in whole.
Exercise Program A
There isn’t any data given on a warm-up, however since these are full-body exercises, you need to heat up earlier than hitting the ‘fitness center.’
Anterior Decrease Physique
Ex. 1: Single Leg Excessive Field Squat (Alt: Use a Increased Field)
These are among the finest body weight workouts you are able to do for the decrease physique. Not solely does it practice all the massive muscle mass, however it’ll additionally assist establish any issues or shortcomings you may have in muscle mass or flexibility.
Ex. 2: 1 & 1/2 Bottomed Out Squats (No Alt)
Principally, it’s a squat after which one other half-squat. Whereas this may appear easy, you do place numerous stress on the muscle with out giving it time to relaxation.
Ex. 3: Leap Squat (No Alt)
The simplest of the three by far, and throwing in a little bit of plyometric coaching is a pleasant contact. These gained’t essentially result in extra development than common squats, however a change in tempo is kind of good.
Higher Push
Ex. 1: Handstand Push-Up (Alt: Energy Push-Away)
Each of those are nice actions to stimulate the shoulders, which is a muscle that’s fairly onerous to nail with a body weight coaching program. You’ll use your personal physique and gravity to offer the resistance wanted to construct lean muscle mass.
Ex. 2: Rotational Push-Up (Alt: Rotational Push-Up on Your Knees)
There was certain to be a push-up in right here someplace, and that is an fascinating take. For the reason that operate of the chest is to attract the arm up and throughout the physique, you may make the argument that these can be ever-so-slightly higher for chest features than an everyday push-up.
Ex. 3: Cobra Push-Up (Alt: Cobra Push-Up on Your Knees)
A ‘Judo’ push-up, as many people understand it, was put within the ‘finest program’ to permit for extra tricep development, particularly alongside the longer head. That is technically doable, however provided that you truly go onerous sufficient in your set.
Posterior Decrease Physique (Hinge)
Ex. 1: Alt Heel Contact Squats (Alt: Alt Heel Contact Kickstand Squats)
Jeff Cavaliere claims these are hip hinge actions, however the fact is, it’s very onerous to do a hip hinge motion with out numerous weight as a result of (get this) your butt is simply that robust.
Most people can RDL a good quantity regardless of not coaching a ton, which simply exhibits how robust (and huge) the glutes are. These will practice the glutes and hams, certain, however not that nicely.
Ex. 2: Alt Sprinter Lunge (No Alt)
An fascinating idea, however I’d have gone for a cut up squat utilizing that field we used solely a second in the past. Once more, that is speculated to be the hinge part, and there’s minimal hip flexion on this motion.
Ex. 3: Plyo (Leaping) Sprinter Lunge (No Alt)
That is one other plyometric motion to finish issues off, just like the leap squats we did earlier. These would possibly use extra of the glutes in a hinged method, however as soon as once more, there’s no means of doing hinges simply at residence…
Higher Pull
Ex. 1: Pull-Up (Alt: Seated Pull-Up)
The daddy, actually. Anybody who desires to lose physique fats or construct muscle will know that the pull-up is in nearly each good program available on the market — it’s as a result of they work. Pulling the elbows in the direction of the bottom of the backbone is one of the simplest ways to coach the lats (for width), and the pull-up is kinda the one means you are able to do this with solely your physique weight.
Ex. 2: Human Pullovers (Alt: BW Sliding Pulldowns)
Shifting over to abs (didn’t anticipate that), what Jeff calls human pullovers are what many check with as dragon flags. It’s probably the most difficult core actions you are able to do and is extremely onerous to do with good type; it’s one thing that’ll be onerous to progress on as nicely.
The choice is rather a lot simpler! You’ll merely do a variation of a jackknife with the usage of a towel or shirt or one thing. These are so much simpler, and it’s good to see them in Jeff’s program (no gatekeeping!).
Ex. 3: Inverted Chin Curls (No Alt)
It is a nice train to coach the biceps, and I’m keen to go so far as to say it’s one of the best, barring the common chin-up. For some, this could be a bit a lot, however there actually isn’t a better model.
Abdominals
Ex. 1: Reverse Corkscrews (No Alt)
Beginning off with the decrease abs isn’t some private coach secret however only a good and sensible motion to begin the ab session.
Ex. 2: Black Widow Knee Slides (No Alt)
A reputation that’ll strike worry into even Thanos’ coronary heart, however it’s mainly simply an elevated model of a mountain climber and a terrific motion to coach all of the abdominals.
Ex. 3: Levitation Crunches (No Alt)
Crunches — easy, straightforward, works.
Corrective Train (Angels and Devils)
That is type of just like the finisher and can show you how to actually end the session strongly. It’s not likely one thing we see typically in power coaching, however it’s actually welcome within the body weight train world.
Now, this could be inaccessible to most as a consequence of mobility points, so a better different would’ve been good.
Exercise Program B
We don’t wanna give away all the data Jeff is giving us within the video, however exercise B is structured the identical as exercise A, simply merely utilizing completely different actions.
That is essential, seeing as coaching routines that don’t alternate exercises can result in some severe issues, similar to:
Put on and tear round joints as a result of overuse of sure actions
Getting emotionally connected to some actions, which might result in accidents sooner or later
Resulting in muscle imbalances as a consequence of solely doing sure actions
Getting actually boring
The final won’t appear to be an excellent cause, however an lack of ability to take pleasure in this system will solely result in a capability to hate it and finally skip it…
The instance Jeff offers is one other nice Athlean X residence exercise and one you may even combine and match with A to search out the right coaching program for your self.
The one disadvantage of exercise B is that some actions aren’t fairly pretty much as good as A. However hey, you’re coaching at residence with no tools… you’re taking what you may get to realize muscle.
Sadly, there’s additionally no speak of cardio — ever. Whereas cardio isn’t at all times spoken about in the case of muscle development, it’s nonetheless nice for total well being.
Additionally, when you’re fitter, you may work out for longer and tougher, which isn’t at all times useful with 400lb, however with body weight coaching, it’ll turn out to be useful actual quickly…
Ought to You Hearken to Athlean X?
He’s an extremely good individual, educator, and private coach. General, I’d belief Jeff Cavaliere on most issues, to be fully sincere with you. He’s sincere and will get the job carried out.
Positive, like others within the health business, he does do numerous clickbait content material, however I do perceive it’s additionally a enterprise. The character he has and the private coaching he affords are nice.
This program, alternatively, is great.
It’s among the finest at-home exercises I’ve seen (ever), and there are solely a few issues I’d change, like:
Some inclusion of cardiovascular coaching, seeing as being fitter may also help you acquire muscle mass, particularly with body weight workouts
If he spoke extra about methods to make the exercises tougher with time, this might be a house run
And that second cause is the massive one.
Body weight coaching has an enormous drawback, and that’s the limiting issue of resistance. Exercises can solely get so onerous earlier than you begin doing a whole bunch of reps and units. And at that time, the identical program that helped at first would possibly make you worse.
It’s essential to add resistance with time (whereas sustaining good type), otherwise you gained’t actually progress.
Jeff additionally doesn’t point out something a couple of weight loss program plan. Wishful pondering, however come on. It was COVID, bro, give the individuals some assist…