Athlean-X hardly wants an introduction, being probably the most well-known health YouTubers on the planet and all. However may this be what’s robbing you of your features?!
Effectively, no, as a result of this is definitely a overview of one in every of his exercise movies on YouTube — “The PERFECT Residence Exercise (Units and Reps Included).”
So is it actually a fantastic exercise program? Let’s discover out.
The PERFECT Residence Exercise (Units and Reps Included)
That is the video we’re basing this overview 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 all the time been focused on 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 energy coach on the New York Mets from 2006 to 2009, even serving to them to change 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 is nonetheless writing for them in the present day.
However Jeff is generally recognized for his antics on YouTube, the place he helps tens of millions of viewers prepare 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 stated, 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. Via Athlean X, he additionally has a number of packages, together with Xero (body weight coaching), All-American Muscle, and Jacked Dumbbell Training.
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 dwelling because of the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Whereas the title may make you imagine just one exercise program is included, there are literally two included.
There’s Exercise A — which is finished twice in Week 1 — and Exercise B — which is finished solely as soon as in Week 1. The week after, the frequency modifications, and so on.
For these of us which can be somewhat 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 gear” — 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’ve my curiosity.
All of those are said at first and do make me actually excited. It’s not typically we come throughout exercises that supply bodyweight exercises for beginners and superior people alike.
However as you may count on, there are some ‘guidelines’.
- Rule 1: The timing of exercises, which we already talked about
- Rule 2: Deal with the capabilities of the physique somewhat than the muscle groups
- Rule 3: Don’t relaxation between the workouts of a sure operate, however if you happen to want relaxation within the set, you possibly can take a relaxation
Which actions, you may ask? Effectively, 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 totally 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 complete.
Exercise Program A
There isn’t any info given on a warm-up, however since these are full-body exercises, you need to heat up earlier than hitting the ‘health club.’
Anterior Decrease Physique
Ex. 1: Single Leg Excessive Field Squat (Alt: Use a Greater Field)
These are a number of the finest body weight workouts you are able to do for the decrease physique. Not solely does it prepare all the massive muscle groups, but it surely’ll additionally assist determine any issues or shortcomings you’ve in muscle mass or flexibility.
Ex. 2: 1 & 1/2 Bottomed Out Squats (No Alt)
Mainly, it’s a squat after which one other half-squat. Whereas this may appear easy, you do place plenty of stress on the muscle with out giving it time to relaxation.
Ex. 3: Soar Squat (No Alt)
The best 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 exhausting to nail with a body weight coaching program. You’ll use your individual physique and gravity to supply the resistance wanted to build 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. Because the 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 a daily push-up.
Ex. 3: Cobra Push-Up (Alt: Cobra Push-Up on Your Knees)
A ‘Judo’ push-up, as many people realize 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 exhausting 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 reality is, it’s very exhausting to do a hip hinge motion with out plenty of weight as a result of (get this) your butt is simply that robust.
Most folk can RDL an honest quantity regardless of not coaching a ton, which simply reveals how robust (and enormous) the glutes are. These will prepare the glutes and hams, positive, however not that effectively.
Ex. 2: Alt Sprinter Lunge (No Alt)
An fascinating idea, however I might 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, much like the soar squats we did earlier. These may use extra of the glutes in a hinged method, however as soon as once more, there’s no approach of doing hinges simply at dwelling…
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 best ways to coach the lats (for width), and the pull-up is kinda the one approach 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 count on that), what Jeff calls human pullovers are what many seek advice from as dragon flags. It’s probably the most difficult core actions you are able to do and is extremely exhausting to do with good type; it’s one thing that’ll be exhausting to progress on as effectively.
The choice is quite a bit simpler! You’ll merely do a variation of a jackknife with using 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)
This can be a nice train to coach the biceps, and I’m prepared to go so far as to say it’s the most effective, barring the common chin-up. For some, this could be a bit a lot, however there actually isn’t a neater 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 start out the ab session.
Ex. 2: Black Widow Knee Slides (No Alt)
A reputation that’ll strike worry into even Thanos’ coronary heart, but it surely’s principally simply an elevated model of a mountain climber and a fantastic motion to coach all of the abdominals.
Ex. 3: Levitation Crunches (No Alt)
Crunches — easy, simple, works.
Corrective Train (Angels and Devils)
That is sort 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 energy coaching, but it surely’s definitely welcome within the body weight train world.
Now, this could be inaccessible to most resulting from mobility points, so a neater various would’ve been good.
Exercise Program B
We don’t wanna give away all of the data Jeff is giving us within the video, however exercise B is structured the identical as exercise A, simply merely utilizing totally different actions.
That is essential, seeing as coaching routines that don’t alternate exercises can result in some severe issues, equivalent to:
- Put on and tear round joints because of the overuse of sure actions
- Getting emotionally connected to some actions, which may result in accidents sooner or later
- Resulting in muscle imbalances resulting from solely doing sure actions
- Getting actually boring
The final may not seem to be a superb motive, however an lack of ability to take pleasure in this system will solely result in a capability to hate it and ultimately skip it…
The instance Jeff offers is one other nice Athlean X dwelling exercise and one you possibly can even combine and match with A to search out the right coaching program for your self.
The one downside of exercise B is that some actions aren’t fairly nearly as good as A. However hey, you’re coaching at dwelling with no gear… you are taking what you may get to achieve muscle.
Sadly, there’s additionally no speak of cardio — ever. Whereas cardio isn’t all the time spoken about in the case of muscle growth, it’s nonetheless nice for total well being.
Additionally, if you happen to’re fitter, you possibly can work out for longer and tougher, which isn’t all the time useful with 400lb, however with body weight coaching, it’ll come in useful actual quickly…
Ought to You Take heed to Athlean X?
He’s an extremely good particular person, educator, and private coach. Total, I might belief Jeff Cavaliere on most issues, to be fully trustworthy with you. He’s trustworthy and will get the job completed.
Certain, like others within the health trade, he does do plenty of clickbait content material, however I do perceive it’s additionally a enterprise. The character he has and the non-public coaching he affords are nice.
This program, then again, is glorious.
It’s the most effective at-home exercises I’ve seen (ever), and there are solely a few issues I might change, like:
- Some inclusion of cardiovascular coaching, seeing as being fitter will help you achieve muscle mass, particularly with body weight workouts
- If he spoke extra about tips on how to make the exercises tougher with time, this could be a house run
And that second motive is the massive one.
Body weight coaching has an enormous downside, and that’s the limiting issue of resistance. Exercises can solely get so exhausting earlier than you begin doing a whole lot of reps and units. And at that time, the identical program that helped at first may make you worse.
It’s worthwhile 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 plan plan. Wishful considering, however come on. It was COVID, bro, give the folks some assist…
