Hello all - I'm looking to start a bodyweight fitness program called Body By You by Mark Lauren. He also has an intermediate/advanced version called You Are Your Own Gym. I like that it is made up of 5 movement types (Pulling, Squatting, In-Line Pushing, Perpendicular Pushing and Bending) and progresses you through them, ultimately being able to do pull-ups, one-armed pushups, etc. There is minimal equipment needed, such as tables/chairs, doors and doorways, etc.
I'll post my thoughts here as I go through the program. Would love to hear from anyone else here that has tried it or is currently doing the program.
I'm ready to do my initial assessment tomorrow morning. Invited the husband to join, but I told him if he wasn't up and ready to go I was going to start without him. He has been saying (for months now) that he needs to get up earlier. But no action on that yet. I wake him and the 3 year old up around 7:20 am each morning.
I get up between 5 and 530 am everyday. I like having a quite hour or more before dealing with the family. heh.heh. I am also taking college classes for my Master's degree and I found I get more done at that hour in the early morning than I do all evening. I'm aware and focused. In the evenings it's a different story.
I'll post the initial assessment results - you are supposed to do every other move in the progression until you cannot hold the form for the set number of reps. You then start the program on the last progression where your form was good. I'm pretty sure I'm a weakling and will be starting out on the lower forms, but I know that you can move up quickly when you are first starting. I'm also wondering how sore I will be just from the assessment. I will do the assessment on Thursday and start the workout on Monday. Hopefully I've recovered by then!
I know you need to rest between workouts to allow muscle to build, but I've been wondering how long it takes before you start losing what you have built up. For example, Day 1 of recovery is rebuilding, Day 2 might not have any rebuilding, but no loss either, but maybe by day 3 you are in danger of losing whatevery gains you may have gotten? What if you are really sore for 3 days, should you wait to workout or power through it?
nelie - thanks for the response! I glad to hear that losses take longer.
Hubby and I did the assessment/placement this morning. Was super surprised to see he got himself up at 5:45 to join me!
For the initial assessment you are supposed to attempt the odd moves (1,3,5,7,etc). You then start the workout with the last level of move that you could complete with good form.
Here is how we fared in the 5 movements:
* Pulling (progresses to a pull-up) - We both did move 1 and tried move 3 but didn't feel strong enough to complete. This progression starts with holding onto a door knob and pulling yourself towards the door.
We made it to move 3 in the following movements:
* Squatting (progresses to Pistols) - when trying move 5 I had immediate muscle failure - hubby got in a few more, but couldn't finish either.
* In-Line Pushing (progresses to Dive Bombers) - these are like military presses against table/chair. Husband was having trouble getting the right form.
* Perpendicular Pushing (progresses to 1 Arm Pushups at hip height) - these were pushups against a wall, then table. I couldn't do the close grip version, hubby got a few, but not all.
* Bending (progresses to... can't remember) - These started with good mornings and added overhead reaches and pauses. By the time we made it to 5th move, I was feeling muscle failure. Hubby did some but not all at that level as well.
I really thought the husband would surpass me on a few levels, but I think he's been pretty inactive lately and it's showing. Also the moves were pretty new to both of us. He did attempt to do a pullup and can do one un-assisted, but due to some on-going shoulder issues he is happy to progress through properly. I bet he moves through the levels faster than me though.
We will start on the program in earnest on Monday. Already feeling pretty sore but I think 3 days off should be plenty for recovery. I did pull out the foam roller and run across my legs.
I have done 2 workouts so far this week. Monday's didn't feel so bad because we were repeating phases that we could complete fully during our assessment. Although let me tell you it still worked me out. Me and the husband were both a bit sore.
Wednesday we got to try out different moves since we 'leveled up' on every thing from Monday (except that the 2 pushing exercises swap, so still on the starter level for that). Husband leveled up on all 4 moves, but I only moved up on the legs moves. Feeling more soreness today than after the first workout for sure, but not as bad as first starting.
I'm looking forward to leveling up but I am enjoying the soreness knowing I am building up my strength! This program is just what I wanted, basic but effective.
Oh - a weight lost perspective right now... I am not looking to lose weight, just maintain for now. I eat low carb with no tracking (tracking makes me a crazy person). I was doing a commercially available low carb program before (Ideal Protein aka IP) and lost 15 pounds, but I am taking a break from it, mostly due to cost. So I will be happy to just not be gaining. Another thing I didn't like about Ideal Protein was that they recommended not working out (since it was very low calorie) and I am enjoying adding some workouts back to my life. I will probably take another spin with IP in the future if the funds become available though. Anywho - my weight is up and down right now, but still staying under 155 so I'm just fine with that.
Sweet! We did our third workout this morning. You won't be far behind us. Oh, I noticed to late that you are supposed to split your assessment into 2 days. I think they want to split up the pushing exercises (which has inline (military press) and perpendicular(pushups)) and one of the leg exercises. I don't think it would have made much of a difference if we had done it in one day or two. We wouldn't have scored much higher and we were already doomed to be super sore... Just gave ourselves a few days before we started.
During this morning's workout the moves seem hard, but I can finish them, so I guess I should move up to the next level. I feel like I would be improving myself even if I didn't level up though. I think I will do the next level, but if I can't finish the set with the harder level, I'll revert to the lower level to finish it out. Hubby is still moving up in every category, while I"m finding the leg ones easier to move up in.
It's interesting to see how the moves affect me and the hubby differently by us having different centers of gravity. The bending moves are super easy for me, but he struggles a bit.
I hope you like the workout. I'm loving the idea of something simple that I'm adding to my busy schedule that is getting me to a healthier/stronger place without me working out all the time.
Last edited by desirae_nicole; 09-25-2015 at 10:46 PM.
The book looks great! I am going to start on Monday, so I'll be on the Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule.
Thanks for starting this thread. My husband does the mens book. I noticed he does have some exercises in his I'd like to include in mine, and there is one in mine he wants to include in his. He is still at beginners level. I'm at the starting gate...
Haven't missed a workout yet! Was tempted to take a break on Monday because I know I did my fair share of bending and squatting when we raked leaves in the yard. But we stuck with it. I can tell it was all really good for my butt! Still struggling with upper body moves, but rocking along on the lower body stuff. Tomorrow I'll be halfway through week 2, then we move on to the 3X10 sets.
I let the husband pick the music, but lately our littlest kiddo (almost 3 years old) has been waking up when we do so our workouts are done to the sound of whatever cartoon will keep her out of our way! She does give us funny looks and ask us what we are doing. lol.
Oh that's so adorable with the kiddos. Well my husband wants me to work out with him, but I feel too weird about it right now. I'm afraid he will die laughing and I want him around a little longer.
Well aren't you doing the every other day one? My husband is doing the top half the bottom half alternating, so he does it every day.
FinallyFree - I am on the every other day one. I did a Friday workout and then a Monday workout, but with all the raking on Sunday I felt like I might need an extra rest day!
I know the working out together can be hard, I was really surprised my husband took me up on the offer. It's interesting to hear how sore the other person is or what moves are harder for them. Men and women's bodies are very different too (center of balance, how long it takes to build muscle) so I try not to worry about our differences. I'm wondering how long he will go on with me, but so far so good! I'm not very self-conscious generally so I wasn't worried about looking funny.
Still progressing steadily in the legs department, got to do the side lunges and the hip extensions today. But man, the upper body moves are just crawling along for me. The pulling move specifically... it feels like such a hard move and my legs get really tired too. Not sure if it works out my upper or lower body more! I have to rest during the set of 12 due to my legs giving out (trying to hold the 90 degree angle). I'm thinking I may progress (to using the 1 & 2 second holds) but just take breaks in the set as I need them. I'll know if my strength is not there when I get to the 1 arm pulls.
Husband was having lots of leg/knee pain during the pulling moves so I suggested he skip to the level where you hang under a table and pull yourself up. He could do 12 already, but said it was hard. I hopped under the table just to try them out and I got about 2.5 of them done! Will be really cool when I am really able to do that move, and then on to the pullup!
Well I'm going to enjoy my rest day tomorrow! Friday is our last day of the 2x12, then we start the 3x10's!
Missed my first workout this morning! Stayed out late (for me) for a datenight with the hubby. He woke up and asked me if I wanted to work out this morning and I said 'Yes' but neither one of us got out of bed. Sleep sounded better in the end. I haven't been sleeping very well lately so I think it did my body good to get some extra snoooze time.
I can tell I'm getting stronger! I have been hopping under the table to try the pull up moves there every time and went from 2.5 to 3.5 to 6.5 to almost 8 (just one set). So cool to see such a distinct difference day to day. I am still HATING the 'Let Me Ins' I have been doing off the doorknob. It's harder on my quads to maintain the 90 angle of my legs than it is on my arms. But I can suffer through. The improvements on the table pull-ups show that I'm getting somewhere.
I haven't noticed physical changes on myself (but those are hard to see) but I can tell the husband is getting some muscle growth. We are happy we are doing this as a couple. lol
I am soooo glad the hubby is working out with me! We are closing in on the last week of Phase 1 (but I think we are supposed to start over if we are still moving up. I need to read the book again.). On Wednesday I just wasn't feeling the workout, some of the moves are feeling clunky and I'm getting bored. This is where I would probably quit and never come back. Well he wouldn't let me. And afterwards I still had the 'good sore' that the workouts give me and I was happy to have done the workout.
I'm STILL not feeling the pulling move. I can't stabilize my legs long enough to get in the full sets, so I do half with my leg at 90 degrees and the other half by pulling myself off from the floor. I moved on to the 1 armed move which feels awful (not painful just not fluid) and I'm using my off-arm to stabilize myself. I'm tempted to pull out some dumbells I have and just do upward rows, but I know it's not really targeting my whole body.
The pushups and overhead press moves are still my LOWEST level moves. I just started the close grip pushups (called Diamond Cutters in the military because your hands form the shape of a diamond) and I couldn't do them leaning against the table so I moved over to the wall. Maybe I shouldn't move up if I can't do the move, but I still had some nice chest soreness afterwards.
I'm feeling like I need to find an interim move for squats too, but becasue the Bulgarian Split Squat with my foot on a chair feels sooooo clunky. I should be moving on to that soon, but I think I'll do side squats for a bit longer... The bends are ok - I'm up to the hip press from the floor and not feeling much pain. will be doing them one legged soon enough!
I wonder if some ab work should be added. the hubby does a good job of making sure he tenses his abs and he says they are sore later, so I should probably be doing that.
We are still talking about what we will do when we complete all the cycles. He wants to do P90X. I'm not completely against it, but I know those are longer workouts and I like that these are short.
Anyways, overall I'm glad we are sticking with this because I am taking 2 college courses right now, working, and a leader of my kiddo's girl scout troop. So this workout progression is like putting my fitness on autopilot so that i know I am improving without stressing over it. My weight and Body Fat Percentage are staying the same. I would really expect my Body Fat Percentage to go down, but it just keeps bouncing between 37ish and 38ish percent. oh wells.
Finished the first 4 weeks of Phase 1! (took an extra week)
I am pretty bored on one hand, but when I expressed that to the hubby he challenged me to make the simple moves harder for myself (even if I wasn't ready to move up). That was yesterday and I'm more sore than I have been in awhile! The hubster also pulled out the pullup bar we have. I can only hang from it, but he has been hopping on it a few times a day.
We are going to keep in the first phase until we hit the 'no improvements in 3 workouts'. Not sure that will take much longer! I dropped down to regular squats for a set one day thinking I would do poorly in them since I have done the side squats for awhile now, but I 'dropped them like I was hot' pretty easily. lol. So the functionality of prior moves are good.
Overall, I haven't lost any weight, but I swear my clothes are getting looser and looser. My body fat percentage isn't really dropping per my Withings scale, but is more solidly scoring as a low 37%. Per my app, I can see husbands weight is pretty steady too. His BF% jumps between 26 & 28 percent, no trend, just jumpy numbers. He doesn't weigh daily.
Body By You
We are happy we are doing this as a couple. lol
