Bodyweight Training 2.0

Bodyweight Training 2.0 is Mark Lauren‘s newest workout program. The point of this program is to build your body through athletic fundamentals. Mastering the basic exercises in these workouts will increase your overall performance and injury resistance. Your goal in doing these workouts is to perfect each movement so you can master the fundamentals. <–That btw, is how Mark describes this program in his intro. This is a 6 week program. It contains 4 workouts. You do all 4 workouts each week. He gives you a website where you will go to download your training schedule and workout diary. Here is a trailer for his Bodyweight 2.0 certification program–it shows clips from this program DVD plus, in the class settings, he is doing exercises that are included in the workouts, so it will give you a good idea of the kind of exercises that appear in this program.

This workout is different than many of his other workouts. It is most similar to the Bodyweight Plus workout that is part of his YAYOG 2 program. In fact, that workout is set up in “Stacks” just like these workouts are. The difference is Bodyweight Plus was a faster paced workout. These workouts give you some recovery time. If you ever find Mark’s workouts boring or repetitive then this program is for you. I did his 90 Day Challenge and that used the same exercises over and over and over again. It can get a little mind numbing–especially for 90 days. There is a lot more variety in this program. Plus, if you are doing it as a program it is only 6 weeks.

However, what I would recommend is creating a rotation that incorporates all of Mark’s workouts. Then you get lots of variety. And Mark has a lot of workouts and programs and they are all different and unique in their own way. They are all effective so you can mix and match them in any way you want. And if you subscribe to his streaming site, they are all there for you to use. Plus he creates workouts that are only available through his streaming site. One of them is a very basic recovery program–definitely beginner level. I used it after a surgery and it is perfect for anyone rehabilitating. No, I didn’t blog about it. A little unusual for me but I really didn’t feel like it was a program I would ever be returning to unless I have to completely rehabilitate from the ground up. It is that basic–but it is also pretty excellent and comprehensive for someone rehabilitating. He recently created a trailer about it if you want a little more info (and a few clips of some of the exercises). He also creates advanced workouts that are only available through streaming. If you don’t have any equipment and want some excellent workouts then streaming from Mark’s site is the way to go. Even if you have a lot of equipment (like me), incorporating bodyweight training into your workout rotations is a great way to get excellent functional strength training and mobility work.

This program has a vastly different set than all of Mark’s other workouts. It is set outside on top of a building at night. I have no idea where it is set, but it is in a city and the lights of the city are all around Mark as he workouts out. Mark is wearing shorts and nothing else. He is not even wearing shoes. I love the way these workouts are set up–very high production value. I am a big fan of all of Mark’s workouts and I really love this program. Not only was it a pleasure visually, but I felt well worked and never overworked. I felt good afterward. When trying these workouts out, I did not do the 6 week program. I did one workout a week. It was my Sunday workout and I followed it with one of Jessica Smith’s shorter flexibility routines. I loved the combo so much that I now plan to do that for my Sunday recovery day: a mobility workout by Mark or Tracie Long and I will end it with a more relaxed flexibility/yoga workout by Jessica Smith or Cathe. To me, that combo is perfect for a recovery day workout.

Disk 1: Long Kneeling Warm Up & Hip Hinge with Starfish: Total workout time is 37 minutes. This workout starts simple and progresses to being relatively challenging for me. He classifies it as intermediate and I would agree with that. I was working harder at the end of the workout but I had no problems doing any of the exercises except the deadlifts in the last two stacks but that is because they are balance moves and due to the plates and screws in my heels I am severely balance challenged. I felt like I got a really good bodyweight strength and range of motion workout.

Long Kneeling Warm Up is 2:45 minutes.

1. Start in a seated double kneeling position (glutes on heels) and extend fully (raise glutes off heels so body is straight from knees to head), lay on stomach, extend one arm overhead and roll body to left so you are on your back then roll back to stomach then push back to double kneeling position. Bring left leg forward so you are in kneeling lunge with arms extended straight out to sides in T position. Keeping arms in T position, raise to standing with feet together. Reverse the movement, return to kneeling lunge then to double kneeling.
2. Repeat #1 three more times
3. Repeat #1 & 2 on other side of body

Hip Hinge with Starfish is 34 minutes. This workout is made up of 4 Stacks or circuits. Each Stack begins with an approx. 2 minute tutorial. You will do 4 reps of each exercise. Each Stack is done 2 times on the left and 2 times on the right.

Stack 1:

1. Windshield Wipers with Legs Straight (lay on back, arms extended out straight to sides on floor in a T and straight legs raised to ceiling, lower one leg to side a few inches off the floor then lower the other leg to meet it, raise top leg straight to ceiling again and bring the first leg to join it so both are again extended straight to ceiling)
2. Starfish Twist (in straight arm plank, rotate into side plank, reaching top arm to ceiling, twist hips back to face the ground then return hands to straight arm plank)
3. Deadlifts at Stream Line (starting in standing position, arms extended straight overhead and hands together, hinge forward at the waist, keeping back and arms straight and knees slightly bent)

Stack 2:

1. Twist and Reach from Crawling (on all 4s, keeping cervical spine straight/neutral, eyes facing floor, reach one arm toward the ceiling then reach the arm under the body toward opposite side)
2. Starfish Twists (in straight arm plank, rotate into side plank, reaching top arm to ceiling, twist hips back to face the ground then return hands to straight arm plank)
3. Streamlined RDLs (starting in standing position, arms extended straight overhead and hands together, hinge forward at the waist, keeping back and arms straight and legs straight)

Stack 3:

1. Straight Wide Leg from Crawling (on all 4s, extend one leg straight behind you, foot flexed, move straight leg out to side then across to the opposite side)
2. Starfish Hip Drops (in straight arm plank, rotate into side plank, reaching top arm to ceiling, drop hip to ground, raise hip then twist hips back to face the ground and return hands to straight arm plank)
3. Streamlined 1-Legged Deadlifts (starting in standing position, arms extended straight overhead and hands together, bend one knee with foot raised behind you so you are balancing on one leg, hinge forward at the waist, keeping back and arms straight and supporting leg slightly bent, raising bent leg behind you)

Stack 4:

1. Leg Lifts Side Lying (lay on side, raise and lower top straight leg)
2. Starfish Push Ups (in straight arm plank, rotate into side plank, reaching top arm to ceiling, twist hips back to face the ground, return hands to straight arm plank and do a push up)
3. Streamlined 1-Legged Deadlifts (start in standing position, arms extended straight overhead and hands together, hinge forward at the waist, keeping back and arms straight and supporting leg straight while also raising other straight leg behind you–while hinged forward, you are a straight line, from hands to heel of raised leg)

Disk 2: Short Kneeling Warm Up & Lunging with Inch Worm: This workout was much more challenging for me than the Disk 1 workout. I was working very hard by the end of the workout. Like the Disk 1 workout, this one starts easier then becomes progressively more challenging and advanced. It is also an intermediate workout but a higher level than Disk 1. I burned 300 calories in 42 minutes and I was sweating. I had to make sure I toweled off and got a drink between each stack! This is an excellent bodyweight and mobility workout. Seriously excellent.

Short Kneeling Warm Up is 3 minutes.

1. Start in a seated double kneeling position (glutes on heels) and extend fully (raise glutes off heels so body is straight from knees to head), lay on stomach, extend one arm overhead and roll body to left so you are on your back then roll back to stomach then push back to double kneeling position. Bring left leg slightly forward so foot is aligned with right knee (short lunge position) and place hands behind head, stand then return to short lunge position then to double kneeling
2. Repeat #1 three more times
3. Repeat #1 & 2 on other side of body

Lunging with Inch Worm is 42 minutes. This workout is made up of 4 Stacks or circuits. Each Stack begins with an approx. 2 minute tutorial. You will do 4 reps of each exercise. Each Stack is done 2 times on the left and 2 times on the right.

Stack 1:

1. Up & Overs Legs Straight (start laying on back with legs extended straight and arms extended out straight to sides in a T, extend one leg straight to ceiling while reaching same side arm toward foot, lower arm and leg again, raise straight leg again while reaching same side arm across body)
2. Bloomers Inchworm (start in straight arm plank, walk hands back to feet while keeping legs straight, roll spine up to standing and raise both arms overhead, roll spine back to forward fold with legs straight and walk hands back out to plank)
3. Stepping Lunge with Arms at Streamline (go from short kneeling lunge to standing with both arms extended overhead, hands together, step forward into front lunge then bring other leg forward to join it so you are standing, step leg back into reverse lunge bring other leg back to joint it so you are standing, keep torso straight and arms in streamline throughout)

Stack 2:

1. Hip Twists Prone (in straight arm plank, rotate hips side to side)
2. Deep Squat Inchworm (start in straight arm plank, walk hands back to feet while bending knees so you are in a deep squat, stand with arms extended straight in front of you, squat while keeping arms extended in front of you then lower hands to floor and walk hands back out to straight arm plank)
3. Side Lunge Streamline (go from short kneeling lunge to standing with both arms extended overhead, hands together, do a side lunge, keeping arms in streamline)

Stack 3:

1. Dirty Dogs Knees Bent (on all 4s, raise and lower one bent leg in hydrant)
2. Vertical Twist Inchworm (start in straight arm plank and walk one leg back so you are in a deep runners lunge, raise arms from ground and overhead into streamline position (hands together), in this position twist torso to each side, return to plank)
3. Tipsy Steps Streamline (go from short kneeling lunge to standing with both arms extended overhead, hands together, do a diagonal front lunge in this position, keeping torso and arms facing forward)

Stack 4:

1. Moonwalk on Hands (in straight arm side plank, walk on sides of feet 4 small steps forward and 4 small steps back, hand remains stationary)
2. Kneeling Switch Inchworm (start in straight arm plank, walk one leg back so you are in kneeling lunge (knee on ground but foot raised) with arms extended straight in front of you, raise back foot and bring it in beside front leg so you are in a deep squat then straighten legs so you are standing, arms still extended straight in front of you, reverse the motion by squatting, bringing leg behind you so you are in kneeling lunge (knee on ground but foot raised) then return to plank)
3. Straight Lunge Streamline (go from short kneeling lunge to standing with both arms extended overhead, hands together, do a pendulum lunge–front lunge into rear lunge using same leg)

Disk 3: Long Kneeling Warm Up & Squatting with Spiderman: Another excellent bodyweight conditioning and mobility workout. This one was not as challenging as Disks 1 & 2 but I still felt well worked. This one seemed much more mobility and flexibility focused.

Long Kneeling Warm Up is 2:45 minutes.

1. Start in a seated double kneeling position (glutes on heels) and extend fully (raise glutes off heels so body straight from knees to head), lay on stomach, extend one arm overhead and roll body to left so you are on your back then roll back to stomach and push back to double kneeling position. Bring left leg forward so you are in kneeling lunge with arms extended straight out to sides in T position. Keeping arms in T position, raise to standing with feet together. Reverse the movement, return to kneeling lunge then to double kneeling.
2. Repeat #1 three more times
3. Repeat #1 & 2 on other side of body

Squatting with Spiderman is 34 minutes. This workout is made up of 4 stacks or circuits. Each Stack begins with an approx. 2 minute tutorial. You will do 4 reps of each exercise. Each Stack is done 2 times on the left and 2 times on the right.

Stack 1:

1. Dead Bugs Knees Bent (lay on back, raise arms straight to ceiling and raise bent knees off floor, extend same side arm and leg straight onto floor then return to starting position)
2. Arm Circles Spiderman (start in straight arm plank, step one leg forward so you are in a deep runners lunge, raise same side arm as front leg and circle it around while also twisting torso toward front leg so you can look upward, bringing hand behind back, circle hand back to start beside front foot)
3. Narrow Squats Arms at T (stand with arms extended straight to sides in T and squat with feet close together)

Stack 2:

1. Y Cuffs with Rotation (lay on stomach and extend arms straight in front of you, arms lifted off ground, bring arms along sides of body by pulling them down underneath your armpits, when they are along your sides, your hands are twisted so your palms are facing the ceiling, turn arms/hands so palms face the ground, rotate hands/arms again so palms face the ceiling again then return arms to start)
2. A Frames Spiderman (start in straight arm plank and bring one foot up beside same side hand so you are in Spiderman, straighten front leg, raising hips toward ceiling, return to Spiderman and drop same side elbow to floor)
3. Wide Squats with Arms at T (stand with arms extended straight to sides in T, and squat with legs wider than shoulder width apart)

Stack 3:

1. Hip Circles Knees Bent (on all 4s, circle bent leg in one direction then in the other direction)
2. A Frames Spiderman (start in straight arm plank and bring one foot up beside same side hand so you are in Spiderman, straighten front leg, raising hips toward ceiling, return to Spiderman and drop same side elbow to floor)
3. Staggered Squats Arms at T (stand with arms extended straight to sides in T, and squat with one foot about half a foots length in front of the other foot)

Stack 4:

1. Side Crunch Legs Elevated (lay on side with top arm behind your head, both legs are straight and raised, raise head/shoulders in a crunch, while keeping legs raised, stationary and together)
2. Saxon Tilt Spiderman (start in straight arm plank and bring one foot up beside same side hand so you are in Spiderman, raise torso so you are in a lunge with arms extended overhead in streamline, tilt/side bend side to side)
3. Lateral Squats Arms at T (stand with arms extended straight to sides in T, do a side lunge then slide leg that is straight into bent leg until you are standing, alternate sides)

Disk 4: Short Kneeling Warm Up & Step Up with Quad: Another excellent mobility and flexibility workout. This one was more challenging than Disk 3 but not as challenging as Disk 2 or 1. But overall, excellent. I  was sweating by the end of the workout. Like the others, it starts easier and progresses to more challenging versions of the exercises. The 3rd exercise in each stack was more challenging to me because it was a balance move and, as mentioned earlier, I am balance challenged due to plates and screws in my heels. But I still got an excellent mobility workout.

Short Kneeling Warm Up is 3 minutes.

1. Start in a seated double kneeling position (glutes on heels) and extend fully (raise glutes off heels so body straight from knees to head), lay on stomach, extend one arm overhead and roll body to left so you are on your back then roll back to stomach then push back to double kneeling position. Bring left leg slightly forward so foot is aligned with right knee (short lunge position) and place hands behind head, stand then return to short lunge position then to double kneeling
2. Repeat #1 three more times
3. Repeat #1 & 2 on other side of body

Step Up with Quad is 34 minutes. This workout is made up of 4 stacks or circuits. Each Stack begins with an approx. 2 minute tutorial. You will do 4 reps of each exercise. Each Stack is done 2 times on the left and 2 times on the right.

Stack 1:

1. Glute Hip Ups (lay on back with one knee bent and foot on ground, the other leg is extended straight to ceiling, raise and lower hips, pushing foot to ceiling)
2. Kickouts Quad (start in beast position (hands and toes with knees bent and a few inches off the floor), rotate body, raising one hand off ground, extending one leg straight, hips and straight leg are elevated a few inches off the ground (you are balancing on one hand and opposite bent leg), rotate back to beast position)
3. Stork Stance Hands Behind Head (start standing with both hands behind head and elbows extended out to sides, balance on one leg while raising other knee and hold briefly)

Stack 2:

1. Moose Antlers from Kneeling (start in child’s pose, place one hand on back of head with elbow out to side and other arm is extended on mat in front of you, crawl fingers of extended arm forward on mat while raising elbow of other arm higher toward ceiling (keep thumb on back of head), keeping forehead on the ground the entire time)
2. High Kicks Quad (start in beast position, rotate body, raising one hand off ground, extending one leg straight, hips and straight leg are elevated a few inches off the ground, rotate into 3 leg dog pose then return to beast)
3. Gate Swings Hands Behind Head (start standing with both hands behind head and elbows extended out to sides, balance on one leg while raising other knee then open that knee out to side)

Stack 3:

1. Pointers from Crawling (on all 4s, tap one elbow to opposite knee under body then extend arm and leg out straight)
2. Side Kicks from Quad (start in beast position, rotate body, raising one hand off ground, extending one leg straight, hips and straight leg are elevated a few inches off the ground, rotate into 3 leg dog pose and while in 3 leg dog pose, continue bringing leg over to opposite side of body to further stretch the hip then return to beast pose)
3. Cross Steps Hands Behind Head (start standing with both hands behind head and elbows extended out to sides, balance on one leg while raising other knee then lower the leg, crossing heel over opposite foot)

Stack 4:

1. Hip Drops Side Lying (in side elbow plank, raise and lower hips)
2. Table Tops Quad (start in beast position, rotate body, raising one hand off ground, extending one leg straight, hips and straight leg are elevated a few inches off the ground, rotate into 3 leg dog pose and while in 3 leg dog pose, continue bringing leg over to opposite side of body until foot touches the floor and you are in 3 leg crab with one arm reaching toward ceiling then return to beast pose)
3. Straddle Steps Hands Behind Head (start standing with both hands behind head and elbows extended out to sides, balance on one leg while raising other knee, lower leg into a wide squat, raise back up into balance pose with knee raised)