You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises

I WAS an amateur athlete up until my late thirties. With kids and work, I stopped exercising for over 20 years. I don’t know where the time went! Our kids left the nest, so my husband and I are working at getting in shape. We wanted a plan that didn’t require any special equipment, and could be done at home, due to Covid. This book is just the ticket, with one exception: as out-of-shape 60 year olds, we both found these exercise too difficult. We eat healthy and are not on any medications. We even walk 3 miles everyday at a moderate pace; but we both found most of these exercises too difficult. The author does an excellent job of illustrating the exercises with quality black and white photographs. His step by step instructions are clear and easy to follow. The exercises start with a “basic program” (too challenging for me) and build to a “master class” in muscular strength and endurance over a period of 10 weeks. The author even includes the details of the science behind the program. In my opinion, these exercises would be of great benefit for younger people whose muscles have not atrophied. The exercises look like you would indeed gain strength and build muscle using only your own body weight. The author was a physical trainer for elite special operations’ personnel. That should’ve given me a clue this would be beyond my scope. LOL If you’re a senior looking to get stronger and healthier, I recommend: “Thinner This Year” and or the “Younger Next Year Exercise Program” both by Chris Crowley. Chris is a senior and understands the needs and capabilities of a diverse senior population. His books contain challenging exercises and are very motivating. Perhaps after we’ve been following his programs for a year, my husband and I will be ready to “be our own gyms”.

The lack of quality editing greatly harms this otherwise wonderful book. Whoever edited the book should have known that to lose weight is not to "loose weight." But, because the contents of the book are so valuable, I won't take any stars away from my opinion of it. I'm told a second printing is in the works (may be out by now) and hopefully all these messy things will be fixed. That doesn't help those who bought the book in its current state, however. Get the second printing if you can wait. Now to the contents of the book . . . I was very impressed by the fact the author, Mark Lauren, says straight out that he doesn't train movie stars. He trains men and women to survive, to be able to function well in life. That's what's really needed. The good looks, the great body, come as a side effect but is not the goal. Lauren says, "I want you to understand, unlike many other fitness authors, I do not train movie stars, television celebrities, models, or other personalities whose livelihoods hinge on being fit. I train those whose lives do. For a decade I've used bodyweight exercises to create the leanest, strongest, most confident people of our civilization." "This book comes to us at a time when, despite their best intentions, most people are too crunched for time and money to devote enough of either to attaining their fitness goals. In this age of information we are bombarded with incorrect advice, useless gadgets and pills, and pure hype. The methods outlined by Mark Lauren are proven and time tested. I know because I've seen his results. I've commanded the best of the best, and Mark's training has helped make them that way. Now he has honed his program into one for every man and woman." That's what John T. Carney Jr., Colonel USAF says in the forward. And that pretty much sums up what you'll get from the book. And that's a lot! This is powerful stuff. It really spoke to me because I'm all about functional training. I don't care so much about the shape of my butt as the shape of my health. I care less about the numbers of the circumference of my butt than the numbers of my blood pressure. The fact that these exercises make me look good is just a wonderful side effect! Mark says that in less than two hours per week you can get as fit as an elite warrior. I follow the PACE program of Dr. Al Sears and the way he trains and his philosophy works hand in glove with what you'll learn in this book. In fact, let me recommend Sears book to you. Pace: The 12-Minute Fitness Revolution Mark says, "The popularity of training equipment, systems, and fad diets is mostly the result of marketing --- not a genuine attempt to help a generally out-of-shape society reach higher levels of fitness and well-being. In this age, where our homes and gyms are cluttered with fitness gadgets, the simplest and most effective method for developing strength and losing fat has been largely overlooked ---knowing how to train using nothing more than your body." He adds, "Most

As much as I try, my lifestyle does not conform easily to routines. In the past I've joined gyms, and managed a steady workout routine for about two weeks until I had to go out of town, or finals took over, or something came up that threw me life off, and I gave up. The best thing about You Are Your Own Gym is that you can do the exercises anytime, anywhere. My old excuses--not enough time, bad weather, out-of-town--no longer hold up. I really have to hold myself accountable, and 30 minutes a day of these highly concentrated, targeted bodyweight exercises has been manageable, challenging and rewarding. Plus I save the 30 minute commute to the gym. I also appreciate the variation of each exercise which allows you to develop and progress over time. Lauren's approach is the most sustainable and comprehensive fitness philosophy I've come across. It's really the best fifteen dollar investment you can make in yourself and your health.

INTRO This is an awesome book with a great introduction using the author's military experience. I've been using the workouts for a short while and already notice my ass getting kicked by stuff I wasn't doing in the gym. PRO'S * The 10-week workout plans are awesome, and the beginner workouts will challenge strong guys that come from a weight training background. They are written in such a way that a beginner can jump in and get in shape with less than an hour a day (usually 15-30 minutes). They are very detailed and describe which exercises to do on which days. They also describe what type of set/repetition methodology to use, such as: ladders, tabatas, interval sets, etc. Slowly the workouts transition from high-volume/low-intensity to high-intensity/low-rep and finally alternates between the two rapidly. It may remind a lot of people of P90X, except it's a fraction of the price and with more sensible theory explained. * This book is an excellent fitness reference with over 100 bodyweight exercises categorized by one of the following types: PUSH, PULL, LEGS, and CORE. In addition to this, there is a set of exercises that develops all of the body's muscles. * The theory behind the programs are also included so that users can formulate their own programs. * Almost all of the workouts in the book can be done inside with minimal equipment. Great for people who travel or are on a budget. * People who weight train at the gym a lot will notice they are getting more range of motion and working out more muscles. E.g. If you do squats at the gym, the side lunges and 1-legged Romanian dead lifts will hit other muscles you neglected while improving stability. * Diet theory and suggestions are included in a dedicated chapter, but not so much data that it overloads the reader. The main emphasis of the book is still on exercises. COMMENTS FOR IMPROVEMENT * This would also make a great digital book with videos to show proper form and fitness logs to track progress. BOTTOM LINE Great job Mark on putting together these 10-week programs. This is a great book and I hope to buy another copy from the next edition of "You Are Your Own Gym" by Mark Lauren!

Just started using this exercise book and being a 50 year old woman found the excercises not only easy to use but am noticeing faster results than my old regimine at the gym where I was using the equipment. I have more time being able to do them at home which is a big plus in my busy schedule.

I just got the book today, and spent the day reading through it. I was hesitant to order it as I've never heard of Mark Lauren, even though he spent a decade training SpecOps troops. I thought this book would just give me a few extra exercises to complement my gym regimen, but as it turns out, it looks like it may replace it totally. I had no idea there were so many bodyweight exercises I could do for literally every part of my body. The exercises are very clearly explained and demonstrated, and appear to be adequate for just about any fitness level. The book also includes phenomenal chapters on nutrition, motivation, intensity, and other things, making this a one-stop deal. I'm going to be saving some serious money (not to mention time!) when I cancel my gym membership, for good.