Mark Lauren / EFX

G

Gobias

Cathlete
I am catching up on all of my Cathe.com threads and found another recommendation that interests me: Mark Lauren / EFX. I love the idea of body weight training (I assume it is convenient for travelling also).

Does anyone have a comment (pro or con) on his workouts? Did you do it as a rotation?

Jengollf: I never knew you had a blog! I was sucked into that for a couple hours - so very helpful! I read your review of EFX and am really looking into this workout (and even Weider Ruthless) (previously never heard of either). May I ask how you incorporated EFX into your workouts? Did you make a rotation? Was EFX the focus or an add-on?

I am planning my next long term rotation (90 ish days) around Body Beast (I saw your BB rotation, Jengollf, and am going to follow a similar rotation since I like the look of yours!). I have the ability to workout 7 days and many days do doubles. To my BB rotation, I want to add cardio and extra stretching. I was hoping to incorporate EFX along with Weider and possibly PiYo. (I always have any Cathe video to add and also have Lastics, Horizontal Conditioning and Tonique as needed/wanted).

Are Weider and EFX too similar?
 
I love Mark Lauren, have his DVD and books. The guy is quite fine, and he has done it all with body weight exercises only. When I finish my rotation of Beautiful Badass, I am finishing the summer with Mark and a few other body weight experts.
 
Hi Gobias! I'm so glad my blog is helpful! Yes, when I did EFX I did it as a rotation and it was the focus of the rotation. I did EFX 3 times a week and I incorporated other workouts into it--his Mobility Rx and some HIIT workouts. And since I do doubles I would also do his YAYOG workouts after work. I love his workouts. EFX is probably my favorite but the advanced level of YAYOG are probably some of the most challenging workouts I've ever done.

No--I don't think EFX and Weider Ruthless are similar other than they both are bodyweight focused. Mark is very controlled and form focused whereas Weider Ruthless uses speed and more reps. Tho they will both get your heart rate up, Weider Ruthless gives you more of a cardio workout and EFX is more strength focused. I primarily use Weider Ruthless as doubles workouts or add ons to shorter workouts and EFX I use as my main workout of the day.
 
Karen - I got his book this weekend Body By You (for women). I am reading it now!

Thanks, Jengollf.

How long was your EFX rotation - it doesn't look like he really spells out a schedule? I am going to make one for myself and am thinking 60 days. I hope to incorporate all of his workouts for that rotation. Is Mobility Rx considered a stretch workout? Or is it more of a full body strength training?

I want to eventually do the pistol squat, but am thinking my ankles are just not flexible enough. I have never known my ankles to be stiff, per se, however when I tried to do an assisted pistol squat just to see how much work I have ahead of me (a lot!), I noticed the heel of my ankle just won't stay on the ground. Do his exercises help with ankle flexibility?

Have to say it again - LOVE your blog.
 
I did EFX for 4 weeks and when I revisit it I generally do it for one week on, one week off (off week I doing weights). Mobility RX is more than stretching. I was very sore after doing it. It is stretching but it is also just what the title says--it increases joint mobility. I really do not do that one nearly enough. I honestly do not know exactly how to classify Mobility RX, other than it is unique. I do know I always think I need to add it to my rotations far more frequently than I do. Some of his exercises do focus on flexibility--Mobility RX does and he always has excellent long stretches at the end of his workouts--EFX especially. I actually have the exact same problem with pistol squats. It was my goal this year to master the pistol squat and to be honest I don't know what happened to that goal. I literally forgot about it and have not worked on it at all. On Mark's blog he does have a "squat progression" to help you progress to pistol squat and beyond. The exercises are all in his books or his DVDs (and probably his app, too). Here it is, if you're interested:

https://www.marklauren.com/blog/2014/06/squatting-progression/#sthash.ZkWgdYap.dpuf
If you want the thighs, glutes, and speed of an Olympic sprinter, work on mastering this progression. It gradually progresses from the very easiest leg exercise to the very hardest. How many of these movements can you do for 3 reps, breaking for no more than 1 minute between exercises? How about with 2-second pauses at the bottom of each rep?
1. Sumo Squats
2. Squats
3. Overhead Squats
4. Y Squats- perform a regular squat with your arms held at the Y position (EFX)
5. Back Lunges
6. Side Lunges
7. Bulgarian Split Squats with arms overhead
8.1-legged Squats off knee height surface
9. Assisted 1-legged Squats
10. Assisted Pistols
11. One-legged Squats
12. Pistols
13. Pistols with leg switch
14. Pistols with jump
15. Pistols with legs switch and jump
 
PhyllisG--I personally think they are all excellent but I am a DVD person so that is what I use. I have "plans" to use the books and the app but so far I haven't acted on those plans. However, daughter did follow his book for a while and was really challenged by it--not YAYOG book, but the other one (Body By You).
 
For those who have done body weight exercises (like Mark Lauren or Weider Ruthless), do you still gain great muscle definition?

I created a rotation for myself and I will be doing only body weight exercises (for strength) for 8 weeks. I will be starting that rotation after I finish another round of STS. After STS I always gain great muscle definition everywhere and don't want to lose it by doing only body weight exercises.

I realize I could mix and match body weight exercises with dumbbells, but wanted to try something different for a couple months.

Thanks.
 
I love body weight exercises. I especially like Mark Lauren, and yes, I got great definition. However, I gain muscle easily, I put on muscle doing jumping jacks. Just want to let u know where I'm coming from. But yea, I think u can keep your definition. I will be starting a body weight rotation on Monday. Here's to hoping, right?
 
Well pull-ups have done more for my lats than any other exercise I've ever tried - so I guess the answer is 'yes, bodyweight exercise can create muscle'!
I guess the hardest part is the progression. Once you can do push-ups on a suspension trainer with a child sitting on your back - where do you go from there?
(PS I've never tried that....)
 
Justinef said:
Well pull-ups have done more for my lats than any other exercise I've ever tried - so I guess the answer is 'yes, bodyweight exercise can create muscle'!
I guess the hardest part is the progression. Once you can do push-ups on a suspension trainer with a child sitting on your back - where do you go from there?
(PS I've never tried that....)
Click to expand...
Doing baby+body-weight exercises are a great way to ensure progressive overload!
I've done parallel bar dips with my daughter in the Ergo carrier. ;)
 
Justinef said:
Once you can do push-ups on a suspension trainer with a child sitting on your back - where do you go from there?
(PS I've never tried that....)
Click to expand...

MomInVT said:
Doing baby+body-weight exercises are a great way to ensure progressive overload!
I've done parallel bar dips with my daughter in the Ergo carrier. ;)
Click to expand...

Children as added weight loads is a great way to go! So affordable, and fun for the whole family! ;) Justine, progression is naturally built into the program as your child grows from toddler to tween to teen to adult. I can just imagine the fun an adult child would have at social events bragging about how his/her mum can knock out 20 push-ups with him/her perched on mum's back. "My mom is stronger than your mom" and that sorta thing. ;)

Lisa
 
Justinef said:
My baby is 20 years old
5ft 10 inches
150lb
wayyyy to cool to sit on mama's back
and has a 35" inside leg - I really couldn't get THAT off the floor

I'd have awesome pecs if I did, though...
will post a photo of us trying when she's next home!
Click to expand...

desertambrosia said:
LOL, please post a photo! Your daughter, by your description, looks a lot like my daughters. Too tall for me to lift off the floor.
Click to expand...

Justine, Karen: do not underestimate your strength. I've got to see those pictures. I also think you could use them to make terrific Holiday cards for friends and family!

Lisa
 
You guys are funny. I have a hard enough time doing a push up with my own weight let alone putting a partner on my back.

I am looking forward to trying a full body weight only rotation. I am very lanky and don't *visibly* build muscle, but I know it is there!

KAREN - please keep me updated on your body weight rotation. Are you using particular DVDs? Thanks.
 
Gobias said:
You guys are funny. I have a hard enough time doing a push up with my own weight let alone putting a partner on my back.

I am looking forward to trying a full body weight only rotation. I am very lanky and don't *visibly* build muscle, but I know it is there!

KAREN - please keep me updated on your body weight rotation. Are you using particular DVDs? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I will be using all the Mark Lauren dvd's that I have. I'm throwing in Horizontal Conditioning. If I'm up for it, I may throw in a couple of the PiYo workouts. Just for some variety. At the Totalfitness dvd sale, I bought a couple of dvds, by Natalie Jill. (I hadn't heard of her) They're bodyweight, but very short. I think there are two programs on the dvd. They are each 17 minutes. Kind of a rip-off for $20. I have previewed them, and something about her annoys me. But, I'm going to use them. I want to do bodyweight until around the end of September, then I will assess my progress, and decide where I want to go from there. (More bodyweight, or more Nia) I'm thinking of doing bodyweight, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I will be doing LWF2. Love it, so glad I bought it. That's my plan, for today. It may change tomorrow.
 
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