15 Weeks Fit without equipment

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The end of the year has brought back the "New Year's Resolutions" for many people. Often this is associated with the desire to do sports (for whatever reason). We tried something different and started a sports program that ended at the turn of the year: The Freeletics 15 Weeks Cardio & Strength Workout. Freeletics consists of various workouts using only body weight, ranging from 5 to 45 minutes. The spirit of Crossfit is incorporated, where each workout has a personal best record to beat. Each workout includes different exercises, which are to be completed either based on time (specified number) or repetitions (as many as possible in a given time). The workouts have names like Aphrodite, Artemis, Poseidon, Hades, Metis, etc. (you can find summaries of the workouts on YouTube if you want to get a rough overview of them.)

The exercises themselves are nothing new: squats, pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, vertical jumps in the strength area, sprints, burpees, climbers, runs in the endurance and strength endurance area. Whether you do this as a specific 15-week program or as continuous exercises, doesn't really matter. The advantage of the 15-week program is a clear structure and a clear goal of "finishing". This makes it easy to get started, but as a beginner, the workouts are hardly doable with clean execution (who can do 100 clean push-ups or 50 pull-ups as a beginner). The 15-week program comes in three variants: Strength, Endurance, and Strength & Endurance. Here, we will give a rough overview of the Cardio and Strength (C&S) Workout. Detailed explanations are provided separately when you purchase the program.

So, you buy the download link for a PDF describing the program. Training equipment needed includes clothing and shoes, sometimes a wall to lean against for some workouts, a running track, and a place for pull-ups. After a brief introduction, the training program for the 15 weeks is provided, summarizing which exercises each workout includes and how to perform them correctly.

It is important to note that the "correct" execution may differ from what is currently considered "good, healthy" execution. However, this is done to create comparability; only when everyone does the exercise identically can results be compared. Since you are training for yourself, you shouldn't compare yourself too much to others, as this can lead to less clean execution.

Since only clean execution is good for your health, this should be the primary focus. Each exercise has 2 variations, a "simple" and a "star" variant. However, even the "simple" variant can be too difficult for a beginner. A progression like Convict Conditioning would be a good start. Additionally, the PDF lacks basic information on nutrition. Although this has been recognized as a shortcoming by the Freeletics team, an extra "Nutrition Guide" has been provided. However, a page of basic knowledge on nutrition would have been helpful, as nutrition is one of the most important parts of a successful training regimen along with rest and exercise.

Consequently, during the "test," only the energy intake was adjusted, without following a specific diet. This resulted in the male test subject consuming approximately 3200kcal on training days, 2700kcal on rest days, and 3800kcal on "Helldays" (3 workouts in one day), the latter being high in carbohydrates. Adequate water and green tea were consumed. No additional supplements were taken, and alcohol or extensive partying was not allowed during the 15 weeks. The goal was not specifically fat loss or muscle gain but rather to achieve a basic level of fitness and improve overall performance.

The first workout started on September 2nd, with the first two weeks being the toughest of the program, constant muscle soreness. Training took place 4-5 times per week, with individual workouts ranging from 5 to 80 minutes. It should be noted that the workouts are incredibly intense! Over the weeks, a slight periodization of the exercises was noticed. By week 7, 3 Helldays (3 workouts in one day) were scheduled. Although each workout is not very time-consuming, without proper training planning, these days are difficult to manage alongside a regular 8-10 hour job. The last week consisted of the Hellweek, with 7 days of training, including 2 Helldays. Without sufficient food and rest, this is not easily sustainable. The result after 15 weeks, with the same weight, was a slightly better definition, slightly less body fat (visually), and a significant increase in strength endurance.

We started the program with six people, and only one person lasted until the end. Two found it too intense, or the start was too hard, two others were reassigned to an oil platform with 16-hour shifts during the workouts, and another had to pause for health reasons. 50% of the dropouts were attributed to the program itself. A rather significant number. However, this can be easily avoided.

Especially as a beginner, you should get to know the workouts before starting the 15-week program. The free trial program is suitable for this purpose. You should be able to complete each workout in a clean "simple" execution before starting the 15-week program. This prevents complete overload and frustration at the beginning.

All in all, not a magic tool, but still a program to stay fit without equipment with some slight modifications. Freeletics can be purchased as an app (includes only individual workouts and a logging function), as a PDF for the 15-week programs, and a free 4-week trial program is available. The results are not as phenomenal as some of the "Transformation" videos on YouTube, but no additional supplements were taken, and the diet was not changed, only "more" was eaten. There is still room for improvement, and specific individual programs are better suited for massive muscle gain or weight loss than the C&S Workout.

FREELETICS is available online HERE

FREELETICS is also available as an app for iOS and Android