You know this by now:
The only way to ensure massive gains from head to toe is by loading up the barbell with tons of plates and pushing yourself to your limits.
Bodyweight exercises are nothing more than convenient.
Your last resort when the gym is closed.
Right?
Well, the Athlean Xero Bodyweight Workout is taking that long-held belief and turning it on its head. The claim—build muscle, burn fat, and boost your athleticism with no equipment needed.
Sound too good to be true?
Let’s find out if this Athlean-X bodyweight workout program is legit.
Before We Get Started, Let Me Say This…
Hey, it’s Kyle. I’m the founder of Noob Gains.
Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
I just wanted to jump in here to let you know that the program you’re about to learn about might be a total banger… or a complete flop.
(I’m not going to spoil it just yet.)
And while it might do a decent job of getting you the fitness results you want…
There’s one bodyweight training program that I continue to recommend to noobs over and over again because of how effective it is at helping beginners build muscle and lose fat.
Listen, if you want to build a lean and muscular physique that draws attention…
With a system taught by undisputed experts in calisthenics training…
Without working out more than 4 days per week…
And without every stepping foot in a gym…
You should consider Body Transformation Basics by Cali Move.
Transform Your Body Without the Gym
No gym? No problem. Cali Move's Body Transformation Basics //shows you how to build a muscular physique that gets attention using your body weight and minimal equipment.
Now, I don’t want you to just automatically trust me on this.
You shouldn’t automatically trust anyone… especially on the internet.
But I’m going to do my best to show you why BTB is a good program for beginners that want to transform their body with a home workout using your body as resistance.
First of all, most bodyweight training programs are sloppily-made trash fires put together by fitness gurus just trying to make a quick buck.
Let’s be honest…
When the pandemic hit in 2020 and thousands of gyms temporarily closed, we were forced to turn our living rooms into weight rooms and workout studios.
And when home workouts became all the rage, suddenly barbell-centric fitness gurus started pumping out bodyweight training programs and calling themselves “experts”.
Well, that made me skeptical.
And it should make you skeptical too.
Wouldn’t you rather follow the teachings of some real, calisthenics experts with years of dedicated training under their belts?
Body Transformation Basics is taught by two undisputed authorities in the calisthenics world so you know it’s the real deal.
First there’s Sven Kohl. He’s a former, certified physical therapist with over 15 years of traditional weight training experience and over 15 years of bodyweight training experience.
Then there’s Alex Lorenz (aka El Eggs… idk) who has degrees in sports education as well as nutritional sciences, has been training calisthenics since 2012, and is the founder of the Leipzig-area calisthenics and parkour association.
You should be able to build muscle and lose fat faster following the teachings of two guys who really know their stuff.
Second, many bodyweight training programs deliver unnecessarily slow results because they’re not structured for fast progress.
What do I mean?
Well, another unfortunate trend in online fitness is to create poorly-made programs.
They don’t explain how to do exercises.
The routines have no long-term progression.
And there’s no thought put into tempo, recovery, or mobility (which are all super important).
Well, unlike those other programs, Cali Move’s Body Transformation Basics speeds up your results because it gives you everything in pain-staking detail to improve your understanding.
| Feature | Body Transformation Basics | Other Programs |
| Expert Instruction |  | |
| Workouts | 3-4x /week | 5x or more /week |
| Format | Course | Ebook |
| Warm-up Routine |  | |
| Program Length | 29 Weeks | 12 Weeks |
| Mobility/Stretching |  | |
For example, there’s a dedicated video tutorial on how to perform every exercise so you avoid careless injuries and maximize muscle activation on each rep.
The program is also structured as a step-by-step course so you follow a strong, long-term progression that’s designed to build up the size and strength of your muscles over time.
And there are clear and detailed explanations on exercise tempo, how to properly recover after each workout, and how to keep your joints mobile and limber for best results.
Finally, many home workout programs are useless workout templates that don’t let you customize your training to suit your experience and goals.
In many cases, you’re given a list of exercises, a wonky workout, and then the instructors just say “Good luck.”
Now, sometimes this isn’t a big deal.
But in most cases, as you go through the program, you start to run into problems.
For example, you can’t do a pull-up. So, what now?
You can’t do a full glute-ham raise. Is it OK to do something else?
What if you can’t do inclined, archer push-ups? Are you dead in the water?
Thankfully, Body Transformation Basics is designed more like a custom program with ways to adapt your training to help you build muscle faster.
First of all, every exercise video tutorial has detailed instructions on how to increase or decrease the difficulty for each exercise.
So if something is too tough the first time, you know exactly how to dial it back so you don’t wreck yourself.
Secondly, BTB incorporates test weeks into each program so you can see just how much stronger you get in each phase.
I think Cali Move’s Body Transformation Basics is an awesome bodyweight training program for beginners and if you sign up you can:
- Build muscle faster with top-notch instruction from real calisthenics experts
- Kill your training confusion by following an extremely-detailed, step-by-step course
- And get the experience of a custom-made program thanks to exercise variations and test weeks
But like I said before…
You don’t have to trust me. I’m just a stranger on the internet.
Check out Body Transformation Basics for yourself and see what’s up.
Transform Your Body Without the Gym
No gym? No problem. Cali Move's Body Transformation Basics //shows you how to build a muscular physique that gets attention using your body weight and minimal equipment.
About the Creator – Athlean-X & Jeff Cavaliere
As at-home fitness DVDs were fading off into our distant memories, workout programs like Athlean-X were slowly making headway.
Behind Athlean-X is a guy named Jeff Cavaliere.
Jeff Cavaliere isn’t your everyday gym lunk or even a random online user detailing his favorite hypertrophy workouts on bodybuilding forums.
Here’s a list of what makes Jeff Cavaliere the “real deal.”
- A Master’s Degree in physical therapy
- Expertise in injury prevention
- 3 years serving as the Mets’ strength coach
- Support from celebrities & athletes (Sylvester Stallone, David Wright, Antonio Brown)
- Desire to bring science back to the gym
Jeff Cavaliere is now the mastermind of Athlean-X, developing dozens of workout programs for mass-building, fat loss, and every unique goal in-between.
Athlean-X is known for tough workout plans that produce great results for regular people, not just professional athletes.
This is where other programs tend to see their downfalls.
The company also sells fitness and nutrition supplements to trigger even more significant gains when following an Athlean-X program.
So if you’re looking to take your body back, Athlean-X may be your solution!
What is the Athlean Xero Bodyweight Workout?
The Athlean Xero Bodyweight Workout is a 6-week exercise program that requires absolutely no equipment other than your bodyweight.
Over 45 days, this bodyweight workout program should help you catapult your muscle growth while slimming down on the fat front.
You should end those six weeks far more fit, agile, and buff than before!
Perhaps even more significant than the likely results is what your near-daily workouts will entail.
So here’s what you need to know about the bones of this routine:
- Over 150 unique exercises
- No equipment necessary
- 45-minute limit workouts
- An ab-sculpting program included
Best of all, you can reap all of the benefits of an extensive resistance training routine without loading up a single barbell.
Well, assuming this program is really what Athlean-X makes it out to be!
Athlean Xero Bodyweight Workout Details & Features
The Athlean Xero Bodyweight Workout Program may not be the most complex program in terms of equipment, but it sure has a lot to offer fitness enthusiasts of all levels!
Now, let’s go over the ins and outs of this Athlean-X program.
The Concept of “Xero”
The first thing you’ll have to do when accessing the module is to answer a few questions. You’ll be quizzed on everything from how many push-ups you can do to how long you can hold a plank.
The Xero program will then recommend a “temperature,” so to speak.
“Xero” is the basic program, and one or two “degrees” below Xero will mean that you’ll take the program a bit easier, given your current fitness level.
Don’t take offense to this—it’s only there to ensure you get the most out of the program!
You can also adjust your Xero option as you progress in a few weeks.
Strength Workouts
Each week has two strength workouts, known as Strength Workouts I & II.
Strength Workout I will consist of A/B combos.
For example, you’ll do a set of X plyo push-ups to failure, jump immediately to a set of step-through push-ups to failure, rest for 60 seconds, and then repeat.
You’ll crush through five unique A/B combos and finish strong with a six-pack shuffle if you still have a bit more fuel left in the tank.
As the weeks progress, you’ll enter into A/B/C/D territory, where you’ll run through five exercises within the same muscle group and then move onto another muscle group.
This includes back-to-back exercises for the chest, back, legs, and more!
Then, there’s Strength Workout II, which comes four days after Strength Workout I.
This “Xero Sum” workout style is about cranking out as many reps as possible for six exercises—like handstand push-ups and power plank ups—and keeping track of your reps.
All with up to 90 seconds of rest between sets.
Athlean Bursts
Each week, you’ll also crank out two Athlean Burst workouts.
Every Athlean Burst workout has a different name and will drive you through an entirely different workout, making plateaus and boredom from one workout to the next a non-issue.
For example, the Lock Box workout is conditioning-heavy and prioritizes strength exercises like push-up variations.
Then you have more unique workouts like the 3 Point Panic, which forces you through four-straight single-arm exercises that require three points of contact on the ground always.
No two Athlean Bursts are the same, and all target different fitness concepts.
Dynamic training, high-reps, and tough variations—they have it all!
Challenges
Your final workout of each week—right before your last rest day—will be some sort of challenge. We’re talking The Grinder, Lactic Acid Trip Challenge, and other exciting titles.
These are the workouts where you’ll see what you’re truly made of.
For example, you may pump through a circuit with every exercise from wall sits to thumbs up push-ups. Repeat as many rounds as possible with just 30 seconds between to get a score.
Are you a “Man of Titanium” or a “Paper Tiger?”
Other workouts will “punish” you when you reach failure too soon, forcing you to redeem yourself with wall sits (or another exercise) until you achieve the rep goal.
Each challenge is different, some with 100 rep goals and others with grueling rest-pause sets.
Regardless, you’ll finish the week strong with a much-needed rest-day before you pick-up again with Strength Workout I next week.
Meal Plan
Like any legitimate exercise regimen, the Xero program comes standard with a meal plan to ensure proper nutrition and optimal growth.
We’re talking three large meals a day and three snacks, with foods like:
- Greek yogurt parfait
- Turkey slices wrapped around pickles
- Whole-grain pretzels with mustard
- Apple spice oatmeal
- Pasta salad with grilled chicken
The meal plan changes each day for greater variety—no more plain oatmeal, chicken breast, and brown rice all day everyday.
The diet plan also comes with nifty color coding.
Each ingredient in every meal (or snack) has a particular text color, so you’ll know that you’re eating pasta salad for its starchy carbs and your chickpeas for protein.
Learn about essential nutrition concepts and continue them after you finish the program!
Degrees Below Xero
Now, you may be wondering how your workouts will differ if you’re opting for the one or two degrees below Xero plans instead.
Here’s what you need to know:
- 1 Degree Below Xero: Three full-body workouts per week (some repeating, some unique), a 28-day program, and a challenge at the end of the program
- 2 Degrees Below Xero: Three full-body workouts per week, a 28-day program, and one challenge at the conclusion of the routine
We suggest abiding by the recommended Xero option when you complete your survey before starting the program. Raise the Xero option if you notice the workouts are too easy for you.
4 Cool Benefits of the Athlean Xero Bodyweight Workout
1. No Two Workouts Are the Same
Nobody says that sticking to a standard split isn’t beneficial for muscle growth. But when you cycle through the same workouts week in and week out, you get tired of the monotony.
This Xero program ensures that it’ll never be a problem.
You’ll wake up each morning, not knowing what your workout will call for, whether you’ll be cranking out 100 reps for each exercise or doing tough A/B/C combos to failure.
The variation and gradually increasing intensity of this program will help you fight plateaus and ensure positive growth for the next 45 days!
2. Different Xero Options
Just about every bodyweight exercise has some form of modification to make it easier if you’re still building strength. But you also have to consider the endurance and conditioning factors.
A 45-minute workout with hundreds of reps won’t be too pleasant for untrained folks.
That’s where the Xero options of this program shine.
You can complete the survey to determine how well you already fare in the bodyweight exercise arena, selecting a program that matches your current level of fitness.
Get the program that works for you now, and bump the intensity up to the next level if you notice you’re crushing the workouts as they come.
You can also cycle through the Xero program again at a higher intensity on the next go-round.
3. No Equipment Necessary
Sure, it’s the entire purpose of a bodyweight program. But we really have to hand it to Jeff Cavaliere and Athlean-X—this program takes “equipment-free” to brand new extremes.
When comparing other popular fitness brands like Athlean-X vs Kinobody, there are definite similarities. Like we mention in our Movie Star Body review, you can do the workouts in your living room, garage, or basement.
But you also aren’t stuck doing the standard bodyweight exercises, like push-ups, crunches, and jumping jacks. The variety of exercises includes unique exercises like:
- Sprawling burpees
- Lateral push-ups
- Alligator walks
- Jack push-ups
- Long leg plank marches
Get the benefits of a detailed workout routine without investing in a gym membership or buying your own equipment!
4. Short Program
Athlean-X programs run the gamut when it comes to the length of their workouts programs, with some lasting as long as 12 weeks.
This program lasts a mere 45 days (or shorter with lower Xero options).
Ultimately, the shorter program length means you don’t have to stick to a program for several months just to be disappointed by the end.
Besides, it gives you the chance to cycle through more programs.
3 Negatives of the Athlean Xero Bodyweight Workout
1. No Refund Policy
The lack of a refund policy is always going to be the deal-breaker for many fitness enthusiasts. After all, there’s no way to figure out if a program is right for your needs until you try it, right?
Unfortunately, Athlean-X programs are a bit of a guessing game.
You’ll know ahead of time that this program doesn’t require equipment, is suitable for all skill levels, and may have you working out five times per week.
But whether it’s Breakout or Xero, everything else is still up in the air until you actually make the purchase.
2. No Wiggle Room on the Diet Front
The fact that this program comes with a diet plan means it already offers far more than many of the other more reputable programs out there.
But we did notice something about this program, as compared to other Athlean-X programs:
The diet plan is set.
There aren’t any options for ingredient swaps, cheat meals, or size/shred swaps like some of the other programs offer. This makes your chances of disliking some ingredients even higher.
Plus, if you have an allergy or intolerance, you have a choice to make.
3. Training to Failure Is Everywhere
Training to failure is one of those concepts that gym-goers either swear by or avoid like the plague. The idea that this program consistently has you training to failure isn’t exactly positive.
In actuality, it doesn’t provide much benefit.
With the Xero program, you may be performing dozens or even hundreds of extra reps with each workout to reach “failure” without seeing significantly better results.
You’ll leave each workout knowing you gave your all, but it may not show!
Wrapping Up This Athlean Xero Bodyweight Workout Review
The Athlean Xero Bodyweight Workout is a pretty decent workout routine if you’re low on equipment, just starting your fitness journey, or have both muscle gain and fat loss goals.
You can be sure that each workout is unique and interesting, choose a difficulty that matches your current fitness level, use no equipment, and finish this grueling program in just 6 weeks.
But it’s not all peaches and rainbows!
You won’t get your money back if you dislike the program on day one, there aren’t any substitutions in the diet plan, and you’ll be training to failure with nearly every workout.
It’s a good workout program if you appreciate bodyweight exercises.
However, you may want to opt for a more intense Athlean-X program that includes compound lifts and barbells if you want to see serious gains long-term.
Rating: 8.4/10
