I recently injured my shoulder and now that it’s feeling better, I had an epiphany that I should be doing a more “functional” type of training instead of the typical “bodybuilding” style workout. The Athlean X programs seem to be well thought out, from what I can see after watching several of his videos. If you’ve used his programs, did you like/dislike them? Why/why not? Thanks for your input.
He’s one of a half dozen or so fitness guys that I follow on YouTube and I watch most of his stuff. Been doing so for about 4 years. I’m a fan. that said, I personally don’t buy anyone’s programs. I very much believe, much like careers or hobbies, everyone’s needs, goals, and paths are going to be a bit different. I’m sure some people thrive under the structure of those programs but I’m not one of them. I’d rather equip myself with as much information from guys like Jeff and then build my own program around it that’s more tailored to my specific needs. Added bonus to this is it’s more flexible as well. When life inevitably gets in the way, I’m also knowledgeable enough to make adjustments to my program on the fly as opposed to just going “shit, I missed a day and now there’s no room to make it up.” TL;DR Jeff’s great and has a lot of valuable information - I recommend learning from all his (and others’) free material and building your own program around it, not a paid structured program.
Excellent info! Who else do you follow? I know there are tons of guys on the YouTubes that all proclaim to be experts. I like also Jeff Nippard & Brad Schoenfeld, and to a certain extent Renaissance Periodization.
Jeff Nippard is also great. I know this sounds bad but I don't watch him because I simply can't stand his voice. Mike w/ Renaissance offers some really good (and different) perspectives if you can keep from tiring of his humor. The in-depth explanations he provides can be really helpful. I'd also recommend Jeremy Ethier. Younger guy that seems to really know his stuff and seems keen on the idea of providing you with knowledge and varying perspectives to find what works for you. Jonni Shreve is good if you scroll past the industry drama bs and can get past his clickbait titles/thumbnails (that he's even admitted he hates but as soon as he stopped, his views tanked). Ryan Humiston is one of my favorites, though not sure if he offers what you're looking for. Definitely more bodybuilding & supplementation study oriented. Sean Nalewanyj hasn't uploaded in a while but his back catalog is solid. Andrew Huberman for just general health and lifestyle study/improvement. Probably among the most reputable in the field, next to Peter Attila. Noel Deyzel is you just need occasional motivation. Have heard great things from others at my local gym about kneesovertoesguy but I think a higher percentage of his stuff seemed to be paid only last I checked. Could be wrong, this reminds me to actually go check again myself.
Ah yes. I forgot about Sean Nalewanyj and Jeremy Ethier. I've seen some of Ryan Hummiston. I'll definitely check out the others. Thanks for the suggestions!
What are your fitness goals and why do you think you need to do "functional" training versus "bodybuilding" and what do those two things mean to you? If you're just getting back into the gym and want to do more whole body movements and training, one source I've found to be lacking in the "DO THIS ONE THING" hype is Barbell Medicine. They offer about 5 free program templates that are all based in research and allow you to choose your starting point based on your goal. They stress the importance of the fundamentals versus over indexing on the hacks and minutia (like a lot of the tubers do)... with silly proclamations like, "YOU NEED TO COLD PLUNGE NOW" while missing the value of just working out consistently, in a structured, repeatable, and trackable fashion to assess progress.
Counterpoint on the programs. I'm not a perpetual program guy but doing one or two of them (or just hiring a genuinely good personal trainer) is useful because: 1) they will make you do things you might not otherwise think of 2) there's a certain accountability to sticking with the program Other thought, go find a professional sports training facility (sometimes they are also pro-athlete physical therapists). They're amazing not just for re-hab but then also finding out what your weaknesses are and how to fix them. From flexibility to strength to range of motion. A lot of professional athletes use trainers and they know what they're doing so... why not pick their brain.
This is actually a great point. While I'm not a big fan of fully laid out programs, I did see a personal trainer for a few months a couple years ago. Just once a week. I was pretty up front with them on what I needed. Wasn't worried about nutrition plans or motivation or even getting my ass kicked once a week as those were all things I already needed to be doing on my own. So I told him "here are my goals. Here's my current program for accomplishing them. Evaluate my current strength, physique, & overall performance each week against that program and show me where I'm lacking." Sometimes it was my technique or form on big compound lifts that needed work. Sometimes it was a subset of muscles I was neglecting or not prioritizing enough because I didn't realize their overall impact. But the overall theme was teach me how to fish because that's going to be far more valuable than you kicking my ass once per week and writing my meal plans for me.
