I was first introduced to Freeletics on the 30 July 2014 by my cousin during a family camping trip. He had been doing freeletics for a few months and knew that I was on a mission to get fit during 2014 (I’ll leave that story for another time). He explained that freeletics was a bodyweight program based on high intensity, interval training (HIIT) with options to build strength or focus on cardiovascular endurance. The program was app-based, free to download and trial for 2 weeks with access to a few of the workouts and exercises. There was also an option for a 15 week personalised coach program for £31.99. It sounded like just the thing I was looking for as I wasn’t keen on joining a gym, been there and done that and I just didn’t have time, money or interest to go down that route again. The workouts were anywhere from 3-60 mins and were basic CrossFit movements such as push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and squats that just hit every muscle in the body and build tremendous strength – Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger!
A Beginners Guide to Freeletics
Now, up until that point I had started running in March 2014 and had competed 26 days of Insanity (the DVD based HIIT ‘max interval training’ program). I felt a lot fitter than I’d been in a long time. After a heavy night out drinking, there we were, 9am in the morning, the sun was shining, my cousin put his playlist on and all 4 of us started to workout… 5-4-3-2-1-GO.
We started with 50 burpees, then 50 squats and onto 50 sit-ups. Little did I know, this was my first full-APHRODITE (the workouts are names after Greek Gods) We all set off at pace, as you do when you’re training with others. After the first round, things slowed somewhat. It was really challenging, we had to repeat the burpee/squat/sit-up again for 40 reps this time, then again for 30/20/10 reps. As I lay on my mat, opposite my cousin, I could see that even he was being challenged. My brother, also on a fitness mission in 2014, was like a robot, in the ZONE, not moving too quickly, but a steady, consistent pace. I was pushing too, 10 reps, 5 reps, 2 reps at a time. In fact, I pushed so hard, I threw up! (yeah, my boy JJ was of course filming it!), my cousin turned to me and said “Mark, are you ok? Are you going to continue? In Freeletics there are #noexcuses”. My stopwatch was rolling and at that moment I thought, whatever happened from then on, I was going to complete the workout #noexcuses!
Freeletics Aphrodite Workout: Brean, England: Mark Kenna, Ian Kenna, Jay Kenna, Robbie Painter, Irina Ivanova, Lucia Kenna
My cousin finished his APHRODITE in 33 mins and my brother around 40+ mins. They then supported me on every single burpee, squat and sit-up I had left. I gritted my teeth, pushed through it and it helped so much training with others, they really pushed me beyond my limits. I had so much support it was something I’ve never received before. We were laughing and had loads of fun, even though my abs were on fire and I didn’t feel like I could do one more burpee, but of course I did. My legs were wobbling and my arms were weak, but I finished in 01hr09 mins and the feeling was just incredible. My body was aching (in good way) for few days after and I started to think more and more about freeletics experience. Freeletics had challenged me more than any other workout I’d ever done before and the feeling of completing something as difficult as APHRODITE (150burpees, 150 squats and 150 sit-ups) was such a great feeling, it was different from the HIIT Insanity workouts that I had been doing previous to freeletics, where I found myself recovering in a pool of sweat, whilst a set time for the program elapsed. With Freeletics, its the opposite. The time ticks, you still have to do a pre-determined number of exercises and reps, you still lie in a pool of sweat, but you keep going until all the reps are done, and then you stop the clock.
Freeletics Workout: Wiltshire, England: Mark & Ian Kenna improvising on pull-up bar (locations – woods@scout camp, back garden.)
What I liked initially about Freeletics, was that you can do the workouts anytime, anyplace, anywhere. OK, there are some basic equipment needs such as a pull-up bar for some workouts, but you can always improvise and find a way of working around this, For example. going to your local park, or finding a tree or like I have done, use the kids swing frame. My brother even used the back of his open stairs in his living-room. There really is #noexcuses. I’ve trained at my parents, away on business trips in my hotel room, I even trained during a weekend away with my son’s cub/scout camp. In fact, I got them all doing it, a real buzz to get so many young people exercising outside, and in a large group. They really enjoyed it.
Cubs at 7th Swindon doing Metis workout
What I also like is that millions of free-athletes all over the world go through exactly the same program and workout and therefore you can compare your times with others, this helps you to push yourself and although you’re always only really competing with yourself, you have something much higher to aim for as there are always going to be people who are stronger, fitter and faster than you are. This really does drive you to improve your time, although at first, you just wonder how some of these free athletes achieve such quick times. I mean, Levent (he’s one of the first free athletes I found out about) had done the same workout that took me 1 hour and 9 minuets, in just 14mins and 46 seconds. I thought how was that even possible. I then looked at his transformational video along with most others out there and I found it amazing that everyone had gone through these transformations. OK, some were 15 weeks, some were 30 weeks and some 365 days, but the end results were the same. This is what I was aiming for. Levent had lost about 20-25 pounds of fat and gained 6-7 pounds of muscles through proper training and nutrition! I bought the coach on the 15th September 2014 and haven’t looked back since.
Levent Oz – 15 Week Transformation
There are a few lots of beginners guides out there, including the main freeletics page, the freeletics blog site and the knowledge centre are all great places to start. Training Instinct is also pretty useful. However, I wanted to share a few hints and tips that will get you going once you’ve downloaded the app and were thinking, what do I do next…
Although you don’t need equipment, it helps to have a pull-up bar. I have the IRON GYM Extreme Upper Body Trainer Silver. £14.99 from Amazon and a yoga mat – I have a cheap one from Aldi £6.99 but here is the amazon equivalent which is a bit thicker and slightly more at £9.99. Or the best heavy duty one we know about is the one Ryan uses. Its a York and costs £18.30. This is amazing for all weathers. Its thick and heavy, so very good for knees and a hurricane couldnt move it – get it here.
IRON GYM Extreme Upper Body Trainer & Aldi Yoga Mat.
Heavy Duty Yoga Mat by York
Once you start the coach, you will perform a MAX test that will gauge your fitness level and provide you with your first weeks program. You can select either 2/3/4/5 workouts a week. My MAX test was push-ups, squats and sit-ups. I selected 4 sessions per week and you’re away.
You should upload a profile picture, complete your mini-bio and you’re ready to go.
Profile & Max Test
For the running part of the workouts, you may be required to mark out 20M/40M/100M/200M/400M/1KM/2KM. I found Mapometer a great little tool to help you plan your routes. I’ve been using for a while, so I already have my 5KM/10KM marked out, but for the new Freeletics distances, I found this tool invaluable.
In the first few weeks, you may get part workouts. This is to break you in gently, to get you used to the more difficult workouts, but don’t worry, you will move quite quickly to the full workouts in no time. Once you’ve completed a workout exactly how you are supposed to (there are videos for you to download showing you correct form) without any modification, then you are entitled to hit the star. If you beat your previous time, then you will get a new personal best (PB) and additional points. At the end of your week, you will get a summary of the number of training days completed, with the number points earned that week and total time taken to complete your workout. you will receive a summary of your settings such as focus/advanced skills and limitations for that week. You then get to feedback if the week you did was too hard (and coach will decrease your workout volume in the following week) or you can say it was too easy and may god help you! I’ve just finished week 25 and I still haven’t yet done this, although I plan to do this before my 30 weeks are up. You can increase or decrease the number of training days to fit you schedule, although I decided to increase to 5 days a week and step up the pace after week 3 and have been doing 5 sessions a week since then.
Example: Week 1 freeletics coach program.
Every week, coach will give you a new focus, something to think about and practice that week. This could be anything from focused breathing, to consistency in your workouts to shorter breaks between exercises. This helps you to become stronger athlete, in body and mind. In fact, the coach was something that I felt worked really well for me. It helped me to overcome many obstacles and I learnt a lot about myself, especially that a weekly focus is no bad thing to have. In fact, the advice that coach has given me every week still helps me now to continue to smash my PB’s. Get your coach now, you wont regret it.
As you progress, you will want to take on more challenges, there are so many out there. At the moment, I am setting myself weekly challenges such as mastering the advance moves including hand-stand push-ups, stand-ups and I will soon take on muscle-ups. There are many people joining me within the freeletics community and I am also looking out for challenges from other free athletes such as #deathbyburpeechallenge #batmanchallenge and the #mustangchallenge which is to run 100km in 30 days (started 15 March 2015). Just be careful when you get tired during a workout, you are more likely to neglect proper technique. Be aware and make sure to keep correct form in order to avoid injuries. This goes for illness too. If you are feeling unwell, it is not advised to workout – read here for more. I am extremely excited to be involved with the first Freeletics World event. One single event, same local time, together we are stronger. If you haven’t already done so, please sign up here and join the global #aphroditechallenge.
Freeletics World Event: Aphrodite Challenge
The freeletics community has got to be one of the most positive and supportive communities I’ve known. Everyone has been through a similar process, with similar coaching and although we all have different goals and are here for various reasons, we all have a similar mentally and approach. We all inspire each other, help and support each other and of course, push each other. to the #nextlevel. Join your local group by searching on Facebook, and RSVP for your first event. Training with your group in your community is one of the best ways to stay motivated and reach your goals and you will meet awesome new people. #strongertogether
Motivational Quote: Believe In Yourself
I have been a free athlete for 6 months now and for me, it’s a way of life. Its part of who I am and what I do. Freeletics has allowed to not only to reach my goals, but surpass them and go on and achieve things I though were too late to achieve. It’s never too late to make that change. The quote below is something I live by. Nothing worth having comes easy, you have to work for it, you can dream all you want, but unless you believe you can do it, then you’re prepared to work bloody hard for, anything is achievable.
“Get Comfortable, Being Uncomfortable”
Mark Kenna
Mark Kenna
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