Full Body Calisthenics Workout Routine – Physique Zero Close Look

February 7, 2022 Gurds 0 Comments

Introduction

In this article I am going to be looking closely at a full body calisthenics workout routine, namely Physique Zero by Alain Gonzalez. Calisthenics have been gaining in popularity as they don’t rely on any specialised equipment and can be done anywhere.

You can get quality full body workouts in using calisthenics principles. A lot of people my not have the time to spend hours every week in the gym, Physique Zero is a routine designed to get people proper results whilst only needing to workout for very little time each week.

Who Is Alain Gonzalez?

Alain Gonzalez is a fitness coach and author whose mission is to help as many guys as possible around the world to achieve their dream physique. He is also a busy family man so understands how difficult it can be to juggle the demands of work, family and fitness.

His aim with Physique Zero is to help busy men over 30 to achieve their fitness goals and build a great body that they can be proud of. He believes that fitness professionals can’t relate to men with very busy lifestyles as their whole life revolves around fitness. Whereas many men simply have so many commitments to balance and can’t devote the same time to their fitness goals.

What Is Physique Zero?

Physique Zero is a calisthenics workout program that utilises bodyweight training and doesn’t require gym equipment. It is designed to add lean muscle to your body and give you a ripped, athletic physique.

In addition, the Physique Zero workouts are only eight minutes long which make them very easy to follow and commit to for the long term. The program is also intended to firm up the mid section and get you much better abdominal definition.

Problems With Workout Routines For Busy People

One of the big challenges that gruelling workout routines in the gym present to busy professionals is as follows. If you train hard early in the morning before work it can cause you to be tired at work and your output at work suffers. If you train very hard late at night after work, it can mean you have less time to spend with family and also interfere with your sleep schedule.

Working out too long in the gym can increase cortisol levels and negatively affect testosterone. Therefore you need to workout for shorter periods of time intensely to avoid this issue.

Physique Zero solves this problem of working out interfering with other commitments in life as the workouts are so short and therefore don’t negatively impact other areas of life.

Benefits Of Physique Zero

There are many benefits to the Physique Zero program which I will list below:

Create a hypoxic environment in your muscles – Japanese research has found that you can build more muscle by using a unique rep tempo which causes blood vessels in your muscles to restrict and your body to then recruit more muscle fibres. The Physique Zero program incorporates this tempo.
Very short 8 minute workouts – Time is not stolen away from your family and other life goals. Anyone can commit to 8 minute workouts for the long term. There is less risk of injuries.
Not locking out on reps – This program doesn’t advocate locking out on reps, therefore tension is kept on the muscle throughout the range of motion and joint aches are a lot less.
Timed sets – Each set is timed for 70 seconds allowing you to focus on each rep individually to ensure maximum muscle stimulation. When you count reps it is easy to rush through your set with sub par form and focus.
Step by step video demos – There is a video for every move in the Physique Zero routine, allowing you to see the proper technique.
The ripped abs guide – Shows you how you can achieve more defined and visible abdominal muscles.
Bonuses added in – You get extra bonuses which are the the Physique Zero supplement guide, pull up progression method and push up progression guide. These will help you to drastically improve your performance on pull ups and push ups. You will also learn which supplements are going to take your physique to the next level.

Drawbacks Of Physique Zero

There are a few drawbacks of Physique Zero which I have listed below:

8 minute workouts are very short – Whilst short workouts can be a benefit, workouts as short as 8 minutes can be a drawback as well. There is only so much muscle stimulation you can get in an 8 minute workout. You won’t get the same results as a bodybuilder training intensely at the gym for 1 hour sessions a few times a week.
Lot of references to how women will find you irresistible – On the sales page there is a lot of marketing appealing to men who want to attract women. There is no need for this type of marketing in my view, it can give a false perspective.
There is a focus on training but not as much on nutrition – It is important to remember that even if you are training smart with sound principles, you can’t out-train a bad diet. If you are eaing junk food like fried chicken and pizza then you are not going to get results with this program. You have to eat very clean to maximise results.

Conclusion

To conclude, in this article I have reviewed Physique Zero by Alain Gonzalez. To most it would appear laughable that you can only train for 8 minutes and expect to achieve a great physique.

I also feel like 8 minutes is very short, however the focus of this program is very short workouts that engage lots of muscle fibres done regularly. The program is intended for men who hate the gym and exercise but still want to achieve a great body, busy professionals who want to get in great shape without sacrificing their family life and outside goals. It is also intended for older men to regain their fitness and strength and improve their confidence.

I would say in this regard it is important to remember that you aren’t going to get the same results as a serious bodybuilder or gym rat. However, if you follow this program consistently and have a clean diet then you will achieve a very good physique over time.

Another good thing about this program are the bonuses that are included, the aim of the push up program is to get you to perform 100 push ups! Likewise the pull up program aims to have you hitting 50 pull ups. These are incredible feats for anyone so if you can achieve this over time the program is an incredible investment at such a low price.

I would personally recommend this program to men who want to balance their lives so that they are spending less time working out but still achieving good results with their fitness. It is not intended for younger guys who have all the time in the world and freedom to workout whenever they want.

If you have any questions about the program or would like to share your thoughts please leave them in the comments below. As always, stay safe and enjoy your workouts!