If you remember the movie 300, you probably remember the incredible bodies of the Spartan warriors. Most people thought that these weren’t the real bodies of the actors and in fact were the result of special effects. But the truth is that these actors used a special exercise program known as the 300 movie workout that helped them to achieve their amazing physiques.
The problem is that the 300 movie workout involves exercises which require equipment not found in home gyms and even in most commercial gyms. This means that most regular people won’t be able to do this program.
That’s why Craig Ballantyne, the creator of Turbulence Training and a leading expert in fitness and nutrition came up with the Bodyweight 500 Workout which doesn’t require any weights at all but can still get you the kind of body those Spartan warriors actors had in the movie 300.
Click Here to read more about the Bodyweight 500 Workout
The 300 Workout
Here’s a run down of the 300 Workout. You need to do all the 300 repetitions without any rest. This is very intensive:
- Pullups – 25 reps
- Deadlifts with 135lbs – 50 reps
- Pushups – 50 reps
- 24-inch Box jumps – 50 reps
- Floor wipers – 50 reps
- 1-arm 36lbs Kettlebell Clean n Press – 50 reps
- Pullups – 25 reps
The Bodyweight 500 Workout
The 300 movie workout is very intensive, but the Bodyweight 500 Workout is just as effective, and it’s easier to do since it doesn’t require any special equipment like kettlebells.
With the Bodyweight 500 Workout you can burn a lot of fat, increase fitness, and develop muscle mass in a short time.
Bodyweight 500 Workout:
- 50 Prisoner Squats
- 50 Pushups
- 25 Jumps
- 25 Stability Ball Leg Curls
- 50 Stability Ball Jackknifes
- 50 Step-ups (25 reps per side)
- 25 Pull-ups (NO substitutions)
- 50 Forward Lunges (25 reps per side)
- 50 Close-grip Pushups
- 50 Inverted Rows
- 50 Squats
- 25 Chin-ups (NO substitutions)
You need to do all 500 repetitions of these bodyweight exercises one after the other. Expect to be out of breath and sweating like mad when this is done.
You can check out more on this and Craig Ballantyne’s work on this website: Bodyweight 500 Workout.
Bodyweight 500 – Not For Everyone
The Bodyweight 500 Workout isn’t for everyone. It’s a very intensive workout session but you shouldn’t try it if you’re not fit enough.
For that end, Craig Ballantyne created an alternative workout session called the Bodyweight 100. This is still an intensive session, but it allows you to build yourself up to the Bodyweight 500.
Do it for 3 weeks 2-3 times a week and also do some cardio interval training. By the end of the month you can try the Bodyweight 500 Workout.
Bodyweight 100
Here’s the Bodyweight 100 rundown:
- 20 Prisoner Squats
- 20 Pushups
- 10 Jumps
- 10 Inverted Rows
- 20 Forward Lunges (10 reps per side)
- 15 Close-grip Pushups
- 5 Chin-ups or Inverted Rows
My Own Take on The Bodyweight 500 Workout
The Bodyweight 500 Workout continues the line that Craig Ballantyne created in Turbulence Training (which includes Bodyweight 500 in it’s deluxe version): short burst of intensive workouts which fit perfectly into busy schedules, but still deliver massive results in term of weight loss.
I have to say that I found the Bodyweight 500 Workout to be very hard. I was sweating profusely by the time I was done.
I doubt if it’s for everyone. But I will say this: if you have a short time to exercise but still want to feel like you did a real workout, the Bodyweight 500 Workout is the way to go. It works on all your body parts and gets your heart pumping like mad.
It truly is massive.
Bodyweight 1000 Workout
An expansion of the 500 repetition workout, the Bodyweight 1000 workout takes it to the next level.This is a massive workout which can deliver fantastic results in fat burning and muscle toning. But you need to be fit in order to do it.
Start with the Bodyweight 100 or 500, and then advance to the 1000. Make sure to get the follow-along DVDs to make sure you’re doing it right: Body Weight Workout DVDs
Bodyweight 500 Workout Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_5TX_uoagg
Thanks for input.
Is it ok to do 45 minutes of Martial Arts on two alternate days
from either the 300, 500, 1000 sessions?
And, how long can I stay on this program?
Hi John,
I can’t say for sure. It depends on your current fitness level. These are just workouts, so there’s no time limit on them. Don’t go overboard. Build up your strength with patience.
How often should you do the 300 workout or bodyweight 500 workout?
Is this something that you should do a few times a week for a few weeks if you’re trying to get a little more ripped?
Thanks,
Mark
Hi Mark,
It depends on your fitness level. You need to try it out and see. This is a very hard workout so give yourself some rest in between. You can also try alternate between the 500 and the 100 workout, if that turns out to be less strenuous for you.
Let me know how you do.
So would you recommend something like 2 days a week do a full body workout (like a TT full body workout) with interval training in between and then throw in a 500 workout and rest a few days and then start the next cycle… So 3 days of full body workouts 2 cardio interval training sessions then recover for 2 days… Maybe some walking or light cardio on off days.
Thanks,
Mark
That seems like a plan. It’s all a matter of experimentation. Try it and come back and let me know how it works out for you.
I did my first body weight 500 workout on Saturday. Great workout. It was tougher than I thought. My glutes and hamstrings are sore but it feels good. I definitely think this is a great workout to throw in once a week as a full body workout. I am going to try the 300 workout in a few weeks as well. I am thinking of changing to Monday – upper body metabolic resistance training session. (I have a very intense one) Tues – interval training – Wed – Legs – Thurs – Interval training – Fri – rest – Saturday – BW500 . Thanks for the advice. Love the site.
Mark
Hey Mark,
I had a feeling this would surprise you. It’s a killer workout, for sure. You should be proud that you finished it. Let me know how this compares to the 300 workout.
By the way, did you join my Facebook page? I provide more tips there.
Yes I did.. Thanks for the info..
Love the workout but my question here is, should I time myself doing it. Some says I should do the 300 workout in less than 30 minutes and some says I should do it properly and no rush as I will injured myself.
You can time yourself just to see how fast you do it and to judge progress. However, don’t beat yourself up if you’re slower than you think you should be. This is a tough workout. The main thing is to do it in one session, not how long it takes.
Absolutely true. Thumbs up. Great blog
Great blog, keeping me from jogging