Alex Maki is the founder and creator of Method Makia, a training method that focuses on body-weight exercises to help people to lose weight and gain strength. His programs do not require expensive gym equipment, and can generally be done anywhere.

Alex’s customers can access instructional videos and exercise programs on their computer or mobile device, meaning they don’t need to go to a gym or class in order to work out. His program also includes a diet for his subscribers to follow, which is designed to help them to lose fat and gain muscle.

Alex reviles all secretes about Method Makia:

Alex, how did you come to develop the Method Makia programs?

I’ve done a lot of different kinds of sports, mainly weightlifting and crossfit. Over time, however, I got injuries, such as disc herniation in the neck and a lower vertebral fracture.

During recovery, I used only body-weight exercises for practice and the results were excellent. That’s where the idea for Method Makia originated.

Below I clearly explained what you will get with Method Makia:

Your website features a number of different programs, such as push-up, core and legs. Are these programs meant to be done at the same time, or are they designed for people who want to target a specific area?

There are many different programs in the system. For example, the main focus of the core program is in the abdomen and back muscles. All special programs emphasise a certain muscle group, but they have exercises for the whole body.

Programs can be changed at any time, and all achievement levels are automatically transferred to the selected program. One special program should be done for 1-2 months and then you can switch to another muscle group.

Starter and Pro programs are general programs that contain elements from all programs.

Do you run classes or do you give people the program to do by themselves?

The system works on the internet and on mobile devices. It allows you to practice completely independently at home without any equipment. For even the most demanding workout a chin-up bar and gym rings will be enough.

The idea is that the system makes each user a program according to their level and they can be followed completely independently, thanks to detailed instructions and sample videos.

In our home country, Finland, we also organise local seminars. In the future perhaps this will be expanded abroad.

Are the HIIT exercises and program different from your body-weight programs?

Yes. Body-weight programs focus on improving strength and mobility through user-specific exercising programs.

HIIT exercises are a completely separate part and are designed to enhance durability and oxygen uptake. HIIT exercises can be done at any time and the system stores the results, so one can see their own development quickly.

There are 120 different types of HIIT exercises, and the equipment used and the difficulty can be chosen and varied as you gain experience, strength and fitness.

Assuming they follow the diet and program properly, what outcomes can people expect to see?

At the start of the diet, fat burning is very fast and you can see the weight loss of several kilos at first week, then 1-2 kilos per week. The diet is ketogenic and the calories are not restricted at all.

In fact, in sports, the amount of calories you eat needs to be increased considerably if the goal is muscle growth. Thanks to the diet, the body’s natural growth hormone is also increased. This results in fat burning and muscle growth.

Exercise programs increase body strength, mobility, balance, and body function. And of course they also increase muscle mass.

Why do you think that body-weight training is more effective than using weights in the gym?

I’ve been practising weightlifting for years and writing in my diary carefully the weights and repetitions. After the injuries I practised only with body-weight. When I returned to weightlifting after years, I lifted larger weights than before I was injured, even though I had not touched the weights for years.

Properly done body-weight workouts are very effective, because with them one can make very demanding exercises. Body control improves considerably, and strength is also increased as auxiliary muscles activate to support power output.

I believe that body-weight exercises support any sports. Method Makia does not, of course, exclude any other sports. Even if done once a week, the Method Makia training achieves good results.

What would you say the most effective program is for someone looking to gain strength?

If you want a powerful and functional body, then I would say, of course Method Makia. The best exercises have been selected for the training program and developmental prognosis from body-weight exercises.

Exercise programs are customised with algorithm development and increase the difficulty of the exercises when the user is ready for something more demanding. This is done constantly, increasing exercise difficulty for years.

This way, training difficulty is constantly on the rise in an efficient and safe way. The system has a huge database and progress leads to very demanding exercises.

Developmental work has also been carried out by gymnasts and, in principle, with the help of the programs, it is possible to improve the strength and the upper body of the gymnast.

What then is the most effective way? I would say the Method Makia training combined with weightlifting or crossfit.

Will your programs still be effective even without following the diet?

The training program adds strength and mobility, and is effective with regards to these features.

However, the share of exercise in weight loss is surprisingly small and if you want to burn fat, change in diet is necessary.

At the start of the diet, the training is ceased for about a week. Only after the body has moved to the fat burning state and adapted to your new metabolism is training.

In Finland, Method Makia has a separate diet service designed exclusively for overweight people. In this, weight loss happens purely through diet, without the need for separate training programs.

Diet services in Finland have tens of thousands of users and the average weight loss is 7 kgs per month. Blood glucose levels fall rapidly and fat values ​​improve. Hundreds of Type 2 diabetics have been able to manage their condition through diet alone.

There is a general boom in the change of diet in Finland, as good experiences of the service spread rapidly.

The Method Makia training service includes the same diet with slight changes. The training service is also suitable for a dieter who wants to eat well and lose weight without starvation. The body-weight training can be started when normal weight is almost reached.