Mark Wahlberg has launched a new YouTube series, the 4am Club Challenge, where he invites high-profile creators into his gym for one of his trademark early-morning workouts. Brent Rivera joins him for the first episode, with the pair tackling a 13-move session focused primarily on legs and core.
‘This is not a normal workout,’ Wahlberg says. ‘It’s early, it’s intense, and it’s a game. We train, we laugh, we learn a few things about each other, and we find out who’s really built for it. Will Brent keep up, or end up reaching for the yack bucket?’
Before they even start, though, Wahlberg puts Rivera through a three-minute ice bath.
The 54-year-old is quick to point out that the early start is nothing new. ‘I work out five days a week. Thursday is one of the harder days – leg day,’ he says. ‘This is my daily routine, and I try to get as much done as possible before I go to work or start getting the kids up.’
Mark Wahlberg’s Workout
- Assault Bike
- Bicep Curl
- Hamstring Curl
- Leg Extension
- Hip Thrust
- Crunch
- Back Squat
- Back Extension
- Seated Calf Raise
- Lying Hamstring Curl
- Ab Coaster
- Bulgarian Split Squat
- TRX Sissy Squat
- Pendulum Squat
How to Do the Movements
Assault Bike
Set up on the bike – your back should be straight and the saddle adjusted so you have a slight bend in the knee at the bottom of your cycle. Go for a max-effort sprint until the display reads 10kcal, keeping your torso and head up, and controlling your breathing. Try not to flail around, basically.
Bicep Curl
Stand by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging by your sides. Ensure your elbows are close to your torso and your shoulders are unshrugged. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale as you curl the weights up to shoulder level, rotating your wrists outwards, while contracting your biceps.
Hamstring Curl
Sit in a leg curl machine with your heels against the lower pad and the upper pad against your thighs. Bend at the knee to pull the pad down as far as possible then return to the start position.
Leg Extension
Set up the leg extension machine with your knees at 90 degrees and the pad on top of your shins by your ankles. Make sure you adjust the seat to suit your needs. Grip the handles at the sides of the seat. With your core engaged, extend your legs so the padded roller lifts and your legs are completely straight. Squeeze your quads and pause. Slowly bend the legs, resisting the weight as you lower it until the plates meet. Repeat.
Hip Thrust
Sit upright with your back flat against a bench or box. Roll a barbell over your legs until it’s sitting above your hips before bending your knees. Lean back and lift your hips towards the barbell. Push your back into the bench and feet into the ground as you extend your hips, lifting the bar from the ground. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top before slowly lowering back to the ground. Repeat.
Crunch
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet firmly on the ground. Place your hands on either side of your head. Push your lower back into the floor as you lift your shoulders a few inches off the floor – make sure your lower back stays in contact with the ground at all times. Tense your abs hard at the top point of the movement, then return under control to the start position.
Back Squat
Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips. Keep your chest proud and your core locked. Sink your hips back and descend into a squat whilst the knees travel in line with the toes. At the bottom of the squat, the thighs should hit parallel or lower and your elbows should come in between your knees. Drive back up, driving through the heels and tensing your glutes at the top. Repeat.
Back Extension
Set up by lining up the pads on the back extension machine about two to three inches below your hip crease, locking your legs securely on the pads, feet flat and secure on the base. With your legs locked in, focus on squeezing through your glutes while creating torso rigidity. Your body should be in a straight line at this point. Drop your torso as low as possible while maintaining as much core tension as possible. Pause momentarily at the bottom, then drive up.
Seated Calf Raise
.jpg)
Sit down at a leg press and rest your feet so just your toes are resting at the bottom of the platform. Push back as far as you can while keeping your feet against the platform. Return under control to the start position and repeat.
Lying Hamstring Curl
Lie on a hamstring curl machine. Flex at the knees to pull the weight as close to your glutes as possible, flexing your hamstrings hard at the top of each rep before slowly lowering back down to the beginning. Adjust the settings so you can feel a stretch in your hamstrings at the bottom of each rep.
Ab Coaster
Kneel on the sliding pad, grip the handles, and lift your knees toward your chest in a slow, controlled, arcing motion, focusing on abdominal contraction rather than momentum. Keep your upper body still and lower your legs slowly back to the starting position without resting at the bottom.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Stand 2-4 feet in front of a bench (depending on your height), facing away. Have one leg resting on the bench behind you, laces down, with your feet in line with your hips. Sink your body down until the knee of your back leg almost touches the floor. The front knee should be at a right angle. Push up through your front foot to return to the start position.
TRX Sissy Squat
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, heels raised on a plate Use the handles from a TRX suspension trainer to support you. Bend at the knees and lean backwards, creating a strong and rigid straight line from your knees to your head. Continue bending at the knees, maintaining your backwards lean, lowering your knees as close to the ground as you can handle before standing back up forcefully. Repeat.
Pendulum Squat
Stand on the pendulum squat machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then return to the starting position.
