Sunday 1 October 2006: REST DAY
REST DAY
Saturday 30 September 2006: RUN FOR DISTANCE
RUN FOR DISTANCE
Advanced:
Run twenty minutes for distance.
Run twenty minutes for distance.
Intermediate:
Run-walk twenty minutes for distance.
Run-walk twenty minutes for distance.
Basic:
Powerwalk hill repeats for twenty minutes.
Powerwalk hill repeats for twenty minutes.
Post results to Comments.
Friday 29 September 2006: PULL-UPS ON THE MINUTE
PULL-UPS ON THE MINUTE
Perform a set of pull-ups at the top of every minute for twenty minutes. Intermediate and basic trainees should substitute partial, assisted, or jumping pull-ups and/or bodyrows as necessary.
Post results to Comments.
Thursday 28 September 2006: SPRINT PYRAMID
SPRINT PYRAMID
Today's workout may look complicated, but it really isn't. Run sprints of 10, 15, 20, 30, 20, 15, and 10 seconds with 1 minutes recovery in between (90 seconds on each side of the 30 second sprint).
Basic trainees may substitute powerwalking up hills for the sprints if necessary.
- 5 minutes - Run or Run-walk
- 10 seconds – Sprint
- 1 minute – Recovery
- 15 seconds – Sprint
- 1 minute – Recovery
- 20 seconds – Sprint
- 90 seconds – Recovery
- 30 seconds – Sprint
- 90 seconds – Recovery
- 20 seconds – Sprint
- 1 minute – Recovery
- 15 seconds – Sprint
- 1 minute – Recovery
- 10 seconds – Sprint
- 1 minute – Recovery
- 5 minutes - Run or Run-walk
Wednesday 27 September 2006: PU ON THE MINUTE
PUSH-UPS ON THE MINUTE
Perform a set of push-ups at the top of every minute for twenty minutes. Intermediate and basic trainees should substitute Knee or Countertop Push-ups as necessary.
Post results to Comments.
Tuesday 26 September 2006: B-CIRCUIT
B-CIRCUIT
Today's workout was created by Bryce Lane and is discussed in his excellent booklet Fitness Secrets of the Road Ninja. The formula is simple: a short range of motion squat jump followed by a full range of motion squat jump followed by a set of high tension bodyweight squats. I said simple, not easy. The specified repetitions for each level are merely guidelines. Adjust them as necessary.
Complete as many circuits as possible in twenty minutes. Remember to land lightly.
Advanced:
- 12 Short range Squat Jumps
(Short range of motion, i.e. Half-Squat - squat until your elbows touch your knees) - 12 Full range Squat Jumps
(Jump from a full or three-quarter squat, a.k.a. star jump - squat and place your palms on the ground) - 20 High Tension BW Squats
(E.g. Hindu, Deep Knee Bend, Sumo, etc.)
Intermediate:
- 6-9 Short range Squat Jumps
- 6-9 Medium or Full range Squat Jumps
(Jump from a half, three-quarter, or full squat depending on your ability) - 10 Bodyweight Squats
Trainees that are uncomfortable with or not conditioned for jumping exercises should perform the Basic circuit, even if they have previously completed Intermediate or Advanced workouts.
Basic:
- 5 Lunges each leg
(Step forward with hands on hips. Bend your front leg to a 90 degree angle; your rear leg should be bent with the knee close to the ground.) - 5 Heel Raises
(Stand with your feet slightly apart. Rise onto the balls of your feet and flex your calves.) - 5 Half-Squats
Post results to Comments.
Monday 25 September 2006: 30/30 CALS
30/30 CALISTHENICS
Today's workout utilizes 30/30 intervals (30seconds work, 30seconds rest, repeat for time allotted). Each exercise will be performed for thirty seconds with thirty seconds rest in between.
Repeat the following cycle five times.
Advanced:
- 30/30 Pull-ups
- 30/30 Sit-ups
- 30/30 Push-ups
- 30/30 Squats
Intermediate:
- 30/30 Assisted, Partial or Jumping Pull-ups
- 30/30 Sit-ups or Crunches
- 30/30 Push-ups (go to your knees if necessary)
- 30/30 Squats or Half-Squats
Basic:
- 30/30 Body Rows
- 30/30 Crunches
- 30/30 Knee Push-ups
- 30/30 Half-Squats
Post results to Comments.
Saturday 23 September 2006: RUN FOR DISTANCE
RUN FOR DISTANCE
Advanced:
Run for twenty minutes.
Run for twenty minutes.
Intermediate:
Run-walk for twenty minutes.
Run-walk for twenty minutes.
Basic:
Powerwalk hill repeats for twenty minutes.
Powerwalk hill repeats for twenty minutes.
Post results to Comments.
Friday: 22 September 2006: TRIPLE UPs
TRIPLE UPs: PULL-UP, SIT-UP, PUSH-UP
Perform as many supersets of pull-ups, sit-ups, and push-ups as possible in twenty minutes.
A superset is done by performing one set of each exercise back to back to back with little or no rest in between. Choose a number of reps that is well below your max to prevent early burnout during the training session. The training effect today will come from the overall volume of exercise combined with short rest periods, not max effort sets. Rest between supersets as necessary.
Intermediate and basic trainees should substitute assisted, partial, or jumping pull-ups, body rows, crunches, and knee push-ups as necessary.
Post results to Comments.
Thursday 21 September 2006: 30/90 SPRINTS
That most dreaded and beloved of all TMFS sprinting sessions...
30/90 SPRINTS
Advanced:
- Run 5 minutes
- Repeat five times:
Sprint 30 seconds
Recover 90 seconds - Run 5 minutes
Intermediate:
- Run-Walk 5 minutes
- Repeat five times:
Sprint 30 seconds
Recover 90 seconds - Run-Walk 5 minutes
Basic:
- Powerwalk 5 minutes
- Repeat five times:
Sprint 15 seconds
Recover 105 seconds - Powerwalk 5 minutes
Post results to Comments.
Wednesday 20 September 2006: PU DROP SETS
PUSH-UP DROP SETS 
Today's workout borrows a time-tested method of training from the weightlifting world and applies it to one of our favorite exercises around here: the push-up. To perform drop sets, a lifter will crank out a set with his barbell loaded, drop some plates off and peform more reps, drop more plates off, etc. Today we'll simulate the same type of decreasing resistance by transitioning to less challenging push-up variations during the course of each set. Don't scoff - they aren't less challenging when performed this way!
Move from one variation to the next with little or no rest. Complete as many cycles as possible in twenty minutes.
Advanced:
- Feet Elevated Push-ups
- Regular Push-ups
- Knee Push-ups
Intermediate:
- Regular Push-ups
- Knee Push-ups
- Countertop Push-ups
Basic:
- Knee Push-ups
- Countertop Push-ups
- Countertop Push-ups (Move feet closer to the counter)
Post results to Comments.
What is The Daily Fitness Solution?
What is The Daily Fitness Solution?
The Daily Fitness Solution is a general physical preparation program using bodyweight exercises and requiring just twenty minutes per day. It is a total fitness system, broad enough to be used as a stand alone exercise program but concise enough to be used as a complement to sports specific training. TDFS requires little or no equipment, and the exercises are simple to learn and perform safely. It is a fitness routine you can take with you anywhere, and with a daily commitment of only twenty minutes, even the busiest individual can find time to improve his health and fitness.
TDFS develops general physical preparedness (GPP), but GPP for what? TDFS won’t make you a world champion athlete, but it can help you develop real world strength and conditioning to meet the physical demands of life and sport. The system is oriented around functional fitness. Of course, functional fitness is a term being used frequently today, but it is rarely defined with precision. To develop functional fitness, one must first clarify what function he seeks to be fit enough to perform! Our use of the term functional fitness encompasses the general physical strength and endurance to meet the needs of daily life and advanced courses of athletic training.
TDFS is perfectly suited for busy people who need to improve their fitness level. These may include moms and dads, law enforcement and military personnel, firemen, mailmen, office workers, or individuals in a thousand similar situations. These people aren’t hoping to compete in the Olympic Games. They don’t need a training program designed for pro athletes or for celebrities who have hours every day to train for their next movie. What they need is a program that is simple to use, efficient and effective, and that will help them lose fat, build muscle, and improve their conditioning for the demands of everyday life. TDFS can help dads have the endurance to play soccer with their kids or take their family hiking. It can help moms have more energy for the demands of managing the house, the kids, and the dozen crises that appear every day. It can help the soldier, sailor, airman, or marine prepare for his next PFT without spending hours working out, and TDFS can give the blue collar worker the extra strength and conditioning he needs to finish his day with energy leftover for after work. TDFS is a perfect solution for the average guy (or gal) who wants to improve his life through physical exercise without making physical exercise his life.
TDFS is also designed to be useful for advanced trainees who have specific fitness demands at work or are aspiring or competitive athletes. TDFS will not make you a world-class powerlifter, or an All-State football player, or an elite marathoner, or a PGA golfer. To be a great athlete, you must train the specific skills of your chosen sport. What TDFS can do is make you a better athlete by improving your general fitness and conditioning. Unfortunately, GPP is often overlooked by athletes in preference to their sport specific skills. Just because a powerlifter is strong does not necessarily means that he is in shape. A golfer may nail every putt, but if he is too weak to drive the ball effectively or too winded to play eighteen holes, his lack of general fitness will hinder his success. TDFS can help athletes meet their general fitness needs in only twenty minutes a day, leaving them plenty of time to focus energy on improving their skills on the field of play.
How can TDFS be so broadly applicable? The answer is in the design of the daily workouts. Each day’s training is measured by time and intensity, not specific sets, reps, weights, or distances. Occasionally guidelines will be given for repetitions of a particular exercise, but each trainee decides how much he or she is capable of performing on any given day. The program works better than you might think. Since it is impossible to provide one (or two, or ten) rigid workout templates that would be applicable for every potential trainee, we have chosen to plan each day’s workout in such a way that both the obese beginner and the athletic veteran will be challenged. You won’t see “Run two miles” listed as the workout, but you will see “Run twenty minutes.” How far is twenty minutes? That depends on your current level of conditioning. This feature also helps prevent over-training since the participant is in control of his workout intensity. Each workout of the day contains instructions for adjusting the routine depending on a person’s present fitness level. Basic trainees will powerwalk instead of run, perform push-ups against a countertop or on their knees, and will adjust the more challenging strength exercises to a more suitable variation. You don’t have to wonder what to do if you can’t perform a particular exercise. The solution is right there waiting for you when you log on each day. It is the versatility of TDFS that makes it useful for people in such a wide variety of situations – from the obese to the Olympic!
So is TDFS the solution to every individual’s fitness needs? It would be rather presumptuous to think so. There are many good fitness programs available to the public, and even more bad ones. TDFS is the solution to many fitness issues, but it is not the only program that can address these needs. It may not even be the best program for your needs. Nevertheless, because of our program’s versatility, ease of use, accessibility, and effectiveness, we believe that it will be the fitness solution for many people. And because TDFS can be so easily combined with other programs, we hope you will at least consider giving our system a role in your personal fitness routine. Did we mention the best part? The Daily Fitness Solution is completely free.
Tuesday 19 September 2006: CONDITIONING INTERVALS
CONDITIONING INTERVALS
Today's workout uses the 30/30 interval pattern (30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest, repeat for time allotted) familiar to Twenty Minute regulars.
Advanced:
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Jump Rope or Jumping Jacks
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Burpees
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Mountain Climbers
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Squats
Intermediate and Basic:
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Jump Rope or Jumping Jacks
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Squat Thrusts or Half Squats
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Mountain Climbers
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Squats or Half Squats
Go here for instructions on performing Burpees, Squat Thrusts, and Half-Squats.
Post results to Comments.
Monday 18 September 2006: TIMED SETS
TIMED SETS 
This workout is ideal preparation for the first Monday of the month PFT.
- Max Pull-ups/Chin-ups in 1 minute
- Max Pull-ups/Chin-ups in 45 seconds
- Max Pull-ups/Chin-ups in 30 seconds
- Max Pull-ups/Chin-ups in 15 seconds
- Max Sit-ups in 1 minute
- Max Sit-ups in 45 seconds
- Max Sit-ups in 30 seconds
- Max Sit-ups in 15 seconds
- Max Push-ups in 1 minute
- Max Push-ups in 45 seconds
- Max Push-ups in 30 seconds
- Max Push-ups in 15 seconds
Insert one minute of rest between each set. Intermediate and basic trainees should substitute Partial Pull-ups, Assisted Pull-ups, Jumping Pull-ups or Body Rows, Crunches, and Knee Push-ups as necessary.
You should only perform four sets of each exercise. Do not try to get extra reps after your form breaks down.
Post results to Comments.
Saturday 16 September 2006: RUN FOR DISTANCE
RUN FOR DISTANCE
Advanced: Run for twenty minutes
Intermediate: Run-walk for twenty minutes
Basic: Powerwalk hill repeats for twenty minutes
Post results to Comments.
Marine Corps. Perfection
Friday 15 September 2006: PULL-UPS ON THE MIN
PULL-UPS ON THE MINUTE
Perform a set of pull-ups or chin-ups at the top of every minute for twenty minutes. Intermediate and Basic trainees should substitute Jumping Pull-ups, Assisted Pull-ups, Partial Pull-ups, and/or BodyRows as necessary.
Post results to Comments.
Ladders: A Great Method for Boosting Volume and Gains Without Burnout
Thursday 14 September 2006: SPRINT 8
SPRINT 8
Advanced:
- Run 5 minutes
- Repeat eight times:
Sprint 15 seconds
Recover 1 minute - Run 5 minutes
Intermediate:
- Run-walk 5 minutes
- Repeat six-eight times:
Sprint 15 seconds
Recover 60-85 seconds - Run-walk 5 minutes
Basic:
- Powerwalk 5 minutes
- Repeat four-six times:
Sprint 15 seconds
Recover 85-120 seconds - Powerwalk 5 minutes
Post results to Comments.
Wednesday 13 September 2006: PU ON THE MINUTE
PUSH-UPS ON THE MINUTE
Perform a set of push-ups at the top of every minute for twenty minutes. Intermediate and Basic trainees should substitute Knee and Countertop PU as necessary.
Post results to Comments.
How Many Push-ups Can You Do In A Gas Chamber Without A Mask?
Tuesday 12 September 2006: ANIMAL CONDITIONING
ANIMAL CONDITIONING
Today's workout uses a variety of simulated animal movements to improve physical conditioning. This type of workout is especially fun for children, but I think even our more advanced trainees will find it sufficiently challenging.
Advanced:
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Tiger Prowl
(Crawl on your hands and feet keeping your body as low to the ground as possible without touching.) - 5 minutes - 30/30 Crab Crawl
(Sitting on the ground, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground. Rest your hands on the ground slightly behind your hips. Lift your pelvis taking the weight of your body on your hands and feet, stomach pointing towards the sky. Crawl on your hands and feet.) - 5 minutes - 30/30 Kangaroo Hop
(Perform a half-squat and jump forward landing on your feet.) - 5 minutes - 15/45 Sprint
Intermediate:
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Bear Crawl
(Bend forward and crawl on your hands and feet.) - 5 minutes - 30/30 Crab Crawl
(Sitting on the ground, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground. Rest your hands on the ground slightly behind your hips. Lift your pelvis taking the weight of your body on your hands and feet, stomach pointing towards the sky. Crawl on your hands and feet.) - 5 minutes - 30/30 Walking Lunges
(Step forward and bend your knees. Your front knee should bend to a 90 degree angle; your back knee should bend to 90 degrees and stop just above the ground. Now step forward with the back leg and continue.) - 5 minutes - 15/45 Sprint
Basic:
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Bear Crawl (Go to your knees if necessary, but do so on a soft surface.)
(Bend forward and crawl on your hands and feet.) - 5 minutes - 30/30 Crab Crawl (Rest on your bottom if necessary.)
(Sitting on the ground, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground. Rest your hands on the ground slightly behind your hips. Lift your pelvis taking the weight of your body on your hands and feet, stomach pointing towards the sky. Crawl on your hands and feet.) - 5 minutes - 30/30 Half-Squats
- 5 minutes - 15/45 Sprint or Powerwalk
(30/30 = 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest, repeat for allotted time)
(15/45 = 15 seconds work, 45 seconds rest, repeat for allotted time)
Post results to Comments.
Monday 11 September 2006: SPARTAN RUN
SPARTAN RUN
Complete as many rounds as possible in twenty minutes. Keep each set of exercises in the 25-50% of max reps range. If you are unable to run at your present location - YOU CAN DO THE WORKOUT ANYWAY! Substitute the run with two minutes of jumping jacks, jump rope, squat thrusts, or squats.
Advanced:
- Pull-ups/Chin-ups
- Sit-ups
- Push-ups
- Run 1/4 mile or 2 minutes
Intermediate:
- Partial Pull-ups or Bodyrows
- Crunches
- Push-ups (go to your knees if necessary)
- Run 1/4 mile or 2 minutes
Basic:
- Bodyrows
- Crunches
- Knee Push-ups
- Run-walk or Powerwalk 1/8 mile or 2 minutes
Post results to Comments.
Sunday 10 September 2006: REST DAY
REST DAY
Since Blogger's photo up-loading feature isn't working properly at present...
Quote for the Week:
"Discipline is doing what you don't want to do so you can do what you really want to do. Got that?" --Jeff Fisher, head coach of the Tennessee Titans as quoted in the October 2006 Runner's World
Saturday 9 September 2006: DISTANCE RUN
RUN FOR DISTANCE
Advanced:
Run for twenty minutes.
Intermediate:
Run-walk for twenty minutes.
Basic:
Powerwalk hill repeats for twenty minutes.
Post results to Comments.
Recommended Reading:
The Fat Lady in the Mirror
Friday 8 September 2006: DIPS+CHINS
DIPS + CHIN-UPS
The tried and true superset for developing balanced upper body strength.
Pick a low number of reps for both parallel bar dips and chin-ups, then perform them back to back without rest. Only rest between "super sets" (i.e. one set of dips and one set of chins). Perform as many supersets as possible in twenty minutes.
Your number of reps per set will likely change during the course of the workout. Start small at the beginning lest you burn yourself out early.
If you do not have access to parallel bars, you can perform bar dips on the backs of two sturdy chairs or at the corner of a countertop. Variations for intermediate and basic trainees consist of chair dips (with hands in the seat of two chairs and feet on the floor or elevated on a third chair), push-ups, knee push-ups, or countertop push-ups. Advanced trainees may substitute feet elevated push-ups for dips if necessary.Intermediate and basic trainees should substitute partial chin-ups, assisted chin-ups, or bodyrows for regular chin-ups.
Post results to Comments.
Thursday 7 September 2006: 30/90 SPRINTS
30/90 SPRINTS
The one, the only, the gut-wrenching...
Advanced:
- Run 5 minutes
- Repeat five times:
Sprint 30 seconds
Recover 90 seconds - Run 5 minutes
Intermediate:
- Run-walk 5 minutes
- Repeat five times:
Sprint 30 seconds
Recover 90 seconds - Run-walk 5 minutes
Basic:
- Powerwalk 5 minutes
- Repeat cycle five times:
Sprint 15 seconds
Recover 105 seconds - Powerwalk 5 minutes
Post results to Comments.
Wednesday 6 September 2006: PU+ABS
PUSH-UPS + ABS SUPERSETS
Today we will be performing supersets of push-ups and ab exercises. To complete one superset, perform a set of push-ups followed by a set of an abdominal exercise with no rest in between. Choose exercises and rep ranges that are appropriate for your current level of strength and conditioning (e.g. Advanced: 10-25reps, Intermediate: 10-15reps, Basic: 5-10reps).
- 5-25 Push-ups
(e.g. Regular, Wide, Narrow, Knee, Countertop, etc.) - 5-25 Abs
(e.g. Sit-ups, Crunches, Leg Levers, V-ups, etc.)
Post results to Comments.
Tuesday 5 September 2006: SQUATS
JUMP SQUATS, BODYWEIGHT SQUATS
Today's workout uses the 30/30 interval pattern (30seconds work, 30seconds rest, repeat).
Advanced - Intermediate:
- 10 minutes - 30/30 Squat Jumps
(you pick the type: e.g. half, full, jump-overs, etc.) - 10 minutes - 30/30 Bodyweight Squats
(you pick the type: e.g. Hindu, Sumo, Deep Knee Bend, etc.)
Basic:
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Jumping Jacks
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Half-Squats
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Jumping Jacks
- 5 minutes - 30/30 Half-Squats
Post results to Comments.
Monday 4 September 2006: PFT
PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST
Advanced:
- Max Pull-ups in 1 minute
- Rest 1 minute
- Max Sit-ups in 1 minute
- Rest 1 minute
- Max Push-ups in 1 minute
- Rest 3 minutes
- Run 12 minutes for distance
Intermediate:
- Max Bodyrows in 1 minute
- Rest 1 minute
- Max Crunches in 1 minute
- Rest 1 minute
- Max Push-ups in 1 minute
- Rest 3 minutes
- Run-walk 12 minutes for distance
Basic:
- Max Bodyrows in 1 minute
- Rest 1 minute
- Max Crunches in 1 minute
- Rest 1 minute
- Max Knee Push-ups in 1 minute
- Rest 3 minutes
- Powerwalk 12 minutes for distance
Post results to Comments.
Saturday 2 September 2006: RUN FOR DISTANCE
RUN FOR DISTANCE
Advanced:
Run twenty minutes for distance.
Intermediate:
Run-walk twenty minutes for distance.
Basic:
Powerwalk hill repeats for twenty minutes.
Post results to Comments.
Advanced:
Run twenty minutes for distance.
Intermediate:
Run-walk twenty minutes for distance.
Basic:
Powerwalk hill repeats for twenty minutes.
Post results to Comments.
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