Friday 31 January 2014: MAX SETS - PULL-UPS

MAX SETS: PULL-UPS

Complete five max sets of pull-ups at five minute intervals. Perform sets at 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes.

These are max sets but not to muscle failure. Perform the maximum number of repetitions possible while maintaining good form, but stop short of actual muscle failure (you may go to failure on the last set if you prefer).

Advanced: Pull-ups and/or Chin-ups

Intermediate: Partial or Assisted Pull-ups or Body Rows

Basic: Body Rows

Thursday 30 January 2014: 10 X 10 SPRINTS

10 x 10 SPRINTS

Same workout for everyone today. Adjust the intensity of each sprint interval according to your individual ability. You should be out of breath after each sprint interval, but you should recover quickly enough to begin the next assigned sprint.

• 5 minutes - Cardio Activity(E.g. Run, Run-in-place, Jumping Jacks, Skip Rope, Bear or Crab Crawl)
  Pick an exercise that raises your heartrate and can be sustained for five minutes. This is a general warm-up, not a sprint. If you are out of breath, you are pushing too hard.
• Repeat 10x:
  10 seconds - Sprint
  50 seconds - Jog/Walk to recover
• 5 minutes - Cardio Activity

Wednesday 29 January 2014: PU DROP SETS

PU DROP SETS

Today's workout simulates an advanced weightlifting technique with push-up variations. Drop sets involve decreasing the amount of weight being lifted while continuing to crank out sets with little or no rest.

We will use a similar technique by supersetting three different push-ups variations of decreasing difficulty. To be effective, each exercise needs to push you without burning you out early in the session. Today's workout is supposed to be hard, but you should not be in a state of collapse five minutes into the workout.

Choose a rep range that will challenge you while permitting you to continue performing push-ups at the easier variations. Try to keep the number of reps the same in each superset. You may diminish the number of reps per set as the workout continues. Try to rest only between supersets (i.e. perform all three variations, then rest, then repeat). The recommended rep ranges are only guidelines. Choose the number of reps that is appropriate for your current level of strength and conditioning.

(For example: An advanced trainee might perform 15 push-ups with his feet elevated high on a wall, immediately drop into a regular push-up position and crank out 15 more reps, then drop onto his knees and crank out 15 more reps.)

Perform as many drop sets as possible in twenty minutes.

Advanced:
(Recommended rep range: 10-25)

• Feet Elevated Push-ups
• Regular Push-ups
• Knee Push-ups

Intermediate:
(Recommended rep range: 5-15)

• Regular Push-ups
• Knee Push-ups
• Countertop Push-ups

Basic:
(Recommended rep range: 5-10)

• Knee Push-ups
• Countertop Push-ups
• Countertop Push-ups (move feet closer to counter)

Tuesday 28 January 2014: ANIMAL CONDITIONING

ANIMAL CONDITIONING

Today's workout mimics various animal movements to facilitate cardio-strength conditioning.

• 30/30's - 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest, repeat
• 15/45's - 15 seconds work, 45 seconds rest, repeat

Advanced:

• 5 x 30/30 Tiger Prowl (3x forward, 2x backward)
  (Bend forward to walk on your hands and feet as in a Bear Crawl. Bend your arms to ninety degrees and lower your body so that it hovers 3-6 inches above the ground. Walk in this position keeping your body low.)
• 5 x 30/30 Crab Crawl (3x forward, 2x backward)
  (Sit on the ground with your feet on the ground, knees bent, and your palms on the ground resting slightly behind your hips. Lift your pelvis so that your bodyweight is supported on your hands and feet. Walk on your hands and feet with your stomach pointed toward the sky.)
• 5 x 30/30 Kangaroo Jumps
  (Perform a Half-Squat. From the crounched position, swing your arms and leap forward with both feet. Continue for reps.)
• 5 x 15/45 Sprints
  (Okay, so this isn't exactly an animal movement. Pretend like you're sprinting for your life away from the Tigers, Bears, Crabs, and Kangaroos you have been imitating.)

Intermediate and Basic:

• 5 x 30/30 Bear Crawl (3x forward, 2x backward)
  (Bend forward and walk on your hands and feet.)
• 5 x 30/30 Crab Crawl (3x forward, 2x backward)
  (Sit on the ground with your feet on the ground, knees bent, and your palms on the ground resting slightly behind your hips. Lift your pelvis so that your bodyweight is supported on your hands and feet. Walk on your hands and feet with your stomach pointed toward the sky.)
• 5 x 30/30 Kangaroo Jumps
  (Perform a Half-Squat. From the crounched position, swing your arms and leap forward with both feet. Continue for reps.)
• 5 x 15/45 Sprints
  (Okay, so this isn't exactly an animal movement. Pretend like you're sprinting for your life away from the Tigers, Bears, Crabs, and Kangaroos you have been imitating.)

Monday 27 January 2014: TIMED SETS #4

TIMED SETS #4

• 60/60 - 60 seconds work, 60seconds rest
• 30/60 - 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest

Repeat two times (2x):

• 60/60 Pull-ups
  60/60 Sit-ups
  60/60 Push-ups

Repeat two times (2x):

• 30/60 Pull-ups
• 30/60 Sit-ups
• 30/60 Push-ups

Substitutions for Intermediate & Basic Levels:

• For Pull-ups - Partial or Assisted or Jumping Pull-ups, Body Rows
• For Sit-ups - Crunches, Leg Levers, Flutter Kicks, other abdominal exercise variations
• For Push-ups - Knee Push-ups, Dips, other push-up variations

Friday January 24 2014: JR + PU/SU

JUMP ROPE + PUSH-UPS/SIT-UPS

Jump/Skip rope in 30/30 intervals for twenty minutes performing quick sets of calisthenics during the rest intervals.

This is a challenging workout, but it is effective and very satisfying to complete. During the thirty seconds between sets of rope skipping you will complete a brief set of an additional exercise. Alternate sets of push-ups and sit-ups so that you perform ten sets of each during the twenty minutes.

You do not have long to perform each set. You also will need extra time to transition from skipping to pushing or crunching and back again. Plan to keep the sets small (e.g. 5-20 reps) and allow ~5 seconds for the first transition and 5-10 seconds for the transition back to the rope. Start with sets of push-ups and sit-ups smaller than you think you can handle. This is a conditioning drill, not a strength workout.

This does not have to be done at an all-out sprint. Find a rhythm and work from one exercise to the other.

Advanced
Complete ten sets of:

• 30/30 Skipping Rope or Jumping Jacks
• A set of Push-ups
• 30/30 Skipping Rope or Jumping Jacks
• A set of Sit-ups

Intermediate - Basic
Complete ten sets of:

• 30/30 Skipping Rope or Jumping Jacks
• A set of Push-ups (go to your knees if necessary)
• 30/30 Skipping Rope or Jumping Jacks
• A set of Crunches

30/30 Interval = 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest

Thursday 23 January 2014: CRAWL...SPRINT #2

CRAWL...SPRINT #2

Same workout for everybody today, but adjust the intensity according to your ability.

Complete as many rounds as possible in twenty minutes.

• 30 seconds Bear Crawl
• 15 seconds Sprint
• 30 seconds Crab Crawl
• 15 seconds Sprint

Advanced trainees should rest as necessary between rounds.

Intermediate and Basic trainees should rest as necessary during each round.

30/30 = 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest, repeat for specified repetitions
15/45 = 15 seconds work, 45 seconds rest, repeat for specified repetitions

Wednesday 22 January 2014: PULL/PU O2M

PULL-UPS / PUSH-UPS EVERY SECOND MINUTE

 

Alternate sets of pull-ups and push-ups, performing one set at the beginning of every second minute. These sets should be close to muscle failure, stopping one or two reps short.

You will perform five sets of each exercise. Do a set of pull-ups on the 20th, 16th, 12th, 8th, and 4th minutes. Perform a set of push-ups on the 18th, 14th, 10th, 6th, and 2nd minutes.

 

Options

• Advanced Trainees:
  Pull-ups, Chin-ups, Rope Pull-ups, etc.Push-ups, Feet Elevated Push-ups, Dips, etc.
• Intermediate and Basic Trainees:
  Partial, Assisted, or Jumping Pull-ups or BodyRowsPush-ups, Knee Push-ups, Countertop Push-ups

Tuesday 21 January 2014: B-CIRCUITS

Today's workout was developed by Bryce Lane.

B-CIRCUITS

Complete as many circuits as possible in twenty minutes.

If you are not accustomed to plyometric training or are obese, perform the Basic WOD.

Advanced:

• 12 Short Range Squat Jumps
  (Half-Squat Jumps: Squat until your elbows touch your knees and thighs are parallel to ground and then jump for height or distance)
• 12 Full Range Squat Jumps
  (Deep Squat Jumps: Squat deep until your hands touch the ground and then jump for height or distance)
• 20 High Tension Bodyweight Squats
  (Squat while maintaining conscious tension of the leg mucles)

Intermediate:

• 6 Short Range Squat Jumps
• 6 Full Range Squat Jumps
• 10 High Tension Bodyweight Squats

Basic:

• 5 Half-Squat Jumps
• 10 Lunges (Each leg)
• 10 Calf Raise and Flex

Are you tempted to cheat on the jump as your legs become tired? Try Traveling B-Circuits by jumping for distance instead of height. Try to cover the same total distance on each circuit as the workout progresses to ensure that you are pushing yourself adequately.

Saturday 18 January 2014: RUN FOR DISTANCE

RUN FOR DISTANCE

Advanced:
Run for twenty minutes.

Intermediate:
Run-walk for twenty minutes.

Basic:
Powerwalk for twenty minutes.

Thursday 16 January 2014: OH-SQ + SPRINT

OVERHEAD SQUAT + SPRINT

Complete as many rounds as possible in twenty minutes. Keep moving between rounds, i.e. walk or jog while catching your breath.

Advanced:

• 15 Overhead Squats w/ PVC Pipe, Broomhandle, or Clenched Fists in the Air
• 30 seconds Sprint
• Walk or jog back to the start and recover as necessary

Intermediate:

• 10 Overhead Squats w/ PVC Pipe, Broomhandle, or Clenched Fists in the Air
• 20 seconds Sprint
• Walk or jog back to the start and recover as necessary

Basic:

• 5 Overhead Squats w/ PVC Pipe, Broomhandle, or Clenched Fists in the Air
• 10 seconds Sprint
• Walk or jog back to the start and recover as necessary

Wednesday 15 January 2014: PULL LADDERS + PU

PULL-UP LADDERS + SET OF PUSH-UPS

Perform pull-up ladders supersetted with sets of push-ups for twenty minutes.

To do ladders: perform 1 pull-up, then a set of 2 pull-ups, then a set of 3 pull-ups, and so on until you miss a set (i.e. you should have done 6 pull-ups but only managed to do 5). After you miss a set, start building again at 1.Insert a set of push-ups between each set of pull-ups. The push-ups don't have to be done in ladder format. Simply crank out a reasonable number that will provide a nice counterbalance to the pulling exercise without burning yourself out. Continue performing sets of each exercise for twenty minutes.

Advanced:

• Ladders of Pull-ups/Chin-ups
• Sets of Regular Push-ups

Intermediate and Basic:

• Ladders of Partial or Assisted Pull-ups or Body Rows
• Sets of Regular, Knee, or Countertop Push-ups

Tuesday 14 January 2014: CONDITIONING INTERVALS

CONDITIONING INTERVALS

Today's workout uses 30/30 intervals (30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest, repeat for time allotted).

Advanced:

• 5 x 30/30 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
• 5 x 30/30 Burpees
• 5 x 30/30 Mountain Climbers
• 5 x 30/30 Squats

Intermediate:

• 5 x 30/30 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
• 5 x 30/30 Squat Thrusts (add push-up if possible)
• 5 x 30/30 Mountain Climbers
• 5 x 30/30 Squats

Basic:

• 5 x 30/30 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
• 5 x 30/30 Half-Squats or Squat Thrusts
• 5 x 30/30 Mountain Climbers
• 5 x 30/30 Half Squats

January 3-13 2014: 12 WODs

TWELVE DAYS OF DAILY WORKOUTS

Friday 3 Jan 2014: JR + PU/SU

Saturday 4 Jan 2014: RUN FOR DISTANCE

Sunday 5 Jan 2014: REST

Monday 6 January 2014: PFT

Tuesday 7 Jan 2014: B-CIRCUITS

Wednesday 8 Jan 2014: DIPS + CHINS

Thursday 9 Jan 2014: CRAWL...SPRINT #2

Friday 10 Jan 2014: PULL, PU, CRAWL

Saturday 11 Jan 2014: RUN FOR DISTANCE

Sunday 12 Jan 2014: REST

Monday 13 Jan 2014: FIVE BASIC EXERCISES

Thursday 2 January 2014: SPRINT 8

SPRINT 8

Today's workout is based on a sprint protocol designed by Phil Campbell, author of Ready, Set GO! Synergy Fitness for Time-Crunched Adults.

The sprints are progressive. The first sprint begins at a jog and climaxes at 50% of maximum effort; the second sprint goes from 40% at the beginning to 60% at the climax; the third sprint goes from 50-70%; the fourth sprint from 60-80%; the fifth sprint from 70-90%; the sixth sprint reaches 95% of maximum effort; the seventh and eighth sprints are run at 95-100% effort.

If you are not accustomed to the type of sprint training we do around here, do not max out on the final three sprints - climax between 80-90% of maximum effort.

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