physical. 11/18/11

10 TGU @ 35lb. W, 55lb. M
30 Power swing* @ 10 reps, 3 breaths** x 3

x 3

*Power swing ends abruptly at chin level and we drag the KB down as viciously as we drive it up.
Weight should be light enough that there is a noticeable difference in speed between regular & power swing and just as notable an impact on your fatigue level. If that is not the case, the weight is too heavy and the motion is not violent or explosive enough. Make the weight adjustment before, not during.
**Adding a 3-breath “break” at 10 reps will help assure that speed, power, and technique remain intact into later rounds.

Then, skill work:

Tumbling
Barbell snatch
Double-unders

physical. 11/17/11

“Odd Lifts” Thursday!

Today:

Mace buy-in:
50 swing motions (Pendulums/ shoves, 360, 10-2)

Then:
30 1-arm KB lifts (H2H swing, speed snatch, slam dunk)
50 Tire smash

x 2

Then:

Mace buy-out:
50 lift motions (Shovel, squat, flips)

physical. 11/16/11

With a partner:

:30 sec. Airdyne sprint vs. burpees

x 3

Switch movements immediately and work continuously.
Rest after, not during.

3 minutes recovery, then:

3 DL @ 75% of 1RM
6 pullup

6 minutes

physical. 11/15/11

Skill work:

KB snatch

Then:

1 Tabata interval each of:

KB snatch L @ base level KB swing weight (35lb. W, 55lb. M)
KB snatch R @ base level KB swing weight (35lb. W, 55lb. M)
Hollow rock/ hold

“Tabata” is an interval training arrangement consisting of 20 sec. work/ 10 sec. rest for 8 rounds. All 8 rounds (equal to 1 interval) are to be completed before switching sides/ movements.

Then:

1L, 1R KB snatch x 10
Heavy, mechanically perfect, and aggressive.

mental.

Preparedness is not paranoia

just as

specificity and direction are not “mind control”.

(Though both of those statements DO sound a bit Orwellian…)

Bad things DO happen. And good things (thankfully) do happen more often.

Our outlook on training, and the mindset of a culture based on both physical and mental preparedness is that

WE WOULD RATHER HAVE IT AND NOT NEED IT THAN NEED IT AND NOT HAVE IT.

If that strikes you as paranoid, overbearing, or controlling, you have likely never been on the receiving end of “bad”

(or have deceived yourself into thinking “bad” doesn’t really happen.)

If that sounds like too much thought, effort, and seriousness to put into “working out” then we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

As you glide effortlessly through your next “45 minutes of cardio”, think about this:

If the shit hit the fan, what would your current physical skill set allow you to survive?

Would your mental composure even last long enough for you to find out?

(Is it better to learn to swim or fear the water?)

{FFF}

physical. 11/14/11

10 DB pushup row
5 Front squat

x 2

6 DB pushup row
3 Front squat

x 3

Increase weight on squat and row as the reps decrease.

Then:

10 minutes double-under practice or comparable dexterity work

physical. 11/12/11

WB Benchmark

“Duende“ 7:48 (Catharsis- “Passion”)

6 Rocking chairs

6 Pullups

6 Jump squats

Complete as many rounds as possible in exact time alloted.

Then, at skill work weight:

6L, 6R 2-count TGU*

*Our 2-count TGU helps us break the movement down into specific pieces by requiring a 2/1000 count at each transition point. If we are skipping steps, making a technical error, or trying to hurry through a portion of the movement we are weak at, the 2/1000 will catch it and force an adjustment.

physical. 11/11/11

“Catch 22″

(Workout #1 from the 2011 Zoo Fitness Challenge)

6 Slam ball* + 6 Box jump** = 1 set

In a team of 6*** (with a maximum of 3 working at any given time) accumulate as many sets as possible in 6 minutes.
Sets count only when they are performed to completion, in order & uninterrupted by the same person.

*Slam ball is 15lb. W, 25lb. M
**Box jump is 20″ W, 24″ M
***Teams may of course consist of any even number of players

Then, skill work:

Lifts: Barbell, KB, Mace
Movement: Situp list, self-defense, tumbling

physical. 11/10/11

“Odd Lifts” Thursday!

Today:

10 Mace swings (10-2, 360, pendulum)
10 Mace lifts (Virtual shovel, flips, squats)

5 minutes.

Then:

Tire smash- 1 Tabata round (20 sec. on/ 10 sec. off x 8 )

Then:

10 Mace swings (10-2, 360, pendulum)
10 Mace lifts (Virtual shovel, flips, squats)

5 minutes.

physical. 11/09/11

1 18-rep set of Clean/ Power clean

1 18-rep set of 2-second OH KB swing

1 18-rep set of “Short swing”*

1 18-rep set of TGU

Sets are broken down into 3, 6 rep segments with a weight increase in each piece. Sets are performed in order and uninterrupted.

Ex. 1 set equals:

6 lifts @ weight 1 (moderate)
6 lifts @ weight 2 (medium)
6 lifts @ weight 3 (heavy)

*”Short swing” denotes a heavy, short-range KB swing with the intent of driving as much weight as structurally possible to just below chest height.

physical. 11/08/11

30 Box jump
10 Abmat situp @ 1/2 BW (Weight situp with KB or DB)

x 3

:60 sec. rest

Then:

10 Good mornings
1:00 Airdyne sprint

x 3

The receiving position at the top of a box jump should strongly resemble the corresponding phase of a solid squat- knees behind toes, weight centered and stable, eyes on the center line.
When “box jump” mechanics stop resembling any other level-change movement in weightlifting or bodyweight training, (knees in front of toes, broken posture, eyes on feet) it is obvious that “completion” has out-weighed “composition”, and that speed has been deemed an acceptable substitute for form.
Jump and land just as specifically as you lift and squat.

physical. 11/07/11

3 Burpees
6 Lunges

12 minutes. Count rounds.

Then:

6 total rounds @ 30yd. per round of:

Farmer walk @ 50% BW
Rack walk @ 50% BW
Waiter walk @ 50% BW

Choose and vary version of walk as needed based on ability to maintain posture and sustain position @ directed 50% BW.

physical. 11/05/11

10 Windmill (5L, 5R @ base level swing weight- 35lb. W, 55lb. M)

Then:

20 slam ball
:45 sec. L-sit*

x 4

Then:

10 Windmill (5L, 5R @ base level swing weight- 35lb. W, 55lb. M)

*L-sit and scaled variations are performed with thigh & knee at a minimum 90-degree angle with your upright torso. Dropping thighs/ knees below 90 degrees on the L-sit equals a 10-burpee penalty per infraction.

physical. 11/04/11

1-arm KB push press:
3-3-3-1-1-1-1 (Each arm)

OH Squat:
7-7-7-5-5-5-5 (Skill work weight)

Intersperse squat and press sets or complete each as a separate path.

Then:

Upside-down time.
Front roll, back roll, handstand, headstand.
Scale movements according to skill and fatigue levels.

physical. 11/03/11

“Odd Lifts” Thursday!

Today:

Mace swings (360, 10-2′s, pendulum)
Tire smash
H2H KB swings/ flips

Timing sequence:

20 sec. on, 20 sec. off x 3 @ each implement
Then:
30 sec. on, 30 sec. off x 3 @ each implement
Then:
40 sec. on, 40 sec. off x 3 @ each implement

physical. 11/02/11

3 High pull @ 75% BW
5 Strict pullup/ dip (Choose whichever you’re worse at)

x 7

7 KTE (Knees-to-elbows)

x 7*

*7 KTE may be added each round following the 5 rep set above, OR may be done all at once at the end with 3 breaths between sets as needed.

physical. 11/01/11

50 reps V-up on a 2-minute descending clock.
Then:
50 reps pushup on a 2-minute descending clock.
Then:
50 reps KB swing on a 2-minute descending clock.

Reps not completed inside 2 minute allotment are to be completed as burpee mountain climbers. (Burpee to floor and back to top of pushup, 10 mountain climbers, jump back to standing= 1 rep)

Then:

10 work/ rest sets with a partner:

:20 Airdyne sprint vs. rest
20 Double unders vs. rest
100m row vs. rest
(Choose one)

Breathe slow, recover fast, and maintain a strong pace for all 10 sets.

physical. 10/31/11

36 KB snatch (6L, 6R x 3)
360 jumprope/ 120 double-unders
24 KB snatch (4L, 4R x 3)
240 jumprope/ 80 double-unders
12 KB snatch (2L, 2R x 3)
120 jumprope/ 40 double-unders

Weight for KB snatch increases each round as reps decrease.

Then:

Skill work- Power Snatch

mental.

Monsters are real.
Once you’ve come across a real one, nothing in the movies seems quite so scary…

Read this:
Mark Christie gets 20 years to life…

And then, if your attention span allows it, this:
“The Trump Card”
(Greg Walsh, 1997/2007)

physical. 10/29/11

20 2-count TGU*- 10L, 10R alternating

Then:

6 DB pushup row
6 Box jump (36″ M, 26″ W)

x 6

*Our 2-count TGU helps us break the movement down into specific pieces by requiring a 2/1000 count at each transition point. If we are skipping steps, making a technical error, or trying to hurry through a portion of the movement we are weak at, the 2/1000 will catch it and force an adjustment.