Flat Iron Training Session

x10 Hill Sprints (with weight vest) -- 2min RECOVERY

Bench Press
1x5 @ 225#
1x5 @ 230#
1x5 @ 235#
1x5 @ 240#

10x10 Weighted (20# DB) DIPS

P-90X Ab Ripper X

RUN / LIFT

RUN 5K for time
@ Hillcrest H.S.

time:


Evening LIFTING session

KB Complex (3 rounds)
x10 Goblet Squats
x10 KB Swings
x10 RTW's
x10 Windmills

4x5 DEADLIFT
@ 265# + x6 pullups (REST 2min)
@ 315# + x6 pullups (REST 2min)
@ 345# + x6 pullups (REST 2min)
@ 375# + x6 pullups (REST 2min)

1min AirDyne @ +400w
1min C2 Rower
x15 Wall Balls

Tabata Training

Warm-up
5min C2 Row machine

Pullup Ladder 10-1 (55 total pullups)

Tabata Training
20sec of WORK : 10sec of REST

8 Rounds of each exercise

(1) Squats
(2) KB Push Press
(3) Split Jumps
(4) Ball Slams @ 20#
(5) AirDyne
(6) Cage Ball or Wall Ball

5-10min Recovery -- Drink Water

300sec of "SLOSH PIPE FUN"

RECOVER!!!

Monday / Jackman Session

Warm-up
x10 KB Swings
x10 KB Deadlifts
x15 Walking Lunges (45#plate OH)
x15 Ring Dips
2min ROW

--- REST 2 min ---

x10 Deadlifts @ 135# - 225#
x15 Box Jumps
x15 Ball Slams
~REST 30sec~
5 Rounds

x10 KB swings
x10 KTE's
x10 Wall Balls
~REST 30sec~
5 Rounds


x100 Pushups (knuckles if you have bad wrists)
*** every time you have to stop -- you have to do x15 situps ***

Stength -- DEADLIFT

The Deadlift (DL). The DL is a fundamental exercise for the development of total body strength, and manipulation of the many DL variations provides a means for sport-specific application. The DL and its variations are widely accepted as one of the pillars of “total body strength” development. DL’s focus on a variety of muscularture consisting primarily of: hamstrings (biceps femoris/semi-tendinosus, semi-membranosis), hip and knee extensors, spinal erectors, quadratus lumborum, abdominal (core), and other primary “mover” muscles of the back. The use of the DL should be based on the goals, needs, and abilities of the athlete (Waller). Specifically, the application of the RDL allows athletes to establish and develop the correct body positioning that is essential in the progression for teaching weightlifting, which can be accomplished though the use of the teaching progression (Waller).

HOW DOES THIS TRANSCEND INTO SPORTS AND FUNCTIONAL FITNESS
The DL is what we refer to as a posterior chain movement - this references to the back of the body. The Big 4 sports in the United States all involve running or some sort of forward propulsion (skating). What we need for all of these is the ability to extend through the hip. Increasing the maximal strength of this movement as in the DL has a correlation to one's ability to produce force with that same movement. This doesn't mean that you are going to carry your 1RM weight onto the football field and DL during plays. It means that the work you put in to your training is going to enable you to recruit or use your hip extensors more effectively at game speed. The glutes and hamstrings are larger muscles than the quadriceps are, right? Would you rather rely on your quadriceps to carry you or the larger, stronger muscles of the posterior chain?

If there is only one lift that I could do for the rest of my life...it would probably be this!

Deadlifts
1x5 @ 225#
1x5 @ 265#
1x5 @ 315#
1x5 @ 350#

Strength Cycle Week 1

Today will be the first day of a 4-week STRENGTH cycle. Over the past couple months I have been in a bit of a rut (or plateau). Hopefully with a concrete training plan to follow I will keep myself away from diverting away from the goals I have in search of "the easy road".
I will use a simple periodization plan that involves a relatively light workload that focuses on 4 primary lifts and are followed up by accessory movements as well as muscular endurance development. The four (4) big lifts are: (1) Deadlift (2) Bench Press (3) Back/Front Squat (4) Military Press

For these you need to know a 1RM (or an estimated 1RM...always underestimate what you can handle when you first start this preiodization)

my personal numbers as of July 2010
DEADLIFT = 435#
MILITARY = 185#
BENCH = 315#
Back Squat = 355#
Front Squat = 285#

The 5/3/1 Program
This is a very easy program to work with. The following is a general outline of the training I
suggest. I’ll go into detail on each point if someone has more question(s).
- You will train 3-4 days per week (this will be up to you).
- One day will be devoted to the standing military press, one day to the parallel squat, one
day to the deadlift and one day to the bench press.
- Each training cycle lasts 4 weeks.
- The first week you will do 3 sets of 5 reps (3x5).
- The second week you will do 3 sets of 3 reps (3x3).
- The third week you will do 1 set of 5 reps, 1 set of 3 reps and 1 set of 1 rep (5/3/1).
- The fourth week you will do 3 sets of 5 reps (3x5). This is an easy deload week.
- After the fourth week, you begin again with 3 sets of 5 reps.
- Each week and each set has a percentage to follow, so you won’t be guessing what to
do anymore.
- On the third set of each lift you will do a max effort. Whether you get 5reps or 10 reps...go to almost complete failure

DAY 1
Front Squat = 285#
1x5 @ 65% -- 185#
1x5 @ 75% -- 215#
1x5 (or more) @ 85% -- 235#

Back Squat = 355#
1x5 @ 65% -- 230#
1x5 @ 75% -- 265#
1x5 (or more) @ 85% -- 295#

IWT (Interval Weight Training)

IWT
created by Pat O'Shea --- (a)n IWT session involves a set of 8-12 reps of an "athletic lift" immediately chased with two minutes of free aerobic exercise @ 90-95% of capacity, followed by two minutes of rest. This is repeated for a total of three sets after which the athlete is rewarded with a 5-minute break. The first phase is repeated though the lift and the free exercise are changed. Recovery periods are the same. Phase three involves a circuit of complementary movements, often using bodyweight, with 4-12 reps and 3-10 rounds. IWT workouts may be scaled toward a particular fitness characteristic. For an endurance emphasis we increase the duration of the free exercise period to three minutes and reduce the rest period, all lifts are done with lighter loads and higher reps. To focus on power development we increase loads for the athletic lifts and reduce the reps, scale back the chasing aerobic exercise period (sometimes) and increase the rest periods to ensure "full" recovery.

Augmented Eccentric Loading
This is a type of over-training much like sprinting downhills (overspeed training). There are two parts to a jump (plyometric movement). The concentric movement is what happens when you squat down. The pause between the descent (concentric) and the ascent (eccentric) is known as the period of amortization. Then you begin the explosive, upward, eccentric movement.
The purpose of this type of plyometric training is to help break through their plateau. This is a type of plyometric training that is designed for a better conditioned athlete and not for beginners.

Hold 10-20lb weights in both hands. Rapidly squat down and while at the bottom drop the weights to the ground and explode up and onto the plyometric box

Warm-up
2x10 Leg Swings (both legs)
2x10 Shoulder Dislocates + PVC Figure 8's
5min AirDyne

WORK
Interval Weight Trainin (IWT)
10x Bench Press @ 50% +
90 sec Burpee or Rope Pull @ 40# +
2 min Rest
10x Bench Press @ 60%
90 sec Burpee or Rope Pull @ 40# +
2 min Rest
8x Bench Press @ 70% +
90 sec Burpee or Rope Pull @ 40# +
2 min Rest
8x Bench Press @ 75% +
90 sec Burpee or Rope Pull @ 40# +


Augmented Eccentric Loading
8x3 Box Jump --- 36" box

what recovery should look like

A very wise individual sent me his recovery plan after his last full Ironman.
This was spaced out over the evening of his night after he raced @ Kona.

Immediately after:
- 500mL water (drink about 4-5 gulps and then pause for 10min -- this allows for proper uptake)
- Recovery drink (make sure that the recovery drink has some WHEY protein in it
- Banana and some apple sauce

1hr after
- 500mL water plus electrolytes (light dose)
- 500mL of water sipped slowly over the course of the next 30minutes

Big dinner
- Ice bath: 10-minute session
- Walk: 15 minutes. I was shivering badly so I know core temp was way down, which is good
- Ice bath: 6-minute session (all I could stand due to the shivering)
- Re-warm for five minutes under hot shower

After dinner
- Relax 30 minutes, sipping 500ml water plus electrolytes (light dose)
- Massage legs with Traumeel
- Foam Roller session on legs
- ZMA plus 3mg melatonin plus 500ml water

Sleep 8 hours

If you do nothing else...DO THIS

Why bench press and front squat? - One of the most interesting things about strength is when an athlete is balanced, his front squat and bench press 1 rep max will be very close together.

Dead Lifts - The dead lift is a great test of overall, full body strength.

Sprints - Sprint(s) for reps tests anaerobic endurance and the athlete's ability to recover metabolically. I feel sprinting is a key fitness attribute for military athletes. Plus, no special equipment is needed for this test.
Best overall test for anaerobic endurance is the 300yd shuttle run

Pull ups - This is one carryover from typical military fitness tests. Pulling power is another needed attribute for military athletes.

AirDyne Rower Fun

STRENGTH
Back Squat 3x5
1x5 @ 70%
1x5 @ 75%
1x5 @ 80%

WORK
20-18-16-14-12-10
AirDyne (calories)
C2 Rower (calories)
Wall Ball Shots

---then---

3 Rounds
x15 KB swings
x15 Box Jumps
x15 Pushups

CFD

5 Deadlifts @ 50-60% 1 RM
5 Rounds of Cindy (5 Pullups/10 Pushups/15 Air Squats)
6 Deadlifts
4 Rounds of Cindy
7 Deadlifts
3 Rounds of Cindy
8 Deadlifts
2 Rounds of Cindy

6AM WOD

Three rounds for time of:
20 Box Jumps (24″/18″)
20 Pushups
20 Wall Ball Shots (20/12 lbs.)

Time:


7 rounds for time of:
3 cleans (205/135 lb.)
4 ring handstand push-ups (men)/4 handstand push-ups (women)
12-minute cap

KTB Time:


Holmberg, Graham 04:26
Spealler, Chris 04:27
Salo, Mikko 06:04
Hackenbruck, Tommy 09:42

"The Grow Zone"

Someone recently wrote in asking how to get bigger. I should have deleted the note. Instead, I replied by saying, "train to failure, eat more.” Then he asked for a recipe of specific reps/sets/rest and that note went to the trash. First, there’s plenty of information on the subject available. Second, it’s not what we do here. Do your fucking homework before writing an email.

The following guidelines were pulled from Michael Yessis’ 1992 book titled “The Kinesiology of Exercise”. Figures will affect you differently depending on your age, existing fitness level, sex, the phase of the annual cycle you are in, as well as the volume and intensity of the training you are doing.
In general:
1-4 reps increase pure strength but do not increase muscle mass
4-9 reps increase strength together with muscle mass
10-15 reps increase muscular strength, muscular endurance and muscle mass
16-30 reps increase muscular endurance with little to no increase in muscle mass
31-50 reps increase muscular endurance with no effect on muscle mass
50-100 reps increase muscular endurance, cardio-respiratory endurance, there will be a possible loss of muscle mass (or fat), and absolutely no increase in strength

This being the case, then what does an exclusive diet of circuit training produce? 21-15-9 adds up to 45, which equals an “increase muscular endurance with no effect on muscle mass.” If that’s your objective, knock yourself out. A Circuit or Progression totaling over 100 reps won’t help you get “swole”, except in the short term (measured in hours), and it won’t make you stronger. But because it’ll put the flame to the fat you may look stronger. Again, if that’s your objective, knock yourself out.

Crossfit Games WODS

Event 5

7 rounds for time of:
3 cleans (205/135 lb.)
4 ring handstand push-ups (men)/4 handstand push-ups (women)
12-minute cap

Event 4

For time:
Move (600/370 lb.) of sandbags down the stairs, across the stadium floor, up the wall, up the stairs.

Event 3

As many rounds as possible in 7 minutes of:
7 deadlifts (315/205 lb.)
Sprint across court
14 pistols
21 double-unders
Sprint back

Event 2a
For time (22 min cap):
Run 1,200 meters
63 kettlebell swings (1.5/1 pood)
36 pull-ups
Run 800 meters
42 kettlebell swings (1.5/1 pood)
24 pull-ups
Run 400 meters
21 kettlebell swings (1.5/1 pood)
12 pull-ups

Event 2b
Within 90 seconds of completing Event 2a: 1 rep max Shoulder-to-Overhead

Event 1
9-7-5 reps for time of (12 min cap):
Muscle-ups
Squat snatches (135/95 lb.)

Barbell Complex

Designed to be a warm-up (much like the KB complex)

Barbell Complex (x6 reps of each)
Deadlift
Bent-over Row (back parallel to floor)
Hang Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Back Squat
Pull-up

1 set @ 75#, 95#, 105#, 115#

Kettlebell Complex (warm-up/workout)

Courtesy of Mark over @ GJ

It is meant to be a warm-up...yet I never really feel like working out after I am done with this

All work is done with 53# Kb (You can scale the workout as needed)
10x One-arm KB Swing (each side)
10x RTW (both directions)
10x Figure 8 (front-to-back)
10x Figure 8 (back-to-front)
10x Goblet Squat
10x Push Squat
10x Standing Halo
10x Half-TGU (each side)
10x Windmill (each side), alternate arms and do One-arm Snatch to switch sides
10x Get-up (each side)

I am just posting this so that I can reference to this in later workouts. But, if you are feeling like a new adventure...enjoy this

DIET...

It seems everyone wants (or needs) to lose weight, but with all the information out there it just gets more and more confusing for the average person to know what to do? Let’s back it up a little and start from the basic understand of how fat loss happens in a simple and easy manner. Once you can master the basics, that is probably 90% of where all your results will come from!

Fat loss first and foremost is a hormonal event, the right hormones telling the body to release the stored “energy” in the fat cells to burn off. It is also important to know that there are also fat “storing” hormones that act in the opposite way, triggering the body to store “future energy” into the fat cells. The body triggers these hormones through many different stimulus like food, drink, exercise, stress and sleep. Fat cells are just the body’s emergency storage tanks afterall. If we didn’t have fat cells, we wouldn’t have survived the famines of the past. It’s a built-in survival mechanism that is getting all the wrong signals today. The body wasn’t designed around constant intake of food, especially the processed and high in sugar kind. (as that is not something that naturally grows on trees!)

So we know that fat loss is hormonal. Also fat loss occurs when oxygen is present, what is known as aerobic. (which means “with oxygen”…don’t get all happy yet all you daily joggers) The other stage is called anaerobic (which means “without oxygen”). Anaerobic training is also known more commonly as “strength training” (which you can tell by the lactic acid burn). Here’s where people get confused when it comes to exercise. Most people think that by doing aerobics you burn all the fat you want. Well if that was the case, obesity would of been taken care of in 1986 and your gym aerobic instructors wouldn’t have an average BF% over 25%. Who ever said you are guaranteed to burn fat? What about stored glycogen? Plus if you can burn fat in an aerobic state, well aren’t you in an aerobic state all day long (minus brief times of anaerobic activity) including sleeping?? So here’s the breakthrough, you have the ability to burn fat all day long! The only thing left is the hormones and whether they are saying “empty the storage tanks” or “here comes some more” to the fat cells.

The Fat loss hormones were are going to focus on briefly are insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone (GH). Insulin is a fat storing hormone, while glucagon and GH are fat burning hormones. If insulin is present and elevated, the other hormones go down (this is an important relationship to realize). Another hormone called cortisol (stress hormone) is a muscle breakdown hormone….and that is not something we want in our fat loss quest. Below are just quick and easy bullet point on how to maximize the fat burning hormones and minimize the muscle breakdown/fat storing hormones (don’t think all muscle breakdown is bad, you need to break down and rebuild the cells it’s when you have excessive breakdown and minimal rebuilding that is the issue as that will lead to a loss of muscle).

Your #1 enemy, sugar and all it’s hiding places (drinks, sauces, dressings, etc). If it has a label, read it and see what sugars you are really getting, as everything you put into your mouth counts! Why is sugar bad? Because sugar will be quickly absorbed into the blood which cause a spike in your blood sugar and with that spike the body releases insulin to take care of it (shuttle excessive blood sugar into the fat cells for storage!). So like I tell my clients, every time you put sugar into your mouth just tell youself “I don’t feel like burning fat for the next 3-4 hours” as that is exactly the hormonal signal you are giving it. Remember also when insulin is high, glucagon and GH go down (this is important to remember especially at night)

So let’s recap, for fat loss we want:

1. Minimal insulin levels thoughout the day (no high levels/spikes except during the post workout window when the insulin sensitivity is maximum, it goes into muscle not fat)
2. Maximum Glucagon (which is directly inversely proportional to insulin levels)
3. Maximum GH (which is controlled by insulin, exercise response and sleep)
4. Keep Cortisol in check (you will have some, but excessive will lead to muscle loss)

For Insulin control (and max Glucagon response):

* Keep levels low by not eating sugar or foods that quickly break down into the bloodstream (processed foods, breads, cereals, pasta) Just say to yourself everytime you are about to put sugar in your mouth, “I don’t want to burn any fat for the next 3-4 hours”...as that is exactly what you are telling your body with your hormonal response from the ingestion of sugar! (Already said that above but I want to drive the #1 important point home!)
* Have protein with every meal (as that will slow down the digestion of any sugars). Also protein intake stimulates the release of glucagon.
* Improve insulin sensitivity with glycogen draining exercise (resistance training) which will in turn reduce your insulin resistance (which is one of the biggest reasons for obesity and a serious increase of risks for many other diseases including heart disease, cancers, diabetes, accelerated aging and more!)

For max GH response:

* Most of your daily GH is released in the first couple hours of sleep at night (75%) . Keep your insulin levels low (which means no big meals or sugar 2-3 hours before bed) and get to bed by 10pm to get the maximum response. So get your sleep, your body will thank you. People shorting themselves on sleep will also be hindering their fat loss efforts and may lead to more weight gain from improper hormonal responses (which can also trigger cravings!)
* Exercise with Intensity (for fast twitch muscle recruitement, not slow twitch), whether it is resistance training with short rest periods or doing interval training like sprints. Short burst of anaerobic intense exercise (lactic acid burn) will in turn signal the body to release GH. Long aerobic activities (jogging, etc) will NOT. (The old argument of look at the body composition of a sprinter vs the marathon runner…the sprinter has more muscle and very low bf%, the marathon runner has little muscle and a higher bf% even if they look smaller) See the role of lactate in exercise induced GH response.
* Exercise in a fasted state has also shown to increase GH levels (again make sure you have enough energy to get through the workout, a small meal may be needed 1-2 hours prior if the activity it too intense)

Minimize excessive Cortisol:

* Keep all intense strength or cardio exercise under 45min (remember we want to increase the intensity in a short period, not the duration). Anything longer will just start wasting muscle as fuel.
* Practice relaxing throughout the day, don’t stress out over things that mean very little in the long run (ask yourself will this really be important in 1 week, 1 month, 1 year). Get perspective on things in your life, and detach from things that really don’t matter. Smile more, take deep breaths throughout the day, get out in nature, find your passions in life, etc. We are too stressed out and our body was only meant to use stress in short bursts (fight or flight response) not all day long events.

So if you can master these small steps, you will see tremendous changes. Remember that fat loss is an all day event! So eat and live your life that way! Don’t worry about how many calories you burn doing something, because that is not the point. Worry about what you eat all day and how your hormones are going to react to it. Eat the foods your body was meant to eat and live the active lifestyle your body was designed for….and you will have increased health, look great, feel great and hopefully live long and stay active.

IN SUMMARY

1. Remember that 85% of fat loss is nutritional based (not how many calories you can burn doing something) and you have the ability to burn fat all day long if your hormones tell your body to do so.

2. Eat whole natural foods (not processed..if it wasn’t around 100 years ago, you don’t need it!), avoid all sugars (foods and drinks), have protein with every meal

3. Train your fast twitch muscles with resistance training 2-3x a week and do 30-60min of “active lifestyle” based movement daily (not going to call it cardio). Go have fun doing whatever! (play tennis, go walking/hiking, ride a bike, enjoy what you do!)

4 Stop stressing out, take some deep breaths, get outside to relax and get your 8hrs of sleep.

Now what if there was something else you could do to decrease insulin resistance and improve GH response to exercise and sleep? Hey how about something that also helps the health of the gut, gives increased brain function, improves the digestive process and liver function (which is an important organ for fat burning)? What if there were loads of studies linking benefits for disease prevention and anti-aging? Hmmmmmm…..could that be Intermittent Fasting?? Wow….look how everything starts to nicely come full circle!