Happy New Year!

What do you want out of life?

Friday

Mobility Training:

HAM Complex
15x Grasshoppers each direction
10x Sit-through each direction
5x Backward rolls over each shoulder
5x Forward rolls
10x 180 degree jump lunges
3x Hand walkout
3x Downward dog
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg

Strength:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Dead hang pull-ups
HSPU's
Pistols each leg
1-arm push-ups each arm
Toes-to-bar

Thursday

Stamina:

8 Rounds (Not for time)
10x Weighted box jumps 24 inch box
10x Lateral box jumps (each direction) 36 inch box
Max L-sit pull-ups
15x GHD sit-ups

Wednesday

Mobility Training:

HAM Complex
5x Hip swivel each direction
20x Hip crossovers (legs straight) each direction
10x Backward rolls
20x Jump lunges
6x Hand walkouts
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg

Stamina:

Run 1 mile, rest 4:00 mins.
Run 800m, rest 2:00 mins.
Run 400m, rest 1:00 mins.
Run 200m, rest :30 secs.
Run 100m, rest :15 secs.
30x Burpees

Tuesday

Active Recovery:

Snowshoe, cross-country ski, skate ski, or snow trek for 1 hour or more. This is for fun and to get outside and enjoy the winter. If you are located in an area without snow than swim 2000m.

Monday

Mobility Training:

HAM Complex
3x Hip swivel each direction
10x Hip crossovers (legs straight) each direction
6x Backward rolls
5x Shoulder dislocates
10x Cossack squats
10x Dive bomber push-ups
6x Hand walkouts
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg

GPP:
4 Rounds (1,2 25x reps of everything; 3,4 15x reps)
Sandbag get-ups (1,3 left side; 2,4 right side)
Mountain climbers each leg
Burpees
K.B. swings 60/40 lbs.
Rest 2 mins.

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy your holiday, rest, relax, feast, spend time with family and friends. There's a time for hard charging and there's a time for reseting - this is the latter. Hydrate! Reflect on this past year - remember the good times and exciting highlights, the shared moments with loved ones, all the things you are grateful for - be content on these. But more importantly, reflect back on the hardships you faced, the challenges and obstacles that presented themselves, the mistakes you made, any loss or suffering you encountered, for these are the things that define and mold our character. Look back to these and learn; with this New Year press on and take comfort that you my friend are still kicking, you are still here to fight, to make mistakes, to share laughs, to see and do new things, to love again, to rise to the occasion! Merry Christmas!

Friday

Mobility Training:

HAM Complex
3x Hip swivel each direction
10x Hip crossovers (legs straight) each direction
6x Backward rolls
15x OHS w/ 45 lbs. bar
10x Precision jumps to box 8 feet away
10x Plyometric depth push-ups
6x Hand walkouts
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg

Strength Endurance:

Set-up a barbell with 225/135 lbs. in front of a 36 in box. The movement for this station is a deadlift/box jump. It forces you to accept full load of the deadlift each rep instead of bouncing it off the floor - you then have to fire off your posterior chain explosively during the box jump. Set another 36 in box up 3 feet in front of a pull-up bar. The movement for this station is a pull-up/box jump. Jump up and grab the bar do two pull-ups at a dead hang (NO kipping) drop down and do a 180 degree box jump, switch rotational direction each rep. Scale to a lower box if necessary. The last movement is a burpee/box jump using the same set-up.

3 Rounds
20x Deadlift/box jump
15x Pull-up/box jump
10x Burpee/box jump
Rest 3 mins.

Thursday

Work Capacity:

With a partner; P1 completes maximum repetitions in 1 min. of first exercise, then P2 goes while P1 rests. Repeat for all movements.

Push-ups
Chest-to-bar pull-ups (Dead hang)
Jump squats
Ring dips
SDHP w/kettlebell 60/35 lbs.
Jump lunges
Toes-to-bar
K.B. swings 60/35 lbs.
Thrusters w/kettlebell 60/35 lbs.
Burpees

Wednesday

Mobility Training:

2 Rounds
HAM Complex
3x Hip swivel each direction
10x Hip crossovers (legs straight) each direction
6x Backward rolls
5x Shoulder dislocates
10x Cossack squats
10x Dive bomber push-ups
6x Hand walkouts
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg

Endurance:

"Survival Swim"
While wearing BDU's or a flight suit, boots, and a weighted 8-10 lbs. vest swim 500m. If you need to, break up the swim into 10x 50m.

Tuesday

GPP:

Run 5k

Then:

5 Rounds
6-8 Bench press
20x Box jumps 36 inch box
Rest 2 mins.

Then:

5 Rounds
Within 60 secs. perform 10x burpees then complete as many ring dips as possible in remaining time
Rest 60 secs.

Monday

Mobility Training:

HAM Complex
3x Hip swivel each direction
10x Hip crossovers (legs straight) each direction
6x Backward rolls
5x Shoulder dislocates
10x Cossack squats
10x Dive bomber push-ups
6x Hand walkouts
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg

GPP:

3 Rounds:
1 min. Mountain climbers max reps
1 min. Burpees max reps

Then

50x K.B. swings 75/50 lbs.
50x Power cleans 135/95 lbs.
50x Pull-ups
100x Sit-ups

Weekend Rest!

One year has accumulated since the start of this site. Methodology has roller-coastered around varying from high intensity Crossfit circuits to single mode heavy strength training to minimalist make-do-with-nothing workouts. Like with all comparisons each different style of training came with pro's and cons, some more consistent than others. Looking back having gone through it all, suffering injuries along the way, training on the road while traveling, and trying to keep it interesting I've learned a few things.

1. Keep it simple!
2. Use your body weight.
3. Squat - Back squat, Front squat, OHS, air squat, pistol squat, Bulgarian Split squat all good stuff!
4. Intensity is paramount: 60 percent of your training should be at a maximum output intensity ranging in different durations to maximize training in all three energy pathways.
5. You cannot dismiss endurance efforts - DO NOT FORSAKE LONG ENDURANCE ACTIVITY!
6. Plyometrics are incredible - Burpees, star jumps, squat thrusts, box jumps, tuck jumps, jump lunges, step-ups, clap push-ups were a staple in military conditioning for a reason.
7. Mimic your body's natural movement - the most functional thing you can do imitate what your body is intended for: Run, Jump, Hop, Skip, Crawl, Climb, Push, Pull, Throw, Squat, Bend, Twist, Lunge, Roll, and Tumble.
8. Do push-ups!
9. Do pull-ups - get strong at these and maintain this ability, they are a life saving skill. Add weight!
10. Rest!
11. Rest within your training - in order to put forth maximum effort proper rest intervals must be incorporated - 1:1, 1:3
12. Sandbag get-ups and Kettle Bell swings - If I were to only train two movements these would be them.

Friday

Work Capacity:

10x 200m Sprints through the snow*

*If no snow pull a sled with 45 lbs.

Thursday

Active Recovery:

Trail run, jump over obstacles, crawl under logs, run through the snow, mud, water, be creative!

Wednesday

Mobility Training:

HAM Complex
3x Hip swivel each direction
10x Hip crossovers (legs straight) each direction
6x Backward rolls
5x Shoulder dislocates
10x Cossack squats
10x Dive bomber push-ups
6x Hand walkouts
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg
50x jumping jacks

Work Capacity:

AMRAP 20 mins. (Wear a 20 lbs. vest)
5x Pull-ups
9x Renegade row push-ups w/25-45 lbs. dumbbells
12x Cossack squats

Tuesday

Endurance:

"Survival Swim"
While wearing BDU's, a flight suit, or pants and a long sleeve shirt perform the following:
25m Underwater swim
250m Breaststroke
25m Underwater swim
250m Sidestroke
25m Underwater swim
250m Breaststroke
25m Underwater swim
250m Sidestroke

Monday

Mobility Training:

HAM Complex
3x Hip swivel each direction
10x Hip crossovers (legs straight) each direction
6x Backward rolls
5x Shoulder dislocates
10x Cossack squats
10x Dive bomber push-ups
6x Hand walkouts
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg
50x jumping jacks

Strength:

Work up to 1RM Deadlift
then
Work up to 1RM Clean and Push-press
then
Work up to 1RM Front Squat

Work Capacity:

5 Rounds for time
10x Snatch 95/65 lbs.
10x Thrusters 95/65 lbs.
10x Burpees

Weekend Rest!

Rest day!

Friday

Work Capacity:

As fast as possible perform 150x snatches with a 32/24kg kettle bell.

Thursday

Active Recovery:

Play! Use your body and move - run, jump, skip, hop, tumble, roll, throw, push, pull, climb, swim, bound, crawl and carry!

Wednesday

Mobility Training:

HAM Complex
3x Hip swivel each direction
10x Hip crossovers (legs straight) each direction
6x Backward rolls
5x Shoulder dislocates
10x Cossack squats
10x Plyometric push-ups
6x Hand walkouts
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg

Movement Prep:

10x Precision jumps to 24 inch box minimum distance of six feet
10x Lateral jumps each side
10x Single leg hops each leg
15x Sit-through

Strength:

5 Rounds
20x Pull-ups
30x Push-ups
40x Sit-ups
50x Box jumps 24 inch box

Tuesday

Endurance:

Choose one of the following:
1. Run 6-8 miles at threshold pace
2. Swim 4x 500m
3. Ruck w/35+ lbs. 1 hour
4. Snowshoe or XC Ski 1 hour
5. 30 Rounds - 5x pull-ups, 10x push-ups, 15x squats

Monday

Mobility Training:

HAM Complex
3x Hip swivel each direction
10x Hip crossovers (legs straight) each direction
6x Backward rolls
5x Shoulder dislocates
10x Cossack squats
10x Dive bomber push-ups
6x Hand walkouts
3x Scorpion strikes each side
10x Legs swings each leg
50x jumping jacks

Strength:

Work up to 1RM Deadlift
then
Work up to 1RM Clean and Push-press
then
Work up to 1RM Front Squat

Work Capacity:

50x Frog Complex 75 lbs.

Notes: The frog complex is completed by doing a clean, thruster, then a back thruster and then returning the weight to the ground for 1 rep.

Weekend Rest!

This site was originally designed as an organic experiment aimed at the achievement of an elite level of what we deem as fitness, which I view as one of the pillar stones to success in a well rounded and long life. Before CrossFit popularized the concept of high intensity, constantly varied, functional movement, mainstream gym-goers, would-be athletes and the rest of the body composition driven population looked to "Cardio" and "Body-building type weight lifting." But behind the scenes there was a physical subculture that was driven by the ambition of success in real strength, body weight control, and balance. Odd lifts were trained like "Two Hands Anyhow" and the "Zercher Lift." Amongst others were repetition snatches and clean and jerks at body weight which even CrossFit has cited as: "Having reasonable claim to be the best overall conditioning drill ever." Incredible feats of strength were completed giving way to the endless potential of the human body.

Our goal is to build and maintain our maximum strength and conditioning ability limited only by our individual genetics. So what do we do? Where do we go to find the formula, the combination, the key to success? Science? When you were in school science was about experimenting, recording results, making observations, and deriving a hypothesis. Today's fitness concepts are mingled between science, trial and error, and coaching ingenuity, but sadly more or less driven by money and sold through body composition propaganda. This is BS! We have no time and should lack patience for gimics, superficial training concepts, and programs based on form over function. So in the spirit of the purpose of this site myself and another rescue swimmer I work with (and with an open invitation to you), we will begin a new experiment. The premise of the training regimen we will be delving into is derived from the concept of human adaptation to repeated work. Consider this: sherpas have incredible leg stamina, and strength endurance as well as incredible VO2 max, but they climb mountains regularly under significantly strenuous loads repeatedly. Their bodies have adapted to handle this work load, even under extreme environmental conditions.

Our training experiment will seem counterintuitive and contradict a lot of methodologies and previous concepts and the results are unknown. We will be doing the same training everyday of training. The cycle will consist of mobility drills as a warm-up, following we then will test our 1RM Deadlift, 1RM Clean and Push-press, and 1RM Front Squat as the strength building portion. This extreme stress load every training day of lifting maximum weight is normally shunned. We will end the session with a series of the frog complex (1 rep = power clean, thruster, back thruster). This will comprise our work capacity, although the complex will always be the same and completed everyday the reps and loads will change in order to fully train all three energy pathways.
Training days will be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with Tuesday focusing on an endurance activity and Thursday left as our active recovery day. We will continue this cycle for a period of no less than 6-8 weeks to record results and observations. Hopefully, at the other end of this tunnel we emerge stronger, and with superior conditioning. Take the jump, go committed!