Workout Thursday 9/8/12

Since the start of the year, when I started fairly serious gym training, I have not incorporated any cardiovascular work in my sessions.  My focus has been on developing strength and power, overcoming old injuries acquired from work, recovering from surgery to my elbow late last year, and improving general stability and function.  Not having any issues with my weight to begin with, pure cardio was not an aspect of training that really interested me - I was having 1-2 nights in the dojo every week studying and practising karate, and this more than took care of my cardio requirements.  But since putting a hold on my dojo training earlier in the year I haven't had that extra cardio in my routine.  At the gym this problem was solved with kettle bells.  If you've done kettle bell work before you'll understand when I say kettle bells are boring.  Real boring.  So after a few months I stopped doing 'em.  Recently, I have read about caveman workouts and crossfit training and lots of other cute modes of training systems, and all of the ones that make any logical sense fall back to the same idea - we should train for activity that our bodies are made for.  Pushing and dragging heavy weights, lifting heavy weights, and short and explosive sprints.  Our bodies are not built for running 42-plus kilometres, or even really for 10 kilometres.  Our bodies are not built for cycling 150 kilometres, or swimming 5 kilometres.  We can do it, sure, as a test of endurance and will power, but it's not natural.  So with this in mind I have incoporated sprint work into my routine.  The session itself is essentially just a circuit, with as little a break in between exercises as possible.  It's simple, and killer.

Sprint session

Warm-up

15 minute brisk walk to the gym (approx 1.75km).  In the basketball court, 5 minutes continuous skipping, then 2-3 minutes dynamic stretching.

Circuit

TRX push ups x 10, Squats 30kg on Les Mills barbell x 20, 40kg plate push 2 x 15 metres, sprints 4 x 20 metres.

Circuit performed three times.

Warm-down

Static stretching for 15 minutes.

This is the kind of work that will make you feel pretty sick, but it feels great once you've calmed down a bit!  A great workout for developing running power, endurance power and psychological strength.