Workout - Friday 19/10/12

Instead of my planned strength and conditioning workout today, I hit the new PT training area at my gym and hit the power bands for an intense circuit with my sometimes-training-partner Mark Boddington.  Mark is responsible for turning me on to a variety of wonderful new systems of training, and I have been able to reciprocate, although perhaps not to the same extent.  Mark has also helped out with me landing my first real job in the fitness industry, working as an exercise instructor (and exercise trainer in December) at the local YMCA - a great start and foot-in-the-door!  Thanks Mark!

Warm-up

15 minute brisk walk to the gym.
5 minutes light kettle bell (8kg) complex.
2 minute joint mobilization (especially scapulae, elbows, hips, neck and wrists).
2 minutes dynamic stretching.

Power band circuit - band anchored to wall for sprints

1st set

Good mornings x 10 reps.
Push-ups x 10 reps.
Sprints x 5.

2nd set

Good mornings x 10 reps.
Push-ups x 10 reps.
Sprints x 4 reps.
Lunge sprints x 2 reps.
Jumps x 2 reps.
Animal walk x 2 reps.

3rd set

Good mornings x 10 reps.
Push-ups x 10 reps.
Sprints x 4 reps.
Lunge sprints x 2 reps.
Jumps x 2 reps.
Animal walk x 1 rep.

Functional superset

3 sets

Cable push at 27.5kg x 10 reps per side.
Cable pull at 27.5kg x 10 reps per side.
Eccentric chin-ups x 6.

Core

2 sets

Bicycle crunches x 20 reps.

Warm-down

Static stretching for 10 minutes.
15 minutes brisk walk home.

Workout Thursday 27/9/12

Thursday is Killer Cardio day.  Today was a slight variation of the usual, with my training partner Mark Boddington having yesterday purchased a 2 metre power band, we implemented this awesome tool into our sprint drills.  The workout itself was an abbreviated affair, with the typical interference of work commitments, but we managed to do some interesting stuff.

Superset

4 sets

10 x 45kg squats.
10 x TRX rows.
2 x 20 metre power band sprints.

 It wasn't the vomity session that it normally is today.  We streamlined the workout to just the three exercises - having not worked with a power band before we weren't quite sure about what to expect.  Next time, when time is not at such a premium, we'll get back to some unorthodox push-ups, and other such stuff.

 

I'm the one doing the running.

Workout Thursday 30/8/12

Thursday means cardio, and today I (with a couple of other fitness geeks) did a slight variation of the 'Killer Cardio' session.  Basically it's the same as the one previously mentioned here, with one exercise added before the sprints - farmer's sprints (a modification of the farmer's walk).  I find I really benefit from doing this with other people.  After the second set I was just about to give up, but the encouragement of others is not to be underestimated.  This is one of those routines where at the end you feel like throwing up (and to be honest I came close), but after an hour or so you feel as high as a kite!

Cardio/Power

Warm-up

15 minute brisk walk to gym.

Sprint Session

5 sets with a two minute rest between sets.

Elevated spiderman pushups x 10.
Plate push - 30kg 2 x 20 metres (plates are wrapped up in a yoga mat, which adds more resistance against the gym floor).
Barbell squat - 40kg x 10.
Farmer's sprints - 2 x 20kg dumbells, 2 x 20 metres.
Sprints - 4 x 20 metres.

I added a short torsonator set at the end just for a bit of extra core work.  My basic variation of twist, squat-press, squat-hand-to-hand, clean&press, knee kicks.

Warm-down

15 minute brisk walk home.
15 minutes foam roller.
20 minutes static stretching.

Workout Thursday 16/8/12

Thursday is intensive cardio day, with a short, simple, but rather tough session.  This little circuit is great for developing leg power and trunk strength.

Cardio Killer

Squats 35kg x 10

Sprints 4 x 20 metres

Elevated spiderman pushups x 10

Plate push 30kg for 40 metres.

Four sets of this circuit is enough to make one feel slightly queazy...

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.