Got the wall ball down? Here we go with a progression of posterior chain power and explosiveness.
Have fun and MOVE!
Archive for the ‘complex’ Category
Tip & Technique: Triplex Wall Ball
Saturday, October 10th, 2009Workout of the Week
Tuesday, October 6th, 20094 rounds of the following
500m row
10 pullups
400m sprint
20 pushups
If you don’t have a rowing machine, substitute in 50 SumoDeadliftHighPulls at 45# for men and 30# for women. If you need to sub in assisted pullups, then do it, but only enough to just get through. Unlike some of the other workouts, this one is all about speed. I’m looking for an all out sprint for the entire time. Record your time and any accommodations you have to make.
Now MOVE!
Tip & Technique: Sandbag Drag
Saturday, September 12th, 2009We’re always talking about moving objects through space. Pushing, pulling, dragging, whatever, just move yourself and a load through space to train your body, your machine in a total systemic fashion. So, here’s a couple of examples of that very thing using a sandbag and a TRX. No TRX? Get on it and buy one. It’s one of the best $150 you’ve spent in fitness. But for now, no problem. Pull a couple of grips off the cable cross machine, or take a rope from the garage and go to town.
Now MOVE!
Tip & Technique: Man Makers Redux
Saturday, September 5th, 2009“Progress is impossible without change…” Geprge Bernard Shaw
So, it’s time to change. Here we go. Take something familiar and change it in order that we can progress. Again, don’t get hung up on thinking you have to increase the loads you’re lifting on order to progress. Repetitions, rest intervals, sets and complexity are all easily manipulated to generate a growth response in your body. Today…complexity.
Workout of the Week
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009Warned you about this. Here it comes. If yo missed the late video posting on Sunday, go back and take a look.
For intermediate fitness folks, I’m suggesting the following loads. Adjust based on your own ability. Men: 30# to 40# Women: 20#
Start with your non-dominant side.
Press to failure. Do not put the load down.
Immediately push press to failure. Do not put the load down.
Immediately jerk to failure.
Switch hands without resting the load on the ground.
Repeat on the dominant side.
Rest 2 minutes.
Repeat cycle two more times. Record load and reps for each set.
Tip & Technique: Kettlebell Press Progressions
Sunday, August 30th, 2009Well, I finally won that fight with YouTube.
So here you go. Kettlebell press, push press and jerk. Watch closely. Something tells me this might just show up on Tuesday.
The point of the progression is that with each step, we’re transferring more of the load motivation to the lower body, thus allowing you to work with greater loads than would be otherwise possible. The body is one system. The more you train it as such, the more efficient you become and the more you can accomplish.
Foundation X
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
Squat Damnit!
There is nothing more functional, nothing more applicable, and nothing SAFER in training than the squat.
End of story. I don’t want to hear it. Scream whatever kind of shearing forces, compressive forces, lower back issues you want to. If you move through your day on two feet on a regular basis, you should be doing some sort of squatting.
You squat every morning getting out of bed, every time you get up from your morning constitutional, get out of the car, up off the subway seat… You squat. Shouldn’t you practice to be better, more efficient and stronger at it? Knee problems, hip issues, lower back problems; there is a variant of the squat that can and actually will help you improve. That having been said, if you have any of those issues, remember, consult a licensed professional before taking on any physically exertive activities. Learn your limitations, how to work with them and get busy improving your strength and mobility.
Pick a sandbag up off the floor. Stand up off a 6” to 12” step repeatedly. Put on a backpack full of books and squat down to touch the floor, stand up, rinse and repeat. Load a bar with your 3 rep maximal load and go to town. Whatever. There is a variant that fits your level in such a way as to challenge your fitness and coordination.
You’re working posture, coordination, legs, hips, back, shoulders, proprioception, balance…The sheer act of walking is a form of reciprocating unilateral squat. So find something, put it on the ground or some place that lends its self to easy loading and PICK IT UP!!
Tip & Technique: Hydro Ball
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009When was the last time you were walking home from the grocery with a nice, evenly loaded, stable and symmetrical load of groceries conveniently loaded across the back of your shoulders? Or when was the last time you carrying your kid through the mall and he/she obligingly sat motionless and efficiently distributed in your arms?
The point is that more often than not, the things we’re lifting, pushing, pulling and moving throughout the course of our daily grind are unpredictable, uncomfortable and often unpredictable loads. So…why not train that way?
Tip & Technique: MB Rotational Throw
Saturday, August 15th, 2009Let’s get into some more partner work. This one is pretty straight forward. Let’s take come “core” conditioning, add in some explosive power, the complexity of throwing and catching weighted objects and the often times unpredictable nature of another human being.
Medicine ball rotational throw. Grab a challenging ball, probably around 12# or more and go to it. If possible make sure you have a Dynamax or other soft ball. You do not want to catch a wild thrown hard medicine ball with your teeth! So go at your own pace and build up from there. I suggest starting with one minute sets with a 90 second rest interval in between.
Now MOVE!
Tip & Technique: Deck Squats
Saturday, August 8th, 2009You know, I just had another conversation with a gym goer yesterday. I’ve never seen and don’t know that there exists a better abdominal development movement than a regular old situp. Given that you’re not in a rehab focused program, just get down on the ground, go through the whole movement and teach yourself to do a real situp without sticking your feet under the couch! Grow. and challenge yourself to be strong enough not to pull yourself up with your hip flexors.
But I digress. I’m going to go on the assumption that you’ve already incorporated situps into your routine or have at least heard of them. Let’s take it a step further; complete abdominal development with posterior chain strength & anaerobic endurance….Sounds like fun yeah? Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I give you the Deck Squat.