My cyclists will be happy to know that when I do my research for a particular cycle - any cycle - I like to draw from as many places as possible.  This one, Lance Armstrong inspired.  The single leg squats and round after round of planks - not my idea.  But if it works for him, then might as well give it a go.

Warmup 12-6-3 goblet squats, alligator pushups, jumping jacks.  Training  #1  Work to 1 RM Bench Press  #2  11 rounds of 1x BP @90%max, 4x 1-leg squat ea side.  #3  7 rounds of 8x deadlifts @60%max, 8x lateral shuffles, 6x WTD GHD situps.  #4  11 rounds of 5x Barbell thrusters, 30 sec plank.

After the warmup jump right into bench press max.  Take 90% of that for working rounds.  Its heavy especially after a few rounds so keep focused and diligent on each one.  For the 1-leg squats I had my athletes work off a box.  We haven't done many of these and when we have I found it was difficult for the athletes to get full range of motion just standing on the ground.  Elevated they have room for the other leg and even if they can't keep it out front, they can still get full range of motion with the working leg.  All the cycling research shows alot of single leg work.  Last week we worked the Bulgarian split squats.  This week we will do this 1-leg squat and the side squat as single leg work.

All athletes deadlifted last week so I should have numbers for everyone - still on the board - to easily find 60% and get to work.  I added some lateral work in an effort to keep the hips loose and give the hip flexors a break, if only for a few seconds.

And finally the planks.  Now Lance does 20 rounds of 20 seconds, but knowing not all my athletes could count to twenty :) I stopped at just 11 and added a few seconds.  Great core, stability and durability work.  The thrusters were just to break up the planks..good one huh?

No giveaways today.  This session is long and increasingly more grueling as it progresses.  Frankly I was a little surprised at how difficult the last portion was, but looking at the volume leading up to it and it should probably have been a little more obvious.

Warmup 25x Renegade Man Makers.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 10x deadlifts @ 50%max, 30 sec cave movement, 10x GHD situps.  #2  6 rounds of 10x corkscrews ea side, 15 sec deadhang, 15 sec toe raises, 10x hiplifts ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 3x TGUs R, 3x staggered pullups R, repeat L side, 60 sec airdyne M>80 RPM, W >70RPM.

The man makers should flow pretty smooth.  Men went at 25# and women 15-20#.  Consistent steady movement will have these done pretty quickly.

Last week I had all the athletes deadlift so there would be no guessing for today's session.  I even left the numbers on the board to make it that much easier.  Load 50% of last week's max and get down to business.  Remember even 50% is alot of weight so keep form good throughout.  Speed is not our friend here unless you are a deadlift master.  Move right into the cave.  I bumped the time just slightly from last week, and fortunately it was still quite easy and even found myself on the plus side of 30 seconds a few times since it goes by so fast.

The second circuit is where things start to get serious.  Ten corkscrews on each side is no joke at any weight.  Men grabbed 35# and women 25# for these.  Deadhang from the medium crimp on the hangboard - again up just slightly from last week.  A few toe raises and hip lifts give enough of a break.

Then the fun.  Go as heavy as you can on the TGUs.  We haven't done these in awhile, so if you need to backoff a bit on weight do so, no heros here.  Do 3x on the right side and then to 3x staggered pullups leading with the R hand.  Then repeat on the L side.  Get on the airdyne for 60 seconds.  The RPMs at any other time would have been more than reasonable, at 80 and 70, but after the volume leading up to it, it is hard - no sugar coating.  You will be breathing heavy you'll be tired and it could just be the longest walk you've taken back to the KBs.  And yeah, no rest.

But like all good things - they come to an end.  It is solid at an hour, so if that's all you got - limit rest time between exercises and circuits and keep moving.  Steady work will have you in and out in the allotted time.

Wednesdays session was hard but quite doable.  Today's is just hard.  Heavy and pumpy.  I mixed in a couple easy days at the climbing gym which added to the pump factor immensely but I feel like I have done a good week of training and deserve a few days of rest.

Warmup  6 rounds of 15 swings - moderate weight, 30 sec system board, 6x shoulder dislocates.  Training #1  6 rounds of 1 length tire pull - HVY, 1 lap HIT strips - any holds, as fast as possible, rest 1 minute.  #2  6 rounds of 3x  Scotty Bob's - HVY, 8x ball slams - fast, rest 45 sec.  #3  5 rounds of 2 laps farmer carry, 60 sec system board movement, 30x airsquats.

At the end of the warmup the forearms and grips should start to feel a little tired, nothing crazy but just so you know you have done a good job of warming up hands and forearms before moving on.

The first circuit is a heavy tire pull.  This should be fairly difficult.  Then move into the cave for lap on the HIT strip.  Use any holds but both hands must hit each strip up and down.  Take a rest and repeat.

The second circuit offers more good work.  Try and go heavy with the Scotty Bob's and then fast ball slams. For as much upper body and core work as this is, you will be breathing pretty heavy when you finish - if you are moving fast.  Its actually a nice combination but six is plenty.

Finally some real endurance grip work.  Do 2 laps of a farmer carry - same sized KBs as was used on Monday - and then move right to the system board.  Keep moving and maintain contact the whole time.  No shaking out or hanging on one arm.  Focus on contact time.  Depending on how the load feels from this week, this will either be easy or really hard.  The last few rounds I had to focus on not dropping the KBs on my toes as I let them fly.  A few easy squats to help forget about the pump.

The cyclists are right back to legs today.  Heavy deadlifts and calf work and a little upper body/core work thrown in to boot.  As much as cyclists need strong legs, we will also put alot of focus on lower back, core and upper body.  So pretty much everything to have a well rounded cyclist and athlete.

Warmup  5 rounds 10x swings, 10x lunges w/ KB at chest, hip swivel ea side.  Training #1 Work to 1 RM deadlift.  #2  4 rounds 5x deadlifts @70%max, 15 sec airdyne sprint, 5x STD Russian twist ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 4x push press increasing wt., 1 lap DB crawl, 30 sec side plank ea side.  #4  8 rounds 6x H. pullups, 10x DB toe raises, 1 lap reverse tire drag.

Some sore legs coming in today so hopefully the swings and lunges will get the blood flowing and loosened up for the deadlifts.  I kept the athletes light on both exercises so they could focus on range of motion and movement and less on dealing with heavy weight. 

Once you have established a max for the day, drop to 70% for the working rounds.  Five deadlifts then right to the airdyne for a sprint.  Its short and only a couple rounds so really focus on going as hard as possible on the airdyne.

Then onto push press. Start light as you will try and increase each round for 6 rounds.  Brought back one of my favorites; push press to DB crawl, learn to love it cause it won't be going away any time soon.

And finally heavy toe raise into reverse tire drag.  Pulling the tire in reverse focuses a little more on calves than forward dragging - though with tired legs it is felt everywhere equally.  The tire drag shouldn't be too heavy, really looking for some good movement as its pulled and not the slog of the bodyweight drag.

Friday Jason will serve up what should be a fun power endurance session.

More great programming for my climbers - at least I think so.  The beauty of this session is that it is alot of hard work but at no time in the session is it too hard or too much.  By the end however you'll be ready to be done.  Good stuff.

Warmup 5 rounds 10x swings, 10x lunges w/ KB @ chest, hip swivel ea side.  Training #1 Work up to 1 RM deadlift.  #2 4 rounds 5x deadlifts @ 70%, 3x staggered pullups ea side, 5x KB floor press ea side, 3x shoulder sweeps ea side.  #3  8 rounds of 4x OH squats - moderate wt., 20 sec cave movement, 60 sec 1-leg stepups, frog stretch.  #4 6 rounds 5 sec cannonball hang, 15 sec plate pinch, 15 sec pinch on system board, 45 sec plank walkup.

Like I've said before the posterior chain - calves, hamstrings, glutes, lower back - are as important in climbing, especially steep climbing as anything, so to start the cycle off I want to get a max deadlift on everyone since we will be using it alot in the weeks ahead.  Once you have worked to your max drop to 70% for the working rounds.  The staggered pullups are another great tool for climbing.  With one hand high and another lower on smaller holds, its a great way to develop single sided strength and finger strength in the lower hand without over straining.

The second circuit seems quite daunting to start but really there is no point that is too much.  Four OH squats are quite doable and 20 seconds in the cave flies by and stepups only a minute (I usually do 10 minutes).  So all quite doable but this is where the real work is done.  Lots of good volume packed in.

I bought some new "toys" for my climbers so today we tested out the "cannonballs."  Manufactured by Rogue Fitness to give us the strongest pinch this side of the Mississippi.  I am excited to see the results, cause right now they are hard.  Pinch the ball from the bottom and try to hang.  Five seconds can be a long time.  Then pinch a weight plate and then go to the pinches on the system board.  Finger and pinch strength get a real workout here - but it will pay big on the rock.

Friday will be power endurance for rock climbers - faster moving and hopefully fun.

Cyclists and base fitness athletes start this cycle with strength.  Four weeks of a strength dominant cycle and then 4 weeks of power endurance.  We will be doing 2 strength days - Monday and Wednesdays and then a power endurance on Friday for the next few weeks.

Warmup  5 rounds of 15x airsquats, 5x clean hi pulls  incr. wt ea rd., 5x pushups.  Training  #1  Work to 1 RM front squat.  #2  5 rounds of 2x front squats @ 85%, 10x rotating planks, prisoner stretch ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 5x power cleans increasing wt., 3x vertical jumps for height, 10x back extensions w/ arms extended.  #4  8 rounds of 5x WTD burpees, 8x jingle jangles, 10x situps.

With all the front squat practice on Friday I pretty much expect perfect looking squats.  Work to a 1 repetition max and then go to 85% for working rounds.  The rotating plank and prisoner stretch gives a nice rest between heavy lifts.

Reload the bar for power cleans.  In the warmup we only did the hi pull portion here do a full power clean.  Focus on finishing the lift with high elbows in front and standing tall.  Again start at an easy weight and increase each round till 5 are hard but still doable without breaking sets.  On the jumps take a second to get set and jump as high as possible.  Treat each of the 3 as singles to get the most height out of each one.

In the last round grab some dumbbells for the WTD burpees.  Do one pushup and standup for the push press.  Though theyare  done with weight, they seem easier than regular burpees. 

Wednesday more strength with heavy deadlifts...a gym favorite.

Rock climbers start their 9-week climbing cycle today.  The first 4 weeks will be strength, followed by 4 weeks of power endurance.  Today's session focuses on grip strength and calf strength with some fun stuff mixed in.

Warmup  8 rounds of 30 sec airdyne, 30 sec system board, 5x reverse wrist curls ea side 10#DB.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 30 sec Farmer Carry Hold, 10 sec deadhang on hangboard, 4x DB push press - HVY, 6x kneeling pullthrus.  #2  5 rounds of 5x WTD lunges ea side, 10x DB toe raises, 1x lap sled push, 8x back extensions w/ arms extended.  #3  6 rounds of 5x ring rows w/ feet elevated, 10x WTD situps, 60 sec system board.

I went in to do this yesterday and really hadn't planned on working as hard as I had to.  The warmup is great to kind of ease the athlete into things.  But then its full-on battle from there.

The farmer carry hold is done standing in place.  Use an open grip to really "get" the forearms and then right to the hangboard.  Medium sized crimp should do fine.  Ten seconds should be challenging but not over the top or too easy.  If 10 seconds is too long, drop to bigger holds.  If its too easy, add a little weight.  You should be ready to come off at 10 but not sliding off from over pump.  Then right to heavy DB push presses.  This is actually the hardest part if you go heavy.  Men used 35-45# and women 25-35#.  The DBs should be heavy enough that you are done at 4, if not, go higher.

Use those same dumbbells for the lunge/toe raise combo.  Focus on full range of motion on the toe raise - it will save you later on.  And right to the sled push.  A very challenging combination for the legs/calves.  And in case you were wondering the back extensions for a rest - not nearly long enough.  Bring your fighting spirit for this one and get it done.  Hanging out doesn't help.

And finally a little circuit of rows/situps/system board.  At the end of this the athlete should be burning a bit but not mind blowing pump, just enough.

Wednesday more strength with deadlifts.  As important as grip and forearm strength and endurance are, the posterior chain - legs and lower back - are also very important so we will have a good opportunity to work strength on that end also.

Last session in our Toughen Up, so if you feel like calling uncle go ahead.  Stolen from the Sealfit site, this is probably as much a mental challenge as it is physical.

Warmup 30-20-10 Airsquats, KB Hi Pulls.  Training #1  15-1 Front squats M 75-95#/W 45-55#, KB Swings M 20-24kg/W12-16kg, Burpees, Situps.

The short list is always the worst.  No getting around that.  The worst of it are burpees - they take the wind right out of you and the situps that follow offer only a short reprieve.  Best thing is to get it done.  Steady, consistent work.  Lingering only prolongs the agony and makes it that much worse.

Next week we start a new cycle- finally.  Strength for all.  Hybrid athletes will be doing a cycling specific program so lots of legs, core and upper body.  Everyone will work together until cyclists break to their power endurance work then we will offer programming for base fitness and cyclists, similar to how the ski training worked.

All climbers will also start a strength cycle.  Rock climbers will start their 9-week intensive climbing program.  Though its still the middle of winter, spring climbing season is right around the corner, so now is the time to put in the gym work in preparation for the fun.

On tap for the ice climbers yesterday and today was the benchmark workout that they did back in the beginning of December, or really November 28th.  The 8 weeks of climbing specific training had ended and I had hoped all the climbers had built a good base to venture out and test their skills.  But I also needed something to keep track of progress as the season progressed.  So I wrote a short metcon for ice climbers that I planned to use throughout the season to see how they were doing.

The test itself is 3 rounds of 50x stepups w/ pack M25#/W15#, 5x laps peg board, 5x Scotty Bob's M35#/W25#.  Initially everyone tested well with most coming in around 15-16 minutes.  Very respectable.

A couple of the ice climbers "revisited" the benchmark yesterday and today with fantastic results.  Times were 2-3 minutes faster than before and on a metcon of only 15 minutes that is alot of improvement.  Kevin and Diana Craig both improved by 3 minutes and Mitch Lasky improved by 2.5 minutes - Great work guys!

It would be easy for me to take credit for such improvement but the reality is the ice climbers have been working hard in the gym and outside.  Training 1-2 days per week in the gym mixed with a few days of climbing outside on the weekends or holidays, has made them strong and fast.

The take home lesson from this?  During the off-season spend the time in the gym and work hard.  And as the season begins cut back on training - without abandoning it - and increase time in sport.  One to two days of training in-season should be max, spend the rest of the time doing your sport.  But don't abandon the gym altogether.  It will help you maintain strength and speed and reduce risk of injury throughout the whole season.

Kudos to my athletes - they have been doing a great job balancing work and play and as you can see the numbers speak for themselves.

After several hard sessions in a row its time to unload.  Since all athletes are heading into a strength cycle next week, I didn't want anyone too tired or tight starting out.  This is another in the Bare Naked series meaning that it is all bodyweight work and the only extra tool we used today is a jumprope.  So if you find yourself needing something on the road this is a great one and the jumprope is easy enough to sub out.

Warmup 5 round 20x jumping jacks, 30 sec side plank R, 5x pushups, 30 sec side plank L.  Training #1  8 rounds 100m run, 1 length bear crawl, 1 length walking lunges no wt., 30 sec groiners, 10x situps.  #2  8 rounds of 60 sec jumprope - 20s 2ft./20s R/20s L, 1 length crab crawl, 1 length duck walk, 30 sec mtn. climbers, 10x poorman's leg curl ea side.

Notice the jumping jacks.  Yep, never done them in the gym before, so a great change of pace. 

Lots of mobility work packed into this session.  So if you you are tired or sore today it might not feel great, but tomorrow will be a whole 'nother story.  Each block has at least one mobility exercise for the hips and shoulders and a short metabolic part to keep the body warm and loose.

While unload days are good for the body they are equally good for the mind.  Pounding out hard sessions day after day is challenging for the body and the mental aspect to motivate and push can be equally challenging.  So let the mind relax and unwind and you'll feel better and perform better the next time you're in the gym.

Enjoy.

I must take credit where credit is due...genius right here.  As tough as this one is I did a pretty good job of balancing all the circuits.  The push press/front squat combo sucks and the only thing you want to do is throw the bar at me cause your arms are falling off.  But once you've moved on to the next circuit, it is forgotten and there is no lingering arm pain.  The WTD burpee broad jumps are challenging but again forgotten for the last part.  And if you thought I had forgotten about the dreaded SB clean + getup, you were wrong.  I was just saving them for the right moment. 

Warmup 6 rounds Mini leg blaster, 5x inchworms w/ pushup.  Training #1  3 rounds of 30 sec push press, 30 sec OH hold, 30 sec front squats, 30 sec front rack hold, 15x sunrises, 6x shoulder openers.  #2  5 rounds of 6x WTD burpee broad jumps, 6x WTD GHD situps, 60 sec DOT drill, mtn mobility ea side.  #3  4 rounds of 3x SB clean + getup ea side, 6x STD KB Russian Twist ea side, 60 sec plank walkup.

In the first circuit go light.  Men did anywhere from 55-85# and may have been wishing for less.  Women did 35-45# and that was plenty.  Its really just a mental challenge.  The weight isn't heavy nor the movements complicated.  Its holding the bar for a full two minutes that makes the whole upper body scream at you to drop the bar.  Strong minds will hold on.

In the second circuit hold dumbbells at your side and do one broad jump and then shoot the feet back and do a pushup.  Return to start position and repeat 5 more times.  Once you get the movement figured out they are actually kind of fun.  Though once you get it figured out it is also harder cause you can move alot quicker.  Weighted GHD situps on tap today.  I tried them last week just to see what it was like.  I'm not looking forward to tomorrow morning.

And finally the sandbag portion.  Clean the bag and do 1 getup.  Drop the bag and start again.  Alternate shoulders or do all on one side first - doesn't matter to me - its all hateful.  A few Russian twists and a minute of plank walkups.  I somehow thought they might be easier today since we didn't do them elevated - wrong.  They still suck.

This is a tough one.  Lots of volume and work packed into an hour.  And with three hard sessions last week, Wednesday will be a true unload day.

Apparently Monday's session took a little more out of me than expected - and a few others.  While this shouldn't have "seemed" hard - it did.  Hopefully it was enough but not too much to get ready for Friday's interval training written by Jim.

Warmup 2-6-10-14  Jingle jangles, alternating staggered pushups - total, plank kicks ea side.  Training #1  30-20-10-20-30  Goblet squats M24-28kg/W16-20kg, jumping squats, 1-leg stepups ea side w/ pack M30#/W20#.  #2  5 rounds of 3x pullups incr wt ea rd, 6x 1/2 BW push press, 8x GHD situps.  #3  60-30-15-30-60  seconds wallsit, seconds elevated plank, seconds airdyne M >80RPM, W >70 RPM.

Lots of legs in the first circuit.  Hopefully it gets the blood flowing and some soreness out.  Coming off Monday my legs felt good but it was my shoulder/upper body that was suffering so I thought going easy on them would be wise.  The second circuit includes some heavy work for the upper body.  It will make you work but goes by fairly quick.  And then last part is a nice durability circuit.

Jim will be in all day Friday with a great session that he wrote (yeah I tweeked it a bit but any hard stuff he gets credit for).  It looks fun and different and maybe a little hard.  Enjoy!

No give aways here and I knew I was in trouble when I was getting crushed by 30 seconds of core balance.  Hate that.  Good combo of hard lower body and upper body work and then a quick breather at the end.  It actually goes by quicker than expected, which is a good thing.

Warmup with 1 KB do 30 seconds of each exercise:  Goblet squats, Halos CW, Halos CCW, R arm hi pull, L arm hi pull, R arm swing, L arm swing, R arm clean & press, L arm clean & press, figure 8 both directions, goblet squats.  Training #1  6 rounds of 5x KB front squats, 5x DB KB swings, 5x KB lunges ea side, 2 laps crab crawl, hip swivel ea side.  #2  5 rounds of 6x DB push press, 3x scotty bob's, 1 lap DB crawl, 30 sec core balance, 4x supermans - hold 5 sec.  #3  40-30-20-10 Box jumps, Barbell floor press.

I inadvertently programmed another hard warmup.  I was looking for a rest when I finished.  I stole it from friend and fellow coach, John Frieh, and just tweeked it a bit.  Not sure if it made it easier or harder.  For the 6 minutes of work, don't put the KB down and try to maximize each 30 second block as much as possible.  And then grab the pair to that KB and get down to business.

Start with KBs in rack position and do 5x front squats and then right into a double KB swing.  Still holding onto your KBs keep them by your side and lunge 5x each leg.  The crab crawl is an inverted bear crawl, only a bit easier.

Then comes the upper body portion.  This time holding onto dumbbells for the work portion.  As tough as it is, the push presses were way easier with dumbbells than the KBs we used last time - so I had that working for me.  Press, set the dumbbells down for Scotty Bob's and then move right into the crawl.  It will be nice to get off the hands and wrists for the core balance but you will quickly realize how much core work goes into those first three exercises.

The box jump/floor press seems daunting but actually goes by fairly quickly.  For the floor press, load a bar and lay on the floor with the bar over your chest.  A floor press goes from extended bench press position to elbows touching floor - about half the range of motion of a regular bench press, but with so many reps here its still will feel like alot.

Remember we are still in the toughen up cycle, and will be for the next two weeks, which means alot of these training sessions are loaded with volume and new or varied exercises - all very taxing on the body and mind.  Rest appropriately and you'll see the gains soon enough.

Straight up work today.  No smiling faces.  No asking for more.  No false advertising.  Just work.

Warmup  5 rounds of 5x hang power cleans, 5x push press, 3x OH lunges ea side, 30 sec plank.  Training  8 rounds of 6x Mr. Spectaculars, 6x H. pullups, 6x SB squats, 6x SB jumping squats, 6x R. Rows ea side, 6x corkscrews ea side, 100m Run.  #2  100x calories on the airdyne.

The warmup pretty much sucks.  Shoulders are burning right out of the gate which makes concentrating on the OH lunges quite difficult.  More than one athlete has dropped the bar between reps for some quick relief.  Work through it.  Its only 5 rounds and though an admittedly agonizing 5 rounds.

The training portion is a long grind.  Most athletes are coming in around 30-40 minutes for that part alone.  The crux?  Mr. Spectaculars.  Always difficult, always make you breath heavy and with no where to catch your breath after it this makes for a great work capacity effort.  The running in the snow?  Purely a bonus.  And some actually wished that that portion were longer.  You won't get cold, trust me.  And knowing you are coming back to Mr. Spectaculars makes you want to hang out longer.

Friday will be a much easier day - a little skill work.  Jason will be teaching the hang squat snatch and a little core work to balance everything out.  The first two sessions this week were tough, so if you are feeling it you are in good company.

Some heavy, some fast, and some just straight up work.  Today we try the Double Eagle - sounds complicated but really quite simple and one that once you do a couple times you will probably never forget.

Warmup  4 rounds of 3x deadlifts, 3x DOT drill, 6x elevated pushups.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 3x deadlifts @ bodyweight, 12x box jumps, 6x bench press @ 1/2 bodyweight, 4x shoulder dislocates.  #2  5 rounds of 1x KB double eagle, 10x WTD toes to sky.  #3  For 12 minutes add 1 rep of each every minute on the minute KB swing, jingle jangle.

The warmup is really geared for the deadlift portion of the training.  Men started at 95# and added 20# each round and women started at 45 or 65#, depending on their weight, and added 20#.  Women should come in slightly under bodyweight when they finish the warmup and men will be a little further from bodyweight but still have some heavier lifts under their belts before starting.  Load another bar on the rack at 1/2 bodyweight for the bench press.  Deadlift/box jumps are one of my favorite combinations, so it was nice to start this off with that - made the whole thing that much more doable.  Depending on your strength to weight ratio, this is either pretty easy or near impossible.  Men certainly had an easier time but some of the women struggled a little with bodyweight work. (And some were still commenting on the bodyweight tire drag)

Move right onto the double eagle.  You will need a loaded sled, 2x KBs and some dragging room.  Start by putting the sled harness around your waist and then rack the kettlebells.  Do 5x KB front squats and then with KBs at your side drag the tire the length of the gym.  Put the KBs in the sled and moving backwards, drag it back.  That is a double eagle.  Kinda fun really, or at least different.  Add a little more weight and the fun factor really starts to climb.

And finally a short work capacity effort.  It will take a total of 12 minutes.  On minute 1 do 1x KB swing and 1x length of a jingle jangle.  Minute 2 do 2 of each.  Add one rep each minute for 12 minutes.  So far everyone has been able to get all 12.  But if you can't, drop back 2 rounds and hold that for the remaining time.  First couple rounds are obviously slow and easy but come 10, 11, 12 you wish you were back at one.  Don't like to run?  No problem.  Substitute calories on the airdyne for the jingle jangles.  I didn't try it but it looked pretty darn hard towards the end.

Another solid session today that features the bodyweight tire drag.  Some of the athletes had the pleasure of doing these at the ATC anniversary challenge but not all.  So here's your chance.

Warmup 7 rounds of 4x Power cleans, 4x Front squats, 4x Push press, mtn mobility ea side.  Training #1  100m Bodyweight tire drag.  #2  5 rounds of 3x KB 1-leg stepups ea side, 3x KB lunges ea side, 12x jumping lunges, 30 sec 2 pt. plank ea side.  #3  2-4-6-8-10-8-6-4-2 Renegade Man Makers, WTD K2E on rope.

This will have you questioning right out of the gate.   The weight on the warmup should be moderately heavy.  Heavy enough that you feel like you should drop down a bit but just enough to complete the triplet.  Men loaded at 75-95# and women 45-55#.  I was ready to move on after the first couple rounds.  Its not that hard if it were done any other time during the session but during that warmup period, it really forces the athlete to focus and get their game on right away.  Apparently my body wasn't quite ready to get going.

Move onto the tire drag.  Load it up to bodyweight and start dragging.  Forwards, backwards, sideways, I don't care.  Just get it to the tree and bring it back.

The next part of training is quite grueling and mostly because of the planks.  Put the KBs in the rack position and hold them there for the 1-leg stepups and then lunges on the floor.  Bang out the jumping lunges with no weight.  And then on to the 2 pt. plank.  Its been awhile and you will feel every single second of these.  Definitely the crux of the circuit.

The last part is long but certainly not as difficult as it looks.  The Renegade Man Maker is a pushup, a row on each side and a push press all done with dumbbells.  Then put the ankle weights on and do a lockoff on the rope.  Pull knees up to elbows.  The worst part about these is that you realize in the first couple rounds how hard 10 really is going to be.  But get 10 and then you are on the downhill slide.

Jim will be in coaching tonight, Thursday, and Jason will be in all day Friday.  Have fun.

If the regular athletes are going to do a toughen up cycle, it would only be fair for the climbers to do one as well.  Gotta be fair.

Warmup 2-4-6-8-10 x 10 sec airdyne, ball throws.  Training #1  10-1, 1-10 Tool pullups, WTD situps.  #2  6 rounds of 4x Figure 4x - total, 4x corkscrews ea side, 10x back extensions, 30 sec 2-pt. plank ea side.  #3  1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1  Mr. Spectaculars, single peg board lap.

The warmup is really a few minutes on the airdyne broken up by a few ball throws to warmup the shoulders.  Then move right onto the pullups and WTD situps.  Men should use a 35-45# plate and women 25-35#.  Whatever side you use here, you will use for the corkscrews in the next circuit.  First round is 10x pullups to 1x WTD situp and then 9x pullups to 2x WTD situps.  The last round should be 1x pullup and 10x WTD situps.

Then move over to Figure 4 land.  Two each side or four total.  IF you can't do a Figure 4 then focus on knees to elbows to help build the core strength required for Figure 4s.  Remember the 2 pt plank has one forearm on the ground and one leg.  The other arm and leg are both extended off the floor.  Its been a while for these, and you'll realize it quickly.

Finally a few laps on the peg board with Mr. Spectaculars mixed.  Mr. Spectacular is a clean, press, and walk out to a pushup and then jump right on the boards. 

This will keep you moving the whole time to finish in an hour.

We start the year off with a toughen up cycle, so if this feels hard - its meant to.

Warmup 2-4-6-8-10 1-arm DB snatch ea side, burpees.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 6x rock squats + 1 lap rock carry, 60 sec elevated plank walkup.  #2  6 rounds of 6x KB push press, 1x rope climb, 60 sec sumo squat hold.  #3  6 rounds of 30 sec surrenders, 1 lap bear crawl, 30 sec SDHP, 1 length broad jump.

The warmup will get you going right away.  Almost makes you feel like the weekend could have been longer than it was.  No worries.  It will get you ready for the first round of rock squats.  Grab a rock and hold it right at your chest and squat 6 times.  Then keeping it on your chest, walk one lap of the gym.  If the rock is not crushing your chest - you're doing it wrong.  Place the rock as high as possible on the chest and go to work.  There is nothing easy or pleasing about this.  The rock is awkward, heavy and might even scratch you.  Don't linger.  Then drop into the plank walkup.  With feet on stacked plates go to work.  Amazing how much more agonizing this is with feet up and after carrying the rock.

The second circuit doesn't offer much relief.  With two KBs do 6x push press.  You'll be surprised how much more difficult the KBs are than the DBs.  Then onto the rope climb.  If you can easily do it with feet, give a few pulls without them. If already accomplished at no feet, try an L-sit or start sitting on the ground.  Sixty seconds of sumo squat hold will give the arms a rest but leave you trying to catch your breath.

The last circuit is a real kick in the pants.  Last week we brought back the surrenders.  In an effort to help the athletes remember them, I included them again.  This time for 30 seconds.  Which is probably equivalent to what we did last week but knowing you have to hold the dumbbells that long is alot different than just banging out 6 and being done.  A quick bear crawl and then onto the Sumo Deadlift High Pull.  Another thirty seconds of eternity before 1 gym length of broad jumps. 

The good thing about this session is it does come in under an hour and you will be happy when its done.  More fun on Thursday.  With a short week we will do two hard sessions whereas next week we will do 2 hard and one less hard.

Surrender and you will pay the price.  Great fun on this one today...well sort of fun.  Some hard work.  Lots of challenges and something a little different for the last training session of the year.

Warmup 4 rounds of 30x stepups, 6x surrenders.  Training 1.  Max pushups.  2.  10 minutes of Sandbag work.  3.  Max pushups - match first round or penalty of 1 minute all out effort on airdyne.  4.  4 rounds 30/30/30 seconds KB swings, 60 sec rest, increase wt. on the ladder.  5.  Max pushups - match first round or 10x burpees.  6.  5 rounds of Barbell complex every two minutes.  Add weight if done under 1 minute, subtract weight if over 1 minute.  *Any surrender during the 10 minute portions ie drop the sandbag, drop the KB or put down the bar, results in 1x full leg blaster.

Lacking inspiration this week I visited one of my favorite sites - SEALfit.  They have some great names and that are very appropriate to their training sessions.  I read Surrender and couldn't get the name out of my head.  Then I remembered the exercise "surrenders" that Jeremy had us do a couple times.  And then the real lightning bolt hit when I came up with 10 minutes of sandbag work.  All of a sudden inspiration was flowing so fast I could barely get it all down. 

For the surrender exercise hold two dumbbells overhead.  Lunge forward dropping one knee to the ground and then the other.   Stand back up.  Alternate legs (the hardest part to figure out - especially while holding dumbbells overhead, surprising how the IQ drops when weight is overhead).  A few of those with stepups and you will be warmed up ready to go.

So start with a round of max pushups.  Chest to ball each time for the rep to count.  You can rest in the extended position but once out of pushup position, you are done.  Round one sets the bar for successive rounds.

Then grab a sandbag.  Funny how the sandbag run or sandbag getups can quickly beccome a "rest".  Don't put the bag down for 10 minutes.   Lots of options here but one can only do 10 reps of each exercise and then they need to move on.  Its kinda fun really.  And for once you will be wishing you could do more getups.  If the bag happens to drop, careful how you maneuver that thing, the penalty is 1 round of full leg blasters.

Back to pushups.  Match the first round or do the airdyne penalty at the end.  Then line up those KBs.

We haven't done this ladder in a long time.  And I can't say I missed it at all.  For whatever reason my grip was quite taxed from the sandbag portion eventhough it was on my back the whole time.  The first couple KBs were light but the third...well you'll see.  I took a penalty.

More pushups and penalty for not matching is 10x burpees.

And finally the barbell complex.  One complex every two minutes.  If you are under 1 minute add weight, over 1 minute take some off.  As much as I dreaded this one, it was actually slightly easier than the others.  But remember if you have to drop the bar...leg blasters.

Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.  Full body = full value.  I know I've worked hard when I get a little shaky when I'm done.  And this one took me a good 10 minutes before I could open my bottle of chocolate milk.  Full value indeed.  Happy New Year!

The ice climbers are welcomed back with a big strength session today.  All work, no play.

Warmup  5 rounds of 20x squats, 3x staggered pullups R & L, 3x staggered pushups R & L.  Training  1.  6 rounds of 8x deadlifts, 3x Scotty Bob's, 3x laps peg board, 60 sec core balance.  2.  6 rounds of 6x push press, 6x front squats, 2x cave laps, 60 sec jumprope.

I realized its been awhile on the staggered pullups and what better complement than staggered pushups.  I used some plates - stacked them - and with one hand on the plate and one hand on the floor do the pushups and then switch hands.

In part one of training I loaded athletes to 115-135# for men.  These should feel pretty heavy.  And onto Scotty Bob's at 35#DBs.  The peg board lap should have been a rest, at least mentally.  The grip could be tired from holding the bar and dumbbells but should not be pumped from the climbing portion.  Finish this circuit with the core balance for 60 seconds.

Part two is equally challenging with the push press/front squat combination.  Whatever load is used, this is quite difficult and today I ask the athletes to go heavy - at least on the push press portion.  The front squat load should be relatively light but the system is already taxed from the push press which makes them feel especially hard.  Follow with some cave work and then 60 seconds of jumprope.

While it doesn't appear long or hard, this session is loaded - lots of volume and lots of weight.  Work hard and steady and you'll be rewarded come climbing day.

Seems like a long time since the last training session...or so my body thought.  Definitely felt a little rusty getting going this morning and it took me the better part of the training session to really start moving the way I had hoped.  Obviously too many chocolates.

Warmup  60x airsquats then 4x 30sec on/30 sec off mtn. climbers/groiners.  Training  1.  6 rounds of 45 sec thrusters, 15 sec rest, 45 sec KB swings, 15 sec rest, 45 sec ball slams, 15 sec rest, 45 sec SB squat clean, 15 sec rest, 45 sec jumprope, 15 sec + 1 minute of rest.  2.  Accumulate 300 seconds of plank.

In the warmup alternate between mountain climbers and groiners.  First round do 30 seconds mountain climbers and second round 30 seconds of groiners and repeat.  The hips should be plenty warm after that to get started on the thrusters.

For the training portion go a little lighter than normal on the weights.  One because you probably haven't trained in a few days and secondly, and more importantly, the goal is more reps and a higher heart rate and not high weight with fewer reps.  We are pushing the anaerobic threshold on each exercise, though muscular failure will probably hold you back before going over the edge.  The 15 seconds of rest is quick and for a few of the exercises probably not enough.  But honestly if you stood their till you were ready, it might never happen.  There is a full minute  + 15 seconds at the end of each round to recover which is just about right.  The first couple rounds I thought it might be too short, but I realized that it was just me being lazy.

In the second part accumulate 300 seconds of plank.  Doesn't matter how you break it down but time starts when you hit the plank and stops as soon as you break.  Something different.

Looking ahead to January we will do one of our "toughen up" cycles.  Two days of hard work and one easier day, so as not to send anyone over the edge.  Also in January, there will be NO rock climbing sessions.  Rock climbers need a recovery period and then February we will start an 8-week climbing intensive program to prep the climbers for spring climbing.  Also in February we will do an 8-week bike specific training program.  Like the ski program there will be an option of bike or regular.  Questions?  Please ask.

The athletes get a shot at the Gym Jones classic "300." (The real 300)  Short and sweet with alot of work packed in.  We didn't do it for time in this session but maybe in the future.  The real goal was to have everyone do it as Rx'd.  Men used 135# for the deadlift and floor wipers while women used 95#.  Certainly the weight was alot easier to manage on the deadlift side than the floor wiper side, its a heavy load to hold.  For the clean and press men went at 2x 16kg and women at 2x 12kg, this proving to be the crux of the workout.  While the pullups are long and tedious the clean & press really hit the entire system hard.

Warmup  10x Renegade man makers  Training 25x pullups, 50x deadlifts, 50x pushups, 50x box jumps, 50x floor wipers, 50x clean & press, 25x pullups.

The warmup is short but I felt like we needed a little something before jumping into the pullups.  Remember for each exercise don't dig yourself a hole.  Always leave a a rep or two in the tank before taking a rest.  Once you hit muscular failure you will never recover and be reduced to the one rep at a time method - long and tedious.  Most athletes were able to move through the deadlifts, pushups, box jumps and floor wipers quite well and did only a few rounds of several reps at a time.  It was the pullups and the clean & press that were the breakers.  All in all good solid work and actually more fun than I had anticipated.

My guess is that at some point during this session you'll be cursing Jesus Christ or possibly taking the Lord's name in vain, especially if you had the pleasure of doing the birthday challenge.  But He can't help you here. 

While this is power endurance by design its also a great way to burn a bunch of calories just in case you plan on enjoying the holiday festivities...see always thinking of you guys first.  There are 5 30 second sprint intervals on the bike broken up by 4 minute blocks of power endurance work.

Warmup 5 rounds of Mini leg blaster, HAM ea side.  Training 1.  30 second sprint airdyne.  2.  4 minutes of stepups to 20" box.  3.  30 second sprint airdyne.  4.  Tabata plank walkup.  5.  30 second sprint airdyne.  6.  2 rounds of 90 sec jumprope, 30 sec rest.  7.  30 second sprint airdyne.  8.  4 minutes of TGUs.  9.  30 second sprint airdyne.  10.  Tabata DB push press.

Fortunately things get started right away in the warmup.  Then onto the airdyne for the first interval.  As awful as they are, this "seemed" alot easier than the day we did 4 sprints with a 90 second rest.  Today we do 5 sprints but with other stuff mixed which makes the time on the airdyne just a little better.  And conceivably calories or RPMs should be the same across the board.  Certainly its harder in the last couple of rounds, but not impossible. 

The stepups felt good and I was actually able to recover a little bit there.  The plank walkups gradually added up and ended up taking more out of me than expected and by the time I was back to the jumprope it was difficult just getting the feet off the ground.  And just when I thought the jumprope would be the crux, the TGUs surprised me.  The kettlebell felt especially heavy and doing multiple reps on one side was difficult at best.  Certainly one of the longer 4 minute blocks.  And then the push press.  Push press light (and I emphasize light) dumbbells for 20 seconds and then relax.  No you don't have to hold them overhead or anything silly like that.  The 20 seconds was more than enough and 2 rounds probably would have been sufficient but we couldn't stop there.  We did all eight.  The bright side?  Once those were done, that was it (cause you wouldn't have been able to pick anything else up!).

Friday we'll do the Gym Jones classic "300"...done the real way.

The ice climbers get some strength endurance training in this one.  Each circuit has a weighted exercise then unweighted exercise that uses the same muscles and really works the forearms and grip.

Warmup  10-8-6-4-2  Goblet squats, Renegade rows - total, burpees.  Training #1  6 rounds of 4x WTD pullups, 20 sec Double lockoff no wt., rest 60 sec.  #2  5 rounds of 2 laps peg board - WTD, 20 sec deadhang no wt., rest 60 sec.  #3  4 rounds of 15 sec airdyne sprint, 60 sec tool switch cave, rest 60 sec.  #4  6 rounds of 3x TGUs R- HVY, 8x tool swings w/ band R, 3x TGUs L, 8x tool swings w/ band L.

In the warmup grab a pair of DBs.  Men used 35# and women 25#.  Use just 1 for the goblet squats and both for the Renegade rows.  In the first round do a total of 10 rows or 5x each side (remember no pushups with these) and countdown from there.

For the weighted pullups men used between 15 and 25#.  Go as heavy as possible while still being able to complete the pullups.  Breaks are allowed but pullups must be full pullups.  Drop the pack and go to the double lockoff on the tools.  I gave a full minute of rest to help the climbers recover between rounds.  It seems like a long time but then the pump comes back fast.  Next move over to the peg board with the same pack and do 2 laps.  Drop the pack and go into a deadhang on the tools for 20 seconds.  Again a full minute of rest.

In part 3 there is a short burst on the airdyne but plenty of time in the cave to recover the breath and do the work.  Focus more on the tool switch than actually moving through the cave.  The forearms should be getting pretty tired by now so enjoy the rest.

Finally some intense shoulder work.  Go a little heavier on the TGUs and then right into the tool swings.  We have a fat yellow band that we attach to the tool to add resistance to the end of the swing motion.  After a few getups and then weighted swings the shoulders should be plenty fatigued.  Alternate between shoulders for a total of six rounds.

Wednesday will be an interval session that follows along with the regular athletes with just a few exercises switched out.  Should be fun.

Both of these guys seem to have slide under the wire the past couple of years since their birthdays fall so close to Christmas, but not this year.  Though a few days early, its probably good to get the birthday challenge out of the way so that one can really celebrate their birthday and not loathe it.

Chris was the first to fess up and even told me his age and instantly I knew what I wanted.  Chris is the king of pennies.  Doesn't matter how many rounds, the pennies come out.  So I knew I had to make the pennies part of it.  And with a nice round number like 30 it really made it quite easy.  The hard part was matching up the Curtis Ps with anything and not let it get out of control.  Thirty of one exercise is fine but start adding a few jumps and pushups and situps and things can add up quickly.

As I mentioned before it was alot better to go with Chris' age than King's.  Imagine 48 rounds of this?  No I didn't think you could nor would you want to.  That would be ugly.  But I did manage to squeeze a couple 48s in the warmup just so King wouldn't feel left out.

Warmup 6 rounds of 8x squats, 8x jingle jangles, 8x KB swings.  Training 30 rounds for time of 1x Curtis P, 7x lateral bar hops, 4x pushups, 5x situps.

Couple key things to remember on this one.  First figure out how to keep track.  Though a couple people did it, 30 rounds is alot to keep track of in your head.  Then focus on transition time.  Each exercise is not that difficult even the Curtis Ps are pretty doable, but its easy to take a quick break here and there when its not really that necessary.  After the loaded portion and the hops I drop you right to the floor to help you catch your breath.  That should be plenty.  Get right back on the bar and bust out another Curtis P.  That is really the mental portion.

Most athletes are coming in right around 20 minutes.  So its quick.  Down and dirty.  You can rest when you're done.

Chris was able to triumph this evening on the men's side with a weight of 105 on the Curtis Ps.  Impressive.  Kirstin took the women's title at just over 20 minutes also at 55#.  Very impressive also.

As usual its always fun to have a challenge - all the athletes bring their best game and go as hard as possible on just one day.  Or a couple days throughout the year.

The ice climbing session today forces the climber to perform under fatigue.  In each circuit the heavy load comes first and then the climber is required to perform.  Challenging but real life.  Being able to hang on and push through is what its all about when trying to get a route done.

Warmup  5 rounds of 20x squats, 1 lap Farmer carry, 20 sec deadhang tools.  Training  #1  7 rounds of 8x deadlifts - moderately heavy, 2x cave laps, 10x hip lifts ea side.  #2  8 rounds of 10x DB push press - moderate weight, 2x single peg board laps, 10x situps.  #3  6 rounds 60 sec plank, 3x Figure 4s ea side.

In both ice and rock climbing the posterior chain does alot of the work.  Hamstrings, glutes, back - upper and lower - are all working to help keep the climber on the wall.  So in the first circuit heavy deadlifts will preload the posterior chain and then the climber must work to move in the cave but more important hold their feet in with hamstrings and glutes and core.  Lots of work in this first circuit.

Then moving onto the next, shoulders are preloaded before heading to the peg board.  Remember the single peg board lap goes up only one of the 2x4s - stack the tools on one another and move up and down.

Finally a killer core section.  The planks will preload the abs and then come the figure 4s.  I was kind enough to leave this till last, cause this might put you over the edge.  Enjoy.

I know most of the athletes will come in tired, fatigued and maybe a little haggard, but you'll be happy to know this will help.  Feeling a little rundown after a hard week of training, it was hard to get going but with each round I was able to push a little harder and by the time I finished I felt much better than when I started. 

Warmup  4 rounds 4x TGUs ea side, 4x DOT drill, 30 sec mobility of choice.  Training #1  5 rounds of 10x KB swings, 10x jingle jangles, 60 sec rest.  #2  5 rounds 6x power cleans, 20 sec sprint airdyne, 60 sec rest.  #3  4 rounds of 6x lunges ea side w/ DBs, 60 sec stepups, 60 sec rest.  #4  5 rounds of 6x thrusters, 2 laps of bear crawl, 60 sec rest.

Interesting how this plays out.  There are two really hard circuits and two just hard circuits.  Which is kind of nice.  Almost gives the athlete a chance to "rest" or at least regroup a little.  The airdyne will not disappoint but I think the real kicker is the bear crawls - 2 laps.  Doesn't seem like much but they'll get ya.

In the warmup I let the athletes choose a mobility exercise or a stretch that felt good to them.  I rarely do this and maybe have only done it once before but with the volume of training we have put in this week I was a little unsure of what everyone would need and actually expected everyone to need something different.  The goal was to allow the athlete to pick an exercise or stretch that would best help them for the work ahead.  Hopefully it achieved what I wanted.

Each circuit is about 10 minutes long - give or take - with a 1:1 work to rest ratio. Meaning the amount of work equals the amount of rest.   Psychologically that's good - half the time you'll be working but on the other hand half the time you'll be resting.  The goal was to have the athletes work hard and then give them enough time to recover and be able to go equally as hard when starting again.  For most it works out good, but then the airdyne is always in a class of its own.

Monday will be the birthday challenge for Chris Burk and King Grant.  Chris & King will challenge at 6pm, but everyone will get a crack at it throughout the day.  In all fairness - don't let the cat out of the bag early.

Climbers get another stamina session to test their strength endurance on the wall.  Nothing fancy just alot of time on the ice.

Warmup  4 rounds of 30 sec tool switch, 20 sec push press DBs, 10 sec OH hold, 5x shoulder openers ea side.  Training #1  5-4-3-2-1  Minutes on the ice board, Curtis Ps, x 10 sec airdyne.  #2  5 rounds of 10x WTD situps, 60 sec plank, 5x corkscrews ea side, 10x reverse hypers.

If you've been keeping up with the ice programming, the time on the boards shouldn't be too difficult.  Monday had a total accumulated time of 12 minutes and this is 15 minutes.  So a little bump but not that much really.  Come off the boards and get right to the Curtis Ps.  This is where the money is.  You will be pumped from the climbing portion and then having to grab and hold the bar is especially difficult, but it will pay huge dividends in the long run so fight hard and rest on the airdyne.  Focus on leg drive and light grip on the handles if at all.  Keep transitions short and get back to the wall.

The second part is a nice core circuit to help make my climbers more durable.  A nice way to finish this session.

Not much I can really take credit for on this one except putting all the pieces together.  Chris Hansen had sent me this title in hopes of me matching it to an appropriate workout.  Coach Jim sent me a strength session for front squats.  So logically I put them together and added a little of my own at the end.

Warmup 3 rounds 10x front squats, 5x Bottoms Up KB push press ea side, 30 sec mtn. climbers, 5x groiners.  Training #1  Work up to 1 RM Front Squat.  #2  1 round of 10x FS @ 75%max, 1 lap DB crawl, 20x FS @ 60% max, 1 lap DB crawl, 30x FS @ 45%max, 1 lap DB crawl.  #3  6 rounds of 8x KB clean & press, 30 sec sumo squat hold, 4x STD SB Russian twists ea side, 3x supermans.  #4  Tabata situps.

Go light on the front squats in the warmup.  Women went at 45# and men 65-75#.  Just work the movement because there is alot ahead of you.  For the Bottoms Up KB push press turn your KB upside down so the bell is pointed towards the ceiling and press.  This is challenging at a light weight and the weak side is immediately apparent.  Once you figure it out, start with weak side first so it gets the most of your attention.  Then move onto the squatting portion.

I redid everyone's max today, not to see if they had gone up - cause I didn't really expect it to - but to set the weight for the day.  If any of the athletes had come in tired or sore from Monday their strength might be compromised so using an old max for so many squats would be unfair.  Once you have the max, reload and get to work.  I actually adjusted the percentages a bit from what Jim had originally called for to make sure everyone was able to complete the task.  These add up quickly.

Onto KB clean & press.  My regular athletes haven't done these in forever and personally I wasn't all that happy as I struggled through the 6 rounds.  But its necessary, so get down to business.  There is some good rest options following the clean & press so the circuit is really just loaded at the front.

Finally a few situps to round things out.

Just a quick note from Monday's session.  Not sure if everyone has suddenly started using steriods or I am a programming genius but pretty much across the board everyone's deadlift max went up.  And many athletes put up significant increases.  It was really quite impressive, astonishing and all around great.  So good job everyone and kept up those steriods so I look good.

Stamina.  For a stamina session its really not that long but it may just seem like forever.  Be ready to get down to business and get 'er done.

Warmup 6 rounds of 6x Bulgarian split squats ea side, 6x ring rows, 6x spiderman pushups.  Training 6 rounds of 2 minutes on boards, 2 minutes WTD stepups, 10x KB clean & press.

The warmup should pretty much get everything warmed up and ready to go and then move onto the work.  My athletes will rotate through the three climbing options; peg board, ice board, cave, spending 2 minutes on each two times through.  Stepups are weighted to 25# for men and 15# for women.  No need to go for broke here but no need to slack either.  The arms should be getting a good rest while the legs work.  Then the clean and press.  Grab two kettlebells and get after it.  Again no need to sprint through these but move steadily and get right back on the wall.

Strength today and since I know you have all been dying to do it, max deadlifts are on the slate.  I know, they are fun and surprisingly many athletes are putting up some big PRs.

Warmup 5 rounds 12x jingle jangles, 6x Bulgarian split squats ea side no wt., 4x plyo pushups.  Training #1  Work to 1 RM deadlift.  #2  10 rounds of 1x DL @ 90%, 3x curl & press - HVY, 10x plank kicks ea side.  #3  5 rounds of 5x OH squats incr wt ea rd, 5x ring rows, 5x ball slams, 5x K2E on rope.  #4  4 rounds of 10x WTD situps, 60 sec jumprope, 5x slashers ea side, 10x reverse hypers.

Tweeking with the deadlift mechanics today to try and recruit more hamstring than lower back.  So far so good.  But tomorrow will be the true test if athletes wake up with a sore lower back or sore hamstring or neither.  Using a hip hinge to help lift the weight will make one activate more hamstrings.  So if you have the technique down right that's where you'll feel it, if not your back will take an even heavier load.

Overhead squats complement all the heavy deadlifts.  Start light and gradually add weight so the last set is hard but still doable with good form.  Some core work provides a good mental break and then back to the squats. 

And finally a nice durability circuit to help keep everyone stronger, longer.

The ice climbers get an equally challenging work capacity effort today.  A little different formatting and the mental game is a whole lot tougher.

Warmup  4 rounds of 12x jingle jangles, 6x renegade rows ea side, 60 sec plank walkup, 3x supermans.  Training #1 For 10 minutes adding 1 rep every minute on the minute do tool pullups, hang power snatch, ball slam.  #2  1 round of 2x 15 sec deadhang, 15 sec KB swing, rest 60 seconds, 2x 20 sec deadhang, 20 sec KB swing, rest 80 seconds, 2x 30 sec deadhang, 30 sec KB swing.  #3  8 rounds of Mini leg blaster, 60 sec cave movement, 10x WTD situps.

So in the first training circuit the athlete will do 1 pullup, 1 hang power snatch, 1 ball slam and rest the remainder of the minute.  Minute 2 the athlete will 2x of every one and so on.  Until they are unable to complete their reps in a minute, then they will stay at that number for the remainder of the rounds.  The first couple minutes are extremely easy but then things become extremely hard fast and its really just a matter of holding on.  This offers alot of work and more work when the athlete gets tired, which is usually the case in the outdoors.  And the mental challenge is huge.  It would be quite easy to just give up.

Part two is all grip.  The hangs to swings are awful and offer a huge pump by the end.  Rest hard during rest time and really focus on the work during the work portion.  Great depth of training here that will directly transfer to climbing long, hard, steep pitches. 

Finish with some technical work in the cave and some core and leg work for a really solid work effort.

Yes another work capacity session which is only fitting because I gave you three strength sessions last week.  I needed a whole week of bliss before heading back to strength.  Three blocks at 10 minutes a piece and done.  And for those that complained there was too much leg work on Wednesday, this one if for you.

Warmup  3 rounds 5x corkscrews ea side, 5x front plate raises, 5x OH plate lunges ea side, 45 seconds plank walkup.  Training #1  Max pullups.  #2  10 minutes of SBGUs.  #3  Max pullups  #4  10 minutes of KB work M20kg/W16kg.  #5  Max pullups.  #6  Complete 40x Renegade Man makers in 10 minutes - penalty is 10 calories on the airdyne for each rep missed.

The warmup will get the shoulders and grip going right away.  I wanted them to be warm going into the pullups without actually do pullups.  You'll notice that there are three rounds of max pullups.  I realized a few weeks ago that I will never be able to push an athletes max pullups unless I let them keep pushing the numbers.  Rounds of 5 ro 6 will make you good at 5 or 6 but if I want athletes in the 10-20 range then we have to go there.  I was surprised at how many pullups many of the athletes could do and then come back and be close to that number again.  That is some athletic depth (just made that up).  And if nothing else it breaks up the blocks.

We all know about sandbag getups for 10 minutes.  Just get it done.  Save your mental energy for the next two parts.  Everyone went higher on the kettlebells for the 10 minutes.  There is a huge difference by just one step up in weight and that 10 minutes seems alot longer.  Not sure how many KB deadlifts I did, but there were alot.  Focus on a light grip and switching exercises frequently, don't let the forearms get overly pumped or you will never recover.

Finally the Renegade Man makers.  I give you 10 minutes. Use them wisely.  I would suggest some kind of pacing but if you just want to blast out 40 in a row then go for it.  It is very doable though kind of daunting at times.  With the kettlebell work just before it, the grip is what suffers first then the rest of the body. 

Don't worry more strength on the way next week.

The ice climber's second work capacity effort for the week was written by Coach Jim.  He offers the climbers a good challenge, some new training ideas and alot of work in two 15 minute blocks.  The first block was quite challenging for most and the second one a little easier to complete.

Warmup 5-10 Calories on the airdyne, seconds of deadhang on jugs, situps, clapping pushups.  Training #1  AMRAP in 15 minutes of 40x WTD stepups w/ pack, 10x 1-arm KB cleans ea side, 8x single peg board laps.  #2  AMRAP in 15 minutes of 10x dips, 10x 1-arm reaches ea side, 10x back extensions, 10x toes to target.  #3  3 rounds of 15x squats, 3x inchworms, mtn mobility ea side.

In the warmup work up the ladder of exercises.  Five reps of each then six of each all the way up to 10. 

In each block the climber must complete at least 4 full rounds to avoid the penalty of 25x burpees.  The first block is tough so move quickly and stay focused especially on the stepups  Its easy to get lost and slow with these.  The peg board also requires alot of focus so as not to lose time by missing holes.  In this section use just one row of holes and go straight up and down.  Its quicker but also makes for more misses.

The second block is alot more doable and by working consistently the four rounds should be fairly easy to accomplish.   In fact most climbers were at about 5 or 6.  But don't let up just cause I said that because another 25x burpees is on the line.  Also in this block is another a new exercise.  The 1-arm reach.  Hang with one arm on the peg board and let the other drop all the way to the floor and then reach up as high as possible.  Good full range of motion here and great practice at reaching high with the tools.

And finally a nice cool down do work some mobility.

One more work capacity effor to finish the week on Friday.

This is one of those short board days...not alot of writing which means alot of work.  Stolen from those crazy Navy Seals, once I saw it I knew I had to do it - with a few modifications.

Warmup 4 rounds of 20x airsquats, 10x jumping squats, 5x mtn climber mobility ea side, 5x groiners.  Training  15-1 Goblet squats, burpees, deadlifts, box jumps, situps.

I told you it was short. 

In the warmup the mountain climber mobility is a slow version of the regular mountain climber.  Bring the knee to the outside of the elbow and focus on opening the hips.  The "groiners" are similar except bring both knees up to the elbows at the same time and then shoot both back, like in a burpee.  Amazing how challenging these are - especially first thing.  But once you get moving you'll realize what a great hip opener these are and so simple.

The SEALs do this same countdown except with a 20# weight vest and they do the burpees and box jumps back to back.  I'm not that tough.  So I changed the order a bit to make life a little easier.  Its still a great work capacity effort and a good way to jump back into the 15-1s.  Its challenging but not over the top - as RX'd it might have been over the top or really just a slog fest.

One more work capacity effort this week and back to strength next Monday.

The ice climbers are going to enjoy a nice week of work capacity, just like the base fitness folks.  Some good sessions heading climbers way with some help from the other coaches.  And for those heading to the Bozeman Ice Festival this weekend, well you'll have your own work capacity efforts there.

Warmup  4 rounds of 2x tool walks, 7x plate raises, 5x burpees.  Training #1  15 rounds of 20 sec tool switch, 8 calories airdyne every minute on the minute.  #2  5 rounds of 1x rope climb, 1x tire pull, 15 sec double lockoff, 6x SB lunges ea side.  #3  5 rounds of 30 sec max reps figure 4s, 5x K2Es, 45 sec rest.

Moving quickly the athletes were able to do the tool switch and airdyne with a few seconds to spare.  Anywhere from 10-15 seconds was about average, though as the rounds wore on some were a bit shorter.  Since the tool switch is fixed, hammer down on the bike to earn a few seconds of rest.  I really like to make the athletes breath and then try and climb.  Though this is reverse, most of the climbers were still breathing fairly heavy getting back on the wall or in the cave and had to recover there before getting back on the bike. 

The second block is alot of forearm/grip work with only a small break with the sandbag lunges.  Climb the rope, pull the tire and then hang on to the tools.  This proved challenging for most especially since the lunges weren't much of a rest at all.

Finally some figure 4s.  After the previous circuit most were already pretty pumped and trying to get 4x figure 4s in the 30 seconds was difficult.  A few pulled a few more but then struggled with holding on with the knees to elbows.  The 45 seconds is not nearly enough for full recovery, so getting back on still tired and pumped is quite challenging.

All climbers worked hard in this session which was alot of fun to watch and coach.  Wednesday session will include 2 x 15 minute blocks with a little jeopardy action thrown in.  Should be fun.

If you've every wanted to know what its like chasing after my daughter it goes something like this...no warmup just hit the ground running.  Long work capacity effort in the morning that is taxing but still leaving some in the tank, so you can last all day.  Then post-lunch or refuel, full on sprint till you puke.  And finally what should be the wind down at the end of the day is long and dragged out and you are just hoping it will end, sometime. 

Warmup  4 rounds 20x swings, 3x DOT drill, 3x plyo pushups.  Training #1  5 rounds of Barbell complex at start weight w/ pushups, 50x WTD stepups, 12x GHD situps.  #2  4 rounds of 30 sec sprint airdye, 90 sec rest.  #3  8 rounds of 5x pullups, 5x dips, 9x situps, 30 sec plank.

The warmup will have you breathing right from the start, which isn't bad on such a cold morning.  We will start working on more plyo pushups in the next few weeks because as many of you have pointed out it will be the perfect complement to max bench pressing.  But I want to make sure we can all do them well and efficiently otherwise they will produce more fatigue for the bench instead of simply adding to the muscle activation.

Onto the barbell complex.  Its been awhile so I thought this would be a good way to reintroduce it before we start adding weight to it.  This is a nice little circuit - takes about 20-25 minutes.  Its work, but just a precursor to the bike.

If its been awhile since we did the complex, its going to feel like forever since we've done sprints on the airdyne.  And frankly, that's just fine.  This part sucks.  No way around it.  If you go hard on each interval you will be laying on the floor when you are done.  If you aren't, you haven't gone hard enough.  Remember its four rounds.  Totally doable - but extremely challenging especially on 3 and then 4 is just a whole 'nother level of hurt.

And when you have somewhat recovered move onto the last part.  An easy bodyweight circuit that feels extremely hard.  The only consolation is the planks finally hit the core.  Seems the last few times we've done them my shoulders have just been on fire and failure was because of that.  Today failure would have been because my core was exhausted.  Guess that's not really a consolation....

More work capacity on the way this week.

This one pretty much hits all movements - the only thing its missing is a carry, but we can save that for another day.  More strength with complex movements makes this a great power endruance effort.

Warmup 3 rounds of 30 sec headcutters, 60 sec core balance, 90 sec jumprope.  Training #1  Work to 1 RM push press.  #2  5 rounds of 3x push press @ 80%, 5x front squats same wt., 1 lap sled push, 10x toes to sky.  #3  5 rounds of 7x deadlifts M135#/W85#, 10x burpee box jumps, 60 sec jingle jangles.  #4  2 rounds of 1 minute SBGUs, 1 minute KB swings, 1 minute OH plate lunges, 1 minute H. pullups, 1 minute rest.

More upper body strength with the push press however I have a feeling its going to be your legs that feel this circuit and not your upper body.  Work to your 1 RM and then drop to 80% for reps.  Use that same weight and go straight to front squats.  Then onto the sled push, a perfect complement to push press and front squats.  Still a pressing motion and big legs.  You'll be breathing heavy after this one.

More work on the way with deadlifts and burpee box jumps.  Deadlifts are actually the "rest" or really a chance to catch your breath after jumping and sprinting.

And finally a sprint to the finish with 1 minute intervals.  Don't worry about the getups...do worry about the swings.  Shoulder, forearms, grip all take it and it doesn't let up till the rest.  Work hard and fight through.  Its only a minute.

Lots of my favorites are stacked in this session.  I have always loved/hated the push press/front squat combo.  During the ski program I let the base fitness group do it and I have been itching to bring it back every since.  It didn't dissapoint, especially with that sled attached.  The next two circuits were again written by Jim.  He included my favorites DL/box jumps/running.  The burpee portion I could have done without but it certainly keeps you focused and moving.  Each jump is perfect coming off the floor.  He also wrote the last one for us.  And since I got to do all my favorites already I had to throw in something that I didn't want to do.  I hemmed and hawed over this circuit for awhile.  Changed it a couple times and finally came back to the original form.  Its hard.  And the minute rest really doesn't do anything except prolong the agony.  This where the mentally strong shine.  It would be so easy to drop the KB or put down the plate or just lay under the bar and not do another pullup.  But for those who tough it out, it is a battle won. 

Monday..work capacity.

Climbers find themselves with another test, pullups.  In the training portion, climbers will do max pullups on their tools and then drop to 50% of their max reps for rounds.  I will be interested to see how pullup numbers vary and as the climbers spend more time on their tools.

Warmup 10-1 Squats, pushups, situps  Training #1 Max pullups on tools.  #2  5 rounds Pullups @ 50% of reps, 4x TGUs ea side, 3x shoulder slides.  #3  1 round Tabata calf raises.  #4  5 rounds of 5x ice sticks R & L, 30 sec target touch, 15x swings, 3x supermans.

Reality is I don't do max pullups very often.  And after testing skiers last week I realized I was probably doing them a disservice.  Pullups come up often in regular programming for both climbers and regular athletes but its always a set number.  If the athlete can always do that number, then I am not pushing them to increase their total number on a max test.  There is always that grey area that is only entered into when a max test is done.  If more maxes were done, or I forced an athlete past their "comfort" zone maybe I could increase the total number of pullups they could do?  Then I wonder how important or how much focus should be put on pullups.  Its obviously a good test of upper body strength and they are so simple an exercise that can be done anywhere, seems like we should be doing even more.  But then risk of injury or exacerbating an existing injury makes me hold back a bit.  Bottom line...for the time being we will be doing more pullups and more in that grey area.  And then leave them for awhile.

I let a couple of the climbers try the TGUs with the barbell also.  The beauty of the bar is the balance and stability that is required of the shoulder to do the exercise.  And then comes the grip.  In an effort to balance the bar the athlete will grip as hard as possible, which then quickly becomes an exercise for grip endurance.  Its is not exactly transferable to the tools, but pretty freakin' close.  So more of these will come up in the programming for sure.

And finally some calf work and a little tool time.  No give away session here.  Lots of work and not alot of rest.  Friday will be a strength based session.

More strength today.  And eventhough we just did bench presses on Monday they show up again today.  Now there's a shock to the system.  But the real reason I did it was to compare front squat maxes and bench press maxes.  A good measure of upper vs. lower body balance is comparing the front squat and the bench press.  If they are equal then upper and lower body are balanced, strength wise.  Heavy on one or the other, then there is work to be done.  I expect my skiers to be lower body dominant right now but was curious as to what that imbalance really looked like.

Warmup  5 rounds 20x squats, 2x scotty bob's, frog stretch for 5 breaths.  Training #1  Work to 1 RM bench press.  #2  5 rounds 2x BP @ 85%, 1x rope climb, 10x WTD hip lifts w/ 20 sec side plank hold ea side.  #3  5 rounds of 7x power cleans, 4x TGUs ea side.  #4  10 minutes of 1 gym length broad jumps, 1 gym length bear crawl, 12x OH squats.

The athletes are pretty much all over the place as far as body balance is concerned.  Some are right on and some are considerably stronger in the lower body.  Only one athlete has come out stronger in the upper body so far and am guessing he will be the only one.  So look for more pressing and pulling in the coming weeks.

I let a couple of my veteran athletes and myself try the TGUs with a barbell this morning.  Interesting.  Personally I was more nervous than anything.  Balancing the bar is harder than imagined and then I tried to move.  I thought my shoulders would take alot of the work but honestly I was gripping the bar so tightly that my grip was starting to go before anything else.  But its just the first try and even doing the rounds each one got a little easier.

The last circuit was written by our intern Jim.  Again, as soon as I saw it I had to find a place for it.  At the end of this session it is brutal.  And 10 minutes seemed to last a very long time - longer than sandbag getups or stepups.  Aside from the heavy breathing throughout, the athlete really needs to focus on form.  Overhead squats are always challenging especially since we haven't done them in awhile but then add fatigue to the equation and 12x reps and you have yourself a challenge.  It was great when it was done but certainly a bit unpleasant working through all those OH squats.  Thanks Jim. 

The climbers move out of their base building phase and into a combo cycle that will include strength, work capacity and stamina efforts that are all sport specific.  Seems so far the climbers have been happy with the results so far, so hoping I can keep that trend going.  They will start the cycle some some benchmark circuits that we can redo periodically to check progress as the season progresses.

In today's session the benchmark circuit is work capacity effort that is taking climbers anywhere from 10-20 minutes depending on strengths and weaknesses.  The circuit is 3 rounds of 5x peg board laps, 50x stepups w/ pack M35#/M25#, 5x Scotty Bob's M35#/W25#.

Once complete the climbers move onto to more work with 5 round sof 1x rope climb, 60 sec tool switch and 8x Romanian deadlifts.  And finally a little more core and pressing work to finish everything off.  Six rounds of 5x KB push press, 30 sec plank, 30 sec plank walkup, 15x toes to sky.

Now that the ski programming is over its time to try out some new stuff.  The next cycle will be heavy on the strength side with a fair amount of work capacity and short metcons all worked in.  Today we start off with a strength workout and a new little twist on front squatting.

In November's issue of The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research (yeah, I read that stuff) there is some great new research on how to increase squat maxes.  Basically the idea was to "preload" the lift in hopes of being able to achieve a higher 1 RM.  It worked in the study, so I thought I would try it here.  Timing is good and bad.  The skiers that post-tested last week and set a new max will be at a disadvantage.  The chances of setting a new PR is low, not non-existant as demonstrated by Chris but very difficult.  However, for the base fitness athletes new PRs should be rolling in. 

The premise is by preloading the leg muscles using box/depth jumps the athlete could get more muscles to fire and thus get more muscle activated and therefore lift more weight.  So we did just that.  Before each lift, even during the warmup sets, we did 2x box/jumps and then went straight to the bar.  The research played with 2, 4 and 6 jumps but found no difference in the numbers of jumps, just the actual jump.  I went with 2 to start out.  With several warmup rounds and then 4 working rounds, I didn't want fatigue to be an issue in the lift.  So far everyone has liked it.  And mostly because it just feels good.  Take away all the research and if the lift feels better at a heavier weight, that's all that matters.

Mixed in are some sandbag half moons except today for a timed interval instead of reps.  I was a little nervous at first, cause 1/2 moons are hard enough and some days 30 seconds can seem like forever then mix the two.  It could have been ugly, but really not so bad.

And finally back to the DB squat cleans.  Its been awhile since we've done them because I find them very challenging and they are still quite awkward for me and therefore require lots of work.  But the fact is all that strength, coordination and balance makes for great movement and forces the body to move in unison.  So I guess we'll just have to do more.

And there you have it, another ski conditioning program complete with great results all the way round.  Most of the ski athletes had an opportunity to re-test either yesterday or today.  Eight weeks ago current athletes were run through a series of exercises or complexes that I felt were best related to the demands of backcountry and downhill skiing.  These elements included front squats, power cleans, lateral box jumps, pullups, 6 rounds of full leg blasters and 10 minutes of 1-leg stepups.

I was quite pleased with how well all the athletes performed during the pre-test and knew I had my work cut out for me to be able to increase their strength, endurance and stamina in just 8 weeks.  But as expected all the athletes worked hard and their work was rewarded.  Across the board everyone improved.  For some it just in a few elements and others it was in all elements.  And for a few, some really outstanding improvements.

But as fun as it is to post big numbers or a fast time, what is really important is how all the work is put to use in sport.  And hopefully all the work that I have done and the athletes have done will also prove to be very rewarding.  I look forward to hearing about all the new challenges and successes my skiers achieve this season and hopefully use those to build an even better program next year.

Happy skiing!

Thanks to Will Gadd for sharing some of his training regimes with the rest of us.  This is a great physical and mental challenge for any athlete - climber or non-climber.  And with no equipment needed, besides a pullup bar, this can be done anytime, anywhere.  The work portion includes 100x pullups, 100x situps, 100x pushups and 100x airsquats.

There are a couple things to keep in mind when doing this.  First, break it up into doable parts.  Not many people can just crank off 100x pullups, but many people could do 20 rounds of 5 or something similar.  Figure out what works best for you and stick with it.  Another good strategy is to do x number of pullups followed by a specified rest period.  This will help keep you on track and avoid letting the rest become longer and longer.  Secondly don't dig a hole.  This means don't max out on pullups in the first round.  I guarantee you will never recover and will spend the better part of your time doing 1x pullup at a time.  Cut your rounds to doable quantities - it will make it that much more enjoyable.  Finally, positive self talk is key.  If you think you can do 100x pullups, you will.  On the other hand if you think you can't, well its gonna be a long session.  Hands to Mitch tonight - he had the best attitude and performance of anyone that has done this session so far, very impressive.

A little time on the boards rounds out the session and hopefully works out some of the kinks.  One more session this week and the climbers should be ready to climb.

As skiers prep for their post-test on Wednesday I had to come up with a session that would still give everyone a good training session without overloading anything.  The only element I really needed to include was a 60 sec tuck hold but otherwise I just needed to work without overworking.

Deadlifts are usually a good option to work legs and core and with the right load shouldn't make anyone too sore or fatigued heading into the week.  Paired with some jumps and a quick SB run, this portion was fairly easy going and a good way to wake up the legs again after all the work last week.

Whenever I write a maintenance or low volume session I like to include some kind of plank.  Funny how I felt like the side planks in this one was the crux.  Ten hip lifts leading right into a 30 second side plank was alot harder than imagined.  Some swings and full ROM of GHD situps gave the core a pretty complete workout in just one circuit.  If anything, I think that's what might come out a little sore tomorrow, but certainly not enough to effect results on Wednesday.

And finally I wanted to squeeze in one more day of tuck jumps and tuck hold.  Ten jumps right into a tuck hold felt like alot on the legs.  But none of those movements will be done again Wednesday so feel free to go for broke.

If you are not testing, no worries, I have another session already programmed. 

The third climbing session of week 7 adds just a little more with all the heavy peg board work right at the end.  Jason put together a great session with some new things for the climbers to try.

Tool shaft lap.  Literally walk up the tool stacking hands to the top of the shaft and back down to complete one lap.  This is great for learning the shape of your tool and also to determine pivot and release points when gripping at different heights on the shaft.  Pretty creative and a great learning tool for any level ice climber.

For the first time climbers did weighted laps on the peg board.   I was pleasantly surprised at how well everyone did on this part.  For the last round of work climbers had to do everything with their pack on - squats, peg board laps, bear crawls and plank - which is quite challenge if you haven't been wearing a pack.  But then they all move quickly and fluidly through the peg board portion.  A few shake outs here and there but really considering the work leading up to and while doing it, not that much.  The climbers are definitely getting stronger and are more than prepared to hit the ice.

Monday's ice session will bring a challenge from ice superstar, Will Gadd.  With only two more training sessions in this cycle, it will be a great test and effort by the climbers.

Once the formal 8 week program is complete we will continue with ice training but a little less rigid in formatting.  In a given week there will be a combination of strength, stamina and work capacity sessions. These first 8 weeks really laid a great strength base for the climbers as well as gave them some good sport specific work.  As I work in different types of sessions I am hoping to elevate the overall strength and endurance of all the athletes as it pertains to ice and with a little looser programming will allow me to do just that - focus on what I perceive to be the weaknesses of the climbers.  This will help me build better overall climber that is strong and can last pitch after pitch and day after day.

Depending on your recovery from Wednesday's session, this could go smoothly or painstakingly slow and agonizing the whole way through.  Five eight minute blocks of power endurance make up this session each with its own little crux.

The wallsit/sled push combo was tough for everyone.  It was time to hit 90 seconds on the wallsit which seemed infinitely longer than the 75 seconds we did last week.  The sled was a nice break to kinda stretch the legs but really not quite enough. 

Needless to say I was a little slow moving onto the goblet squat/jump combo.  But actually after the first couple rounds they weren't nearly as bad as anticipated.  Maybe it was euphoria of not having to go back to the wall.  This is a good combination of strength and power endurance with 30 sec of squats and then going right to the jumps.  Lots of leg muscle activation.

The med ball knee raise was a great way to break away from the leg focused work and do some core stuff.  I felt good to focus on the core and do some adductor training.  Of course I had to throw a few more jumps in here to keep the eccentric muscles firing.  Moving through this section quickly proved harder than I thought and the 20 second rest was really only enough time to get back and reposition the ball and start again.

For those whose shoulders were still sore from Wednesday the hang squat clean/plank combo was rough.  Ideally the plank would have been a rest and a good way to lengthen the hip flexors and core muscles from the loading of the squat cleans.  And it did just that.  The problem was my shoulders were on fire and that's all I could think of and the only consolation was that each round I got a little slower on the hand squat cleans (cause my shoulders were still on fire) which made the time in the plank a little shorter.  I think this was the toughest of the circuits.  And reinforces why I usually don't write individual training sessions too far in advance.  Had I known ahead of time the load the shoulders would endure on Wednesday I might have been able to come up with a better combo here.  Even going to just a core balance would have worked - though the hip flexors would have taken the load there.  Its all a learning process, and you are my guines pigs.

And finally the sprints.  Again harder than anticipated especially if you try pushing each round.  Its easy enough to slack on these and take them a bit slower.  But push the pace and its a whole new ball game.

All in all I like how the session came out.  I was trying to get as sport specific as possible and still hit some of the markers I needed to and needless to say once ski training is over it will be time to renew our relationship with our shoulders.

Next week - Monday will be an easier day in preparation for the ski post-test.  There are still a few things left on my to-do list before the program ends, so we will do a few of those Monday and then finish with the test on Wednesday.  Depending on schedules next week skiers will have the opportunity to test either Tuesday or Wednesday - just let me know at the start of the session so we get it done.  If you choose not to test there will be another session programmed to do instead.

It was a good, hard week of training.  Kudos to everyone that hit all the sessions.  Rest up this weekend for the final push.

Athlete Kevin Craig brought us a new exercise to try for this session to help increase endurance in the shoulder and arms after many swings of the axe.  It will take a little tweeking to see how best to program into sessions so this one is just a trial run to see how it goes.

Warmup  4 rounds of 1x rope climb, 10x band pull aparts.  Training #1  AMRAP in 15 minutes of Ice system board till failure, 5x GHD press - side/middle/side, 4x spiderman pushups.  #2  AMRAP in 15 minutes of Cave movement till failure, 10x WTD situps, 30 sec side plank ea side.  #3  AMRAP in 15 minutes of 25x French technique stepups ea side, 10x band swings ea side, 30 sec slasher halo.

For the two blocks of work on the board and in the cave stay on the wall as long as possible.  As soon as you need to hang and shake out then time is up.  Really focus on continuous movement on the boards and pushing the ability to stay on.  The other exercises are added for some rest and to work opposing muscle groups.  The GHD press is done on a GHD machine.  Grab a dumbbell or KB and jump on.  For the side press lower to a horizontal position and do 5x presses.  For the middle position do 5x WTD GHD situps and then do the other side of presses.   Great core and pressing work here - which really means its kinda of hard.

In the last circuit we see Kevin's ideas come into play.  Attach a exercise band to your ice tool and stand on one end.  Swing the tool as if you were throwing into the ice.  Try and simulate the swing as best as possible.  The beauty of this system is that the most resistance comes at the end of the movement right when you would be hitting the ice.  It is that final movement when the climber is most tired that it is hardest to maintain form and still get good sticks.  We'll play with this a bit and see how to best implement into our program to get the best results.  Thanks for sharing Kevin.

Big session today.  If you thought I could pack some work into an hour, check this one out.  Jason programmed a great total body session.  I had a couple other names that I thought might apply better than his, but I'll leave those comments for another day.

Warmup  10 minutes - every minute on the minute of 5x pullups, 10x pushup, 15x airsquats.  Training  #1  4 rounds of 5x Barbell lunges ea side, 8x DB snatches ea side - HVY, 1 minute SBGUs.  #2  4 rounds of 10x Barbell hi pulls, 7x kneeling slashers ea side, 6x corkscrews ea side, 1 minute WTD situps.  #3  4 rounds of 5x KB floor press ea side, 15x figure 8s w/ small ball, 1 minute plank walkup.

Just so you don't get fooled, this is a full-hour or more of work.  I foolishly thought, might turn out a little too "short" but realized quickly that I would have to keep moving the whole time not to pass the hour mark.

It starts right away with the warmup.  Its tough to get it all in in a minute and still have a second or two to breathe.  So find the easy part and blast through to buy some time for the harder parts.  Women I actually cut to 3x pullups and 7x strict pushups - your welcome.

Its been awhile since 4 rounds seemed so hard.  Probably cause we've been away from the heavy stuff for a bit but I am pretty sure everyone will agree that 4 is more than enough for each circuit.  In the first circuit load the barbell on your back and do alternating lunges.  Move right onto 1-arm DB snatches as heavy as you can and still get 8 good ones.  And then a minute of getups.  I made everyone go a little bit heavier on these - cause it is only a minute.  Surprising how much difference 5-10lbs make on getups.

The second part works the first two pulls of a power clean.  Load the barbell on the floor to weight that you can do 10x pulls.  Go as heavy as possible keeping good form.  These will are going to help alot when we re-test the power clean.  Focus on a dynamic pull each time.  Then drop to the floor for some kneeling slasher halos.  Grab a plate that you can use for both the corkscrews and WTD situps.  Generally the men used 35# and women 25#.  Don't let these fool you.  One minute of WTD situps is a long time.

Finally a great pressing combo with the floor press, thrusters and plank walkup.  Jason threw in a new, fun exercise with those little orange balls that have been laying around.  Sit in your core balance position and do Figure 8s with the ball through your legs.  Its a great rest and even better to get your mind off the thrusters ahead.

Enjoy.  Really a good solid session that Jason wrote for us and while it might not seem it at the time - kinda fun.

***Next week skiers will post-test on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Whichever day works in your schedule.  Monday will be more of maintenance/unload day in advance of the test.  If you choose not to test - there will be another trainign session available to do.

Ice climbers get a little technical today with Figure 4s and drytooling in the cave.  In between all the fun is plenty of tool time to keep working the grip and forearm endurance.

Warmup  5 rounds of 4x Scotty Bob's, 6x K2E rope, 10x kneeling pull throughs.  Training #1  6 rounds of 15x hang & screw ea side, 2x 20 sec calf raises/10 sec rest, 1x length tire pull.  #2  8 rounds of 30 sec airdyne, 30 sec cave movement, 30 sec rest.  #3  6 rounds of 4x Figure 4s, 4x pullups, 10x deadlifts, 60 sec plank hold.

After a good upper body warmup the climbers get right down to business and work the hang & screw again.  This time 15 on each side which works well to get the pump going.  Then on to more calf raises and a tire pull. 

Part 2 gets the climber breathing just a little and then forces them to focus and work in the cave.  For some of the climbers this was their first chance at cave work.  Its is significantly steeper and requires alot more precision than the system board so even a short burst in there can feel like a long time.

Finally the Figure 4s.  Some climbers already have the strength and finesse to pull these off while some are still learning and developing the necessary strength and skill.  Remember our purpose in doing these is to develop core strength.  So if you are unable to complete the Figure 4 work on the first movements in succession - knees to elbows then knees to chest and then the cross through.  In no time the skill and strength will come.  Just flailing around trying to throw the leg through the arms will never develop the skill or strength.  They are hard - no doubt about it.  But like anything we do in the gym a little work goes along way.  Follow the Figure 4s by pullups.  If possible try not to drop in between.  And then take a quick break for some more core work.

Monday brings more strength/power endurance.  We have been progressing in volume the past couple weeks and this one is no exception.  Lots of work packed into an hour, a good test of stamina for the legs.

Warmup 4 rounds of 3x TGUs ea side, 3x DOT drill, 30 sec plank.  Training #1  7 rounds of 12x deadlifts, 30 sec wallsit, 10x lateral box jumps, 30 sec wallsit, 60 sec jumprope.  #2  5 rounds of 2 minutes 1-leg stepups w/ pack, Full leg blaster, 10x GHD situps.

Really no where to hide or rest once the work begins.  In the first circuit load the deadlifts to about 40-50% of max.  There are alot so going too heavy and compromising form is not a good idea - there is alot of work yet to be done this week so don't start with a sore back.  The first round of wallsits is easy.  Thirty seconds flies by.  Then onto box jumps and more wallsits.  The second round of 30 seconds is alot longer.  Amazing the difference.

The second circuit is just a long, hard combo of stepups and leg blasters.  The situps do nothing to help the situation except get you off your legs briefly.  The first minute of stepups is pretty reasonable, but the second adds up quick - every round.  A good goal is 40-50 total stepups each round for a nice consistently hard pace.  Move quickly into the leg blasters.  I found that jumping right into the squats I was able to "rest" for just a second before the hard part started.  I use the term rest loosely here, but stopping and breathing made it so much harder to get started that I abandoned that idea quickly.  This last portion is solid 15-20 minutes of work.  Try not to let up cause this is where the turns are earned.

Some days its all about holding on.  Climbers have two blocks of tool work here that will challenge their holding on power and strength.  Fortunately the blocks are broken up by a circuit desgined to work the calves.  Lots of work here so move quickly and focus on that staying power.

Warmup  5 rounds of 1 lap peg board, 5x WTD burpees.  Training  #1 6 rounds of 2 minute ice board, 1 lap DB crawl, 5x dips.  #2  6 rounds of 10x DB calf raises, 1 lap sled push, 30 sec jumprope, 5x kneeling slashers ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 10x high reaches ea side, 60 sec tool switch, 10x back extensions.

The first block of training is long.  At almost 18-20 minutes to complete there is no time to mess around.  Two minutes on the board is a long time with not much of a rest in between.  The crawl and dips wil help work some other muscles but not really give you a break.  This is a great way to develop some good staying power and mental toughness for when its time to hit the ice.  The next circuit will give the grip and hanging muscles a rest.  Heavy focus on the calves in this part.  Trying to take a break from all the calf raises I tried a WTD calf raise paired with a sled push and jumprope.  Both of which are quite calf intensive.  The kneeling slashers will give the calves a quick rest.  Finally another big block on the tools.  Not quite as long as the first but it still going to make you work.  A total of 20 high reaches and then 60 seconds of the tool switch.

Some days you just have to be happy that you made it through the week.  Today was one of those days.  Monday and Wednesday were big volume days and I wanted to keep that intensity without "actually" killing anyone (myself included) so hopefully today's does just that.  Adding in some different exercises or different format always helps though this is still solid start to finish.  It is a full hour if not a bit more.

Warmup  10-1 KB swings, goblet squats, hip lifts ea side.  Training #1  100m run + 100sec tuck + 10x power cleans @ 60%max, 100m run + 80 sec tuck + 8x Power cleans incr wt ea rd, 100m run + 60 sec tuck + 6x power cleans, 100m run + 40 sec tuck + 4x power cleans, 100m run + 20 sec tuck + 2x power cleans.  #2  6 rounds of 5x med ball knee raises, 20 sec tuck jump, 8x ball slams, 15x poorman's leg curls ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 6x push press, 5x broad jumps, 1 lap DB crawl w/ row.  #4  10 rounds of 10x shuffle touch-jump-touch, 30 sec rest.

Part 1 of training we have done before and while I don't usually repeat things, this deserved another go round.  In today's session we actually increase the weight of the power cleans as the reps drop.  Start at about 60% of your power clean max and add each round.  The last two reps you should be at about 85% of max.

The second training portion is all about core.  Adding more weight to the knees to elbows we grab a medicine and do knee raises.  Couple these with tuck jumps and you are in business.  Start moving through the circuit and the poorman's leg curls don't seem to last long enough.

This push press/crawl combo we've also done before.  I did squeeze in a few jumps in between to keep things interesting.  Well no, the purpose of the push press today was to work the leg drive and then go into some big jumps.  Lost of muscle recruitment with those two back to back.  And then comes the crawl.  A rest in theory but really there is no place to hide.  This is probably the toughest of all the circuits.

Finally a little fire breather to send you on your way.  Skiers go back to their shuffle/jump combo with a shorter distance so the jumps come at you quicker.  It works out to about 30 seconds of work and then I give you equal rest.  Push hard on these.  With 10 rounds its easy to get lazy and slow.  Work hard and fight hard for every round.

The climbers got to do the same work capacity format at skiers just with a few changes.

Warmup  10 minutes of stepups M25#/W15#.  Training  #1 10 minutes of KB work.  #2  10 minutes of 2x peg board laps every minute.  #3  10 minutes of 30 sec KB swings, 30 sec deadhang on tools, 30 sec plank.

I was all over the map on the peg board portion of this one.  There is a huge spread among the climbers on ability and speed which is most significant and obvious on the peg board.  It takes coordination, speed and strength to move up and down without getting too pumped.  I started with just one lap but some were able to do that in just 15 seconds.  Added some weight and still not that much slower.  Went to 2 laps which for some was completely doable with a rest between rounds.  Others were backed up on the rounds and really only had a chance to shake and go before starting the next round. Challenging to say the least, but it was a good learning experience for me because now I have a pretty good gauge of where most of the climbers are and I can adjust ahead of time...I hope.

Lots of KB work squeezed into this one.  I really like the 10 minute block cause it gives athletes a chance to play with different exercises without getting locked in and its great way to train strength endurance for the grip.  The last part is just more grip endurance with a quick rest in the plank position to try and recover before the next round of swings and hangs.  Obviously this is a short session but with alot of work is packed in.

If there isn't alot of writing on the board, you know its going to be hard.  But luckily I don't put the hurt on till the very end.

Warmup 10 minutes of KB work.  Training #1  10 minutes of Sandbag Getups.  #2  10 minutes of 1-leg stepups to 20" box w/ pack.  #3  10 minutes of 4x Curtis Ps every 60 seconds.

Forty minutes of work, that's it.  The warmup is easy going, the sandbag getups get real right away.  Some of the newer athletes haven't had their chance at this one.  And won't soon forget.  But its totally doable and you can only go so fast with one of those things.

Stepups.  Well 10 minutes is a long time but its not going to kill you.

But ten minutes of Curtis Ps just might.  Loading is key on this one.  Ideally you work 30-35 seconds and rest the remaining.  So adjust the fly if necessary, but give yourself a round or two.  Then you'll have a chance to get the butterflies out and know if you'll be able to finish or not.  It is especially difficult to judge weight after the preceding two circuits.  Some of the athletes did a heavier weight for the first time on the getups and that takes alot out of the tank without even realizing.  The base fitness group got to do 10 minutes on the airdyne preceding the Curtis P circuit which I know is a first for all of them and thus difficult to judge pacing.  Bottom line...work hard.  Uncomfortably hard.  If you walk away saying it wasn't that bad, you should add a little weight next time.  If you walk away saying I hope we never do that again, you probably nailed it.  Personally I was hoping for never again.

Ice climbers get to try some new fun stuff in today's session.  Some old and some new will round a great session.

Warmup 4 rounds of Mini leg blaster, 10x band pull aparts, 9x front raise w/ plate, 20 sec OH hold.  Training #1  4 rounds 1x pullup combo in each direction, 10x hang & screw ea side, 20x HVY French technique step-ups ea side, 1 lap bear crawl.  #2  3 rounds of 5x Clean & press, 6x BB Roll-out, 100m SB Run.  #3  5 rounds of 5x Med Ball knee raise, 30 sec tool hang, 8x med ball slam, 6x alternating pushup ea side.

The ice climbers get to learn a bit about leg blasters today.  A great power endurance exercise for any athlete in any sport.  The band pull aparts are just like they sound.  Grab a band with hands about 18 inches apart and try to pull it apart.  The front raise starts with the plate at the waist and lift it overhead and return to start position.  After 9 of those hold the plate overhead.

We've been doing the pullup combo all along and pulling power is coming along quite well.  Then climbers get to try another one of Jason's creations the hang & screw.  Deadhang from one tool, hold a light dumbbell in the other hand and simulate putting a screw in the ice.  Do 10x rotations and switch sides.  It looks goofy and fun and pretty applicable, so we'll see.  Then onto the French technique stepups.  Assuming most climbers know the French technique of ascending a slope now we'll do it up and over a low box.  Go heavy on the weight.  We used backpacks loaded to 35# for women and 45#+ for men.  And then a quick lap of bear crawl just to keep things moving.

Jason threw in a nice circuit that works total body and core before you head back to your tools.

And finally the med ball series.  Genius.  I told my climbers not to complain too loud cause the skiers will be doing it before the weeks out and I want to see the prized holy sh*$ look on their face when they get to try it.  The med ball knee raise is no picnic and in fact will challenge even the strongest cores out there and then with the ball slams and pushups and you have yourself a winning combo.

Wednesday will be a work capacity effort for the climbers and its shaping up to be a good one :)

Work capacity.  Straight up.  Two 20 minute blocks.  The first block is very core intensive and then second is alot more legs.  Anyway you look at it these are two hard blocks.

Warmup  5 rounds of 6x wall squats, 1 lap OH walking lunges, 1 length mtn mobility.  Trianing #1  AMRAP in 20 minutes 6x corkscrews ea side, Full leg blaster, 6x R. Rows ea side, 6x pushups, 30 sec plank, 30 sec mtn. climber.  #2  AMRAP in 20 minutes of 10x deck squats + Push press, 5x box/depth jumps, 5x DOT drill, 5x 1-arm situps ea side, 75 sec wallsit, prisoner stretch.

The warmup is really an exercise in mobility.  The squat/lunges/mtn. mobility are all meant to loosen up the hips and ankles to get you ready for the work ahead.  No need to rush through, take your time and work the movements.  You have plenty of time to rush coming up.

Circuit 1 seems like alot of legs with the full leg blaster but reality is 30 sec of mountain climbers at the end of each round were testing many of the athletes.  And personally I would have swapped a few more leg blasters to avoid the mtn climbers.  Most athletes were able to complete 6 full rounds with some delving into 7.  But remember only full rounds count so push hard through each one.

Circuit 2 is where the legs are going to pay.  The deck squat into box jumps into DOT drill.  Genius on my part...hard on the legs and lungs.  While the 75 second wallsit looms over everything, its the first 3 exercises that get you, and time on the wall is a good place to catch your breath.  On this circuit most athletes were in getting 4 rounds.

Wednesday will be another work capacity effort, similar to this but different :)

Good solid work capacity effort for the climbers in this session.  Time on the board is increasing little by little along with more aerobic type work.

Warmup 4 rounds of 1 minute airdyne, 1 minute rock system board, 5x scarecrows.  Training #1  AMRAP in 20 minutes of 2 minutes on ice boards, 15x calf raises w/ OH plate, 1 lap sled push, 30 sec moving plank, 5x elbow curls.  #2  AMRAP in 20 minutes of 2x target touch laps, 1x rope climb, 50x stepups no wt., prisoner stretch ea side.

Two minutes can be a long time on the boards so work on resting while climbing, remember you have to learn to manage the pump.  The OH plate hold with calf raises followed by the sled push is a great calf work and a nice break from Tabata calf raises.  The sled push is also great core work and pushing work to oppose all the tool hanging.

The second part of training is really core based.  Target touches in the cave and rope climb, while they require alot of grip and pulling strength, are very core intensive.  Then I added a few stepups to make sure the aerobic capacity is as high as the hanging strength.

Jason wrote Monday's session which looks like alot of fun and different from the other sessions.  I think you'll really like it.  Enjoy the weekend and hopefully you have chance to get out and enjoy.

Its all about volume today.  Lots of squats, lots of sandbag getups and lots of power cleans to work the legs and core.  All is all its not horrible and maybe the worst of it is just reading the session the board.  Once you get into it, its smooth sailing.

Warmup 10 rounds of 10x airsquats, 3x burpees every 30 seconds.  Training #1  10 rounds of 10x front squats @45-50%max, 5x SBGUs, 5x side bends ea side M16kg/W12kg.  #2  8 rounds of 6x power cleans, 10x lateral box jumps, 10x poorman's hypers.  #3  75-60-45-30 seconds of wallsit, seconds of plank.

Jump right into with the warmup. Its takes about 20 seconds to do each round with a 10 second rest.  Fast and furious but only 5 minutes of work here.  Then onto the squats.

Load the bar at about 45% of your 1 RM max.  And go to town.  Ideally you get the 10 squats unbroken.  A breath here or there is ok but if you can only do 3-4 at a time you need to drop some weight.  Right into the sandbag getups, which unfortunately are a great complement to front squats.  Unfortunate because it is just hard work going back and forth from one to the other.  But good work and a great strength endurance circuit for legs and core.

Power clean/jump circuit is all power endurance.  Full body cleans coupled with the lateral box jumps and you will be breathing.  Loading again should be so that you are able to complete 6 cleans with good form all the way through.  Broken sets are not acceptable.  Be smart and lower the weight if needed. 

And finally I needed to up the time on the wall.  Seventy-five second wallsit starts the next circuit, which is actually pretty doable.  Its just the standing up part that hurts.

As climbers move into their sport-specific training they'll see and feel the volume increase almost daily.  More work capacity efforts and strength endurance efforts are in the works for the coming weeks.

Warmup 10 minutes of KB work.  Training #1  6 rounds of 6x OH squats, 3x pullup combo R & L, 60 sec stepups.  #2  60-50-40-30-20-10 seconds of tool switch, seconds of core balance, plank kicks -total.  #3  10-1, 1-10 High reach R & L, Bench press.

The KB work at the beginning is one of my new favorites.  Stolen from the Gym Jones site, it is a great way to warm up the whole body.  Athletes pick up one KB and must move it continually for 10 minutes.  There are 2 stipulations; it can't be put down during that time and only 10x reps of a given exercise can be done at a time.  It allows for alot of freedom on the athletes part to do some of their favorite exercises.  It also makes them realize that doing the same types of motions ie deadlifts, swings, squats, will tire them more quickly than if they used opposing movements or just varied the exercises.  I have only used this in a warmup so far and thus chose a conservative weight - men used 16kg and women used 12kg.  I think that's plenty knowing that 10 minutes can be a long time.

The first circuit works the core with OH squats followed by pullups.  It is surprising how core intensive pullups can be especially if they are already fatigued.  Don't get me wrong though the pulling muscles of the back get hit hard here also.  The stepups are just a quick rest for the core and upper body. 

The second circuit gives the climber a big block of time to work the tool switch.  As technical as this portion is it is really all about holding on and resting.  It is a great opportunity to teach the body to rest when fatigued.

Finally I send the climbers back to the high reach.  Aside from the lock off benefit, it is just really good technique practice and this is where most of the athletes are making the biggest improvements.

Power endurance effort today with lots of breathing.  One of the athletes mentioned to me the other day that their aerobic capacity wasn't quite where they wanted it.  This will get you right there.  With the right loading, you will be breathing heavy throughout without going over the top.  At least that was the intention.

Warmup 6 rounds of 15x jingle jangles, 10x situps, 5x hero squats.  Training #1 10-1 hang squat clean, 2x lateral bar hops, 1-leg stepups ea side, alligator pushups.  #2  10-1 Deadlifts, fast feet on bench ea side, WTD situps.  #3  3 rounds of full leg blaster, 30 seconds rest.

Hang squat cleans.  I've been holding out on you, but don't worry over the next couple weeks you'll get your fill.  They are a great exercise for skiers...great eccentric loading like when you drop into a turn and then concentric loading standing up out of the squat or out of a turn.  Its pretty great.  I toyed with going heavy on these early but realized they really are best served in a power endurance effort, at least for skiers.  Watch your loading on these.  You should be able to hit all reps unbroken in a given round, if not, drop some weight.  Move quickly and efficiently through these and you'll have huge gains.  The hops after really get the heart rate going but you should be able to recover on the stepups and pushups just in time to start again.  This is a solid block of work at about 15-20 minutes.  The second moves even quicker but if you are sore from Monday it is going to feel worse.  My glutes and abs were still feeling it today and every deadlift and every situp reminded meof Monday's effort.  The deadlift/WTD situp combo is one of my favorites to really hit the core - anteriorly and posteriorly.  I would probably do it everyday if I could.  And finally some leg blasters.  The full leg blaster is 20x squats, 20x lunges, 20x jumping lunges, 10x jumping squats.  Take the full 30 seconds and go hard again.  Its quick and painful but oh so great for the legs.

As we enter the sport-specific portion of the cycle there will be alot more time on the peg board, ice board and in the cave or really alot of time on tools.  Time on all will slowing increase and we will start adding weight in another week or two.

Warmup 10-1, 1-10 goblet squats, swings then 10x kneeling pullthroughs.  Training  #1  5 rounds 10x deadlifts, 60 sec pegboard up + down, 30 sec tool switch - lateral, 10x WTD situps.  #2  3 rounds of 90 sec ice board w/ 1 stick every 15 sec., 3x 20 sec/10 sec calf raises/rest.  #3  5 rounds of 30 sec deadhang - tools, 4x SB 1/2 moons ea side.  #4  5 roounds of 6x push press, 30 sec OH hold, 4x windmills ea side.

The warmup is as much a grip exercise as anything.  It looks like alot of legs but the only thing you will be thinking about is holding on to the KB.  Pick up the bell and do 10x goblet squats then 1x swing then 9x goblet squats and 2x swings.  Do the countdown and countup before putting the KB down again.  Its tough but fight through.  The kneeling pullthroughs are a new mobility exercise for us that work the shoulders and upper back. 

Deadlifts are key for any type of climbing - rock or ice.  The posterior chain is one of the key elements to help a climber endure, so watch for more as the climbing portion increases.  Start by moving vertically on the peg board and then hit the bottom holes to work the tool switch and lateral movement.  I am very pleased at how efficient the climbers have become in only a couple weeks of working the peg board and tool switch - lots of great progress already.

On the ice boards climbers will try and move for 90 seconds w/ one stick every 15 seconds.  I have found that putting the climbers directly into the ice holds right away is kind of a waste.  They spend the whole 90 seconds just trying to get the pick back out after just one stick and have lost all their movement time.  Hopefully integrating one stick at a time they will become more efficient in placing and removing the pick and thus make the whole exercise much more productive.  We'll see how that goes.

And finally a few hangs on the tools and push presses to counter balance the hangs.  I like throwing in the SB half moons as a core rotation movement but also for grip.  Try a few of these in a row and you'll realize that grip really is a factor and failure comes not only in the breathing portion but the ability to grab and lift the bag.

First day of power endurance for the ski training program.  Lots of dynamic work ahead but with the strength base we've built, it should be no problem.  Remember each session is built upon previous sessions, so follow along as best you can.  And since we are continually adding it means the body is getting overloaded each training session, so remember to rest and recover.  Both are key to making it through the program without getting hurt and without losing psych.  Four weeks to go!

Warmup  5 rounds of 10x OH squats w/ PVC, 10x OH split squats ea side, 5x broad jumps - hands on head, HAM ea side.  Training #1  7 rounds of 6x WTD K2Es, 4x tuck jumps, 20 sec tuck hold, 4x tuck jumps, 10x back extensions.  #2  6 rounds of 6x SB lunges ea side, 20x jumping lunges, 10x jumping squats, 30 sec plank.  #3  5 rounds of 30x 1-leg stepups - total - w/ pack, 30sec mtn climbers, 5x pullups.  #4  4 rounds of 1 length tire drag - HVY - front, 6x lateral shuffles, 1 length tire drag - back, 30 sec jumprope.

There is nothing here that's over the top.  Just a good solid effort that will keep you moving the full hour.  The warmup is pretty basic just wanted to wake the legs up and do a little joint mobility to prep for the training. 

After reviewing last year's ski program with a few of my athletes and looking for ways to improve this year, one factor that came up was the ability to pull the feet/legs up out of the snow when conditions were less than ideal.  It took a little thinking but I think the WTD K2E is a good, gym-based exercise to mimic this movement.  Couple those with some tuck jumps and you got yourself a winner.  It is yet to be tested in real snow conditions but I'm pretty sure if it doesn't help it certainly won't hurt anything.  So watch for more of that combination as we continue.

Part 2 starts to prep the legs for the full leg blasters ahead.  Gone are the days of minis.  Time to go big.  Here we see the second half of the leg blaster matched with some heavy and awkward lunges.  A hard but great combo here.  A quick rest in the plank will have you going quickly again.

In the strength portion of the cycle we did alot of stepups with heavy loads, now we switch to volume.  More reps or more time doing the stepups.  I like to think of it as good thinking time :).  And finally some heavy tire drags.  Both men and women add 50# to the tire and drag away, follow up with some quick movements to keep the legs moving quickly.

Note to all athletes:  The challenge on Wednesday night will be more of a "fun" challenge meaning probably more unload than anything.  So feel free to come early in the day to get the full monty or go back to back days.  It will be easy enough to do 2 days in a row before or after the challenge.

Last session of strength for the climbers with a similar setup to the last session.  Heavy work followed by a rest on the boards or cave.  This session includes alot of legs and total body work - so I pretty much hit everything for you.

Warmup  4 rounds of 4x RMM, 1x rope climb, 30 sec slasher halo, HAM ea side.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 6x goblet squats - HVY, 8x swings, 2 lap peg board.  #2  6 round sof 10x DB calf raises, 20x jumping lunges, 6x ring pushups, 45 sec plank hold on rings.  #3  6 rounds of 4x power cleans @ 50% incr wt ea rd, 30 sec cave mvmt, 3x TGUs ea side.  #4  Deadhang for time.

As much as I know my athletes hate Renegade Man Makers, fact is they are a great total body exercise.  I really like them in the warmup because I know the whole body will be ready to go when they are complete.  So if you are hoping they go away, sorry they probably won't. 

In part 1 grab a heavy KB for the goblet squats and swings, so that when you hit the peg board you are already pumped.  Though the goblet squat is a leg exercise, you will be surprised how pumped your hands will get just holding to it.  The second part I go after the calves and core.  Heavy calf raises right into jumping lunges should be pretty taxing when complete.  Pull out a set a rings and do your pushups right into a plank hold - probably the most challenging portions of the whole session.  You'll quickly realize how much stability is required for a plank - shoulders, core, legs - it will add up quickly. 

And finally total body work with power cleans, hanging in the cave and TGUs.  This is the first opportunity the climbers have to move in the cave.  The cave is equipped with rock holds, so its great for drytooling practice. 

Finish with another round of deadhang for time and compare to what you have done in the previous sessions.  Some athletes were able to increase time again and some found they were pretty worked after the session and just holding on was alot.

Next week we get more sport specific and spend large portions of our sessions on the boards with shorter rests.  Four more weeks and the climbers should be ice ready.

I think Jason put together a great session and you'll really like it.  He brought in alot of different stuff or at least structured in a different way, keeps you working and guessing the whole way through.

Warmup 100m Run + 100 sec tuck hold + 10x power cleans, 100m Run + 80 sec tuck hold + 8x power cleans, 100m Run + 60 sec tuck hold + 6x power cleans, 100m Run + 40 sec tuck hold + 4x power cleans, 100m run + 20 sec tuck hold + 2x power cleans.  Training #1  Every minute on the minute Hang Cleans.  Match the hang clean to the minute  (minute 1 = 1x hang clean, minute 2 = 2x hang cleans).  #2  5 rounds of 4x lateral goblet squats ea side (also known as side lunge), 1x SEAL pushup, 1 length box jump hurdles, 60 sec core balance.  #3  5 rounds of 6x SBGUs, 15x plank walkup, 3x rope or handle twists, 20x med ball hops ea leg.

Admittedly I was a little nervous when I first read the session, but its not as bad as it looks.  The tuck holds go by relatively quickly and the fact that they drop in time each round makes it all that much more doable.  I really liked this combo and we will certainly be doing it again with maybe a little twist.  A good option for the run is 10x jingle jangles.

Part two starts out very easy but as you can imagine the final rounds are the meat of the matter.  But again it goes quickly.  Load on this one can make or break this portion.  A good starting place would be finish weight of the barbell complex.  It should feel light at first but make you start working by about round 6.  If not, add some weight.  If you are getting bogged down early, cut some weight.

Part two will sneak up on you.  Each portion is doable in itself but strung together and its a nice work circuit.  The SEAL pushup is a series of of pushups.  Four regular pushups, four pushups with R hand staggered, 4x left hand staggered and 4x regular pushups again.  This was the worst for me.  In Wednesday's session we did 6 rounds of 10x pushups and my goal was to get all rounds of unbroken, perfect pushups.  It was challenging, but I did it and it left my pecs a little sore.  Then I saw this.  Knowing the chances of repeating 60 perfect pushups one day later was quite low, I was not looking forward it.  And then I wondered if it was a good idea to repeat the same exercise just a day later, there is a lot of thinking time with 12x pushups followed by 60 seconds of core balance.  I try hard to continually change the programming and the sessions so that the body doesn't get used to any one thing.  But then I thought, as I was still doing my pushups, that my body was probably more "shocked" by having to do two days of pushups than it would have been switching them out and replacing with another pushing exercise.  As skiers, or anyone that participates in a sport, we will multiple days in a row using the same muscle groups.  So as much variety we need in training we also need some repetition so that the body is prepared for multiple days of pounding on the same muscles.  Just some random stuff that was running through my head to justify all those frinking pushups.

And finally some fun stuff at the end.  Well maybe the SBGUs weren't as fun as anticipated or the plank walkups but it was certainly laughable to try the new rope/handle twists and I did look forward to the med ball hops every round.

All in all great stuff.  Thanks Jason.

Monday we start our power endurance portion of the cycle.  Lots more plyometrics and eccentric work to really hammer the legs and core.

Ice climbers are nearing the end of the strength portion of this cycle also so I wanted to squeeze in a few more heavy days before all the system board work goes into full swing.  Front squat, bench press, grip strength are all on the docket.

Warmup  6 rounds of 1 length sled push - light, 8x H. pullups, 5x push press/dislocate.  Training #1  6 rounds of 30sec WTD hangs w/ 1x K2E every 15 seconds, 8x back extensions, 6x front squats incr wt ea rd.  #2  6 rounds of 8x suitcase deadlifts, 4x side bends ea side, 1 lap farmer carry, 30 sec pegboard movement.  #3  5 rounds of 60 sec drytooling w/ 1 stick every 15 sec., 5x bench press incr wt ea rd.  #4  5 rounds of 6x DB thrusters, 2 laps target touch, 10x hip lifts ea side.

In each of the circuits the climbing or tool work is actually the rest portion and the other exercise or exercises are the strength portion.  Not only will this increase total body strength but it will teach the body to recover while climbing.  The first portion of training focuses on front squats - great for leg and core strength - with some WTD hangs on tools to rest.  Part 2 of training is all grip strength.  Once you pick up the KBs don't put them down until all three exercises are completed and then get on the peg board.  This is probably the most difficult of all the circuits.  Next load up the barbell for heavy bench presses.  Its been awhile so should feel pretty good and probably a little heavy.  A little bit of tool work gives you a nice break.  And finally target touches or really moving K2Es.  Start with the full body movement of thrusters and get into the cave for the target touches.  Very core and grip intensive for this last portion.

Only one more day in the strength realm and then we move on to more sport specific training - lots of time on the system board, the peg board and the cave.

Monday's session proved harder in the end than I thought it would and not knowing what Jason is going to have for us on Friday I thought it might be nice to lighten the load a bit and work out some of the kinks.  Don't worry this is still a solid session and you'll get your money's worth but hopefully I have backed off just enough to head into Friday's ready for anything.

Warmup 5 rounds of 5x wall squats, 10x squats, 5x jumping squats, 30 sec mtn climbers, 30 sec extended plank.  Training #1  6 rounds of 5x DB KB Front squats, 5x DB KB swings, 10x lateral shuffles w/ touch-jump, 30 sec WTD plank, 10x pushups, 30 sec WTD plank.  #2  6 rounds of 60 sec wallsit, 1x mini leg blaster, 1x rope climb, 30 sec slasher halo.

I am continually surprised by my own programming - what I plan on being hard or difficult to push through often is not and something so simple as say lateral shuffles with a couple jumps becomes the crux of the circuit.  Who knew?  The front squats and swings are heavy and different and kinda cool but they are quick and the struggle short-lived.  The shuffles however last twice as long, make you breathe twice as hard and last all the way through the planks.

Then come the leg blasters.  Last week when we did 6 rounds in 6 minutes it was really a breathing/recovery effort.  How quickly could one catch their breath and power through another round.  Today it is truly a strength endurance effort.  After 60 seconds of wallsits there is no spring in the legs, only heaviness, which makes jumping to the blasters that much more difficult and potentially more challenging than last week.  Frankly I thought the 6 rounds in 6 minutes was not all that difficult, whereas today it was definitely a push to get the legs to fire.

Rope climb.  Had to throw it in cause I was curious.  After all the K2Es on the rope, would climbing the rope be any easier?  I'll let you answer that for yourself.  But interesting to think about because the actual climb is not just about pulling power but also core strength.  Hmmm.

So Friday...Jason.  I'm excited to see what he comes up with and plan on resting till then so I'm ready.

For those of you that had a chance to have Jen critique your climbing on the peg and system boards last week you'll remember how she talked about turning your hips into the wall to help extend and reach higher with your tools.  She and I later decided this would be a good movement pattern to reinforce so one of the main blocks of this session is just that.  Then we return to more pullups and a good little core circuit at the end.

Warmup  4 rounds of 20x stepups w/ pack, 10x pushups, 5x scarecrows.  Training #1  4 rounds of 5x slashers - HVY - R, 5x high reaches - R,  5x slashers - L, 5x high reaches - L, 45 sec tool switch, 2x 20 sec on calf raises/10 sec off.  #2  6 rounds of 3x pullup combo - R, 3x 1-arm push press R & L, 10x DB headcutters, 15x sunrises.  #3  5 rounds of 10x deadlifts, 8x K2E, 20 sec airdyne - arms only, 60 sec plank w/ 1xpushup every 15 seconds.

The other skill Jen worked on with the climbers was managing the pump.  Hang straight armed and shake out when necessary instead of just coming off the wall to rest.  This is going to help not only in the upcoming sessions when we hang for periods of time on the wall but when climbing - which is most important.  Managing the pump is what it is all about.

So in part 1 do a slasher starting from the R hip and crossing to left shoulder.  Then get on the boards and lockoff with your left tool and reach high and right with your right tool as you rotate hips into the wall.  Repeat other side.  Go heavy on the slasher so you really get the feel of the hip rotation and then mimic that on the wall.  So far all the climbers have done great with this and I see improvement all ready.  The second circuit puts you back on the hammer handles for more pullups.  Do three moving across the handles and then right into heavy push press.  Do on both sides and then a little total body movement with the headcutters.  Finish off with some good core work and you have yourself a session.

This is the last week of strength for the skiers and I wanted to mix up the heavy work just a bit so that we could get as much in as possible without over taxing the same systems.  So I used the sled push and sandbag stepups as my heavy lifts.  The sled push increases weight each round, which as you can guess becomes pretty tough towards the end.  The sandbag stepups are more awkward and require more core work than a stepup with a barbell on the back, which offers an even greater challenge.  Then I threw in a pretty grueling core circuit at the end.  I'll be the first to admit those 6 rounds lasted forever eventhough it seemed like I was always right back at the corkscrews.

Warmup 4 rounds of 200m run, 60 sec DOT drill, 15 sec squat hold.  Training #1  6 rounds of 6x front squats @60%max, 1 lap sled push incr wt ea rd, 6x 1-arm situps ea side.  #2  5 rounds of 5x SB stepups ea side, 20x SB hops, 60 sec plank walkup.  #3  6 rounds of 10x corkscrews ea side, 10x swings, 5x R. Rows ea side, 60 sec tuck hold w/ 1 burpee every 15 seconds.

The warmup is straight forward and just wanted to get the athletes breathing and break a little sweat.  The first circuit is challenging but moves along pretty quickly so you never really get bogged down.  The sled pushes get heavy but they actually go by pretty fast.  Even the sandbag stepups were easy going.  Then the plank walkup.  Apparently we haven't done those in awhile.  Sixty seconds seemed like an eternity and it was pretty obvious I wasn't the only one that thought so - some of those walkups looked pretty rough.

And then there were corkscrews.  We don't do these often because frankly, I hate them.  There are a few exercises out there that I don't like but manage to pound through them.  Corkscrews just offer a whole 'nother level of hate.  Today was no exception.  The worst part was it seemed like I was always doing them.  Even 60 seconds of a tuck hold with burpees wasn't enough to keep my mind off the upcoming corkscrews.  The only consolation is that we've done our share for awhile.  The last circuit is grueling and takes longer than you think.  Grind on through.  The more rest you take the longer the unpleasantness lasts.

One more for the week then you're done with training.  It's been a hard week of training and everyone has done great.  It will pay off in the end, I promise.  After Wednesday's session, I knew everyone would be tired and maybe sore but wasn't quite ready to program an unload day.  So I tried to hit the key components that I hadn't finished for the week with some good variety to hopefully make a good, albeit, hard session without sending anyone over the edge.  My take is that it worked out pretty well.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x goblet squats, 10x swings, 10x deadlifts, 10x jingle jangles, 10x steps duck walk.  Training #1  Work to 1 RM deadlift.  #2  6 rounds of 2x deadlifts @ 90%, 4x pullups, 3x TGUs ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 4x side lunges ea side, 8x lateral box jumps, 8x ball slams, 4x SB 1/2 moons ea side.  #4  6 rounds of 1x mini leg blaster every 60 seconds.

The warmup is long and intentionally so, I wanted to make sure all the kinks were worked out and movements were feeling good before heading into heavy deadlifts.  We haven't maxed on deadlifts for awhile and we were due.  But remember, the week has been long and hard.  Keep good form throughout and focus on good lifts everytime instead of the amount of weight on the bar.  It is way to easy to get caught up in numbers and it is those numbers that always lead to trouble.  I paired the deadlifts with some getups to really hit the core (as if it had been neglected) and work opposing muscles to the deadlift. 

In the second circuit we tried a new single leg exercise - the side lunge.  I gave you several rounds here to work into the movement cause its alot more complex than it might seem.  So slow down and focus on form and get it right, then you can blast through the other exercises.

And finally a quick round of leg blasters, just too keep you sharp. 

Only one more week of strength then we move into more power endurance, plyometric and sport specific movements.  So rest up this weekend and get psyched to go heavy one more week.

For such a tough/great workout I knew it had to be appropriately named.  "Come and Get It" is the name of the route my husband, Tom, and the late Alex Lowe put up in Hyalite Canyon back in 1996.  I think it fits just about perfect.  This session was also written by Jason and he brought in some fun new stuff to try.

Warmup  5 rounds of 10x WTD situps, 20x OH press, 10 sec OH plate hold, 1 lap tip-toe walk w/ plate OH, 15x arm circles.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 3x K2E on tools, 3x moving pullups, 1 lap WTD lunges, 10x 1-leg calf raise on Sandbag, 200m Run.  #2  5 rounds of 4x laps peg board, 30 sec tool switch, 4x SB 1/2 moons ea side, 1 length sled push.

Go light on the warmup.  Men at 25# and women at 15# is probably plenty.  This is a serious shoulder burn though most thought the hardest part was the arm circles without any weight.  Go figure.  Anyway, it sets the shoulders up for lots of pulling work.  In part two we have a couple places in the gym to set this up.  You'll need room to move the tools or have 4 hammer handles set up in a row.  So find a spot and get to it.  From the closest pair do 3x K2E and then 1 pullup, move out to the next widest grip and do 1 pullup and then finally the furthest grip and do 1 pullup.  This is also easily done with tools, just make sure you have some room to move.  Then onto some walking lunges and calf raises.  Stand on a sandbag and do 10x 1-leg calf raises holding dumbbells.  Its challenging with the unstable surface which is exactly what he was after.

The second circuit gets you on the peg board and more of the tool switches.  Four full laps on the peg board and then go right into the tool switches while still on the peg board.  This should get the pump going.  Then a little core work to balance the session out.

Like the ski session, this definitely bumps up the volume and work load - as promised - and has a great balance of pushing, pulling and leg work to make a great session.

Remember in the beginning when I said this program is progressive - training will get progressively harder as we build upon the last session.  Well this one definitely takes you to the next step.  This is no joke.  Both of today's sessions - ski and ice - were written by Jason and he delivered.   So come in prepared to work.

Warmup  4 rounds of 300m shuttle run, 10x barbell burpees - light, 1 lap backward lunge w/ twist, mtn mobility.  Training #1  6 rounds of 4x power cleans @ 70-80%max, 1 length tire drag, 1 lap bear crawl, 8x WTD K2E rope, 4x windmills each side.  #2  6 rounds of 5x DB thrusters M35#/W25#, 45 sec jumprope, 4x single leg squats ea side, 5x dips, 15x sunrises.

Start to finish this is relentless.  It is long and hard.  The original actually had one more circuit but after an hour of hard work and a few telepathetic words of wisdom to Jason, I quit.  I don't quit.  Especially when trying out someone else's work but one round of part three and I was done.  I left the gym feeling bad.  But to my credit, I am the only one thus far that has been able to finish the first three parts in an hour.  You have to move.  It won't feel good, there won't be any happy moments to pat yourself on the back and you know you are in trouble when the tire drag is the rest.  

The warmup is long and relentless.  300m of running followed by 10x barbell burpees.  1 round of that is enough, but Jason decided 4 would be better.

Monday's session was heavy on the legs.  Jason gives us a total body effort in this one, which is why it seems so difficult.  He hit everything.  Go from power clean to tire drag and try to recover on the ground as you fly through bear crawls.  Then strap on those ankle weights and do 8 - way more than 5 - K2Es.  Killer.  Fortunately a nice mobility exercise will ease the breathing and the mind, temporarily.  6 rounds of this.  Solid work.

The second circuit actually moves alot quicker and a little more easy going.  I was fearful of the thrusters but reality is, they weren't that bad and it was a nice way to finish the session and ease the mind.  It'll be ok.

Mentally it is hard.  Physically it is hard.  So pat yourself on the back when you finish for a job well done.  Thanks, Jason.

The ice climbers are moving on, to their tools.  This is the first session climbers have a chance to use their tools on the ice boards and hanging.  The training sessions will slowly increase in intensity as time on the tools increases.

Warmup  10 minutes of KB work.  Training #1  5 rounds of 1x rope climb w/ 15 sec DH at end. 5x KB snatches, 5x OH lunges R & L, 10x STD Russian Twist ea side, 3x shoulder sweeps.  #2  6 rounds of 5x swings to ice R & L, 10x hammer swings ea side, 30 sec tool switch, 10x headcutters M16kg/W12kg.  #3  8 rounds of 8x toe raises - HVY, 6x squat jumps, 10x pushups, "down dog" calf stretch.

Last week all the other groups had a chance at the KB work.  In this session the climbers get to do the full 10 minute version.  Pick up a KB and don't put it down for 10 minutes.  Any exercise is legal but only 10x reps can be done at a time.  Be creative so you don't get overly pumped.  This is a great way for climbers to warmup.  The amount of time is perfect.  Grip strength gets some work but with the proper weight it shouldn't be overly done.  Shoulders get a great warmup especially if you are able to vary the exercises.  And its kind of fun.  Thinking and training all in one.

Moving on the climbers are back on the rope with a bonus deadhang after they have climbed it.  A little more KB work and then pull out the tools.

In the first part they will use the iceholdz and swing into the holds in an effort to get 5 good sticks.  Done on each side and then swing the hammer.  Move over to the cave and hang from the tools with feet on rock holds.  From here the climber hangs on one tool while switching to the other.  For the more advanced climbers hook the tool over the shoulder every time you switch.  Just starting out then keep both tools hanging and switch from there.  A few rounds of this circuit and you'll start to feel the pump come on.

Finish the session with some calf work and just a little more shoulder work to balance out all the hanging.

Ice climbers, we have a special guest in our gym over the next couple weeks.  Jen Olson, a certified mountain guide from Canada, is here to train, learn and share her knowledge of climbing with all of us.  Personally I am honored she chose me as a mentor and am as excited to learn from her as I am to guide her in her training and coaching goals.  The following is a brief biography of Jen, but please take the time to introduce yourself and learn more from this very accomplished woman.

Jen Olson is the 7th female internationally certified mountain guide (ACMG/IFMGA) in Canada, as well as an avid rock, ice, mixed and alpine climber twelve months per year.  She guides throughout western Canada and in the European Alps in the ski, rock and alpine disciplines.  Jen loves sharing her expertise in climbing and with others at festivals and through her guiding.  She has competed in ice climbing competitions in Quebec, Canmore, Bozeman and Ouray - placing 1st, twice in Bozeman and placing 2nd in Ouray.  She has been on remote alpine climbing expeditions with other women, pioneering first ascents in Alaska, Pakistan and in the Canadian Rockies.  She is keen to learn more about personal training and coaching to help her clinets reach their climbing goals.

Lots of heavy leg work today so hopefully Friday's fun is long forgotten and the legs are ready for work again.  Heavy front squats and 1-leg stepups make up the bulk of the session.

Warmup  6 rounds of 3x Curtis Ps, 5x DOT drill, box strech ea side.  Training  #1  5 rounds of 5x front squats, 10x swings - hvy, 10x STD KB Russian twist - total, hip swivel ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 3x 1-leg stepups ea side M95-105#/W45-55#, 8x lateral shuffles w/ touch jump, 10x pushups, frog stretch.  #3  5 rounds of 60 sec wallsit, 15 sec airdyne sprint, 10x hip lifts ea side, prisoner stretch ea side.

Haven't done Curtis Ps in awhile but as I was looking for a total body lift this fit the bill perfect.  Use your first or second round BBC weight to work through all 6 rounds.  For the front squats start at about 60-65% of max and men add 10# each round and women add 5# each round.  They will get heavy, so if form starts to go, stick with a weight that you can still maintain good form and depth.  Go heavy on swings and then drop one KB size for the Russian twist. 

The weight is adjusted higher by 10# for everyone on the 1-leg stepups.  A little weight makes a big difference.  So focus on balance and good knee drive to get right up on the box.  Then onto some quick movement with the lateral shuffle/touch jump.  At the end of each shuffle touch the ground jump straight up and touch again before starting the next one.  Focus on staying low and moving those feet as fast as possible.  And finally a few rounds of wallsits to finish off the session.  Up from last week, today sit for 60 seconds and then literally jump on the airdyne and sprint.  A little floor movement gives you just enough time to catch your breath before starting again.

Heavy workload in this session.  Weighted hangs for grip, heavy push press for good opposition work, weighted stepups and a seemingly endless hang/swing combo.  Lots of work to be done but most athletes are finishing at around 50 minutes.

Warmup 4 rounds of 10 sec max pullups - handles, 20 sec max pushups, 30 sec max situps, 30 sec rest.  Training  #1  6 rounds 15 sec WTD deadhang w/ 3RM wt. + 10#, 3x pullups - no weight, 4x push press start @50%max incr 10# ea rd., 4x piston press ea side - light and fast, 15x toes to sky.  #2  6 rounds of 10x WTD 1-leg stepups, 10x jumping lunges, 4x Scotty bob's.  #3  7 rounds of 20 sec deadhang, 20 sec swing, 20 sec rest.  #4  40x TGUs.

The warmup is designed to just get blood moving, nothing fancy or tricky.  Then using your previous 3RM WTD pullup max add 10# to that and throw it all in a pack.  Do you 15 seconds of deadhang with that pack.  Followed by 3x pullups fast and light.  The push press will start out easy but will become increasingly difficult with the added weight the total volume that is added each round.  Again follow the push press with light and fast piston presses.  Push through cause a little leg work will follow to help the grip recover just in time for more hanging.  The ice climbers did the hang/swing combo last year and worked to rounds of 60 sec hang/60 sec swing.  No joke.  We will slowly build to that as the program continues but I have a feeling at 20 seconds each with a rest its going to feel like 60.  I added a nice finisher of TGUs.  With so much hanging throughout the session I wanted to get in some good pressing work and of course alot of core.

Next week the climbers will start on tools.  In the gym you will need tools, helmet and gloves.

This one is full value.  I managed to hit just about everything today and the beauty is just when you think you can't do another round, its over.  Each block is relatively short but they are intense with no rest while you are working, only in between blocks.  I was fortunate enough to train with King and Chris B. while Jason coached us along which made for a great session.  Thanks guys!

Warmup  8 minutes of KB work.  Training  #1 4 rounds of 100m tire drag, 5x WTD K2Es on rope.  #2  4 rounds of 4x DL @ 75-80%, 3x SBGUs ea side.  #3  8 rounds of 10x goblet squats - HVY, 15 sec tuck jumps, 15 sec rest.  #4  4 rounds of 45 sec sprints 20m, 45 sec rest.  #5  6 rounds of 6x Push press @ BBC finish wt., 1 lap DB crawl w/ row.

In the warmup pick up a KB and don't put it down for 8 minutes.  Choose any combination of exercises with the only restrictions being you can't put it down and you can only do 10 reps of one exercise in a row.  Its actually kind of fun and creative and the time goes by pretty quick if you are able to vary the exercises.

Then jump right into the work.  Today we do 100m tire drags.  The tires are kept intentionally light so the pulling should be fairly easy - its just the time and distance that will get you.  Part 2 is heavy deadlift time.  Load to about 75-80% of your max and get after it.  I had the athletes do a couple warmup reps as they loaded the bar full weight so that they didn't just jump into a heavy lift without proper warmup.  This worked well and made the heavy weight quite doable.  The sandbag getups were almost, almost, a rest.  After the first round the getups seemed easier than just 4x heavy deadlifts.  But make no mistake, 4 was plenty here and anymore and it could have gotten ugly.  The goblet squat/tuck jump combo was just hard.  Heavy squats right into jumps.  Don't even want to revisit that one.  So move right onto the sprints.  The first one is pretty rough, but they eventually (round 4) start to feel better and the legs loosen up.  And then the push press/DB crawl combo.  When I wrote it, it seemed like a good idea.  Coming off the sprints I questioned my ability to press the bar overhead.  But fortunately it all worked out and though it was a grind, it was the perfect finisher.

Climbers have been doing alot of hanging and pulling on hammer handles already so I wanted to give their joints a break and focus on some other necessary strengths like pulling, calf and core strength.  This should set them up perfectly for Friday's hang fest.

Warmup  5 rounds of 5x DB push press, 1x rope climb, 3x shoulder rolls back and front.  Training AMRAP in 15 minutes of 1x rope pull, 5x A2B on handles, 10x ball slams, 30 sec airdyne.  #2  AMRAP in 15 minutes of 5x power cleans @ 50%max, 1x sled push or 20x jumping lunges, 10x DB bench press light, 30 sec core balance.

Our rope pull is setup a little different than the tire pull.  A rope is hung from the ceiling running through an eyebolt.  We can attach a weight to one end and pull the other.  This directly simulates pulling ropes and if weight is added it feels like pulling stuck ropes or frozen ropes.  Only a little weight is needed to get full value out of this one - men used a 16kg KB and women just 12kg.  Then onto some core work with ankle to bar and ball slams.  The second part of training is really to load up the calves.  The power clean is an olympic lifts requiring triple extension at ankles, knees and hips.  With good extension at the ankles the calves fire hard and continue being taxed with jumping lunges.  The bench press is for some light oppositional work.  We'll do some heavy pressing on Friday so don't burn your strength here.

Friday will be another strength day with heavy hangs, opposition work and some leg training to depump between circuits.

As many can attest, yesterday was a little rough after Monday's strength/volume session.    So I took that into consideration and programmed a nice long strength endurance session that just feels good.  Nothing is hard or heavy or over the top but just a great way to get moving again and work through any lingering soreness.  I still had a a couple ski components to work in today so we didn't get off track but even 220 1-leg stepups felt pretty darn good.  All athletes will do the same session today.

Training 11 rounds of 20x 1-leg stepups M25#/W15#, 8x ring rows, 60 sec jumprope OR 60 sec airdyne OR 200m run, 8x KB floor press ea side, 45 sec core balance, 5x dips.

The first couple rounds just feel good.  Moving quickly you are already half way through when you realize where I'm going with this but even then its really not that bad.  In fact it was so great, I added 1 more round cause I just wasn't ready to stop.

This is the perfect set-up for Friday's session which will incorporate alot - strength, power, power endurance - all kinds of stuff.  As challenging as it will be, I also think its gonna be kind of fun.

Jason will be coaching the two morning sessions, 7am & 9am and I will be around the rest of the day.

Week two for the ice climbers and already they are making great improvements.  I programmed another deadhang for time and everyone improved, that's pretty impressive I think.  Started working in the lockoffs in this session as grip strength slowly increases.

Warmup 5 rounds of 30 sec airdyne, 5x K2E on rope, 5x push press to shoulder dislocate.  Training #1  6 rounds of 3x staggered pullups w/ 10 sec lockoff R & L, 5x DB thrusters, 1 lap DB Overhead carry 50 m, 15x situps.  #2  6 rounds of 10x DB lunges - total, 20 sec toes raises - fast, 60 sec core balance.  #3  6 rounds of Deadhang for time then -10 seconds ea successive round, 7x hammer swings ea side, 12x KB DL.

The staggered pullups were done on the hammer handles.  Add a piece of webbing to one handle so it hangs lower - by about 4-6 inches - than the other.  Face one direction and do the pullups and lockoff hold.  Then turn around and do the same.  Pick a pair of dumbbells that you'll be able to carry for 50m - these add up fast so err on the light side and if things go well increase weight as you work through the rounds.  Use the same dumbbells for the lunges and then drop them and go right into 20 seconds of toe raises as fast as possible.  Finally back to the deadhang.  Go for broke on the first one and see if you can beat your time from last week.  Then each successive round subtract 10 seconds and work through the circuit.  If you time is less than 60 seconds only subtract 5 seconds each round.

The next session will be a long strength endurance.  A total body session that will hit grip, legs, calves and core.  Should be fun.

It is alot.  I packed alot of volume into this session and that's what you are going to feel.  Nothing gets super heavy or crazy hard, the volume just adds up circuit after circuit and you will be pretty well spent at the end.  Move quickly and work hard - this is solid at an hour and some even went over.

Warmup  4 rounds of KB complex, 4x DOT drill, Mtn. mobility ea side.  Training #1  6 rounds of 8x DB KB front squat, 1 length reverse tire drag, 5x ball throws.  #2  7 rounds of 6x SB lunges R & L, 1 length sled push, calf stretch ea side.  #3  8 rounds of 6x WTD situps M55#/W45#, 6x A2B, 6x Glute Ham Raise.  #4  5 rounds of 45 sec wallsit, 30 sec mtn climber, 30 sec plank.

From the first round of the warmup you'll know you are in for the real deal - no messing around.  The KB complex is 6 reps each of deadlift, sumo hi pull, goblet squats, swing, slasher ea side, push press.  Then right to the DOT drill.  Move quick through the DOT drill, its great for agility and reaction speed.  Then move on to the fun.

Grab two KBs and load them in the front rack position and do your 8 front squats.  We haven't done these for awhile and personally I didn't miss them at all.  Aside from the obvious load on the legs, your entire core strength will be tested as you try and balance the weight in front.  Which you might not fully understand untill you hit the core circuit a little later.  Then hop in the belt and drag the tire backwards just one length.  The ball throws are just a quick distraction.

The next part involves sandbags.  Load a SB on the right shoulder and do 6x lunges alternating ea leg.  Switch shoulders and do the same.  Then push the sled the length of the gym.  Round 1 feels great.  Its just 2-7 that suck.

Onto more core.  It only takes one round here to realize just how much core work is involved in everything we do.  I seriously questioned my ability to do all 8 rounds but quickly got down to business and got it done.  Procrastinating doesn't make it hurt any less.  And as a nice bonus I added some wallsits - just a little more time than last week - and a mtn climber/plank combo.  Needless to say, I was more than happy when I finished and am guessing I will be reliving alot of it tomorrow everytime I move.   

Good luck.

Session three for my ice climbers again has alot of grip and calf work as I try a build a good base in both areas.

Warmup  5 rounds of 5x KB clean & press, 5x pullups on hammer handles, 3x scarecrows.  Training #1  6 rounds 1x tire pull, 20 sec hang on hammer handles, 20 sec swings, 10x sunrises.  #2  6 rounds of 8x toe raises ea side, 60 sec jumprope, 8x 1-arm situps ea side.  #3  8 rounds of 8x suitcase deadlifts, 1 lap farmer carry, 5x SB Russian twists ea side.

We will probably stay on hammer handles for at least another week.  They are slippier and harder to hold than tools which adds to the grip challenge.  In the warmup do all pullups on the handles and leave them out for the deadhangs.  If you don't have a tire to pull do horizontal pullups on rings (preferably) or with a barbell.  The rings will require alot more core stability than a bar which will better simulate the tire pull.  Then hang on the handles and move right to the swings.  Lots of grip work going on right there.  Then lay down let the arms relax as you do a little core work.  For the toe raises hold a KB in one hand and do single leg toe raises on the same side as the KB and then switch sides.  Use the same size bell for the 1-arm situps.  A little jumprope thrown in to further work the calves.  And finally the suitcase deadlift.  Use to KBs held on either side and perform a deadlift.  Without putting them down go right into your farmer carry.  We did a 50m carry so that the deadlift and carry could be done at a heavier weight.

While maintaining our grip and calf focus next week we will do a little more for the legs to help prepare for long, snowy approaches. 

The snow is starting to fall in the high country which makes training all that much more fun.  I was pretty sore after Wednesdays session but with some active recovery on Thursday, Fridays session felt really good.  Heavy deadlifts and stepups today.  Both great exercises for leg strength.  The 1-leg stepups are going to be key in developing strength and endurance for skinning.  So might as well get used to them. 

Warmup  6 rounds of Mini leg blaster, 10x plank kicks ea side.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 4x deadlifts incr wt ea rd., 4x box jumps, 6x side bends ea side - HVY.  #2  7 rounds of 4x 1-leg stepups ea side M75-85#/W45#, 8x poorman's leg curls ea side, 6x kneeling slashers ea side.  #3  8 rounds of 6x deck squats to push press, 6x back extensions w/ 8kg, 6x WTD hip lifts ea side M20#DB/W15#DB.  #4  Bottom-Bottom Tabata Squats - Jeopardy style.

Its still early so we will work through some mini leg blasters before I pull out the full leg blaster.  This is a good way to develop on some strength, speed and mental toughness that the full leg blaster will require.  In the first circuit I want my athletes to work their way up to 80% of their deadlift max.  They started at a moderate weight and added each round till they hit 80% on round 6.   This actually worked out well because there is alot of volume built in, there is ample chance to warmup to heavy lifting, and there is still alot of weight being moved.  And it felt good, even at the high end.

For the 1-leg stepups load the barbell on your back and pull out that 20" box.  Alternate feet each time and really drive the non-standing leg's knee up to the chest.  This simple drive requires alot of strength, balance and coordination, all of which you will use while skinning.  Focus on learning the movement and getting it right now, it will make the coming weeks much easier.  And finally deck squats to push press.  I wanted a full body movement that incorporated a squat without going back to the barbell.  By simply adding a push press at the top of the movement I got the desired effect.  Kind of like a deck squat on steroids.  Deck squats are a tough movement.  Some people can do them perfect right out of the gate, but for the rest of us they require a little practice and a few misses.  If they are challenging for you, don't give up.  Keep trying and one day your body will figure the movement and you'll be crushing them.

I added a little chaser at the end.  One of my favorites.  It's quick, effective and to the point.  Bottom-Bottom Tabata squats - jeopardy style.  A Tabata is 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 second of rest.  Here I chose airsquats for the work and tuck hold for rest.  Its brutal.  But its only four minutes.  Count your squat reps in the first round and then each successive round you must match that number.  If you don't you earn 1x burpee for every missed rep to be done at the end.  Can you game it?  Yes, of course, I just told you what was going to happen and how you can keep from doing burpees.  The question is, do you want to? 

This session's focus is weighted pullups and weighted hangs.  Work to 3RM on WTD pullups so you can use that number later.  It is also a good gauge of how much weight should be used in the weighted hangs to get the desired training effect.

Warmup  4 rounds of 90 sec rock system board, 5x side bends ea side, 6x slasher halos.  Training #1  5 rounds 3x WTD pullups M15#/10# add 10# & 5# respectively till 3 are hard but doable, 10x lunges w/ pack, 3x dips w/ pack.  #2  6 rounds of 10x goblet squats, 8x swings, 6x A2B, 20 sec 2 pt. plank ea side.  #3  8 rounds of 10 sec WTD hang, 20 sec rest.  #4  5 rounds of 3x push press w/ 15 sec OH hold on #3, 3x scotty bob's, 12x situps, frog stretch.

For the weighted pullups, on the hammer handles, men started at 15# for the first round and added 10# each round until they couldn't do 3 good pullups.  If neeed take a quick - and I stress quick - break between pullups but really focus on working towards 3 in a row.  Keep the pack on with the weight you have added for the lunges & dips.  And when the circuit is finished set the pack aside as you will use it again.  I broke up the hanging portions with some core and leg work and then right back on the hammer handles.  Go back to your pack and add another 10# and start your weighted hangs.  Ten seconds should be pretty close to max if the pack is weighted heavy enough - if not, add more weight.  And finally some opposition work to counter all the hanging and pulling.  On the push press load to a moderate weight.  Do three push presses and on the third hold overhead for 15 seconds.  And finally the frog stretch.  I usually use it as a hip opener but in this session use it to open the shoulders and upper back.

Single leg strength is important for many reasons.  For backcountry skiers they help build leg strength for the ascent.  Nordic skate skiers use a single leg drive in the pushoff.  But for all athletes strength balance between legs is important in reducing the risk of injury - which is really why we do them.

Warmup  4 rounds of barbell complex at start wt. for all rounds.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 6x split squats R, 6x jumping lunges, 6x split squats L, 6x lateral shuffles, 30 sec tuck hold, hip swivel ea side.  #2  3 rounds of 6x SBGUs R, 100m Run, 6x SBGUs L, 20 sec airdyne, rest 30 sec.  #3  5 rounds of 30 sec wallsit, 20 sec calf raises, 1 lap sled push, calf stretch ea side.

Guessing there may be some lingering soreness in hamstrings from Monday which is be most apparent on the split squats.  We used a KB held at the chest today in hopes of helping athletes keep their chest up and looking ahead.  With dumbbells at the side its very easy to break at the waist and not really use much leg strength.

The second circuit is really where the money is - hard work for the core.  I did a pretty good job of nailing the core Monday but there was one piece I didn't program in, the getups.  Sandbag getups are predominantly a core exercise but they require so much from legs and lungs and pure mental toughness.  A great all around exercise.  And finally the skiers get to push that sled.  I have let everyone give it a go - skiers are the last to try.  And it won't disappoint.  Similar to the getups it uses everything you got.

Its still quite warm out but we are hoping that the ice will come so might as well be ready.  This is our first session of  training for ice.  The ice climbers will not have a specific test day but will be tested and retested and we progress through the cycle.  The first test is a deadhang for time.  Hang straight armed from tools, or we use hammer handles, for as long as possible.  Record your time, we will refer to it again.  The balance of the session is strength based for grip and calves.

Warmup  4 rounds of 6x DB ground to OH M25#DBs/W15-20#DBs, 1x rope climb, 10x shoulder openers.  Training #1  6 rounds of 3x Staggered pullups ea side, 100m Farmer carry M20kg/W16kg, 6x 1-leg stepups ea side M25#/W15#.  #2  5 rounds of Deadhang for time, 5x hammer swings ea side, 10x GHD situps.  #3  5 rounds of 8x calf raises - HVY M135#+/W95#+, 1x lap sled push, 10x back extensions, 6x spiderman pushups.

The first part is pretty self-explanatory and then in part 2 do a max deadhang and record your time.  For each successive round take 10 seconds off you time and hang for that period.  If your hang is less than 50 seconds only subtract 5 seconds each round.  The last part is heavy on the calves.  Load a a heavy barbell onto your back and do some calf raises.  Then push that sled.  Great for overall leg strength and calf strength especially after the heavy barbell portion.  No sled?  Use a tire to drag or if you have a treadmill set it on a high incline like 12% and climb as fast as possible - don't run, we want those calves burning on this one and not the quads.

The next session will be heavy hangs and strength endurance for the core and grip.

FYI ice training sessions will be posted on T/Th/Friday so you can follow along.

And away we go.  Load up the bar and start squatting.  Today's major lifts are box squats and power cleans.  The box squats are great for learning full range of motion and for engaging hamstrings and glutes as you drive off the box.  The power clean is a great full body exercise that develops great power in the legs and hips.  The core circuit is a little more challenging than expected so try to keep moving and not get too bogged down.  And finally some easy sprints to help flush the legs.

Warmup 5 roundn sof 5x goblet squats, 5x airsquats, 5x jumping squats, 20 sec plank walkup.  Training #1  5 rounds of 4x box squats incr wt ea rd., 4x tuck jumps, 30 sec rollers, instep stretch ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 4x power cleans @70%max, 6x swings - hvy, 6x K2E on rope, 6x toes to sky.  #3  6 rounds 6x RDL, 10x WTD situps M45#/W35#, 6x pullups 4xW, 60 sec extended plank w/ 3x pushups every 30 seconds.  #4  5 rounds of 30 sec 20m sprints, 30 sec rest.

Athletes training in the gym will find my fancy blue boxes on the floor.  They are in place to help with our jumping mechanics.  Research has linked jumping and landing mechanics to risk of ACL injury.  So today we are going to do the easiest of all the tests.  Perform 4 tuck jumps while staying within the box.  Easy.  Its when we start doing several in a row that the box is going to get smaller and smaller.  Your ability to jump and land in the box multiple times determines your risk of injury.  Landing all over the map, not so good.  Hitting the same spot time after time, good.

The power clean/swing complex is tough but short.  Lots of hip power at work here which is going to make my skiers more durable in the backcountry, especially with the core circuit that follows.  Rock solid.  The sprints were added for two reasons, first to help flush the legs and second because sprints are a great way to build leg strength.  These are short and pretty easy but we will use this as our foundation and build from there.

Non-skiers had the opportunity to try out the sled with a nice complex of heavy goblet squats and a sled push.  Luckily for everyone the sled is running great and everyone seems to really like it!

Don't worry skiers - you get to use it on Wednesday. 

Well whatever you are doing next week, today was the last easy day for awhile.  Many came in sore and complaining but left feeling better and looser.  So do yourself a favor.  If you are feeling it from Wednesday - whichever sessions you did - get out and move.  You will feel better in the end.  The nice thing about a gym session when you are sore and tired is it hits the whole body and everything feels a little better.  Little bit of legs, upper body and core and you've found the tight spots (who knew my core would be tired after ski testing?) and worked them out.

Warmup  3 rounds of 15x airsquats, 5x power skips, mtn climbers 15s/30s/45s, box stretch ea side.  Training #1  8 rounds of 100m run or 20 sec airdyne, 5x R. Rows ea side, 1x length DB crawl, 1x hopscotch, 30 sec core balance.  #2  8 rounds of 10x goblet squats, 5x KB figure 8s ea direction, 5x STD KB Russian Twists ea side, 30 sec plank walkup, 30 sec extended plank.  #3  8-1 Lunges R, 1-arm KB swing ea side, Lunges L, Sumo hi jump.

The squats right off the bat are going feel bad but that's where the most soreness is so might as well get right to it.  It goes by quick and then you can start moving around.  The first circuit just feels good.  Nothing hard, nothing to bog you down - honestly I could have just done that for an hour and been happy.  But no, I moved on with more squats which felt a whole lot better than in the warmup and some core work.  I was surprised at how fatigued by core was from Wednesday.  And finally the last part will get you breathing a little but its quick and kinda fun.  Start with the KB in your right hand and do 8 lunges with your right foot.  Then do a 1-arm KB swing 8 with each arm.  IF you've counted correctly you will be holding the KB in your left hand.  Do 8 lunges.  Then from the middle do 8 sumo hi jumps.  Countdown to 1 and you are done.

***NOTES:  Ice climbers will NOT need tools on Monday.  I will tell you when its time to bring them in.  There is a limit of 3 climbers - ice or rock - per session.

On the regular side there is a limit of 8 athletes - regardless of whether you do ski conditioning or base fitness.  So if your training times are limited, sign up early.  I will not take extras during the next 8 weeks.  Its just too hectic for us all.

Non-skiers will also start a strength cycle next week, so everyone will be at full tilt starting Monday morning.  Enjoy the weekend and get psyched for fall training!

Amazing.  I am always in awe of how hard my athlete work and push and strive for more but today is one of those days where they dug a little deeper, tried a little harder and got the job done.  I'll give you a couple of the standouts and you'll be able to see what the test entails from that.

Rebel killed her front squat max.  Done.  Squatting 165# which is well over her bodyweight and a significant increase from her last max.  Awesome.  Nick put up the highest power clean which is to be expected.  What was unexpected is he also has the high score for lateral box jumps.  Impressive.  Kirstin, after over two years of training with me, did her first legitimate pullup.  And that one was so great she did a few more.  The first one is the hardest and then things just fall in line, Kirstin.  Rob & I are on the leader board for the full leg blaster though Donny hasn't tested yet so we'll see if we went hard enough.  Side note, someone needs to remind Rob that he is supposed to let the coach win, not see how much she can suffer.  Rob then quickly passed me on the stepups and pretty much blew everyone out of the water.

More testers to come so I'll keep you updated.

For those not doing the ski pre-test today I put together a nice strength endurance session for you, which should keep you quite occupied for the full hour.

Warmup  3 rounds of 30 sec jumprope, 30 sec DOT drill, 30 sec pushups, 30 sec rest.  Training #1  6 rounds of 60 sec max airsquats, 60 sec rest.  #2  6 rounds of 60 sec stepups M25#/W15#, 60 sec rest.  #3  3 rounds of max bench press @50%max, 60 sec rest.  #4  3 rounds 30 sec max pullups, 60 sec rest.  #5  2 rounds of 30 sec max calories airdyne, 60 sec rest.

Using strength exercises this is really a work capacity effort where you try and match efforts in each round.  It will be tough especially on the bench press and pullup section but I have given you sufficient rest to make it happen.  Loads are light or at bodyweight so work hard during the work portion and rest/recover to get ready to do it again.

In the pullup section use round 1 for a max pullup test and rest the 60 seconds.  Subsequent rounds just get as many as possible.

Friday will be another unload/maintenance before everyone ramps on Monday.  Climbers and Skiers will start their programs.  General athletes and rock climbers will also follow a 4 week strength cycle and then 4 weeks of power endurance.  Lots of fun ahead.

***Ice climbers***I will let you know when you need to start bringing tools.  Monday and Wednesday next week - no tools.

This one was harder to write than anticipated.  With many of my athletes doing the ski pre-test on Wednesday I had to be careful what I programmed today.  I wanted to shake out the cobwebs of the weekend, get everyone moving but not tax too heavily the muscles we will be stressing on Wednesday.  In the end I think it came out pretty good, but won't know for sure till I start doing the leg blaster series on Wednesday.

Warmup 5 rounds 100m run, 100m SB run, 10x situps, 1x hip swivel ea side.  Training #1  6 rounds of 6x Bulgarian split squats ea side no wt., 4x ring pressouts, 90 sec ab complex - 30 sec side plank, 30 sec mtn climbers, 30 sec side plank.  #2  8 rounds of 15 sec airdyne sprint, 6x H. pullups, 6x hip lifts ea side, 3x A2B.  #3  1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 x10sec jumprope, inchworm w/ pushup, sunrise.

The Bulgarian split squats are just the same as last week except no weight.  Focus on range of motion and form.  These will be used alot in the weeks to come as a great single leg exercise.  For whatever reason the 90 sec ab complex seemed much harder than it should have today, but still manageable.  Go hard on the airdyne - its only 15 seconds and then you have a few exercises to recover with before you get back on.  And finally some nice mobility work with the inchworm pushups to help ensure there is no lingering tightness in the hamstrings.

Wednesday there will be all kinds of options for training.  Ski pre-test, regular hybrid session, and rock session.  Pick your favorite.  Jason will be in for the 7am and 9am and I will be there the rest of the day.

A nice power endurance effort that includes some of the exercises/skills that will come up in next weeks ski pre-test.  I wanted the athletes to have a chance to practice some of the movements we will be testing and really give them a chance to "own" them, so that when test time comes it will be all about performance and not learning.  And with 12 rounds in each circuit that should be plenty to get the movement down.

Warmup  3 rounds of Full leg blaster, 5x piston press ea side, mtn. mobility ea side.  Training #1  12 rounds of 3x power cleans @ 50-60%max, 5x lateral box jumps, 1 length DB crawl.  #2  12 rounds of 5x swings, 4x K2E rope, 3x plyo pushups.  #3  12 rounds of 5x 1-leg stepups alternate side ea round, 5x balls slams, 5x toe raises.

The warmup was just a reminded of the full leg blaster.  They are cruel so I try to limit their use but knowing they will certainly be tested next week just wanted everyone to get used to the rep scheme again so that wouldn't be a factor.    Power cleans will be one of our tested lifts so here is a good chance to practice at low weight anda really get the movement.  Our fancy new "little" boxes come out for their original intent - though they have been quite useful for other stuff also - lateral box jumps.  Just a few at a time today to figure it out.  The other exercise that you will see is the 1-leg stepups.  Today they are unweighted, but this will be the last time for a long time.  They will be a staple for all our backcountry skiers during the ski training program.

The best part about training with a group is motivation.  Some days its just to get to the gym.  And some days its to keep going when you don't want to.  But many days its the inspiration to try harder, go a little faster and not give up when you're tired.  Training on my own, I have missed the comraderie and motivation.  The past couple weeks I have been trying to jump in with the other athletes, when appropriate, to help motivate myself and keep my own training as good as can be and it's been alot of fun.  Though some of you have forgotten that your job is to make the coach look good - not make me work harder.

Warmup 3 rounds of 8x headcutters M16kg/W12kg, 30 sec DOT drill.  Training #1  3 rounds of 30 sec 10m sprints, 10x KB hi pulls, 10x barbell rollouts.  #2  3 rounds of 45 sec 15m sprints, 3x TGUs ea side, 20x mtn climbers ea side.  #3  3 rounds of 60 sec of 20m sprints, 10x Renegade rows ea side, 25x situps.  #4  3 rounds of 5x dips, 5x pullups, 90 sec ab bridge (30 side/30 front/ 30 side).

This interval session was tailored after a "Training for Warriors" session and kudos to King Grant who did the session as Rx'ed on the treadmill - which I know was harder than what we did.  There are 3 blocks of work each lasting about 10 minutes depending on how quickly you can fly through the strength portions.  Round 1 is tolerable but it gets increasingly challenging as the sprints hit 45 and then 60 seconds.  The beauty is there is only 3 rounds of each.  Very doable.  And a couple quick rounds of bodyweight work to cooldown at the end.  Its hard but fun.

Next week...veteran athletes will do the ski pre-test, only if you plan on doing the ski conditioning program.  There is no need to torture yourself if you aren't.  We can do it any time during the week but ideally you train one day and on your second training day you do the test and if you train a third time you will do an unload.

Non-testers will do maintenance/unloads all week, testers will do 2x unloads and 1x test day.  There have been alot of tweeks and pains and such in the gym lately so we will recover before hitting it hard the first week of October.

Today's session is a just a little taste of how ski conditioning is going to feel...not so great.  This session has two heavy loaded circuits and a nice little "finisher" which will no doubt finish you, at least for today.

Warmup  4 rounds 6x KB goblet squat w/ front press M16kg-20kg/W12kg, 3x squat jumps, 5x mtn climber mobility ea side.  Training  #1  5 rounds of 5x Bulgarian split squats R, 20 sec jumping lunges, 5x split squats L, 20 sec lateral barbell hops, 10x sunrises.  #2  5 rounds 3x Bent over rows M85#/W65# incr 10# ea rd, 5x KB floor press ea side, 5x back extensions 8kg.  #3  1-10 Thrusters M85-95#/W45-55#, burpees for time.

The warmup is quick and relatively painless which is good cause the first round of split squats with the jumps requires fresh legs.  For a Bulgarian split squat one foot is on the floor while the other foot is up behind on a bench - or anything elevated behind.  Hold dumbbells in your hands and with chest lifted squat on the single leg as low as possible (watch for photo later today to see how its done).  This move requires alot of strength, balance and flexibility - which means its hard.  Move right into the jumping lunges for 20 seconds and repeat other side.  Then try and do the lateral hops.  Last week they seemed relatively "easy" at 30 seconds and I had fooled myself into thinking ski conditioning would breeze by.  Today jumping over the bar just once was hard not to mention doing it several times in a row.  The beauty of these split squats is they will hammer the hamstrings and quads equally so any kind of jumping afterwards is very challenging.

The rows/floor press combo is a great break for the legs.  Enjoy it.  Because you will need everything for the last circuit.  Its not the legs that are going to get you - its your breathing.  The weight feels enormously heavy when you are trying to press it over head while your heart is coming out of your chest.  The good news - if there is any - is that's it doable.  Most athletes are coming in between 10-15 minutes.  But then there was Jeremy who decided to train with me today and blew the time out of water at 8:17 - so there is the time to beat.

Wednesday..fire breather day which means that those lungs are going to get another chance to do some work.

Nothing fancy or fun or crazy just heavy.  Seems everything I picked up after the warmup felt heavy and a little awkward.  And while individual lifts took the heaviest weight, I think you'll find come tomorrow morning that the core took the brunt of it.  There is alot of loaded core work in the form of stabilization packed into this one along with some single arm and leg work that will further add to the core's load.  But while it wasn't some clever new rep scheme, there were several long forgotten exercises that you get to revisit and remember why you hated them in the first place...DB OH carries come to mind quickly.

Warmup 5 rounds of 8x OH plate lunges, 4x corkscrews ea side. 4x pullups 2xW.  Training #1 5 rounds of 4x Goblet squats - HVY, 3x 1-arm push press ea side M45#DB/W35#DB, 100m Farmer carry.  #2  6 rounds of 4x 1-leg deadlift incr wt ea rd., 5x WTD situps M55#/W45#, 30 sec WTD plank M20#/W15#.  #3  7 rounds 1x tire pull - HVY, 4x Russian Twists ea side, 1 lap DB OH carry.

The warmup is easy enough and could actually fool you into thinking this might be an easy session.  But after the first round of squats, heavy presses and what seems like a forever carry you know it won't be.  The farmer carry after the heavy push press is extremely taxing on the forearms and grip but combo of the two leads to a big lateral core load- so maybe focus on that while you are getting pumped.  Start light with the 1-leg deadlifts and increase as your balance and form dictates.  If can't stand in one spot and hit 4 in a row - don't add weight.  Go heavy on the WTD situps and load up a pack and drop to your plank, 30 seconds is going to be plenty.  Again lots of core in this circuit.  And finally get that tire and load it as heavy as possible.  Use your back, your legs and anything else you got to pull it.  Back to the old school Russian twists with a barbell.  We don't do these often because they take up alot of room and alot of bars and with a full gym it can become a coach's nightmare.  But seeing how Friday is usually a little quieter I decided to throw them in.  This is one I like doing but they went way too quickly and contemplated adding a few extra each round but that would have more about avoiding the carry than needing to load the rotational movment even more.  So grab on and go quick.  Dumbbells or kettlebells whichever you prefer.  Both go over head then walk the length of the gym and back - try to avoid your toes when you drop them. 

September is rapidly coming to an end which means fall programming is starting soon.  Skiers will do their pre-test the last week of September, probably the 28/29th.  We'll see how it all shakes out - but don't worry everyone will get a chance.  So ahead of that we will do one more day of heavy power cleans and front squats and some "practice" on the 1-leg stepups. 

Enjoy the weekend.

The only flaw with this session is that I didn't come up with the rep scheme myself, otherwise I think you are really going to enjoy.  A count-up work capacity session that is all based on 30 sec work with 30 sec rest intervals.  A 1-10 countup that works out to exactly 55 minutes of work.  Not even time for a warmup - just jump in and get going.

Exercises:

1.  jingle jangles

2.  situps

3.  swings M20-24kg/W16kg

4.  core balance

5.  airsquats

6.  deadlifts @ 45-50% max

7.  pushups

8.  lateral hops - over barbell that was used for deadlifts

9.  mountain climbers

10.  jumping lunges

Rep scheme:

1

1+2

1+2+3

1+2+3+4

1+2+3+4+5

1+2+3+4+5+6

1+2+3+4+5+6+7

1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8

1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9

1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10

So first round you do 30 sec jingles jangles then 30 sec rest.  Second round is 30 sec jingle jangles, 30 sec rest, 30 sec situps, 30 seconds rest and so on.  Each round you add one more exercise till you've done all 10 in the last round.  Exactly 55 minutes, so if you get lost check you watch.

I was lucky enough to get to do this with Rob & Rebecca which was great fun for me, especially since I wasn't sure how hard it was going to be.  Having a few people along side to suffer with makes the suffering better.  Fortunately it wasn't as difficult as I had built up in my mind but certainly the last few rounds will have you huffing and puffing pretty good.  And come the lateral hops, you are happy they are close to the end.

It works eventhough there is no true warmup.  The first rounds are easy enough and the work builds as you go along, so you even miss it.

So get in and enjoy.  Its totally different from anything we've done which makes it fun and challenging all in one.

More strength today and more exercises we haven't done in awhile or at all.  Brought back the heavy tire drag and it was surprising how easily you forget just how hard those are and then in combination with jingle jangles - good one.  We also try the hang squat snatch.  We've done the hang snatches but now we add the squat to the movement.  Easy for some more challenging for others.

Warmup  5 rounds of 8x OH squat w/ PVC, 4x 1-arm KB snatch ea side, 4x KB around the world ea direction, 4x steps of duck walk front and back.  Training #1  5 rounds of 3x hang squat snatch incr wt ea rd, 3x vertical jumps for height, 4x slashers - HVY ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 1 lap tire drag, 8x jingle jangles, 3x 1-arm situps - HVY.  #3  8 rounds of 3x Scotty bob's, 30 sec side plank ea side, 100m run.

The one bonus of the day was that the 1-arm situps went very well after the heavy ones last week.  Though the quicker they went, the quicker I was back to the tire.  Mixed blessings.  Try to go directly from the tire drag to the jingle jangles, the first one is the worst and then they seemingly get just a touch easier.

Work the snatches, don't just get them done.  If you are familiar with the lift, push the weight.  If you are just starting out, go slow and steady and make sure everyone is good before adding more weight.  Finally a nice little shoulder kicker to finish you off.  The scotty bob's are innocent enough but then spend a few seconds resting on your shoulder in the side plank and things change rapidly.  I added an easy run to shake the arms out and get you off the floor.

Wednesday is work capacity day.  Very much looking forward to it - sort of - it will be hard but something we have never done, so maybe kind of fun.  Or just hard.

A great session name sent in by Kevin and it might just be perfect for this session. Short, hard and a little burly.  There is no rest.  Just three blocks of work and done.

Warmup 20x TGUs each side.  M12-16kg/W8kg.  Training 5 rounds of 400m run, 10x HSC @ BBC finish weight, 10x GHD situps.  Cooldown  20x TGUs each side - same weight.

Its short.  Only about 40 minutes but there is no place to rest except in between blocks of work.  The warmup will do just that, get you warm and sweaty from the get go.  The hang squat cleans start feeling heavy right away.  Round one is pretty doable without breaking it up but it is quite challenging as you push through the rounds not to put the bar down.  A quick relief on the situps but not really.  And finish with some more TGUs.  The beauty of this is everyone did better - more efficient - getups the second time round and mostly cause they had to.  Going into the second round tired and knowing how the first 40 felt is really an exercise in mental toughness and efficiency of movement goes along way to getting these done quickly.

Today's strength session includes some heavy exercises we don't do very often; front loaded lunges, like in a Curtis P, and heavy WTD situps.  The front lunges we have done but only while doing Curtis Ps so now we have a chance to go heavy with them.  Then load up the bar for heavy WTD situps which are always fun and challenging.

Warmup 5 rounds of 1 lap OH plate lunges, 6x pushups, 6x jingle jangles.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 4x front loaded lunges ea side M75#/W45# incr wt ea rd, 4x 1-leg stepups ea side, 60 sec moving plank.  #2  5 rounds 4x WTD situps M55#/W45#, 6x K2E on rope, 8x poorman's hypers.  #3  10 rounds 8x swings, 4x burpees every 60 seconds.

Keep the lunges light in the warmup and keep the focus to range of motion and core stability.  Men used a 25# plate and women a 15# plate, you'll get the heavy stuff soon enough.  Start the work at a very doable weight and men add 10# total each round and women 5# total round till 4 are hard but still doable.  Watch your form.  Keep your head up, core tight and watch that the knee doesn't extend past the toes in front.  Drive through the heel to come out of the lunge.

The WTD situps work the same way, start at a doable weight and add each time so that you can still do 4 good reps without breaking them up.  And then finally a short metcon to finish things off.  Blast through the swings and burpees and rest for the remaining minute.  As usual it will start to add up but it is very doable at 30 seconds work and 30 seconds rest.

You know its trouble when there are only a few things listed on the whiteboard and today is no exception.  In sharp contrast to the slow, heavy strength session from Monday this is fast, furious and a whole lot of deep breathing.  Each circuit is about 10 minutes long, give or take, with a few minutes of rest between.  It goes by fast, but you will feel it every step of the way.

Warmup  4 rounds of KB complex, 45 sec DOT drill.  Training  #1  5 rounds of 5x Curtis Ps @ BBC st wt., 200m Run.  #2  5 rounds of 5x Mr. Spectaculars M16-20kg/W12kg, 60 sec airdyne.  #3  60x SBGUs.  #4  10-1 jumping squats, squats.

If you don't remember the KB complex its 6 of each of deadlift, sumo hi pull, squat, swing, slasher ea side, push press.  Then move for 45 seconds through the DOTs - anything goes.  Curtis P is the hang squat clean, lunge R & L, push press.  Those in combination with a run, well you can figure it out.  Mr. Spectaculars are done with 2 KBs.  Do a double KB clean & press, set down the bells and walk out to a pushup.  Go for moderate intensity on the bike or you will blow up after just 1 round.  Good steady pace is all you need for the training benefits.  And yes, sandbag getups.  Haven't done this quantity for awhile but if done at the correct weight it should take about 8-10 minutes.  And finally a shorter portion.  If you are able to move through without rest its less than 5 minutes.  Each stop along the way adds to the time. 

Friday will be a partner workout, fun but still quite challenging.

Next week, we will continue our building phase but add a little more.  We will average two strength days per week and one work capacity per week as we begin ramping up for the fall programs.  Both ice and ski specific programs will start October 3 and each will begin with 4 weeks of strength and then 4 weeks of sport specific training.

If you are not a skier or climber, no worries there will be a general fitness session that will mimic the ski specific training but will have a better balance of upper body work.  If you have any questions or concerns, please ask me.

Friday Jason will be in coaching the morning sessions and Jeremy will be around in the evening.  Have a great weekend.

A little power and a little strength, all wrapped into one.  Its not all bad except for the warmup, which is surprisingly taxing on the legs right out of the gate.

Warmup 6 rounds of 5x KB squat cleans, 5x squat jumps, 10x steps duck walk.  Training #1  Work up to 1RM power clean.  #2  6 rounds of 2x power cleans @ 85%max, 6x KB swings - HVY, 3x clapping pushups.  #3  10-1 front squats @ 50-55%max, DB bench press M35-45#/W25#, side bends ea side 20kg/16kg.  #4  4 rounds of 25x stepups, 15x toes to sky, 10x plank kicks ea side.

For the warmup I had the athletes focus on two elements that they would use in the power clean.  The squat clean was used to focus on the shoulder shrug and the squat jump for hip extension.  They also used two sizes of KBs.  A lighter one to start out and a little heavier to get ready for the load.  Moving into the power cleans remember what you did in the warmup and keep a couple other things in mind.  First, drive from the heels.  Sit back just a touch and really settle into your heels for the drive up.  Keep your head up.  Find a spot about eye level when in the start position and keep your gaze there throughout the movement.  This will help reduce unnecessary movement through the torso while performing the lift.  And finally pull that bar up as high as possible.  If you pull to just your shoulders, you'll miss the lift especially if it is heavy.  Pull up higher and it will give you time to get under and will actually hit at just the right spot instead of too low.

Part 2 is really just volume for the legs and chest.  Fifty-five total reps of each and a little break from the side bends.  And finally the last part is just to unload the legs a bit.  No need to  move fast and furious here just work it out to be ready for Wednesday's work capacity effort.

I couldn't pass up the opportunity for one more bodyweight session.  Mostly cause there are all kinds of fun things to try and this is the perfect opportunity.  If you found yourself a little tired, sore, fatigued from the week of training this is just the ticket.  Get past the warmup and you are home free.

Warmup  6 rounds of mini leg blaster, 5x windmills ea side no wt.  Training 6 rounds of 10x 1-leg stepups ea side, 5x box jumps, 30 sec mtn climbers, 3x supermans.  #2  1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1  Burpee pullups, x10 sec moving plank, back extensions.  #3  6 rounds 200m run or 60 sec airdyne, 6x ring rows, 6x alligator pushups, 6x GHD situps, 12x poorman's leg curl ea side.

Leg blaster season is fast approaching so this will give you an indication of how awful it might or might not be.  Forthe 1-leg stepups use a 20" box and alternate feet each step.  Then flow right into your box jumps.  Burpee pullups are just as they sound.  Do a burpee and then on the jumping portion do a pullup.  They are fun and challenging all wrapped up in one.  For the moving plank I set up a series of 3 plates and the athletes did a plank walk between them.  First few rounds were pretty easy, but like anything it adds up and is a great alternative to a straight plank.  And finally a few pullups, pushups and situps to round the whole thing out. 

Again I felt better than when I started.  Coming up on Monday: strength + volume = hard work.

Today's work capacity effort is setup as density style training.  The harder, faster you go, the more rest you get.  Simple.  Though this works out to be fairly hard.  Don't let it fool you.  As usual the airdyne is the crusher but what will get you is the ball slams.

Warmup 6 rounds 15x squat, 10x situps, 5x pushups on the minute.  Training 6 rounds of each on the minute with a 2-minute rest between exercises.  #1  15x KB swings  #2  10x WTD situps M45#/W35#  #3  Airdyne Men 12 calories, Women 10 calories  #4  15x ball slams  #5  12x jingle jangles  #6  1x rope climb.

For a change the rope climb is the easiest part.  Just about everything else is challenging.  The first couple rounds of all of them seem quite doable but the volume adds up fast and furiously.

Enjoy.

Another Monday, another day of strength.  Today we work on front squast and a new one for probably everyone, the dumbbell squat clean, more challenging than you'd think.  It works just about everything from shoulders to core to legs to balance.  So much goodness in one exercise, pretty sure this will pop up again and again.

Warmup 4 rounds of 10x goblet squats incr wt ea round, 10x WTD situps M25/W15#, frog stretch.  Training  #1  Work up to 1 RM front squat.  #2  5 rounds of 2x front squats, 50m sprint, 50m walk.  #3  6 rounds of 5x military press M65-85#/W35-45#, 1 length DB crawl w/ row M45#/W35#DBs, 5x kneeling sandbag 1/2 moons ea side.  #4  1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1  DB squat clean M25-35#/W15-20#, WTD hip lifts ea side M15#/W10#DB.

The warmup perfectly mimics the training.  Work your range of motion with the goblet squats and the WTD situps - good prep here will yield better results later.  Starting to like the military press more and more because it gives me an upper body option without using the legs - one can only bench press and do pullups so much.  And for a change I let you get away with only 1 length of the crawl w/ row.  It will probably seem to easy, but then the 1/2 moons will take care of that quickly.  Finally work on the DB squat clean.  It takes a few or all the reps to get this down and still you probably won't feel totally solid with it.  I did a count up on this one so you could work into the movement instead of throwing 5 or 7 in your face right off the bat.  Hopefully my method will prove successful.

Wednesday will be work capacity again.  Little different format from the last two weeks so we'll see how it compares.

Another bodyweight session today.  But don't be expecting an unload cause there is still plenty of work to be done.  The difference between the two?  And unload I don't usually get the rolling eyes and random swearing, there were a few in this one.  But honestly I felt better when I was done than when I started so that's a plus.

Warmup  1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1 OH squats w/ PVC, burpees.  Training #1  5 rounds of 60 sec jumprope, 5x ring pressouts, 30 sec front plank hold on rings, 6x H. pullups.  #2  5 rounds of 5x split squats, 5x split jumps R then L, 8x lateral tire hops, 60 sec core balance.  #3  7 rounds of 60 sec airdyne - moderate intensity, 10x flutter kicks ea side, 6x walking mtn. mobility.

The warmup will get you breathing right away but its quick and probably the worst of it.  The ring pressouts are done from a plank position, extend the hands away from the body as far as is comfortable and then pull them back.  This with the plank hold after is a great core combo.  For the split squats and jumps do all on one side and then switch.  These unweighted are deceptively hard and if your legs are at all tired you will feel them from round 1.  If you don't have a tire to hop through find something about 6 inches high and do lateral hops over that.  Then spend a few minutes on the airdyne, not too hard, it is a minute after all, and some mobility and you are set for the weekend.

Monday is back to strength with some new variations on old exercises...just to make things more interesting :)

You can thank Jason for this session, though I did tweak it a bit mostly just to make things run a little smoother.  But all the "fun" stuff was his idea.  Adding on to last week when we did 3 blocks of 15 minutes, today we do 3 blocks of 18 minutes.  Which on the last circuit especially makes a big difference.  So the short session from Monday was a setup for a long session today.  With everyone working together this comes in right at an hour or maybe a few bonus minutes longer.

Warmup 3 rounds of 100m run, 10x situps, 5x pushups.  Training AMRAP in 18 minutes of each circuit.  #1  Barbell complex @ start wt., 1x hamstring hell, 5x SB push press, 1 lap SB drag.  #2  8x 1-arm DB bench press, 20x WTD stepups M25#/W15#, 4x WTD pullups + 2x BW pullups, 8x poorman's hyperextensions.  #3  6x 1-arm DB snatch each side, 6x spiderman pushups, 2x SB clean & squat ea side, 200m SB run.

The warmup is really just to get blood flowing before jumping into the first circuit.  Use your complex start weight for all rounds in circuit one.  Hamstring hell...fortunately didn't turn out as bad as anticipated.  I have chronically tight hamstrings and this sounded awful.  Best to move through quick.  First do 25x poorman's leg curls R and then roll onto the floor for 25x donkey kicks on the R.  Repeat L side.  It only hurts when you have to stand up.  Then go grab your sandbag and do 5x push presses with it and drop right into the sandbag drag.  Pretty much what it sounds like.  Using one arm drag the sandbag along the floor and switch sides on the way back.

Circuit 2 is pretty self-explanatory.  Start with 1-arm bench presses and then load up a pack and do the stepups.  Use that same pack for 4x pullups.  Then drop the pack and do 2 more.  The two at bodyweight feel great.  And then a few hypers.

Part 3 is the money maker.  After practicing snatches on Monday we do them again today only with a dumbbell.  Same motion, just don't have to worry about banging your wrists.  Spiderman pushups are the ones where you bring one knee to your elbow as you drop into a pushup.  Alternate sides as you do these - makes it more fun.  Then back to your sandbag.  Do 2x cleans and 2x squats each side and then run 200m.  Today its fine to lay the sandbag across the back of your neck if its more comfortable.

Friday we will do another bodyweight workout similar to last Friday.  So if you are feeling tired and sore, it might feel good to work it out.

Short, heavy and to the point.  Working deadlift and bench press for our strength session today.  Its not long but everything should "feel" heavy.  I know what is coming on Wednesday so I wanted to get some strength work in without killing anyone (I'll save that for Wednesday).

Warmup 4 rounds of 20x stepups, 10x swings - moderate wt., 5x deadlifts increasing wt ea rd.  Training #1 5 rounds of 3x 1-leg stepups ea side M75-85/W45-55, 3x deadlift start @70%max incr wt ea rd., 5x STD KB Russian twists.  #2  6 rounds of 5x bench press M95#/W45# incr wt ea rd., 5x 1-arm KB snatch ea side, 1 lap DB crawl.  #3  1-10 Thruster ladder w/ partner.

The purpose of the warmup is really to be ready for heavy deadlifts right away.  Start at a moderate weight and add 10# each round.  This should get you warmed up but not feeling taxed for the work to come.  Then jump in.  The stepups should be a little uncomfortable.  I see many of them in our future, especially for skiers.  We will do them light, heavy, for time, for reps - anyway which way.  This is our first attempt at heavier stepups, so proceed slow but if its not heavy add weight.  Deadlifts should be pretty doable for the first couple rounds and then start to feel heavy just as you finish.  

The bench press combo came out better than expected.  Its hard but very doable and easy to move through.  And finally the thruster ladder.  We don't generally do ladders in this fashion.  In a small space with lots of people its sometimes hard to set up, but I decided it was time to give it a try.  The best case scenario is your partner and you share the same bar.  Partner #1 does 1 thruster then partner 2 does 1.  Back to #1 to do 2 thrusters and so on.  It does work well if two bars are used and if you find yourself alone, rest the same amount of time it takes you to do the reps.

Wednesday is a long work capacity effort.  And then on Friday we will do another unload type session. 

Its been a tough week of training and almost everyone came in tired today.  I had a feeling this would be the case so planned accordingly.  While not an unload, you will use no weights.  This session is entirely bodyweight, but still quite challenging at that.

Warmup 6 rounds of run 100m, 12x situps, 6x pullups.  Training #1  10 rounds of 10x squats, 10x lateral shuffles, 10x poorman's hypers.  #2  10 rounds of 4x burpee box jumps, 6x K2Es on rope, 1 lap bear crawl.  #3  10 rounds of 1 lap walking lunges, 30 sec DOT drill, 10x toes to sky.

It all seems pretty innocent but once you start moving you will realize how much work we did on Monday & Wednesday and how hard burpee box jumps really are.  Not so much hard as very tiring.  Back to that rope and my new favorite exercise, knees to elbows.  Such a great core exercise and a good way to build lock off strength for rope climbing or outdoor climbing really.

Next week will be similar to this week - strength on Monday, work capacity on Wednesday and anything goes Friday.

Consensus was Monday's session really had as much volume as I said and most felt it either yesterday and some lingered into today.  So while this session seems to be alot, the beauty is you can work at your own pace and still get in as much as everyone else.

Warmup 50x headcutters.  Training AMRAP in 15 minutes of each circuit.  #1  5x Curtis Ps, 10x jingle jangles, 1 lap tire drag, 60 sec wallsit, 15x plank kicks ea side.  #2  100m Farmer carry, 5x Scotty bob's, 1x rope climb, 10x slasher halos, 5 calories airdyne - arms only.  #3  5x TGUs ea side, 10x back extensions, 5x K2Es, 60 sec elevated plank, 10x hips lifts ea side.

So, feeling a little tired and sore from Monday - just keep moving for the 15 minutes and then you'll get a break.  Lucky enough to miss Monday's then you can go all out for 15 minutes with a break.  You choose the intensity, I choose the work time.

If you'll notice each circuit has a focus.  The first is leg dominant then upper body dominant and then core.  I pretty much hit everything (like Monday) so by the end you should be feeling a little better than when you started, though the getting there might be rough. 

Hardest part?  Once the Curtis Ps were done..the damn hip lifts.  Obviously alot better than I ever imagined they would be and since I spent the better part of my time doing them, I came up with a great variation - a harder variation - but great none the less.  But I'll save it for another day.

You've learned by now that when given a choice I like to start the week with strength.  And if we are going to work strength might as well start with the barbell complex.  Its such a great warmup and good tool to get in a lot of reps of several different exercises.  Then we get down to business with the heavy stuff.  Power cleans and push press are the focus today and you'll get alot of practice time on both.

Warmup  4 rounds of Barbell complex incr wt ea rd.  Training #1  Work to 1 RM Power clean.  #2  5 rounds of 3x power cleans @75%max, 5x KB hi pulls M20kg/W12-16kg, 30 sec swings same wt., 30 sec plank walkup.  #3  Work to 1 RM push press.  #4  5 rounds of 3x push press @ 75%max, 5x ball throws, 30 sec rock system boards or cave, 30 sec airsquats.  #5  8 rounds of 8x goblet squats, 50 m sprint, walk back.

Most athletes started just shy of their BBC finish weight going into the power clean and then worked up to their max.  We then dropped the weight and did some working rounds at 75% which felt really light out of the gate but by round 5 it was hard to keep good form.  So knowing this slow down and focus for the last 2 rounds.  There is no strength gained from bad reps, only injury.

The push press is the same today.  Work to your max and then drop the weight and do some good quality reps.  This block is significantly easier than the first.  Which is fine cause it gives you a little rest before the squat/sprint combo.  Everyone got to use the rock system board today.  It was great to get some variety and thrown in with the rest of the stuff it was kinda fun and altogether too short.

Finally hit the squat/sprint combo hard.  Go heavy on the squats; men @ 24-28kg and women @ 20kg and then sprint as hard as possible. Its short.  Take your time walking back to recover.  Eight seems like alot and it is but it also goes by fairly quickly.

The last couple strength days have included back to back maxes which I don't usually do.  But in an effort to get some baseline numbers for all the current athletes its just a little easier.  As we move into more strength later this month having a starting point for everyone is going to make life alot easier for me and more productive for the athletes.

This session is a solid work session.  Close to but not quite full volume for us.  My plan is to ease back into full volume as we move through the next couple weeks, so its not a total shock on the system.

In direct contrast to Wednesday's session where we did alot of a few exercises at moderate to light weight today we do a few reps of many different exercises as heavy weight.  This session was designed by Jason several weeks ago and I was a little hesitant to use it - it just seemed to busy - but after writing Wednesday's I knew this would be the perfect complement.  The countdowns are hard physically and mentally.  Though each round gets shorter, there are a few in there that can really mess with the mind.  Today you will go hard but its quick.  Real quick.  Only 2 rounds per circuit.  And while it is not nearly as mentally challenging by changing all the time, each circuit is physically hard and makes for a great session.

Warmup 2 rounds of 2 minutes of stepups, 12x swings, 6x good mornings w/ PVC.  Training #1  2 rounds 6x Mr. Spectaculars M16-20kg/W12kg, 10x squat jumps.  #2  2 rounds of 5x front squats @65-70%max, 7x H. ring pullups, 30 sec jumprope.  #3  2 rounds of 6x thrusters M95#/W55-65#, 300m run.  #4  2 rounds of 8x deck squats M20kg/W16kg, 4x SB clean & 50m sprint R & L.  #5  2 rounds of 1x rope climb, 20x ball slams.  #6  2 rounds of 6x WTD situps M45#/W35#, 60 sec OH plate hold.  On second round do max OH plate hold. 

As you can see multiple rounds of any of these would hurt.  But with just two rounds to concentrate on, you are practically done just when you start.  Its a beautiful thing.

Have you ever noticed I can read your mind?  For example, I am sure you were thinking we haven't done a big countdown in awhile - and here you go.  15-1 countdown for the session today.  The thing about these big ones is it forces you to keep moving for a solid hour.  There aren't many other programming tools that will do that.  You don't need to rush or sprint, just steady movement the whole time.  Really a solid strength endurance effort.

Warmup 6 rounds 20x airsquats, 20 sec DOT Drill, mtn mobility ea side.  Training #1  15-1 Deadlift at 45-50% max, DB bench press M25-35#DB/W15-20#DB, Goblet squat M 20-24kg/W 12-16kg, Renegade row ea side same wt as BP, calories on Airdyne, situps.

I am pretty pleased with how this came out.  I hit all the basics - lift, squat, push, pull, lungs.  If I was really good I would have some sort of spinal stability ie plank but really I feel like we've done enough planks for a bit.  And the idea of 150 seconds of plank was a little too much, even for me.

There are a couple markers to remember when doing these to help keep you in the game.  The first round, 15s, feels fine its round 14 and 13 that are a little ugly.  That's when you realize just how much work is going to be involved.  Round 11 is half way and once you get to 5 you can push to the finish without getting into trouble.

Like I said, steady work.  The weight isn't heavy and there is no place to really drag you down, even the airdyne is relatively quick.  But fair warning, sprint through the first couple rounds and it will catch up with you quick.  Maintain a good pace, limit rests to just 3 breathes and you'll finish in the hour.

One other note, the 20 second DOT drill is just movement.  You can do any of the drills, in any order, just keep moving for 20 seconds.

Enjoy.

I wanted to include everything I just learned at the seminar in today's session but I refrained.  I only gave you a couple little tidbits to try and work through.  The session isn't really long so take your time and practice the movement.

Warmup 5 rounds of 100m run, 5x DB thrusters M25#DBs/W15#DBs, 5x OH squats w/ PVC, 5x steps duck walk front/back.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 3x Hang snatches, 3x OH squats, 3x push press, 3x vertical jumps for height, box stretch ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 5x stepups ea side, 6x power skips - total, 10x hip lifts ea side from side plank position.  #3  1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1  x10 sec mtn climbers, pullups, dips.

The warmup is designed to get some good hip and shoulder mobility before jumping into the first rounds of snatches.  Start the snatches light and increase weight ea round till they are hard but you are able to maintain good form on both the snatch and overhead squat.  Then move into the jumps.  Double leg drive on the vertical jumps.  Reset each time so you get max height out of each jump.  In part two you will do a single leg drive on the power skip.  Again really focus on getting the height out of each leg drive.  The last part is a simple bodyweight circuit that doesn't seem so simple after a few rounds of mountain climbers.  But it does go fast, which is nice.

Wednesday we go back to basics and do a nice, long endurance effort.  Nothing heavy or fancy, just good old fashioned training.

This session was written and described by Jason.  Hope you all had fun with him on Friday.

"This past Friday was a blast for me.  I worked with some super motivated groups that really worked hard to start the weekend off on the right foot.  I enjoyed the flow of this workout.  It starts off with a reasonable warm-up, then transitions to some "team" based efforts.  Namely the Squat ladder and the Core "circle of death" (or "Love" depending on how strong your hip flexors are!).  After the group shenanigans are complete 2 more circuits follow consisting of some solid compound movements.  To top things off, I thought a good mental marathon was in order.  This session is complete only after each athlete completed a full countdown of Atomic Man Makers and Leg Flutters.  The exercises are not extremely difficult, but it takes a little extra determination to cruise through this last portion.

Overall, each group displayed some tremendous effort.  Additionally I noticed some great improvements in mechanics, specifically with the GHD press and squat cleans.  Keep up the good work.

Warmup 4 rounds 6x RNT squats, 4x windmills ea side, 5x jingle jangles.  Training  #1  Bottom-to-bottom squat ladder, Core circle of death.  #2  4 rounds of 3x TGUs ea side, 6x ankles to bar, 4x GHD press ea side.  #3  5 rounds of 6x squat cleans, 6x sandbag half moons from knees, 8x Elbow to knee (rope).  #4  10-1, 1-10  Atomic man makers, leg flutters x10.

Lucky for you guys, and me, core month is over.  The next couple weeks we will stay in our maintenance mode and do a variety of things.  And since I just go back from a power training conference you can be sure cleans and snatches will definitely be in your future.  And some great mobility exercises that you will love!

Nope, I can't take credit for that title.  King Grant sent it to me back when I was looking for session names and he said I had to save it just for Paul's birthday.  So I did.  If you don't know, Paul is my most veteran athlete.  Its been two years now and he just keeps coming back.  Always with a smile, a joke and the motivation to train.  So it was hard for me to let his birthday just pass by.  Though not exactly a "challenge", I am pretty sure this session won't disappoint.  And if Paul was feeling his best, I think he would have crushed it and enjoyed it.

Warmup 5 rounds of 20 sec work, 20 sec rest of airsquats, pushups, jingle jangles.  Training Pick 5 of 6  #1  8 rounds of 20 sec swings, 20 sec plank.  #2  8 rounds of 10x WTD situps, 30 sec jumprope  #3 10 rounds of 6x corkscrews ea side, 5x sprawls.  #4  5 minutes of Sandbag Getups.  #5  8 rounds of 4x STD SB Russian Twist ea side, 30 sec mtn climbers.  #6  10 rounds of 10x ball slams, 6x push press @ 60% max.

Its all core but what gets the grunt of the work is the shoulders.  The Sandbag Getups were a rest from shoulder work - so I chose those.  For the challenge portion of the warmup, everyone worked together and counted reps during each round.  The person with the most reps "won" that round and got to rest during the next one.  Each person can only win one time, so that everyone will do at least 4 rounds of everything.  This turned out to be a great tool to push the athletes (hint- hint).

Then in a very unprecendented move I let the athletes choose.  That never happens.  I hadn't really intended it at first but the 7am group was unable to finish the 6 circuits - except for Will, of course - and got cut to 5 wherever they finished.  So then I was faced with the choice of cutting one out - but which one.  They are equally hard in their own way, so I left the choice to the athletes.  And yes, many chose the sandbag getups or were at least coaxed into doing them.  Because while they are hard, they are also the shortest of the circuits.  Most of the other circuits were about 8 minutes plus in length.  It really all depends on how your shoulders hold out.

Though it won't happen often though it was kinda fun to watch the athletes pick the circuits they wanted to do.  Many were content to follow down the line and some took out the one they most dreaded.  With a session as dense as this one, I had no worries about every athlete getting exactly what they needed.

Friday you will have one more core session for the month that was written and will be coached by Jason.  It looks like a good one, I would do it first but am heading down to Colorado Springs for my own workout of Cleans and Snatches.  And when I get back, we will do cleans and snatches.  More of the learning portion than anything heavy because I still want to keep things in maintenance mode.  But cleans and some snatches will come into play as we move to our next strength cycle so this is a great opportunity to get the movement wired first.

Paul I hope you have a great birthday and thank you for all that you bring to the gym.

More interval training on the docket today.  Its short and hard, so work fast and get it done. 

Warmup 3 rounds of 8x headcutters M16kg/W12kg, 3x DOT drill, 10x plank kicks ea side.  Training #1  3 rounds of 1x tire pull, 2 minutes airdyne as hard as possible, 90 sec rest.  #2  3 round sof 12x front squats @ 60%max, 400m run, 90 sec rest.  #3  5 rounds of 5x pullups 3xW, 10x plank hops ea side, 10x squats, 5x jumping squats.

Pretty straight forward.  Go hard during the work portion and rest hard during the rest.  This is straight out of Gym Jones.  The last time I did a shortened version of the IWT training (I was a little scared of this one) but decided to give the full monty a try - it did not disappoint - nor was it impossible.  I think its just the right amount really, any more and it would have been too much to really push every interval.  The last part is just some easy bodyweight to cooldown and complement the work that was just done.

Wednesday the 27th we will be having a "party" for Paul.  He tweeked his back wrestling with a sandbag so the actual challenge will be put on hold (but not forgotten) and instead we will do a regular core training session and toast the old man at the end!  The session will allow for more than 8 so if you want to come and haven't signed up, just let me know.

Today's strength session inludes a new lift to many - military or strict press.  For all of you that don't like using your legs on the push press this is going to be great.  Though I guarantee this time you will try and use your legs.  The military press is a strict strength move - all upper body.  The push press is really a power move because you generate force from your legs to press overhead.

Warmup  5 rounds of 4x Renegade man makers, 4x mtn mobiity ea side, 4x shoulder dislocates.   Training #1  Work to 1 RM front squat.  #2  4 rounds of 2x front squats @ 85%,max, 3x 1-arm situps ea side, 4x STD KB russian twist ea side.  #3  Work to 1 RM Military press.  #4  8 rounds of 3x presses @65%, 6x sumo deadlift hi pulls, 30 sec WTD side plank ea side.  #5  10-1 burpees, situps.

Pretty straight forward work.  Work up to your maxes on both strength lifts and then drop into some working sets.  The lifting volume is a little less than usual but still moving some heavy weight.  Aside from having to finish with 55x burpees this should feel pretty good.  Not too much, not too little.

Enjoy the weekend.

So last week when we were doing all of our Tabata stuff I had several comments about how the rest was just a rest and maybe I had gone soft.  Well don't worry, I haven't gone soft on you.  I was just getting you ready for today's.  There is no real rest in today's Tabatas and we will repeat all the ones we did last week.

Warmup 4 rounds 200m run, HAM ea side w/ 10x steps duck walk.  Training #1  Bottom-bottom Tabata squats.  #2  5 rounds 1 lap tire drag, 5x pullups, 10x pushups, 15x sunrises.  #3  Tabata situps, rest in core stability position.  #4  6 rounds 30x WTD stepups M25#/W15# in pack, 10x bench press M85-95#, W45-55#, 5x kneeling slashers ea side M12kg/W8kg.  #5  Tabata swings, rest with KB held at chest.

Thinking I would be more sore from Monday's session I started with some running and stretching to get things loosened up.  And then right into the first round of Tabatas.  These we have done before so you know what you are in for.  The hardest Tabata, I think, is the situp one.  No rest.  And 20 seconds of situps really can be an eternity except when they are followed by a 10 second hold which is even longer.  Its just unpleasant. 

Tire drag is fairly light, no added weight and when you find the "sweet" spot on the concrete, its really quite easy.  Then some bodyweight exercises.  Part 4 is equally easy going.  30 stepups come and go pretty quickly and again not alot of weight.  The Tabatas at the end are challenging but doable.  Mentally not putting the KB down for 4 minutes is hard.  The last few rounds were uncomfortable but certainly would take it over the situps any day.

Friday we'll go heavy.  Not alot of volume but some good heavy leg and upper body work.  Take the focus away from the core a bit and make sure we remember how to move heavy weight.  Hopefully with the heat, it will be a little easier.

FYI next Friday and Saturday I am attending a Power Symposium in Colorado Springs with the major focus on cleans and snatches.  So August will probably be clean & snatch month.  Anyway, Friday July 29 Jason will be in all day to cover sessions.

The reality is its hot.  And somehow running with a sandbag makes it feel hotter.  Kind of like running through molasses.  It was hard to move fast with the heat and the weight, so instead I just focused on getting it done and that was enough.

Warmup 3-5-7-5-3 KB deadlifts, sumo hi jump, alteranting KB swings ea side, situps.  Training #1  3 rounds 3x SBGUS R, 100m SB run, 6x dips, 3x SBGUs L, 100m SB run, 4x spiderman pushups.  #2 4 rounds of 6x K2Es on rope, 6x push press M85-105#/W55-60#, 90 sec plank.  #3  5 rounds of 6x HSC same wt as PP, 50m 1-arm farmer carry R & L, 10x poorman's hypers.  #4  6 rounds of 6x ground to OH M25#DBs/W15#DBs, 12x toes to sky.

Actually the sandbag run isn't all that bad.  Do three getups on one side and then run with the bag on that side.  Switch sides after quick break with dips.  The spiderman pushups are done by bringing the knee to elbow as you do the pushup.  Check out FB page pictures to see how it looks - the women did a great job on these.

The K2E return again.  Hang from the rope with hands same level as your face and then pull knees to elbows.  Easy.  But hard.  This could be one of my new favorites. 

Today's farmer carry will be one arm at a time.  Though it seems easier than 2, I think tomorrow will be a different story.  And finallymore ground to OH with DBs and then a 30 sec hold.  Seems the holds today were the worst part.  Ninety seconds of plank was a very long time and 30 seconds of OH hold was also challenging.

I'm thinking this could be the last month for a focus.  I was just getting over overhead squat month and the feeling of being wrecked after every training session when the feeling started all over again.  Again, this month can't end soon enough.  But it has been fun to revisit exercises we haven't done for awhile, try new ones and be a little more creative with programming.  Though I don't feel I'm doing a very good job of programming a "maintenance" phase with so much else going on.  But I'll keep trying.  I think you'll find today's is more along the lines of maintenance.  Its not super long.  The hard sections are short.  And the work portions have more "aerobic" work than strength work.  Hoping its a good one heading into the weekend.

Warmup  Tabata squats.  Training  #1  6 rounds 5x DB Thrusters, 5x A2B, 3x windmills ea side, 50x stepups - no wt.  #2  Tabata situps.  #3  6 rounds of 5x SB Good mornings, 10x back extensions, 5x STD KB russian twists ea side, 90 sec jumprope.  #4  Tabata swings.

Remember a Tabata is 8 rounds of 20 seconds work, 10 sec rest.  In all the Tabata blocks we do today the rest is a true rest.  The other blocks of work are pretty straightforward.  Don't go too heavy on the thrusters, you should be able to move through 5 pretty quickly.  Same thing with the good mornings and russian twists in part 3.  Weight should be moderately heavy but you shouldn't have to breakup any sets.  In the last set of Tabatas, drop down one KB size.  One, because I don't want it to be overly taxing.  The last couple rounds should feel hard but not desparate.  Also we have never done swings Tabata style.  Only 30/30s.  There is a huge difference between 30 seconds of rest and 10 seconds of rest.  Be conservative today and you'll have your chance soon enough.  

Seems Monday's workout left its mark and after a long day of soreness yesterday I woke up still feeling it a bit today.  But I think this session worked out perfect.  In the same motif as Gym Jones IWT, this is short, high intensity intervals.  The worst part is the warmup, pushing through lingering soreness but after the first sprint on the airdyne it will be long forgotton.  And hopefully you feel better after than before.

Warmup  5 rounds of Mini leg blaster, 20 sec max pushups, prisoner stretch ea side.  Training #1 5 rounds 5x KB front squats M16-20kg/W8-12kg, 5x DB KB swings, 15 sec Airdyne sprint, 30 sec rest.  #2 5 rounds 5x ground to overhead M85-95#/W45-55#, 10x box jumps, 15x situps.  #3 5 rounds 100m run, 4x Scotty Bob's M35#/W25#, frog stretch 5 seconds.  #4  5 rounds of 5x SB stepups R & L, 10x ball slams, instep stretch ea side.  #5 Bonus?

Each block is relatively short - taking somewhere between 6-8 minutes.  The idea is to work as hard as possible during each circuit and then take a good break 3-5 minutes before starting the next.  They are all equally challenging, so no need to look for the rest.

The first one you will need two KBs for both the front squats and swings.  Go as heavy as you can.  Its uncomfortable but remember its short.  Take a second or two to get up to speed and then sprint the full 15 seconds on the airdyne.  30 seconds is quick (but not as quick as 20 seconds that I had originally programmed - Katy, Will & I were the guinea pigs on this one till I realized it just wasn't enough).  Part 2 load up a bar and get after it.  The bar starts on the ground and ends overhead.  Whatever is easiest and fastest for you, do it.  Move right to the box jumps and then breathe.  The run and Scotty Bob combo is straight forward.  Again push hard - its gonna be easy to settle into a nice jog, refrain, its only 5 rounds.  And finally a few sandbag stepups.  Load the sandbag on the R shoulder and do 5x stepups with the right leg leading and then switch sides.  Move right into the ball slams and then again breathe during the stretch.  At the end of the session this circuit is surpisingly hard.  If you have time and or inclination the bonus is 5 rounds of 8x jingle jangles every 30 seconds.

Fortunately it doesn't feel like it but I was able to squeeze in all four core movements.  Flexion, extension, stability and lateral or rotation are all in there and hopefully just enough to work out any left over soreness.

Big strength session today.  Starting right off with heavy deadlifts into heavy TGUs and a few rope climbs.  Its not super long, most finishing in about 50 minutes but it keeps your attention the whole time.  I am finding it difficult to back off on volume and intensity, so that we are in a more of a maintenance mode, and still keep my focus on core.  This core focus is allowing me to use new and old exercises we haven't done at all but mostly alot of stuff we don't do often which makes them seem more difficult.  Put those two together and you still have a pretty solid session.  Though I think it will all mellow out soon enough.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x KB deadlifts M24-28kg/W16-20kg, 100m run, 10x OH squats w/ PVC, 4x pushup mobility.  Training  #1  Work up to 1 RM deadlift.  #2  4 rounds of 4x DL @ 75% max, 4x STD box jumps, 4x GHD presses ea side M16-20kg/W8-12kg, 4x sprawls.  #3  6 rounds of 3x TGUs ea side - HVY, 1 lap bear crawl, 6x shoulder openers.  #4  4 rounds of 1x rope climb - no feet, 6x ring pushups, 3x ring press outs, 6x side bends ea side.  #5 Bonus?

Warmup and part 1 are pretty straight forward.  Most haven't done a deadlift max in awhile - at least 3 months for most if not longer - and almost everyone put up a new max.  Impressive.  And with a new max comes higher working rounds.  So even though 4 seems quick and easy, its not.  There is alot packed into those four rounds. 

I had everyone go heavier on the TGUs.  This is tough.  Six rounds here is alot with heavier weight.  And the two rest exercises really aren't long enough to fully recover.

Finally our favorite rope climb.  No one used their feet today.  You would be surprised, and I think many surprised themselves, at how well and how far they can climb the rope without feet.  But I did it not to prove a point but to work the core.  So not everyone made it to the top or even half way which was fine - that wasn't the point.  For those that couldn't climb they did knees to elbows while hanging on the rope.  A great exercise that everyone will get to try soon enough.  It works grip strength, lock off strength and core strength.  So much in one...I feel alot of those coming on.

The ring pushups aren't so bad but the pressouts really make you aware of how much core this session entails.  The pressout is done on the rings, start in a pushup position and then press your hands away from your body and then pull back to start position.  A little goes a long way on these, so be conservative at first and then work to extend the hands further and further from your body.

The bonus for today is Tabata planks.  8 rounds of 20 seconds plank, 10 seconds of rest.  Honestly the plank was fine - it was my shoulders that were ready to give out.

So a quick note on deadlifts and climbing.  I've talked to some of my climbing athletes a bit about how deadlifts can help increase overall climbing strength/endurance and vice versa where climbing can maintain or increase your deadlift strength.  Sounds skeptical, I know.  But funny thing is Will Gordon has been doing the climbing sessions exclusively for the past several months.  The last time he did a max deadlift was last October - with nothing really heavy since.  Today, due to sore hands from climbing, he did the regular session and added 25# to his deadlift.  Now unless he has been doing deadlifts in the basement without telling me, there just might be something to this.   So climbers deadlifts, lots of deadlifts, are in your future. 

OK so the maintenance phase actually starts next week.  This one was already written and I hate to let good programming go to waste and truthfully, like many of you said, I didn't think it was going to be as hard as it was.  Fooled myself.

Warmup 3 rounds of KB complex M16kg/W8-12kg, mtn mobility ea side.  Training #1  6 rounds of 8x Hang squat cleans, 8x barbell rollouts, 8x SB 1/2 moons ea side, 30 sec 2 pt. plank ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 1 lap of DB crawl w/ row M35#/W25#, 6x 1-arm situps ea side, 10x corkscrews ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 10x OH plate lunges - total, 30 sec mnt c limbers, 30 sec core balance, 10x back extensions.

The KB complex is done with one KB and 6 reps each of deadlift, sumo dl hi pull, goblet squat, swing, slashers ea side, push press.  It amazes me how doing these complexes can really get the body warmed up and the breathing going.  Even looking at this one it doesn't seem hard but after a few rounds you know you are working.

In part 1 choose a moderate weight for the hang squat cleans - most men were at 85# - and then use that same weight for the barbell rollouts.  The sandbag halfmoons have been forgotten for awhile and they return with a vengeance.  Those really get the lungs going which make the planks feel like the hardest thing going.  Finally got to rest when I got back to the hang squat cleans. 

Part 2 offers the same drama.  The hardest part should be the crawl and row - which was challenging - but the 1-arm situps and corkscrews were exceptionally hard making the crawl seem like a rest.  Finally in part 3 things slow down a bit and there is a little more breathing room, but not a lot.

This is a volume packed session.  Most athletes required a full hour if not more.  So get down to business and get it done.

Being the new athlete is always hard because all eyes are on you.  Everyone wants to know your name, what you do, which sports you participate in and then they watch.  Because everyone was new at some point, and we all know how it feels. 

The other athletes watch to see if the new guy will make it and inevitably congratulate him on a job well done and offer him encouragement to return. 

I watch to see how they work.  I look for their skills as an athlete.  I look for areas where I can help develop their athletic abilities.  And I watch for those little tell tale signs that let me know the new guy is one of us. Clint is definitely one of us.

From the first day he started training he worked hard.  Almost as if he were trying to prove himself.  He suffered through the first few sessions, dealt with the soreness and he came back for more.  And if you haven't noticed the change, take another look next time you train with him. 

It amazes me how quickly he has fallen into stride with our veteran athletes.  Though it shouldn't, because everyday he trains he gives 100%.  No holding back.  No saving for another day.  Each day he gives it everything he's got.

Strength days are definitely his favorite but his most significant gains are in the fast moving, work capacity efforts.  Some extra weight slowed him down initially but he is losing it fast and his speed is increasing just as rapidly.  

As a coach its always fun to watch an athlete grow and change and even more fun to know that you have been a part of it.

As always, good work Clint.

So if you haven't guessed its core month.  Don't worry it be all situps and in fact you'll find that most exercises we do are core focused - so it will seem like business as usual with maybe a little more.

Warmup 10 rounds of 10x goblet squats, 10x situps, 10x plank kicks ea side.  Training #1  6 rounds of 200m SB Run, 10x WTD situps M45#/W35#, hip swivel ea side.  #2  3 rounds of 30 sec work/30 sec rest and transition of GHD situps, swings, WTD v-ups, elevated plank front position, side plank R, rope climb, side plank L.

The first part of training is pretty self explanatory - throw a sandbag on your shoulder and run.  First 100m place it on your R shoulder and then switch.  In part 2 after each 30 second block move to the next exercise.  Don't do 3 rounds of GHD situps in a row..it could get ugly.  For the rope climb, many will only be able to do 1 climb per 30 second period and maybe start a second but some I know will be able to complete 2 full climbs.  Do what you can. 

Last year at this time I backed off on the volume of training we were doing in each session to give people the opportunity to get out an play while still maintaining their gym fitness.  With long, warm days there is alot to do and I wouldn't want anyone to be slowed down cause of gym training.  So I think July and the first part of August we will do the same.  The end of August we will bump it back up and move into a big strength cycle as the winter season sports training cycles will be starting in September.  But for now we will tone it down just a little.

That being said there is one special day this month where you will go all out.  This month's birthday challenge is set for Wednesday July 27 at 6pm.  Mr. Paul Hamer.  For any of you that did it last year you know how difficult it was.  This year we will do the exact same thing.  Odd I know.  But just to refresh, the challenge was for Paul to finish the designed session in under 49 minutes.  He missed by mere seconds.  Now a full year later, a full year of training later but also a full year older we will find out if he can shave off those mere seconds.  This is gonna be a good one to watch and participate.  However because this requires more equipment and gym space spots will be limited to 8 athletes.  All will be welcome to come cheer him on and drink beer but "challengers" will be limited.  So if you want/can do it, sign up early. 

Another great session written by Jason.  Its an all bodyweight session but still alot of work so hard to really call an unload.  I'm just happy not to have to do an overhead squat.  Monday's session was alot of work, so this should feel good without weight.

Warmup 4 rounds of 1 lap walking lunges no wt., 10x situps, prisoner stretch ea side.  Training #1 5 rounds of 40x prisoner squats, 25x bicycles.  #2 5 round sof 3/3/3 staggered pullups, 25x box jumps, 60 sec pushup hold, 30 sec plank walkup.  #3 4 rounds of 50x mtn climbers, 20 sec plank - elbows, 4x pushups, 20 sec side plank - R, 4x pushups,, side plank - L, 1x Cobra/Down dog.  #4 Core balance for time.

Prisoner stretch we haven't done in a very long time and I added as a bonus to go with prisoner squats.  For both put hands behind head (the prisoner portion) for the stretch drop one knee to the ground and stretch the hip flexor of the downed knee.  The squats are the same - only hand position changes.  For the staggered pullups do 3 with left hand high, 3 with hands at same level and 3 with right hand high.  The 25x box jumps is where the word unload might be questioned.  And then a nice long core series at the end.  Thanks Jason for a great session.

If you choose to do 3 training sessions this week Jeremy will have another strength one ready for you to do.  Otherwise enjoy the long weekend and get out and play!

Our final chance at overhead squats as the month comes to a close.  I don't usually repeat maxes on the same lift so quickly but I had a sneaking suspicion that maxes would go up due to all the practice we've been doing. And so far, I've been right.  Not everyone has set a new max, but everyone is performing the lift alot better.

Warmup 5 rounds of 40x stepups, 5x KB OH squats ea side, HAM ea side.  Training  #1  Work up to 1 RM OH squat.  #2  6 rounds of 2x OH squats @ 85%, 5x A2B, 3x supermans.  #3  6 rounds of 4x deadlifts incr wt. ea round, 8x swings - light/fast, 4x DB bench press.  #4  6 rounds of 8x curl & press, 200m run.

The warmup is on the longish side because I really wanted everyone warmed up and as mobile as possible going into the max test.  Once you find your max drop to 85% and do working rounds.  The beauty of this...if you set a new max you get to do a higher weight in the working rounds, which is kind of bittersweet.  Work really hard to set a new max, then work really again, hmmm.  In part 3 the deadlifts should be increasingly heavy but keep the swings light and fast.  And finally the last circuit will finish off the arms and give your lungs a bit of workout also.

Next month we will have another focus...not OH squats.  And believe it or not, I took Jeremy's advice again on what the focus should be.  I'm not going to tell you yet, because come July 5th (the first day of the month back in the gym) it is going to be painfully obviously.

Wednesday and Thursday this week Jeremy will be in coaching.  Tuesday and Wednesday after the holiday Tom Banfield from Colorado Springs will be coaching (remember he is only the messenger).  Then I will be back and you can complain as much as you want. 

 Endurance today.  Truly endurance.  My fastest athlete finished right at an hour.  Others have gone over the hour mark.  Keep moving steadily and you'll get it done.

Warmup  10 minutes of 10x 1-leg stepups ea leg, box stretch ea side, 5x windmills ea side.   Training #1  14-1 Deck squats M16kg/W12kg, Back extensions, STD KB Russian twist use same KB.  #2  12-1 DB ground to OH M25#/W15#, Ring rows, lateral shuffles.  #3  10-1 1-leg deadlift M20kg/W16kg ea side, DB bench press M25#/W15#, plank kicks ea side.

In the warmup move consistently for 10 minutes.  No need to race just warmup and stretch where appropriate.  IF the OH squats & lunges have been taking a toll on hips or IT bands the box stretch is great for stretching them out.  Spend a few seconds each round to get a good stretch/release.

The deck squats are probably the grunt of the session.  And each successive circuit gets a little bit easier and goes a little faster.

Next week we will retest OH squat max on Monday and then do an unload on Wednesday in prep for the long weekend. 

The gym will be closed Thursday evening at 6pm through Monday evening and will reopen Tuesday at 8am.

 Not sure about you guys but I am very much looking forward to the end of OH squat month (counting the days and possible sessions).  Every session for me has been quite difficult - not so much in the doing but the recovery.  Hope that means its working.  Anyway, fortunately today not overhead squats but instead overhead lunges.  No better, just different.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x OH squats w/ PVC, 5x DOT drill, 30 sec plank walkup.  Training #1  8 rounds of 10x OH lunges - total - w/ barbell  M65-85#/W35-45#, 10x jumping lunges - total, 6x Renegade rows ea side, 30 sec plank.  #2  10x pullups, 20x swings, 30x jingle jangles, 40x pushups, 50x situps, 60x burpees, 10x pullups.

Using the weight you did the density training with on Monday, drop 5-10 lbs and start there.  The lunges won't be a problem but holding the bar overhead for the duration might be and the rows/plank don't really give the shoulders much rest.  This part is a slow grind.

Part 2 is a bit of grind also.  Wish I had thought of it myself but I stole it from the Project Deliverance site.  You'll be happy to know I swapped out the jingle jangles for push press.  Its alot but all doable.  Don't let the numbers scare you.

Special kudos to Bridget who was sure she could only do 5 burpees and 60 was just out of the question.  But we slowed it down for her and did just 3 reps at a time.  She hit 40 and was ready to quit.  So I gave her the option.  Call it a day or finish.  Much to my surprise, and I think, her own, she plugged along and finished all 60.  Today was a big breakthrough for Bridget whether she realizes it or not.  The mental strength it takes to finish such a daunting task is a learned skill.  And like many learning experiences, they aren't always fun.  Today she learned that she could push herself further than she thought possible and earned alot of respect from me.  And both were quite evident by the smile on her face when she finished. 

 More overhead squats today mixed in with our work capacity session.  We are most of the way through our overhead squat month with only a few sessions left to practice.  We will try and do one more max before the month is out but before then we will keep practicing - either the overhead squats themselves or other exercises that will help shoulder and hip flexibility, core strength and stability and leg strength.

Warmup  5 rounds of 8x headcutters M16-20kg/W8-12kg, 8x slashers ea side same wt., 8x shoulder openers.  Training #1  12 rounds of 3x power cleans, 3x push press, 3x OH squats every 45 seconds done at 60-65% of OH squat max.  #2  6 rounds of 8x front squats 60% max, 4x squat jumps, 1 lap waiter walk M16-20kg/W8-12kg, 1 lap tire drag, 2x sprint laps, 60 sec core balance.  #3  6 round sof 15x situps, 10x pushups, 5x pullups.

The first part of the training portion is to really get some good practice with the OH squat.  Its not that heavy and the rounds should never be overly taxing.  I am looking for about 20-25 seconds of work and the remaining time, rest.  If you are coming in under, add some weight.  Coming in over, take some off.  The second part is a little more work.  Lots of legs.  And finally another bodyweight circuit to finish the session off. 

Wednesday we will do more upper body work to balance out today's lower leg dominant session.

Some new and fun exercises in today's session that was written by Jason.  It has a bit of everything - except overhead squats.  A nice break.  They will be back soon enough.

Warmup  Tabata squats with rest in plank position.  Training #1 6 rounds of 1x tire pull - HVY or rope climb no feet, 1x lap bear crawl, 5x GHD press ea side M25#/W15#, 5x back lunges w/ twist ea side M35#/W25# plate.  #2  20x push press M85#/W55#, 20x renegade rows - total M35#DBs/W25#DBs, 200m sprint, 10x push press, 10x renegade rows, 100m for time.  #3  5 rounds of 20x goblet squats M24kg/W16-20kg, 60 sec wallsit jeopardy style, 4x ball pushups each side.

In the warmup do 20 seconds of squats followed by 10 seconds of rest in the plank position and repeat for 8 rounds.  In the training portion the tire should be heavy enough to mimic the weight of a rope climb - ie bodyweight or a little less.  Would you believe no one has chosen the rope climb yet?  The GHD press is done face up on the GHD so body is parallel to floor or totally horizontal.  Hold one dumbbell and do a 1-arm bench press from here.  Do all on one side and then switch.  For the back lunges hold the plate in front and lunge back and twist back at the same time.  Knee should touch the ground and plate should come as close to ground as possible.

A short metcon breaks up the work.  Go hard - its short and sweet.

Finally the leg burner.  If your forearms aren't screaming holding the kettlebell after all the swings on Wednesday then your legs will be during the wallsits.  Its really a mental test to see if you can hold on.  For everytime you break the wallsit, you earn 10 calories on the airdyne.  Surprising how hard people try and hold on when "threatened" by the airdyne.

This one came out a little shorter but don't worry this won't become a habit.  You'll be working for a full hour again come Monday.

Another athlete submitted title - this time Mike Lane.  It fits perfect.

Strength today was we test our Overhead Squats.  This will be the first time that any of the athletes have done it at the gym so I am pretty excited to see how it goes.

Warmup  4 rounds of 3xTGUs ea side M12kg/W8kg, 100m run, 5x shoulder dislocates.  Training #1  Work up to 1 RM Overhead Squat.  #2  5 rounds of 2x OH squats @85%max, 5x kneeling slashers ea side M12kg/W8kg, frog stretch.  #3  10 rounds of 30 sec swings, 30 sec rest.  #4  8 rounds of 3x burpees, 5x dips, 7x toe 2 sky.

Again the warmup is directly related to the work.  The Turkish getups should loosen up the hips from Monday's squats and the shoulders to get them ready for weight overhead.  Concentrate on locking out the arm and keeping the shoulder stabilized - it will help later. 

Start slow on the squats and increase gradually.  All athletes will be doing the OH squats from the floor, so either snatch overhead or clean & press.  Then refocus and go.  Increase the weight gradually.  A little added weight is going to add a lot to the lift. 

This lift can't really be "spotted".  So if you get in trouble release the weight to the front and drop.

After you find your max, drop back to 85% and do some working rounds.

I added a little power endurance after to keep the intensity up but let the mind relax a little.  Overhead squats are very technical so its nice to move onto something that requires less thinking, more doing. 

And finally another circuit of bodyweight work.  You'll see these often in the next few weeks.  Its a great way to come off something heavy and a great way to develop total body strength.

 Phew...sorry for the delay, seems my computer is tired and wanted a few rest days, so I had no choice but to give it.

Monday's session is a strength endurance effort and if you didn't like DB crarwls before, you aren't going to like them now.

Warmup 10 rounds of 20x squats, 10x situps, 2x supermans.  Training #1  10 rounds of 5x deadlifts @ 55%max, 5x back extensions, 10x SB hops - total.  #2  10 rounds of 3x 1-arm OH squats ea side M16-20kg/W8-12kg, 5x ball slams, 8x lateral shuffles.  #3  7 rounds of 5x DB push press M35-45#DBs/W20-25#DBs, 1 lap DB crawl with row - same wt., 5x sunrises.  #4  10 rounds of 3x pullups, 5x pushups, 7x GHD situps.

Use the warmup to warm up the hips and increase mobility.  It will help alot when it comes time for the OH squats.  Part 1 is pretty easy going and I actually thought I could have handled a few more rounds if I had had to.  Fortunately I stopped because it got increasingly difficult as the circuits progressed.  Overhead squats are always challenging but add the element of using only one side and its that much more challenging, especially on the flexibility.  A couple ball slams and shuffles and I've got you breathing going into the next round.  But part 3 is the real crux.  The crawl with the row can get just plain ugly.  Its hard and it seems longer than any of the other circuits eventhough its only 7 rounds.  Just focus on getting it done.  There is no place to hide and going slow only prolongs the agony.  Part 4 is just a nice bodyweight cooldown. 

Wednesday we will do 1 RM OH squats.  The session will be a little shorter, especially since this took most everyone a full hour if not more to do this one, but pretty intense. 

By far the biggest turnout for a challenge yet and why not?  Jeremy brings alot to the gym as an athlete and a coach and this was a great way for all of us to say thanks.

The challenge of this session was not just to finish but to "score" the most points.  There were two ways of doing that - either throw caution to the wind and go as hard as possible.  Or strategize.  I think it was probably split on the strategizing - some saw it before starting and some realized during the session. Doesn't matter in the end it was a good challenging session and everyone worked as hard as possible.

Warmup 31x burpees.  Training AMRAP in 45 minutes of 10x DB ground to OH, 200m SB run, 10x proper pushups, 1x lap tire drag, 60 sec plank, full leg blaster, 100m farmer carry, 60 sec jumprope, 31 sec airdyne for calories.  Optional 10x pullups men/4x pullups women.

The warmup - I know cruel.  Just a little pay back.  When Jeremy first started programming for me he almost always put burpees in the warmup.  I hate burpees in the warmup.  I have pretty much broken him of the habit but am still a little bitter.  If you do all 31 in less than 100 seconds, give yourself 10 points.

Then set the clock for 45 minutes.  In the circuit there are a couple *bonus* spots.  The 60 second plank can be turned to a 2 minute unbroken plank and you earn 10 points.  The jumprope is the same.  Do 2 minutes unbroken and you get 10 points.  The airdyne is strictly for calories and everyone earns points there.  The optional pullups will earn you an extra 10 points also.  You must complete all exercises before starting a new round and scoring points again.

So strategize, if you aren't good on the airdyne better hit all the 2 minute options.  If you do pullups well, do them every round.  They are the fastest way to 10 points of any of them.  Go as hard as possible on the airdyne.  Its the best option for scoring the most points.  Just ask Tim.  30 calories in 31 seconds.  Pretty sure that is some kind of record or he's just a freak of fitness.  Whatever it is, his points added up fast everytime he hit the bike.  And ultimately he won the challenge with over 200 points.

The numbers don't really matter in the end.  What matters?  Hard work. Everyone gave their best effort. 

Thanks to all the athletes for a great effort and fun times afterward.

More strength today with a little power endurance thrown in at the end just to make sure you are paying attention.  Back to work on our overhead squats, only today we go a little heavier.

Warmup 10-1 Swings, OH squats w/ PVC, plank kicks ea side.  Training #1 5 rounds of 3x OH squats M65#/W35# incr wt ea rd, 6x bent over row - wide grip, 6x lateral shuffles, 6x STD KB russian twist ea side.  #2 5 rounds of 5x Romanian deadlifts, 5x SB good mornings, 30 sec WTD side plank ea side M15#/W10#DB.  #3  6 rounds 5x Renegade Man makers, 30 sec sprint @ greater than 80 RPMs, 60 sec rest.

Pretty straight forward.  Work up on the OH squats till 3 is hard but doable and use the same weight for the bent over row as you use for the OH squats.  Be diligent on the deadlifts.  Romanian deadlifts are equal to straight leg deadlifts.  Use your hamstrings and glutes to lift and not your lower back.  The sandbag good mornings - same thing.  Use a light weight on these as its the same movement only loaded differently.  The last circuit is a little power endurance.  I made my athletes start the 30 second count when they hit 80 RPMs and they maintained that or higher throughout.  The 60 second rest doesn't seem near long enough for any of the rounds but then any longer and you may never start again.

Next week on strength day we will do a 1 RM for overhead squats - should be fun.

But tomorrow is challenge day...I'll see you all there.

Not sure where to start on this one...so I'll jump right in.  Jason programmed today's session which in my opinion is a must do session.  Like I've said in the past, its hard for me to read other people's programming and not immediately criticize or change just because its not my own.  I'm getting better.  So I gave Jason a couple things I want in the session and today's is what he came up with.  I did modify one or two things, but very minor and mostly due to time constraints.

After spending the weekend driving and loading and unloading a Uhaul, I really had no intention of training today.  But as any good gym rat would do - I brought some shorts along just in case.  After the 7am group finished I new the shorts would be coming out before I left for the morning.  Yep, a must do.  It grabs you right from the warmup, either go or get left behind.  And doesn't really let up till you finish.  But its really all mental.  There is nothing impossible or over the top its just good solid volume.  What really surprised me when I was trying to finish was the core work involved.  Jason and I went back and forth a couple times cause I was worried there was too much shoulder work.  Turns out my core was tired even before I hit the final circuit, which is the core work.

Warmup 7 minutes of 5x pullups, 10x pushups, 15x squat jumps every minute.  Training #1  Work up to 1RM Bench Press.  #2  6 rounds of 2x BP @ 85%, 10x ball throws, 4x 1-arm situps ea side, 6x shoulder openers.  #3  4 rounds of 4x DB snatch ea side, 2 laps of OH plate lunges, 200m sprint (as fast as possible).  #4  10-1 SB cleans, sprawls, x 10 sec core balance.

Hit it hard in the warmup - even the fastest guys were only getting 15-20 seconds rest which dwindled fast.  But its quick, only 7 rounds, so hold on and you can rest when its done.  Most of us haven't done a 1RM bench in awhile, so it was nice to get back in there and then do some heavy rounds.  Part 3 is a little trickery, that even Jason didn't know about.  We are supposed to be focusing on overhead squats this month but I know all the complaints I'll get if we do it everyday.  So today we did overhead lunges.  It still requires alot of upper body stabilization, core stabilization, and lower body flexibility and strength.  So think of it as a squat in disguise. 

Its really part 4 that I had to do.  It just looked fun (in that crazy fun sort of way).  The first few rounds are pretty grueling on the core balance portion and it wasn't until I was down to about 3 that I started feeling good.  Core balance.  Sit on the floor, lift you feet and arms and hold.  Hands and arms can't touch the body or floor.  Feet can't touch the floor.  Just hold for 100 seconds on the first round and then on down the line.

This week is Jeremy's birthday challenge - all are welcome.  Lots will be outside, so we will be able to accomodate as many as want to participate.  I know the schedule is full - so just give me a heads up if you are planning on coming.  After will be burgers and beer.  I will provide food and beer if you guys will chip in a few bucks to help pay.  I think it will be easier that way.

As far as other sessions this week.  On Wednesday and Friday there will be an unload option, so if you decide to do the challenge but still want to get in 3 days you can.  Thursday am and Fridays sessions will also do the challenge, if they haven't done it already.

 Another great name from Coach Whitney, and you'll understand perfectly once you get to part 2 of training.  Tim will be in coaching Thursday evening and all day Friday and is a great technical coach so I thought it would be perfect to let him lay some groundwork for all the overhead squatting we will be doing this month - thanks to Jeremy.  Then a little interval training.  Work hard here.  The intervals are relatively short at 40 seconds (and then a shorter rest) but then a minute separates each round.  So really its fast, furious and hard work.  Perfect.

Warmup  4 rounds of 20x squats, 3x TGUs ea side, 5x shoulder dislocates w/PVC.  Training #1  5 rounds of 5x OH squats M65-75#/W45#, 1x rope climb, frog stretch 15 sec hold.  #2  4 rounds of 40 sec work/20 sec rest of swings, rest 1 minute, 4 rounds of 40 sec work/20 sec rest mtn climbers, rest 1 minute, 4 rounds of 40 sec work/20 sec rest KB hi pull, rest 1 minute, 4 rounds of 40 sec work/20 sec rest ball slams, rest 1 min, 4 rounds of 40 sec work/20 sec rest airdyne.

I gave you one last chance at the rope climb...well not really, we will never be done with the rope climb, but we will take a bit of a break.  So fight hard.  If you haven't gotten to the top, try and get there today.  If you have, try part of it without feet.  Our pulling muscles are primed for it.

Fortunately for all of you, Nick fixed the grey airdyne so we have two back up and running so everyone will have their chance.  Remember its only 4 rounds of 40 seconds.  Go hard.

Enjoy and I'll be back Monday for more fun.

Remember next Thursday June 9th is Jeremy's birthday challenge.  BBQ and mockery to follow at 7pm.  Everyone is welcome.

Great title sent in by fellow ski coach Whitney Taylor and part way through this you might be wishing for a cupcake.  More of a work capacity effort than anything today as the athletes try and increase their finishing weight on the barbell complex.  We didn't do it in the warmup which was good, made it a bit easier.  Though the weight was still heavy so just jump in a get it done.  So far everyone has increased - men by 10# over the last and women by 5#.  That little extra weight is going to make a big difference, for everything we do.

Warmup  4 rounds 10x goblet squats, 10 x swings, 10x KB deadlifts, box stretch ea side.  Training #1  4 rounds of Barbell complex.  Increase wt. ea round.  Start 10# heavier for men/5# heavier for women.  #2  6 rounds of 5x squat cleans @ 2nd round wt., 5x box jumps, 10x WTD situps 45#/35#, 100m run.  #3  5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5  pullups, dips, x 10 sec of airdyne or rower or jumprope.

In the warmup each athlete had 3 different sized KBs.  Starting with the lightest for the goblet squats M16-20kg/W8-12kg, then upping weight for the swings and upping again for the deadlifts.  And then repeating the sequence with the same weights.  Then jump right into the complex.  Its just as hard as ever and pushing through the last round will be challenging but I think quite doable for everyone.  And a great feeling of accompishment once you catch your breath.  In part 2 drop back to your second round weight for the squat cleans.  The first couple rounds feel rough but as you recover you'll start moving a little quicker in rounds 4,5 and 6.  Finally a nice little pullup complex as we near the end of pullup month.  Choose any of the aerobic options or mix and match - its really just a break for your arms.  I can't believe pullup month is over already.  Don't worry though, we'll squeeze in one more session with a rope climb just to see if we've improved at all.

Thursday evening and all day Friday Tim Banfield will be in coaching.  Some of you met him over the winter.  He's a great coach - very knowledgeable, so pick his brain and listen to his tips, he knows what's he talking about.

Nothing fancy today just a nice, long stamina session.  Nothing heavy.  Nothing tricky.  Just moving and breathing.  Should be perfect to set you up for a great weekend.  We will retest the 1000m row today - so that could be a little taxing but only if you want to beat your time from last week.  So far, everyone that did it last week has done better today. 

Training #1  9 rounds 10x deadlifts @ 50%+/-max, 100m run, 10x DB goblet squats M45#/W35#, 10x GHD situps, 50x 1-leg stepups - total, 1x tire pull, 10x side bends - total.  #2  1000m row for time.

Again the timing of the row is critical though not necessarily in your ability to row but your ability to recover and keep pushing through the final rounds of the training portion.  Athletes that did the row early had trouble moving quickly through their remaining rounds - the task was quite daunting.  Those that rowed a little later and had fewer rounds to finish once completing the row seemed mentally stronger and were able to maintain speed through their final rounds.  Interesting to observe.  And it makes me wonder if we shouldn't be doing more recovery on the move instead of straight rest.  You can guess the answer to that.

One other note, the stepups are the crux.  There is no weight but they are longer than each of the other parts and its easy to get bogged down.  So don't.  Focus, get them done and move on.  It will suck but its better in the long run.

Enjoy the weekend and I'll see you on Tuesday.

Today's title was inadvertently sent in by Tim D.  It made me laugh, so I had to use it.  More strength today but staying away from the core focus.  We revisit the barbell complex and for the first time we will a max on thrusters.  We do alot of our work capacity and power endurance efforts with thrusters, so figured it was about time we do them at an appropriate weight for each athlete.

Warmup 4 rounds of Barbell Complex, incr. wt ea round.  Training #1  Work up to 1 RM Thruster.  #2  4 rounds of 3x thrusters @ 80%, 6x squat jumps, 1x rope climb, 3x scarecrows.  #3  7 rounds of 3x 1-leg deadlifts ea side, 10 cal airdyne, instep stretch ea side.  #4 10-1, 1-10 Ball slams, H. pullups.

In the complex today everyone will use the same finishing weight as they have in the past.  Then next week we will redo the complex and try and push the finishing weight.  After some discussion, Jeremy and I decided that pushing a max weight in the warmup might not be the best approach.  And a better approach might be to actually warmup and then try to max on the complex.  So treat today's as a warmup and a chance to get the flow of the complex and next week we'll see if we can add a little weight to it.  Also we will try a new hip opening mobility exercise at the end of the complex.  Trying to increase mobility in a little different direction.

In doing the max on thrusters, we decided to start at 3 reps.  Figuring we had already done plenty of squat and push press in the warmup, why not just get into it.  Then we dropped right to singles.  It took a few more rounds of singles than our other maxes but at least we weren't retracing steps.  In doing your max and reps, start with bar on the floor and do 1x power clean and then start the thruster combo.  Its surprisingly difficult when you add the power clean and then start the thruster at the correct position instead of starting with a squat clean.

And the airdyne.  As always it will sneek up on you.  The first few rounds literally fly by and even I was fooled into thinking it might not be enough to get the stimulus I wanted.  But only a few rounds later when I was trying to catch my breath while balancing on one leg, I realized it was just fine.  And was more than happy when 7 rounds were complete.

Friday will be a stamina session, read long and slow, with a retest of the 1000m row.  And then I'll give you a nice long weekend to enjoy. 

Yep, Paul guessed right, a bigger sandbag.  A 90 pounder.  He was hoping for an even 100# but lucky for him I am more conservative than that and after the first round or two he was probably thankful for it.  Funny thing about sandbags; a small increase of just 5-10# takes alot more work than 5-10# on a barbell.  So since Paul had to go heavy on the sandbag its only right that everyone should go a little heavier.  So core strength today.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x headcutters M16kg/W12kg, 10x situps, SEAL mobility.  Training #1 10-1 Sandbag getups - total, Renegade rows ea side M45#DB/W35#DB, Windshield wipers - total M125#/W95#, Swings, x10 sec of plank.  #2  4 rounds for time 20x OH lunges M35#/W25#plate, 20x burpees.

Remember the headcutters are done with a KB and one rep is a KB clean, goblet squat, push press.  I am really enjoying this exercise cause its a great way to warmup the whole body.  It will also work well in work capacity efforts and strength efforts making it very versatile.  We've only done it as warmup but look for it to appear more often in other areas.

Don't let the training portion fool you.  It may look short since most 10-1s are easily under 20 minutes.  However, this is solid at 30 minutes if the getups don't keep you down.  Everyone will go up 5-10# on the getups so we can all suffer along with Paul.  The planks are 10x10seconds for the first round, so 100 seconds and then down to 90 seconds for the second round.

Finally part 2.  Not really a reward for all the getups but more of a test of what's left in the tank.  As hard as it is on the lungs, its really the shoulders that take the grunt of this circuit.  Its not pretty.  There is no where to hide or rest.  So get after it and get it done. 

Friday's session is strength endurance written by Jeremy.  Its always nice to have someone help me program, so things don't get stale.  This is definitely not stale and Jeremy came up with a great combo of Sumo Deadlift Hi Pulls and Overhead squats for a great total body challenge.  It didn't feel great doing it, but my body was telling me its exactly what we need to be doing.  The core and shoulder strength required to do the exercises back to back and then a fair dose of mental toughness thrown in really makes for a great circuit.

Warmup 3 rounds of 25x stepups, 5x KB snatch w/ OH squat ea side, 20 sec plank in all three positions.  Training #1  10 rounds of 3x Bench press M115/W65-75, 5x alternate grip pullups switch ea round, 7x DB tricep extensions ea side, 30 sec jumprope.  #2  10-1, 1-10 Sumo Deadlift Hi Pull, OH squats  M75-95#/W45-55#.  #3  5 rounds of 30 sec HVY sandbag stepups, 30 sec box jumps, 30 sec surrenders, 30 sec V-ups.

In part 1 the bench press should be moderately heavy but not enough to get bogged down in your reps.  Three reps should go relatively quickly though feeling hard in the last few rounds.  Jeremy programmed in alternate grip pullups - way kinder than me - which was great.  For those that can't do alot of pullups these are a little easier, so you are actually able to do more "good" reps than in strict pullups.  It is a great way to train the pullup muscles without getting bogged down with strict pullups.

Part 2.  Definitely harder than it looks.  Never underestimate overhead squats. They take alot of everything; core strength, leg strength, shoulder strength and alot of mental strength.  The last few rounds where you do 8, 9 or 10 reps in a row - wow.  More than a few swear words were flying on that one.  And on Jeremy's suggestion we are going to make June overhead squat month (I wonder if he remembered his birthday challenge is in June?).

Finally part 3 just gets you moving around a little and loosens things up a bit.  With short 30 second intervals nothing gets too hard and it helped me move some of the lactic acid out of my thighs and shoulders.

So all in all a great session.  Coming up on Monday we'll do another strength endurance session with a nice little surprise thrown in for Paul...so rest up. 

You can thank Andrew for this one; the name and the session cause he's a big fan of Curtis Ps.  I decided to pull a bunch of stuff out from the past that I have neglected to program into our sessions, so its a bit of a mix and match but a very solid session in the end.  There are several more that I just couldn't fit in that will be appearing in the the next couple weeks.

Warmup 4 rounds of 5x DOT drill, 30 sec dynamic plank, 3x scarecrows 2 1/2# plates.  Training  #1  4 rounds of full leg blaster, 10x barbell rollouts M95#/W75#.  #2  5 rounds of 5x KB floor press ea side M16-20kg/W12kg, 5x clapping pushups Wx3, 5x H. ring pullups.  #3  1000m Row for time  #4  5 rounds of 5x Curtis Ps, 200m run  #5  5 rounds 5x rock squat & carry, 30 sec WTD plank M25#/W15#.

Yeah its been awhile since we've seen the full leg blaster but am happy to report they weren't nearly as bad as I remember.  The Curtis Ps are just as bad until you get to the row.  In sessions today we will be throwing the row in at different times, so yes some will be at an advantage - sort of.  I did the Curtis P combo and then rowed.  It took along time before I could get the rower going.  Jeremy did the opposite and had a strong row but paid on the Curtis P combo.  So in the end everyone will get a little suffereing in somewhere. 

With all the different types of training sessions we do its hard to keep track of which is what and what is how.  So what do they all mean?  Work capacity means you are probably going to suffer.  Strength means its heavy.  Intervals will always have a round or two of the airdyne.  Power is somewhere in the middle and anything with endurance on the end means it is going to take a long time.  But really that tells you nothing.

Let's start with the easiest.  Strength.  Strength workouts are designed to increase strength - pure strength.  The number of pounds you can lift.  A typical strength session will include upper, lower, and total body strength movements.  These are easily measured and are used to see progress.

Intervals are also pretty straight forward.  Short, intense bursts of work followed by a rest.  And yes they involve the airdyne or rower or sprints or all three in one session.  Intervals are used to develop the cardiovascular system, same as a runner would go to the track, run hard, rest and do it again.  By using different movements, all types of athletes will benefit; runners, cyclists, climbers, skiers.

Now it becomes a little more hazy - work capcaity, power endurance, strength endurance - they all tend to be long hard sessions that blend into the same thing.  And frankly some do cross over.  Work capacity sessions are designed to increase the amount of work done in a specified amount of time.  Any time we do destiny training, rounds for time, time for rounds; these are work capacity efforts.  The session forces the athlete to do more work in less time.  The 15-1 countdowns are also work capacity efforts eventhough they are not timed.  The fact that you need to finish in an hour is as difficult physically and mentally as any timed workout.

Power endurance sessions are programmed in one of two ways.  First it could be a session that uses only power movements; power cleans, swings, push presses ( yes they are classified as a power movement) to program an endurance effort - ie lots of reps.  Secondly, as we've done the past couple of weeks, power endurance efforts have been done with multiple rounds of a heavy movement followed by a similar fast movement.

Strength endurance is similar to the first type of power endurance session except it uses only strength movements; deadlifts, WTD situps, bench press, for many reps.  Typically these are "slower" sessions than power endurance because there is not the "speed" element of a power lift.

And finally unload.  An unload session is active recovery.  Frequently the session will focus on body weight exercises or it will have significantly lighter weights.  These sessions are designed to help the body recover, work through any lingering soreness and help the athlete refocus and get energized for the next session or cycle.

Hopefully this helps clarify a little bit if not alot. 

It wasn't my idea for a session title,it was submitted by climber Sean Strauss, but it fits perfect for the past few days of cold, raining, yucky weather.  This week starts with strength a session, which felt good cause it would have been hard to rally for something fast and furious this morning.

Warmup 4 rounds of KB complex M16kg/W12kg, mtn mobility ea side.  Training #1  6 rounds of 4x DL start @ 65% max incr 10#ea rd M /5# ea rd W, 1x rope climb, 4x curl & press M35#/W25#, 30 sec front lever hold on rings.  #2  8 rounds of 4x front squats start @ 50% max incr 10#/5#, 4x sumo KB hi jumps M20kg/W16kg, 2x 1-arm situps ea side same KB, 10x poorman's hypers.  #3  4 rounds of 4x corkscrews ea side M45#/W35#, 5x A2B, 10x OH squats w/ PVC, 20 sec WTD side plank ea side M20#DB/W15#DB.

The KB complex is 6 reps of deadlift, sumo deadlift hi pull, goblet squats, swings, slashers ea side, and push press.  It seems to give a good total body warmup and get the breathing going a little also adn I was more than ready to jump into a heavy deadlift.  Well everything is heavy today.  Not alot of reps of each cause there are several rounds for each circuit and I wanted the athletes to go up in weight on all the assistance exercises like curl & press and 1-arm situps.  Those are really the crux of session along with the heavy corkscrews.  They almost make the deadlifts and front squats at 75-80% of your max easy - sort of.  

Wednesday we go back to the past...bringing back a bunch of movements and exercises that I have somehow forgotten about.  If there is something you've been thinking we haven't done in awhile, it will probably show up.    

Today's work capacity session is all density training - which was a nice change of pace.  The name came from Nettie Jenkins, Jeremy's wife, and fits perfectly.

Warmup 4 round sof 10x 1-leg stepups ea side - alternate legs, 3x TGUs ea side.  Training #1 10 minutes of the triplet power clean, front squat, push press every 30 seconds at 75% of push press max.  #2  10 round sof 15x swings, 10x jingle jangles every 2 minutes.  #3  5 rounds of 1 lap SB drag, 5x slashers ea side, 8x shoot the moon 20# med ball, 3x supermans.

In part one of training you will do a triplet of power clean then front squat then push press every 30 seconds for 10 minutes.  So 20 rounds of it.  Break each movement into its individual part so every rep is good and doesn't break down to slop by the end.  Its tough to do but with a long rest you will have plenty of time to refocus at the start of each triplet.  If you are hitting the triplet under 5 sconds, add weight.  If it takes longer than 10 seconds, decrease weight.

Part two is really just fire breathing for twenty minutes.  It will take about 50-60 seconds to do the swings & jingle jangles and then a full minute of rest.  Which seems like more than enough for the first round.  And is plenty of time to think about the number of rounds to come.  By then end, the one minute rest flies by.

The SB drag is new to us.  One of those fancy exercises Jeremy did in the military (he's got a few we may try, may not).  It's really just a DB crawl in reverse with a sandbag.  Do all the pulling on one side for the first length and then switch arms on the way back (this is our pulling movement for the day in case you were keeping track).  It seems a little cooky at first but I thought they were fun.  Finally "shoot the moon."  I think this is the first time I have programmed them into the main session.  Assume the situp position with ball at your chest.  Situp and press the ball overhead then roll  back down with the ball coming back to your chest.  Another form of a weighted situp.  With the ball moving up and down it adds a little more on the breathing end but a little less from the strength using a 20# ball.  Fun and different.

Get out this weekend and put all your hard training to good use.

Unload today.  We've had several hard days in the past couple weeks, so its time to rest and recover a bit before moving on again.  Everything is light and designed to try and hit many areas to work out any stiffness or lingering tightness.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x squats, 10x lunges - total, 5x pushups, 10x situps.  Training #1 8 rounds of 10x deadlift @ 40%max, 8x slasher halos, 6x bench press @50%max, 20 sec 2 pt plank ea side, 2x pullups, 1x length tire drag, HAM ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 9x deck squats, 7x hang snatch, 5x side bends ea side, 30 sec jumprope.

No need to rush, just move through and you'll be done in an hour and hopefully feel better than when you started.

Today's  name was submitted by Matt Kennedy..hopefully he gets a chance to do it.  Fortunately I had Jeremy there to train with me this morning to get through this thing.  Its fun but its relentless.  Its a solid hour if you are pushing the whole time, more if you don't.  Working off the strength session on Friday, today os power endurance to complete some of those same exercises.  The most important is obviously the squat clean & push press so we did thrusters, light and fast.  Then I also decided to oppose that movement by adding some fast swings.

Warmup  5 rounds of 10x headcutters (KB clean, goblet squat, push press), mtn mobility ea side.  Training #1  6 rounds of 100m Run, Max thrusters @ 60% of SC & PP max, rest 30 sec.  #2  6 round sof 5x Scotty bob's, airdyne, rest 30 sec.  #3  6 rounds of 200m row, power cleans @ 60% of max, rest 30 sec.  #4  150xswings for time w/ partner each person does 75x swings.  #5  6 rounds of 30 sec mtn climbers, OH lunges, rest 30 sec.

Today's is designed to do with a partner or works well with 3 also.  So the first exercise in each is the "timer" and the second person works till the first is done.  For the swings alternate with your partner so you each do 15x swings and rest while your partner does 15 for a total of 10 rounds.  Time to beat..3:46.

Wednesday will be an unload day.  We've done alot of work in the past couple weeks and I know I am getting a little beat down as are a few of the other athletes.  We'll rest up and go hard again on Friday.

In grade school there was always one kid everyone wanted on their team.  He was the strongest, fastest, and most popular.  We, at the ATC, are lucky to have that kid on our team.  He's not in grade school anymore and complains he's not as fast or strong as he used to be but he is still as committed to training and his sports as he ever was.  He trains hard and pushes himself and everyone around him every time he's in the gym.  But more important is his special ability to encourage and motivate everyone else to work hard.  You know its going to hurt when you train alongside him, which is exactly why we all want to.  Hoping some of that greatness will rub off, but if not certainly you know you worked harder than you ever have.

And at the end of the day we all hope that Paul chooses us for his team.

Our first athlete session comes from Will Gordon and if you feel like I do after this session you'll know it was the perfect name.  Seems my lats do have feelings.  This is a strength workout focused on total body strength and balanced with some upper body pulling.

Warmup 5 rounds of 5x DB thrusters, 5x broad jumps, 5x sunrises, 30 sec pry stretch.  Training #1 Work up to 1 RM Squat clean & push press  #2  6 rounds of 2x SC & PP @85%max, 5x A2B (ankle to bar), box stretch ea side.  #3  7-6-5-4-3-2-1 DB KB swings, jumping pullups, WTD alligator pushups.  #4  6 rounds of 100m Farmer carry, 5x cauldrons ea side, 60 sec jumprope.

The focus of the warmup is to loosen and open up the hips in preparation for the squat cleans.  Use the full 30 sec of the pry stretch to work out any tight spots so that on each clean you can achieve full range of motion.  The heavy swings oppose the squats and the jumping pullups oppose the push press.  Total body balance.  Go heavy on the swings.  Use two kettlebells that add up to slightly more than your last heavy swing.  For example most of my women swing a 20kg bell, so they used 2 x 12kg bells.  Jumping pullups are exactly how they sound.  Jump as high as possible and finish with a pullup.  For those not able to do pullups its a great way to develop end range of motion strength - or the top of the pullup.  The last part was added to work grip strength a bit which is important for all we do in the gym from barbell work to pullups to swings - you have to be able to hold on. 

Interval training today.  This session is just a little different from the last one we did in that you will do all rounds of one exercise before moving to the next.  Formatted this way adds the challenge of mental toughness, having to repeat the same exercise as hard as possible.  These intervals are a little longer, 60 seconds in length with just a 30 second rest.

Warmup 5 rounds 3x burpees, 6x jingle jangles every 60 seconds.  Training 3 rounds of 60 second work/30 second rest with 1 minute rest between exercises.  1.  30 m sprints  2. Horizontal pullups  3. Rower  4. Elevated plank  5. Mr. Spectaculars M16kg/W12kg  6. Ball slams  7. 1-leg stepups M65#/W45# alternate legs  8.  KB Rack hold M20kg/W16kg.

For the Spectaculars count the number in the first round - if you get more than 6 add weight.  For the stepups if you get more than 20 stepups add weight.

It fast and furious so jump in and have at it.    

Louie Simmons, one of today's great strength coaches from Westside Barbell, sets up his power training days a little different than I do.  The first day he will do a heavy strength day and then follow it 48-72 hours later with a power session.  Following the notion of something heavy then something fast to develop power.  So Friday's session and today's were set up to do just that. 

Warmup 40-30-20-10 Squats, Piston press - total, situps, x 10 sec plank.  Training #1 6 rounds of 100m SB run, 10x jumping lunges ea side, 10x STD KB Russian twist ea side.  #2  6 round sof 8x ball throws, 1x rope climb, 10x GHD situps.  #3  6 rounds of 5x OH squats, 5x STD box jumps, 45 sec plank walkup.  #4  6 round sof 100m row, 7x 1-arm situps ea side.

So based on the heavy lifts we did Friday; Box squats, push press, RDL, slashers, SB clean & getup, I chose a similar movement that we could do fast to develop power.  Box squats=STD box jumps, push press=ball throws, RDL=jumping lunges, slashers=russian twist, SB clean & getup=row/situp.  Just a little different way to program based on the same principles.  And proof that there is a method to my madness...not just madness.  

You'll also find that today's session is very core intensive - right from the warmup.  Looking at the session you might not think so, but you'll quickly realize how much the core works in every movement especially the inobvious ones; sandbag run, ball throws, rope climb, OH squat.  All require a high degree of core strength and endurance to execute.  And one of the many reasons that core work is integrated into every training session we do.

One final note for the day or really the month.  April was a big pushup month, in case you didn't realize.  I tried to program a minimum 2 days per week of pushups in some form; mobility, pushups, burpees, Mr. Spectaculars.  My objective was to improve everyones pushup.  And in general it worked.  So moving onto the next month we will oppose that movement and pull...yep pullup month.  Don't worry we won't do pullups everyday, just alot of days. 

I figured most of the athletes would be pretty beat up after the work capacity effort on Wednesday, so I slowed it down and programmed a strength session for today.   It wasn't until I started the session that I realized how tired I really was.  Soreness wasn't an issue, just full body fatigue that started right with the warmup.  The PVC was more than enough.  

Warmup 4 rounds of 8x Hang squat snatch w/PVC, 30 sec mtn climbers, 4x pushup mobility.  Training #1 6 rounds of 3x push press @ 60%max +/- add wt ea rd, 5x KB snatches ea side, 10x back extensions.  #2  6 rounds of 4x box squats @ 60%max incr wt ea rd., 8x Romanian deadlifts, 5x slashers ea side.  #3  7 rounds of 3x SB clean & getup ea side, 5x pullups.

The warmup is really all mobility work to loosen up shoulders and hips.  Then jump right into the business.  Keep adding weight to the push press till 3x are hard but still doable and unbroken.  If you've never done KB snatches before, start light and add weight if things are going smooth.  In #2 I have the athletes squatting to a "box" that's parallel or just below parallel.  Any type of back squat is very back intensive.  You really need to focus on keeping core and glutes tight when driving off the box so you don't do all the lifting with the back.  Again add weight till 4 is hard but doable.  Again start light on the RDLs.  Very hamstring and glute intensive.  Don't let your back break, stay tight and focus on the posterior chain.  Use the same weight from the RDLs for the slashers.  And last but not least...SB clean & getup.  Whether you did Wednesdays session or not these suck.  Clean the bag from the ground and then do a getup.  Repeat.  Bag must start from the ground each time.  This is slow and torturous but still doable, so put your head down and get it done.

You know what we haven't done for awhile?  A good old-fashioned 15-1 countdown.  We've been so wrapped up in birthday challenges I haven't had a chance to program a nice, long, work capacity effort.  So here you go.  Its hard.  Its long.  And you'll be very happy when its over.

Warmup 100x headcutters M16-20kg, W8-12kg.  Training 15-1 Hang squat clean M85-105#, jingle jangles, curl & press M25-35#DB/W10-15#DBs, swings M24-28kg/W16-20kg, SB plank hops ea side.

It looks  short but don't let that fool you.  This is solid at 50-55 minutes if you are moving constantly.  A headcutter is done with one kettlebell.  Clean from the floor, do 1x goblet squat and then 1x overhead press.  That's one headcutter.  The hang squat cleans should be done at about 50% of your HSC max.  Try and maintain a good speed in the jingle jangles.  If you need to stop and take a breath first, go ahead.  Don't just "walk" through these.  The curl & press add up quickly and actually getting harder as you progress.  The other exercises seem to "lighten" a bit knowing every round you are a little closer to the end.  But the press is a constant throughout.  Go heavy on the swings.  This is a good chance to do some rounds at a heavier weight without killing yourself. Remember the max you'll do is 15.  And remember the SB hop?  Lay down your sandbag or something else about 6-8 inches off the ground and assume the plank position.  Maintaining the plank hop your feet over the sandbag.  Keep your arse down.  We are not doing an inverted V position but a plank.

Try and maintain a constant pace.  Going out too hard will only dig a hole for yourself from which you'll never recover.  This is as much strength endurance as it is mental toughness.  Enjoy!

Today's session is in honor of both John & Chris who both competed in the Voodoo Fire Single Track Bike Race over the weekend.  They both fell but in true ATC style got right back up and finished strong.  Great work guys!

A nice little power/power endurance effort today, that of course includes the rower.  Its short and sweet to help neebies get used to it.  Though I am finding more and more closet rowers since the erg has appeared.

Warmup  4 rounds of 8x DL @ 95-105#/W75#, 3x DOT drill, 6x DB push press.  Training #1  6 rounds of 3x DL @ 75% of max, 3x DB squat jumps M25#DBs/W15#DBs, 3x squat jumps no wt., 5x elevated pushups.  #2  6 rounds of 4x Power cleans @ 75% of max, 100m sprint rower, rest 30 sec.  #3  6 rounds of 1x Tire pull, 4x Horizontal pullups, 5x Renegade rows ea side M35#/W25#, 5x side bends ea side same wt as rows.  #4  6 rounds of 4x Mr. Spectaculars, 4x sprawls, 15x situps.

It looks like alot and it is but it goes by fast.  Once you get each circuit set up you can move quite quickly through it.

We have never done WTD squat jumps.  So grab a pair of DBs and starting with the DBs on the floor jump straight up.  Easy.  Men used 25#DBs and women @15#.  Next time we will go a little heavier but first time out I wanted to be a little conservative.

Mr. Spectaculars have been off the radar for awhile, cause they suck, but they are back and you are instantly reminded why they suck.  But with all the pulling exercises done; deadlift, clean, & tire pull it was a great way to throw in a couple pressing movements all in one.  Remember the sprawls are burpees without the pushups.

Good old fashion interval training today.  Nothing fancy.  Work.  Rest.  Repeat.  And of course that means the airdyne which as usual was quite the beatdown. 

Warmup  8 minutes of 10x decks squats M12kg/W8kg, 20 swings same wt., 10x mtn climber mobility.  Training 6 rounds of 30 sec work/30 sec rest of Thrusters M75-95#/W45-55#, Box jumps, Airdyne, Situps, SDHP M20-24kg/W16kg, rest.

Follow through the circuit doing each exercise consecutively and then take a full cycle to rest.  Again its all about the airdyne and trying to catch up after it and prolong getting to it.  Focus on the RPMs while you ride.  Its easy to go hard for the first round or two but then you'll see the numbers drop fast.  I targeted my athletes somewhere between 85 and 95 RPMs.

Paul was kind enough to bring in his Concept II rower for us to play on for the next month.  Can you see the wheels spinning?  It will be fun to play with for a bit and then we can give it back.  The airdyne is ours to keep.  Sorry - no retun on that thing.

Happy Easter.

Seems like several of you that came to my nutrition seminar have been working hard to improve your diets and find the right balance of calories in and calories out, either for weight loss or gain.  And a few have asked me how to figure out how many calories they really need to be eating.  So step one of the process is to calculate your basal metabolic rate.  Its a long equation so I thought I would just post it for everyone. 

Women:  BMR= 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (1.27 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

So that number, basal metabolic rate, is the number of calories you need daily to sustain your current weight assuming you did no additional activity.  Any additional activities, exercise or movement would need to be added to your BMR to determine how many total calories you burn in a day.  From there you can determine how many calories you need to either lose or gain weight.  Hopefully that helps.

Questions?  Please ask me. 

After Monday's work capacity effort - in which everyone did great - I decided we needed to slow down and focus on some strength today.  It felt really good.  Especially the squat cleans, which never feel good.  But they went smooth for me and many of the other athletes.  Also good to do some bench presses.  Seems like we haven't done them heavy in awhile.  So nice change of pace, some different stuff and overall it felt good eventhough I was still feeling Monday's session.

Warmup 4 rounds of 4x TGUs ea side M12kg/W8kg, 6x goblet squats same wt., 6x jingle jangles.  Training #1  Work up to 1 RM Bench Press.  #2  10 rounds of 1x BP @ 90%, 3x Bent over rows @ 50% of BP max every 30 seconds.  #3  6 rounds of 4x squat cleans M65#/W45# incr wt. ea rd., 4x ring pushups, 6x shoulder dislocates.  #4  6 rounds of 8x headcutters M16kg/W12kg, 8x ball slams, 30 sec WTD side plank ea side M15#/W10#. 

After you have found your bench press max the training portion will use 90% of that max and the bent over rows done at 50% of your bench press max.  You have 30 seconds to do the two exercises.  The quicker you do them, the more rest you get.  With working rounds at such a high percentage, I like to give the athletes a good rest between lifts.  You should be able to get about 15 seconds of rest each round pretty easily.  The squat cleans are just plain fun.  They get kinda heavy at the end but nothing crazy just some good solid work.  New to my athletes today is the headcutter.  Using a kettlebell do a KB clean from the floor to chest, 1x goblet squat and 1x push press.  It takes 2-3 to get the movement but then they flow pretty easily and are a nice movement.

So don't rush just move through and enjoy.

Friday..intervals. 

Its a rare privilege that I get to train with the athletes at the ATC.  I used to do it more often but as the gym has grown the opportunity doesn't present itself very often.  So I jumped on this one.  Jeremy was kind enough to take the reigns this evening and I jumped in to do battle with the troops.  Awesome.  What a great group.  Its hard to understand how hard my athletes work until you work with them.  Simply amazing.  And hopefully in some small way my training with them helps push them a little more.

Kirstin's birthday challenge.  Obviously it had to be work capacity.  Its her forte.  And obviously it had to have a twist to make it a challenge.  Pretty sure this one hits both.  So as you read through keep in mind that Kirstin, 35 years old today, had the privilege of doing all of the training portion with a 35#DB...unless she had to use 2x 35#DBs.

Warmup  5 rounds of Mini leg blasters, 3x burpees, instep stretch ea side.  Training 8 rounds for time of 10x 1-leg stepups ea side M65#/W35#, 15x swings 20-24kh/16kg, 100m run, 3x Scotty Bob's 45#DBs/35#DBs, 15x goblet squats same wt as swings, 10x WTD situps M45#/W35#.

Had to start with leg blasters just to set the tone of moving quickly and efficiently and because eventhough Kirstin is one of the strongest women in the gym, leg blasters kill her.  Jumping lunges...awful.  Pretty sure she would take the airdyne any day over jumping lunges.  I was kind enough to get them out of the way and not torture her later on. 

The training portion is all about the stepups.  A total of 20x 1-leg stepups ea round is hard and only gets harder as you get tired.  Pace yourself here - this is the make or break point.  The rest is just filler to help you recover till you get back to the stepups.  If you are good at these you will crush this workout.  Remember, Kirstin did it all with the DB.  Stepups with one akward DB then swings then a short run holding it, a few scotty bob's and goblet squats with it and then WTD situps.  If it sounds hard it is hard.  But Kirstin did so great.  There were certainly a few points where she questioned it all but she kept plugging along and impressed everyone there.  Great work Kirstin!

Heading into today it seems like we did alot of leg and upper body so I wanted to be a little more core focused today with lighter workloads for legs and upper body.  While you'll still see lower and upper body work I think you'll find the core will be most taxed.

Warmup 4 rounds of the Barbell Complex.  Increase wt ea rd.  Training #1  7 rounds of 5x Elevated reverse lunges ea side M25#/W15-20#DBs, 1 lap DB crawl M35-45#/W25-35#, 8x GHD situps.  #2  8-1 x10 sec of plank hold, pushups, SB half moons ea side.  #3  AMRAP in 10 minutes of 1 lap tire drag, 100m run, 6x KB Sumo Deadlift Hi Pull (SDHP), 6x ball slams.

Haven't done the barbell complex in awhile still as ugly as ever.  But its such a great tool to learn and reinforce movements, warmup the entire body for any movements and really a great benchmark to see where you are.  Yet, I hate it every time.  In the first part of training I stacked 2x45# plates and had the athletes lunge back from there.  It worked great.  Be careful these will sneak up on you quickly so start light today and you can add next time we do them.  It requires alot of strength and balance.  Really focus touching the back knee to the ground every time.  Part two is really just a core circuit, but quite challenging so don't underestimate.  And finally a little exercise in breathing.  Just 10 minutes, so push hard and leave it all there.

Coming up on Monday another birthday challenge.  More genius on my part, at least I think so.  Little different than what we have done before and challenging for the birthday girl in a "different" way.  Its name is "Life isn't fair".  We'll let Kirstin mull that over for the next couple of days.  Jeremy will be coaching the Monday night session so that I can partake in the fun - so should be a good time. 

The days are longer, the snow is melting and temps are warmer.  For many of us this signals the beginning of rock climbing season.  A time to put away the ice tools, the skiis and all the heavy layers and bask in the glory of spring.  But one still trains on his tools.  With an Alaska trip just 21 days away, James is putting in long, hard sessions in the gym.  Some days he works with the group and does a hybrid session to maintain his strength and durability.  Those are the easy days wth his fellow athletes there to encourage and motivate him.  But mostly he trains alone.  Long, hard stamina sessions in the cave or on the ice boards coupled with leg/core work and alot of heavy breathing on the airdyne.  It takes a dedicated athlete to keep pushing and working while others have moved on.  

He is quiet in the cave.  There's no drama.  No complaining.  Just work.  Sometimes I forget he's back there.  With his head down, working hard James knows how to get the job done.  And with all the work he has put in, I am confident that whatever his objection in Alaska it will be met with the same attitude and determination that he exhibits in the gym, which will lead to great success in the mountains. 

Strength today.  Our main lift is the deadlift but then we move to a upper body emphasis after Monday's leg dominant session.  Friday we will round out the whole body and test the lungs a bit.

Warmup 5 rounds 10x Overhead lunges - total M25#/W15#, 4x jumping lunges, 4 pushups, 3x pry stretch.  Training #1 Work up to 1 RM deadlift  #2 10 rounds of 1x DL @ 90%max, rest 20 sec.  #3  6 rounds of 1x rope climb, 3x WTD situps M55#/W45# increase wt. ea rd, 5x side bends ea side.  #4  10-1:1-10  Push press @ 50%max, Renegade rows M35#/W25#.  #5  Bottom - Bottom Tabata Squats.  8 rounds of 20 sec work, 10 sec rest.

After finding your deadlift max, use 90% of that for your working rounds.  Rest the full 20 seconds between ea lift so you are able to do each one perfect.  With such a heavy load it is imperative to do each rep perfect.  Moving right along, load up a barbell for your WTD situps.  Men started at 45-55# and added 10# if they could do 3 good ones and progressed from there.  If you struggle through 3, stay at the same weight.  Number 4 is a countdown/countup.  The first round is 10x push press and 1x Renegade row ea side for a total of 11 reps.  Second round is 9 push press, 2 rows each side.  Its helpful to remember each round will have a total of 11 reps - just in case you lose count.  Finally Bottom-Bottom Tabata Squats. this takes exactly 4 minutes and is meant to be a sprint.  For 20 seconds do as many airsquats as possible.  "Rest" in the bottom of the squat - thighs parallel to the floor or lower while still maintaining muscle control.  If you are really resting here - you are doing it wrong.  A few of the new athletes this morning were unpleasantly surprised by the rest portion.  Its short though so work hard and finish strong.

Of note today...Cynthia Ferrer..yep that little toughie of a cyclist climbed the rope to the top - NO FEET.  It was her goal this year, and she got it done with time to spare.  Great work, Cynthia.  Now she can really focus on cycling.

Next Monday April 18th is Kirstin's birthday.  Get fired up.  We all know work capacity is Kirstin's favorite..I won't disappoint.  Kirstin will do the challenge Monday eve so come join in on the fun.  Remember its all over in an hour!

OK back to reality.  Seems like last week was kind of all over the map starting off the week with a hard session followed by another hard session on Wednesday, which took me by surprise, and finally a nice easy Friday.  Hopefully everyone is rested and ready to get back to busy.  We start the week with some full-body power and power endurance work.  Nothing over the top but just as it should be again.

Warmup 6 rounds of 4x deadlifts, 4x hang power cleans, 3x DOT drill.  Training #1  Work up to 1 RM Power clean.  #2  6 rounds of 3x Power cleans, 6x jingle jangles, 6x curl & press.  #3  6 rounds of SB clean & squat (5) ea side, 5x squat jumps, 5x STD KB Russian twist ea side.  #4 10 rounds of 30 sec swings, 30 sec plank, 30 sec rest.

The warmup is actually a power clean broken up into its respective parts.  The deadlift into a hang power clean is the proper execution of a power clean.  Get the movements down early and you'll do better during the training portion.  There are plenty of rounds to really get this movement wired - without being too much.  In part 3 you will do 1x SB clean and then 5x squats.  Drop the bag and repeat on the other side.  The last part is really a combo of core and power work.  Obviously the swing is a power exercise that targets the posterior chain while the plank targets the anterior chain - just not in power mode.  I thought it was a good combo especially with the rest thrown in.

If you've make it today - good for you!  We've had a hard week of training - with alot of soreness involved.  Apparently the deck squat/GHD combo was more difficult than expected.  (My core hasn't been that sore in awhile)  So today is total unload.  Its about 50 minutes of work, moving in all directions to try and work out some soreness, and just a little breathing to help move stuff around.  Ultimately you should feel better afterwards...not beatdown.

Warmup  6 rounds of 100m run, 4x pushup mobility, strider stretch ea side.  Training #1 6 rounds of 8x OH squats w/ PVC,  8x slasher halos, 30 sec side plank, 30 sec jumprope, 30 sec side plank - other side.  #2 6 rounds of 15x walking lunges, 3x burpees, 6x side bends ea side.  #3  5 rounds of 8x corkscrews ea side, 8x swings, 8x sunrises, 3x shoulder sweeps ea side. 

Enjoy the weekend.

Not sure about you but that birthday challenge took a toll.  Not really sore but tired.  Tired enough that when I sat down Monday afternoon to write todays there was nothing that I felt like doing.  Except maybe unload.  I thought maybe I could get fired up for that - but that's it.  Well its not truly an unload session, maybe quasi-unload.  There is still alot of volume but just nothing super heavy and for the veteran athletes no real place to get bogged down.  Just good constant movement that hits most of our movements.

Warmup 6 rounds of Mini leg blaster, 5x pushups, frog stretch hold 5 sec.  Training #1  10 rounds of 10x deck squats M12kg/W8kg, 5x 1-arm BP ea side, 10 sec Airdyne, 7x H. Pullups 5xW, 10x GHD situps, 10x 1-leg stepups ea side to 20" box.

And that's it.  Thrity-five to forty minutes of work.  The deck squats are new and challenging.  But like any good getup type exercise its all about figuring it out and then they aren't nearly so difficult.  The airdyne was plain easy.  Ten seconds.  Love it!  The best part was while I wasn't redlined the whole session, I was drenched in sweat by the time I finished and felt better in the end.

Don't think you are getting away that easy on Friday...

This was one of the harder challenges I have written in awhile.  Rebecca is relatively new to the ATC so I don't have a good handle on what she likes, dislikes, strengths or weaknesses.  Her relative strength is incredible.  Her lungs stronger than most.  And the spirit of a lion.  Put that all into one training session and damn I'm tired!  I hit about round 3 of the second circuit and was cursing first Rebecca for having a birthday and secondly myself for writing this.  Like many short sessions - if there isn't alot of writing on the board its probably kinda hard.  Curses.  And no one to blame but myself.  But it was a good challenge.

Warmup 4 rounds of KB complex (6x DL, 6x SDHP, 6x squats, 6x swings, 6x slashers ea side, 6x push press), mtn mobility ea side.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 6x Thrusters every 60 seconds.  #2  6 rounds of 6x RMM, 6x DL @ 65%, 6x ball slams, 6x split squats ea side, 6x sprints, 60 sec elevated plank.

I think the real problem was I fooled (again by myself which is awful).  I thought the first circuit was going to be harder.  I started athletes at their BBC finish weight and if they finished in less than 20 seconds they got more weight.  At 20 seconds they stayed the same.  So I added a bit and moved on, feeling pretty good about myself.  Then I thought the RMMs would be the crux of the second circuit.  Wrong.  In fact, the 60 seconds of elevated plank schooled me every round.  It was no rest.  Which meant I had to rest in the deadlift and ball slams.  Challenging.

But as usual you get through it and once you finish maybe it wasn't as bad as you thought.  And while I thought maybe we would take a hiatus from birthday challenges, cause my body is getting wrecked, I remembered...Kirstin is having a birthday.  I have a waited a long time to write this one.  And like all of them, it will not disappoint. 

All core today.  Its been awhile since we have done a full hour of work that was specifically programmed to work the core.  Personally I think they are kind of fun.  And when there is core...there are sandbags.  You'll pick your bag (or rather I'll pick your bag) and keep it with you the whole session.

Warmup  10 minutes of SBGUs.  Training 8 rounds of 200m SB run R then L shoulder, 10x windshield wipers - total, 5x Hang squat snatch, 7x slashers ea side, 10x back extensions, 1 lap DB crawl, 7x ball throws.

Simple.  To the point.  And 1 full hour.  Don't linger anywhere too long or you won't finish in an hour.  But no need to sprint either.  Just constant work.  

Today the athletes carried the SB on the shoulder - first right then left side.  That way we get more of a load on the core - one side at a time.  The hang squat snatch was new for many and is a great full-body exercise as well as very core intensive.  The core is the stabilizer in the movement and as you start moving the weight you feel it quickly.  Its a technical lift and therefore easy to make a mistake.  Step up to the bar, take a breath or two and think about the movement before jumping in.  The rest is same old same old, so just enjoy.

Another power session today with a short metcon to top it off.  Working different muscles group from Monday to try and hit everything this week.  Friday session will be all core to really round it all out.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x DL M85#/W65#, 5x Bent over row same wt., 10x plank kicks ea side, 5x pushups.  Training #1  6 rounds of 10x 1-leg stepups - total M65#/W45#, 30 sec mtn climbers, 10x situps.  #2  6 rounds of 1x tire pull HVY, 5x pullups, 45 sec plank walkup.  #3  10 rounds of 6x SDHP, 6x swings, 1x 3-cone suicide, rest 30 sec.

Still on the heavy fast theme in the first two circuits.  Not having done the 1-leg stepups in awhile even at a lighter weight they felt challenging.  Move quickly into the mountain climbers and really focus on moving the legs as quickly as possible.  The tire pull ideally is great than BW so that the pullups are "easier" than the pull.  If you can't pull over BW just go as heavy as possible.  The last part is short 10 minute metcon.  Done quickly it is exactly 30 seconds of work/30 seconds of rest.  There are a few dark rounds in there but I thought it was kind of fun..when I was done.

ROCK CLIMBERS...finishing our "Creek" cycle this week.  So we will start a new rock cycle next week.  It will be six weeks in length, 3 days per week of climbing, starting Monday April 4th with a pre- and post-test.  Pre-test will be done Monday or your first training day next week.  This cycle will be alot more focused on finger/hand/forearm strength with very limited time in the crack.  We will also be incorporating alot more core and legs in this cycle to help maintain total body strength.  Please bring your climbing shoes to all training sessions...so I don't forget to tell you.  If you have an old pair to leave at the gym, that's fine also.

For some reason its always seems easier to start the week with a strength workout.  Well this one is actually a power session but runs along the same lines as our strength workouts.  For some reason its just mentally easier and when you come to that critical moment of should I or shouldn't I, its easier to say I should.

Warmup  4 rounds of 3x TGUs R, 10x squats, 3x TGUs L, 10x lunges.  Training  #1  Work up to 1 RM push press  #2  6 rounds of 2x push press w/ 5 sec OH hold @ 85%max, 4x piston press ea side, 4x kneeling slashers ea side.  #3  5 rounds of 5x HSC incr wt ea rd M75#+10#/W45#+5#, 5x box jumps, 30 sec WTD side plank ea side M15#DB/W10#DB.  #4  6 rounds of 10x BB lunges M85-95#/W65-75#, 10x jumping lunges, 6x poorman's hypers, 3x inchworm w/pushup.

There are two ways to develop power.  First use power movments such as push press, HSC, or power cleans.  Or shoose a movement that you can do heavy and mimic the same movement and do it fast.  The first circuit is a little combo, heavy on the power movement and then move quickly through the piston press and slow down through the slashers to recover.  Same goes for the HSC - two power movements stacked, one loaded and one unloaded to get you moving quickly.  Rest in the plank.  Number 3 is the only truly strength + fast movement combo and your rest comes in the inchworm.

Last week was a crazy week seemed like with the birthday challenge on Monday that left everyone more sore than expected, a good unload Wednesday and then for some a hard session Friday.  Not my original intention but some times you just gotta roll with it.  So as I planned this coming week I was a little on the fence...unload again or jump into the next cycle.  As you can see I chose to jump.

For the next several weeks we will a combo cycle or what might seem like anything goes.  I feel like watching the athletes perform last week that everyone has a good strength base, endurance and from the results of Hell Week good anaerobic base.  I think it would be wrong to focus on just one area.  So we will put them all together and anything goes.  Strength, power, endurance, unload and whatever else I feel needs work.  Couple reasons I decided to go this route; first like I said before we have a pretty good overall base.  Second it allows me to program an unload session when the athletes need it and not when the calendar says we need it.  Third I get bored.  In a strength cycle all I can think about is work capacity and vice versa and it makes the actual daily programming hard and forced and by the end of the cycle it feels kind of stale.  And finally as we move into spring its time to focus on more endurance type training - the runners, cyclists, alpinists are doing it, so must we. 

So there I was in the middle of a rock face having set myself up with some horrible rope drag and a large roof I was going to have to pull over when the wind caught me in the chest and made my jacket a into a sail.  There was no way I was letting go of the jug so my only other option was my legs.  My thoughts went exactly like this, "your legs are strong, use them."  Turns out they were strong enough to get me up and over.  The next challenge was getting the rope up.  No exaggeration it was like pulling that damn tire up the face.  I wanted to give up but realized quickly that wasn't really an option.  So I thanked myself for having pulled that tire so many times and got down to business.  Success.

The gym is tough place.  Some days are very rewarding and some days you just get beat up.  I've been feeling a little beat up lately.  I completed a strength cycle written especially for me with the sole purpose of increasing my 1 RM in front squat, push press and deadlifts.  Three days a week for 8 weeks I would get up at 5am, go to a cold, dark gym and put in my time and do the work.  Did it work?  My first answer would be no.  I was hoping for big numbers and huge gains.  Small numbers and little gains was all I got and after all that work.  Failure.

In the end no one cares about your "numbers" in the gym, its what you do with the training that counts.  When you hit the next number grade in ice climbing.  When you finally climb 10 pitches in a day instead of the usual 6.  When the number of laps you do up the peak increases every week.  When you can ride 3 hours on your bike and it only feels like 1.  Those numbers count and those are numbers that people care about.

So while my time in the gym seemed like a failure it ultimately brought me great success. 

I for one was more than happy to unload today.  Still the soreness lingered as I got out of bed two days later.  This session will help work out some of the remaining soreness and fatigue and get you back on track.  The majority of it is bodyweight work with only some light weighted movements.  A little bit of breathing, moving and mobility and you will be good to go.  Its short - so no need to rush.  You should easily finish in about 45 minutes.

Warmup 5 rounds of 6x DOT drill up/back only, 6x piston press ea side, DB crawl front/back, 6x mtn climber mobility.  Training #1  50-40-30-20-10 Stepups - total, airsquats, STD KB russian twist - total, x1/2 pushups, 2-pt. plank - total time done 1/2 ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 60 sec jumprope, 7x sprawls, HAM ea side - ea round.

A final note on the birthday challenge from Monday...you will be seeing it again.  Its a great way to measure strength endurance and I am pretty sure second time around everyone will score higher...well maybe not Tim cause he crushed it!

I'm not afraid to admit when I come up with a good one.  This one is good.  Like any good challenge it has to fit the person and this one had to fit 3.  But these guys, John, Eric & Mike are all similar athletes.  Endurance by nature and body type but over the course of their training at the ATC they have all gotten quite strong.  If I looked at the strength to weight ratio for these three they would probably be the highest in the gym.  So naturally I had to program something that included both endurance and strength.  Then I had to come up with a block that would favor each of them.  John is obvious with the running.  Eric is obvious with pullups.  Mike less obvious.  He is consistent across the board.  So I figured anything would fly with him.

Warmup 25x RMM 25#DBs.  Training #1  6 rounds of 20 sec Front squats @ 50%max for reps, 40 sec rest.  #2  6 rounds of 20 sec Deadlifts @50%max for reps, 40 sec rest.  #3  6 rounds of 20 sec WTD situps for reps, 40 sec rest.  #4  6 rounds of 20 sec. pullups for reps, 40 sec rest.  #5  6 rounds of 30 sec 25m sprints for reps, 30 sec rest.

John was the first to give it a go and hands down to him cause he did it solo which in this type of workout is quite difficult.  Its hard to judge how fast or hard you are working with no one to gauge off of.  He set the standard at 293 total reps.  The other two, Mike & Eric, had the benefit of each other and the group.  The group will always push harder, faster and produce more - that's the way it is.  So both those guys scored over 300 points.  But high scorer or not, everyone did great with this session.  Its easy to see the depth of an athlete when you look at their numbers over 6 rounds.  The novice athlete will go as hard as possible in the first couple rounds and then die and the numbers will drop quickly.  The athlete that has put their time in will be consistent across the board and sometimes be able to squeeze out a few extra reps in the later rounds.  Which is pretty much what all my athletes did.  

Bottom line?  Good programming made for a good challenge and everyone won. 

Final day of Hell Week brings to good challenges to the athletes.  The first is a Gym Jones creation, "Jones Crawl" and the second is our 100x of something...

Warmup 7-5-3 Deadlift, Swings, Squat jumps, steps of duck walk.  Training #1  "Jones Crawl"  3 rounds of 10x Deadlifts M115%BW/W100%BW, 25x box jumps 24"/20".  #2  100x SBGUs.

Its actually quite short.  Most are finishing in less than 45 minutes.  But its an unpleasant 45 minutes.

The warmup is short also - just a few reps to get the feel of a heavy bar.  Men started at 60%BW then 90% then 115%.  Women started at 50%BW then 75% then 100%.  Then jump right into the fun and get it over with.  No need to drag it on.  The best "crawlers" will go under 4 minutes.  Our athletes were hitting between 7-9 minutes.  Quick and dirty.  Take a break and then get to work on the sandbag.  Pretty simple really.

Next week is unload week.  However on Monday there is also the birthday challenge option.  Like any good challenge it will be hard.  So if you are tired and dragging from this week - be smart.  Do the unload and cheer on the birthday boys from the sidelines. 

Accountability.  Most days you are only accountable to yourself.  Today in addition to yourself you will be accountable to your partner.  This adds a whole challenge or motivation to the workout and maybe makes it a little more fun.

Warmup 5 rounds  P1 Mini leg blaster,  P2 DB OH Hold  Training 1. 6 minutes of P1 3x TGUs ea side, P2  Ball slams for reps.  2.  6 minutes of P1 200m run, P2 Curtis Ps for reps.  3.  6 minutes of P1 30 sec airdyne for calories, P2 DB crawl.  4.  6 minutes of P1 200m Farmer Carry, P2  Scotty Bob's.  5.  6 minutes of P1 3x SB clean & squat ea side, P2 WTD plank for rounds.

For each circuit one person is the "timer" and the other the counter.  Most circuits count total reps except for airdyne we will count calories and the last round we will count total rounds completed.  

Friday is the last day of Hell Week and it will be "Hell". 

Monday night is another birthday challenge.  For those that still want to train but keep to the unload week there will be that option at the evening session also.  So come on down, cheer on the boys this will be another fun one.  

Day 1 and I think you'll find its not as horrible as you had anticipated.  Though there are a few points where I got at least one dirty look... exactly the point where you realize that its harder than it looks.  Always disappointing.

Warmup 10-1 KB squats, jingle jangles, situps  Training #1  8 rounds of 3x Front squats @60%max w/ 5 sec hold ea rep, 1x lap tire drag, 10x WTD situps M45#/W35#.  #2  50-40-30-20-10 Swings, x1/2 burpees.

I have a couple things going on here today.  In the warmup we switch to a KB squat instead of goblet squat with the intention of trying to work to keep the spine perpendicular to the floor and push some ankle flexion as you prep for the front squat circuit.  Athletes have a tendency to break at the waist while doing front squats which is not only hard on your back but you'll never be able to lift heavier loads.  The weight of the barbell will pull you down forward and you'll never be able to recover from a low squat position.  So in the warmup, think about keeping your chest high and dropping your butt to the floor.  That practice is put to work in the first circuit.  The load is intentionally not heavy, working at only 60% of max for three reps.  Its the hold at the bottom that starts to add up after a few rounds.  It is in the later rounds, when you are tired, that it is most important to focus on form.  The hold in the bottom position serves a couple purposes.  First it forces mobility in the hips and ankles - something we could all use a little work on.  Secondly, by holding that low position and then refiring you teach your body to come out of "the hole" in good form.  A good squat is won or lost deep in the hole, bad position and you will drop the weight or drop your back.  Be diligent.

Part 2.  Yep we've done this before.  Its no easier second time round.  In fact I found it a little more daunting because I remember quite clearly how hard it is.  But plug through and this too shall pass.

Wednesday is partner day.  It will be setup in a few blocks with rests between each block to allow for max effort during each circuit.  I think you are going to like it..especially with the right partner. 

Don't go getting all nervous on me.  Seriously how bad can it be? I only have you for an hour at a shot and there is only 1 airdyne so the possibility of spending an hour on it is out.  And its probably not in my best interests as a business woman to kill all of you.

The real idea behind Hell Week is to teach your body to recover faster and push you to the next level.  All of you when outside the gym do your sport or activity to full capacity every time you go out and sometimes multiple days in a row.  You have trained your body to do it.  But what if you wanted to be able to do more days in a row or have the second and third day be "performance" days instead of just day one?  Its all in how the body is able to recover.

During a regular cycle we progress in weight, voulme and intensity and I usually program one hard day, one easier day and one moderate day - though it might not always "feel" like that.  Depending on how you've recovered during the week or weekend any given session can feel harder or easier.  This week we will have three "hard" workouts.  You will be tired.  And maybe even a little grumpy.  The partner workout Wednesday will be fun - a great way to challenge and motivate.  Monday's and Friday's sessions will probably feel more like a grind.  Some of the circuits we have done before and some we have not.  The 100 rep exercise this week is new, so if you were worried about 100x Curtis Ps showing up you can rest easy. 

Then after a hard week of work comes an easy, unload week.  Your body will rest, recover and then as we ramp up again you will be stronger and faster than before.

So relax - it will be fun, different, challenging and if nothing else - it only lasts 1 week...unless you like it :)

Classic work capacity today with a 10-1 countdown that will take you the better part of an hour.  The first few rounds are a littl grueling with an added bonus on the sandbag getups...sandbag cleans.  For each rep you do 1x sandbag clean and 1x sandbag getup.  Pretty rough.  The good news the next time you do just sandbag getups they are going to feel easy.

Warmup 10-1 Hang squat clean @ BBC start wt., slasher halos - total, plank kicks ea side.  Training 10-1 SB clean & getup, Curl & press M25#/W15#, Box squats M115-135#/W65-75#, Bent over row M85#/W65#, STD Russian twist ea side M35#/W25#.  If you finish under an hour....4 rounds of 5x 1-leg deadlifts, DB crawl front, 30 sec side plank, DB crawl back, 30 sec side plank other side.

Like any good countdown, the first round isn't so bad its 9 & 8 that really suck but then you start seeing the light at 7 cause you are half way and then comes 6 and you start "cruising" to the finish.  So really just plow through wehre needed and get the job donw.

Next week is HELL WEEK.  Anything goes.

Short and sweet today but it does hit alot of training systems.  We start with strength then strength endurance and finish with a short met con at the end to push the anaerobic system.  Its only about 40-45 minutes which is short for us and actually considered adding another part but once you finish the last circuit and you've pushed as hard as you could..there isn't much left to do but lay down.  So I stopped there.

Warmup 3-5-7-9 Goblet squat/front press/push press, lateral shuffles, behind the neck press w/ PVC.  Training #1 1 RM Push Press.  #2 4 rounds 3x push press @ 75%, 5x DL @ 50% incr wt M20#/W10# ea rd, 5x kneeling slashers ea side.  #3  100x WTD lunges.  Every 10x lunges drop DBs and do 4x jumping lunges.  #4  10 rounds of 20 sec swings, 20 sec burpees, 20 sec rest.

As an endurance day we did the 100x lunges, my original plan for you will be put off till next week.  Our "spotlight" athlete Cov is off to Texas today to do some training on her road bike.  The program is called "Hell Week".  As soon as she told me the wheels started spinning and ideas started flowing.  So next week at the ATC will be Hell Week.  Everyone gets to participate...regular and climbing athletes will all have a Hell Week.  Then we will unload.  So actually it works out well that today is a little shorter, it will help you recover and put some in the bank for next week.

Pretty much what I guessed...rope climb & airdyne.  And Jeremy was kind enough to throw in a few front squats.  Rob and Jason were kind enough to volunteer for torturing duty.  Pretty sure Rob had the most fun of all...check out his outfit!

Warmup 3 rounds 10x swings, 5 sec frog stretch (shortest warmup I've ever done - can only mean trouble ahead)  Training #1 1 RM Front squat.  Jeremy was hoping I would put up a new max with all my athletes around me and I did.  Only 5# but I guess at my age some is better than none.  #2  5 minutes max reps of front squats @ 90%.  (I squeezed 11 to avoid the penalty)  #3  5 minutes max reps of 1x rope climb + 5x burpees (6x rope climbs - its difficult to hold my arms up today to write)  #4  4 rounds of 1 minute airdyne for calories, 2 min rest.  #5  5 minutes airdyne to match calories of the first 4 rounds (looks easy...its not..thanks John, I know that was all you) #6 Penalty..fortuantely we don't have a SB of my bodyweight...so just did 15x SBGUs @1/2BW..with everyone jumping in to do a few with me.

So if you read this like a good trainer you'll see in the first part I've done 11x front squats @ 90% of my max which equals tired/heavy legs.  Then managed to climb the rope 6x which makes one's arms a little fatigued.  So arms and legs spent I "jump" on the airdyne.  See my pain?  And then I was thinking I could pace myself into smooth sailing.  Its hard to pace with everyone cheering you on, trying to make you go harder and not willing to disappoint...so I paid.  Dearly.

That's alright...it was one of my hardest efforts in awhile and though I'm tired and sore today, I will be stronger tomorrow. 

One day each year everyone has a special day...so why not celebrate with a special session in the gym?  Everyone is excited to see what I come up with and really these challenges are the most creative, challenging and fun sessions that I write.  I try to take into account the athlete; their likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and types of sessions they enjoy.  Done correctly the athlete is "challenged" but still able to complete or meet the challenge.  And of course there is usually beer involved when we finish.

Tonight the athletes have the opportunity to write one for me.  We'll see what happens.  If you don't hear from me in a few days you'll know how it went.  Yeah, I'm a little nervous.  But really its a great opportunity to train with my athletes and have a little fun doing it.  And besides I torture them day in and day out - they should have the opportunity to repay the favor.

I know that the challenge will include the airdyne and the rope climb - 2 givens.  So for those not training at 6pm, their session will included those also - just to be fair.

Warmup 5 rounds of 15x swings, 5x OH squats w/ PVC, 5x alligator pushups.  Training #1 5 minutes of 3x Hang snatch & OH squat  every 30 seconds.  #2 5 minutes of 30 seconds on airdyne, 30 seconds rest.  #3  5 minutes of 2x KB rack lunges ea side, 2x KB push press every 30 seconds.  #4  5 minutes of 30 sec jingle jangles, 30 sec rest.  #5  AMRAP in 18 minutes of 1x rope climb, 10x ball slams, max reps bench press, 10x back extensions, 60 sec ab bridge complex.

Work capacity effort with alot of short density circuits.  I really like this type of format and once I got rolling I couldn't stop - obviously.  It gives the athlete a good chance to push hard and then rest/recover.  One of the primary reasons for work capacity efforts is to teach the body to recover, not just in a single session but day after day to simulate what would actually happen in the real world with multi-day climbs or multiple days of skiing in a row or multiple days on the bike.  The better one recovers the better they can perform day after day without rest.

I'll let you know tomorrow how it all played out.

Ride by day, train by night.  Day in, day out.  Retired professor of exercise physiology, Cov takes her training seriously and it shows.  Riding her road bike with the Outdoor Diva team or solo during the day and training at the ATC at night, this woman is getting stronger and faster every day.  She obviously knows how to train having done it, researched it and taught it so if you pick her brain and follow her lead you will learn something.

Cov impresses both Jeremy and I because of her drive, motivation and determination.  Because of this she continues to improve every session.  And for the unlucky that have to train with her...sorry..but she is hard core.  There is no messing around, hanging at the water cooler or waiting for stragglers.  She will push even the most veteran athletes of the gym and they are all in awe and certainly put in their place and some days struggling to keep up. 

Quiet.  Determined.  And plain old hardcore.  Cov represents what the ATC is all about.  Train in the gym, perform in your sport.  It is our pleasure to train such a great athlete.

Today's work capacity effort is one of my favorites and if you don't recognize it I would be surprised - this is the third time we've done it in the past year.  Which is alot really seeing as we rarely repeat any sessions.  Couple reasons I like it; one the barbell complex hits about all the movement - lift, squat, push, pull - and two its a great way for the athletes to learn the BBC with all its movements and sublties of transitioning.  The athletes that have been with me for awhile and have done hundreds of BBC complex and can move through through the complex quite fluidly and efficiently.

Warmup 4 rounds of 5x clean & press R, 5x jingle jangles, 5x clean & press L, 5x DOT drill, 10x situps, hip swivel ea side.  Training #1 6 rounds of 50x stepups, 1x BBC @ 2nd rd wt.  #2  3-5-7-5-3 Scotty Bob's, SB 1/2 moons ea side, barbell rollouts, slashers ea side.  #3 100x WTD situps M35#/W25#.

Part 2 is original but part 3 we did about a year ago at lower weight.  Notice the trend 100s...last week was 100x TGUs, this week 100x WTD situps.  As we work through this cycle we will do 100x of something every week.  I'll let you mull over the possibilities on that one - remember everything is fair game.

So I was reading a blog by renowned climbing trainer/coach Eric Horst in which he spoke about complex training in climbing to develop power, same as a strength athlete would do in the gym to develop power.  First movement is heavy and slow and mimic that movement with something fast and light.  For example WTD lunges followed by jumping lunges.  So I decided to give it a try.  Seems like it would be easy but turns out Eric has a better equipment climbing cave than even I.  So I adjusted and used what I had and thought it was pretty good.  I unleashed my first session on Brad Jackson of Emerfit because I knew he would be able to give me good, constructive feedback.  He liked it.  So my climbers today got to try also.

Warmup 5 minutes of TGUs 12kg  Training #1  8 rounds of 3x crack pullups every 30 seconds.  #2  6 rounds of 30 sec system board crimps w/ HVY pack, 1 lap HIT strip crimps fast no wt., 7x dips.  #3  6 rounds of 30 sec system board pockets same pack, 1 lap HIT pockets fast no wt., 7x ring pushups.  #4  6 rounds of 30 sec system board jugs w/ pack, 1 lap HIT jugs fast no wt, 5x DB push press HVY 35#DBs  #5  5 rounds of 10x KB rack lunges 20kg, 10x jumping lunges, 10x back extensions 8kg.  #6  Roll back of forearm w/ lacrosse ball 2 minutes per arm.

I got the crack portion out of the way quick along with some core and shoulder warmup.  As you load the pack make it heavy enough so that the end of the 30 sec period is difficult.  Not sliding off the holds difficult more like starting to feel the burn.  There are several rounds, so blowing out in the first one is disasterous.  Quickly move from the system board to the HIT strips.  My climbers were loaded at 30-40#.  Part 5 does some complex training for the legs and then all climbers played with the lacrosse ball to work out any tension in the forearm - this is great for recovery and injury prevention.

Fridays session will be a hybrid session with total body strength and grip strength being the main focus.

There is something strangely appealing to running through the parking lot with a sandbag on your back watching the sunrise - told you it was strange.  But as the weather warms it feels good to be outside no matter what I'm doing.

Strength endurance today with a long block of leg work and then a shorter more intense block for the upper body.  the lower body works seems daunting at first, the first few rounds being the worst.  Then you settle into a groove and it really isn't that terrible.  The upper body circuit is a little more terrible and I certainly expect sore shoulders tomorrow.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x swings M16lg/W12kg, 8x sumo dl hi pull, 6x squat jumps no wt, 4x pushup mobility, 2x instep stretch (1x ea side).  Training #1 10 rounds of 10x deadlifts @40-50%max, 10x goblet squats M20-24kg/W12-16kg, 5x STD box jumps, 200m SB run.  #2 10/1-1/10 pullups, push press M75#/W45#.

First shot at STD box jumps for my athletes.  Sit on a low stool/box about 16" high if jumping to a 24" box.  Smaller if you are only jumping to a 20" box.  Lift your feet, plant and jump.  Its a little intimidating at first but after a few tries its not much different than regular box jumps - though they are definitely more challenging.  Little trick I learned, if you need to rest between reps, rest standing and not sitting on the bench because once you sit down you won't be able to go again until you stand up and start over.   The second part of training is a countdown/countup.  In a 10/1 you do a total of eleven reps per round,  hopefully this helps keep you on track.  The first round is 10x pullups/1x push press, 2nd round 9xpullups/2 push press and continue so the last round is 1x pullup/10x push press.  The only easy rounds here are the middle ones, otherwise there is alot of work happening at either end. 

This round of "Creek" training is named with some of the cliffs found in Indian Creek - hopefully that will help distinguish these from the hybrid sessions.

Back to the crack hangs today - upping the ante a little - and then onto the system board to work on the real pump.

Warmup 5 rounds of 4x pullups, 6x slasher halos, 8x push press, 3x wrist rolls ea side.  Training 1.  8 rounds of 15 sec crack hang, 8x suitcase deadlifts 20-24kg  2. 4 rounds of 1 min system board, 15 sec hang crimp R, 15 sec hang pocket R, 15 sec hang jug R, 1 min movement, repeat hangs on Left side, 3x SBGUs ea side.  3.  8 rounds of 15 sec crack hang, 3x STD SB russian twist ea side.

The crack at this point is really mind over matter.  The first round shouldn't leave you particularly pumped but after the hangs on the system board - 4 rounds is plenty and the crack feels like a "rest", sort of.  During the hang portion try to move quickly from hang to alternate exercise.  Though it is a rest from the crack, I picked ones that would still work the forearms and grip strength.  Too much rest between will defeat the purpose.  In the second part, once you get on the system board you won't come off until you've finish the entire sequence.  A little rest between the boards and the SBGUs are to be expected.

Today's work capacity is a solid 40 minute effort.  There are rests built in which seem long in the beginning but then seem quite short by the final round.  

Warmup 6 rounds of 3x Atomic man makers, 30 sec mtn climbers, 2x supermans.  Training 4 rounds 60 sec work/30 sec rest of 1-leg stepups alternate legs M65#/W45#, elevated plank, KB rack lunge, sandbag pushups, squat clean push press, jumprope, rest.

The barbell rests on your back for the stepups and bring the non-loaded leg all the way up to the chest.  The KB rack lunge is just that - KBs in the rack position.  Keep the elbows up high, just like when the barbell is racked, and pace yourself through this part.  The weight gets heavy, your arms get tired, and you get to do alot of lunges.  Don't fire off 10 in the first 15  seconds and then rest the remaining 45.

Wednesday will be a strength endurance day.

Next Monday, March 7th, is my birthday so if you want to take part in the session - signup.  And if you want to take part in writing the session - send your ideas to Jeremy @ jeremyjenkins7@comcast.net and he will put them all together.  If you just want to drink beer - come at 7pm.

Strength endurance today with a bit of mental toughness thrown in to keep the mind and body strong.

Warmup 4 rounds of KB complex M12kg/W8kg (6x deadlift, 6x sumo hi pulls, 6x goblet squats, 6x swings, 6x slashers ea side, 6x push press), HAM ea side.  Training #1 100x TGUs M12kg/8kg  #2  6 rounds of 12x swings, 60 sec SB squats, 1 lap DB crawl 15m, 4x SB 1/2 moons.

Obviously where the mental toughness is...100x of anything is alot.  While it was challenging, it was more of a mind game than anything.  None of the athletes really had trouble doing it, but more a question of if they could.  I think a few surprised themselves.  The other part of the mental game is the SB squats.  Athletes were loaded fairly light M70-80# and W 60# which isn't alot of weight.  But put the sandbag on your back and squat for a minute and its much harder than it looks.  The awkardness of the bag in combination with a full minute of squats is alot of work.  The other exercises are done to try and balance out the core - at least a little. 

Day one of "6 Weeks to the Creek" and the boys were taped up and ready to roll.  Of course we had to start right off in the crack - mostly so they know what's ahead and to start breaking in their hands.

Warmup 4 rounds of 2 min system board, 10x BP seesaw ea side, 4x scarecrows.  Training #1  10 round sof 10 sec crack hang, 3x HVY 1-arm rows ea side, 5x pushups 3xW.  #2  5 rounds of 90 sec system board w/ 25#pack, 1 min SB squats M70-80/W60#, 5x KB floor press ea side, 5x shoulder dislocates.  #3 10 rounds of 10 sec rack hang, 3x Piston press ea side HVY, 10 sec wrist stretch.  #4  4 round sof 2x target touch laps, 10x swings HVY, 10x ball slams, 30 sec 2 pt. plank ea side. 

Aside from specific climbing training goals, utmost important is to keep from getting injured in the gym and while climbing.  Seems like Boulder is full of climbers with climbing injuries.  From shoulders to elbows to little finger tweeks, it challenging to find someone that climbs regularly that doesn't have a little something going on.  So if I can push the strength and endurance in my climbers, push their climbing level and keep them getting injured then I have done my job.

Monday morning, barbell complex and work capacity.  It will snap you right out of the weekend and back where you belong.  Its been a awhile since we've done the barbell complex so I figured just in and get it over with for the week.  Then we could settle in to more fun stuff.

Warmup 4 rounds of barbell complex incr wt ea rd.  Training #1 8 rounds of 5x Dl @ 60%max, 7x 1-arm bench press, 5x KB front squats, 7x renegade rows ea side, 10x GHD situps.  #2  10-1 Thrusters @ 2nd rd wt of BBC, jingle janlges, x 10 sec rest.

The first part of training you've seen before - little different this time but the main lifts DL/FS and BP/RRow are the same.  The idea was s imple way to keep everything in balance - lift/squat and push/pull.  Then I just let you go crazy.  Use your second round weight for the thrusters which should feel doable and then sprint through the jingle jangles.  I give you a good rest, so work hard in the first part and take the whole rest.  It takes about 15 minutes to complete but alot of it is rest. 

For whatever reason unload weeks seem to go by the fastest, probably cause I know what lies ahead.

Warmup complete 100x squats, 50x box drills, 25x pushups, 10x pullups.  Training #1  5 rounds of 50x stepups, 10x DB push press, 10x bent over rows, 5x 1-arm situps ea side, 10x back extensions  #2  6 rounds of 30 sec swings, 10x goblet squats, 1 lap plate carry, 10x side bends ea side, 10x mtn climber mobility ea side, 5x shoulder sweeps ea side.

For the warmup complete the exercises any way you want.  Go in order or split it up - doesn't matter how though probably wouldn't recommend all 50 box drills in a row they get a little sloppy.  All the exercises are old standards though we haven't done the plate carries in a while.  Grab a 25# or 35# plate in each hand and walk the length of the gym (50ft.) and back.  After the swings, goblet squats and those carries you should have a pretty good forearm pump going on - if not add a little weight to one of them. 

Next week...Work capacity cycle for the hybrid athletes.  It will be 2 days of work capacity and one day strength/ strength endurance.  Rock climbers will start sport specific training with 2 days of climbing and 1 day of hybrid.  Please bring tape for the crack...we will be using it both Monday and Wednesday and the first few sessions can be rough on your hands.  As you progress, you will require less tape.  Please ask if you need  help taping or are unsure how to tape for cracks.  Ice climbers will stay with 2 days of hybrid and 1 day ice specific.

Today's unload includes a new lift for us.  Hang Snatch.  We've done a few snatches in the past with KBs but nothing really with the bar.  So its time.  The climbing will be doing more Snatches in their programming and the hybrid athletes will see it also in the work capacity cycle that's coming up.  I've been reluctant to program them in the past cause I didn't have the right time.  Snatches are very shoulder intensive and strong, flexible shoulders are required especially if you go heavy at all.  The hybrid athletes coming off a strength cycle should certainly have strength and motor control to handle them and my ice climbers should definitely have the strength & mobility in thier shoulders to do them...so this is the perfect time to introduce them.

Warmup 6 rounds of 5x DB thrusters M20#/W15#, 15 sec OH hold, 15x plank kicks ea side, frog stretch.  Training #1  6 rounds of 4x Hang snatch, 4x box jumps, 4x pushups, mtn mobility ea side.  #2  10-1 Bench press @ 40% max, corkscrew ea side, Renegade row ea side, 1-arm swing ea side, x10 sec jumprope.  #3  5 rounds of 5x KB clean & press, 1 lap bear crawl, 15x toes 2 sky, hip swivel ea side.

Men I had start at 45# and women 35#.  If the movement was good and comfortable then we added some weight.  Not much - my strongest male went to only 60#.  Remember this is unload week.  Don't get greedy now.  Work the movement and then when its time we'll add more weight.

For rock climbers doing "6 Weeks to the Creek"  PLEASE bring your own tape.  You will be hanging/doing pullups in the crack and the first couple sessions are pretty rough on the hands.  Feel free to leave a roll at the gym so you don't forget.

Saturday night I went to watch the finals of the American Bouldering Series here in Boulder.  Aside from the pure talent those kids posess, the strength, power, and flexibility left me a little awestruck and with soem good training ideas for my climbers...figure 4 to a 1-finger pocket crank..come on we are definitely doing those.  

As inspired as I was, I was more excited about an unload week.  We finished the strength cycle with a solid week of work - and for those of you who completed all 3 days of training, you felt it over the weekend and possibly a little lingering soreness this morning.

I vary on my approaches to unload sessions. sometimes we just step it down a notch and sometimes we work new or old movement patterns.  This week we will do some new movements that we haven't seen at all and some that we don't do very often movements.  With a little slower pace and a less competitive atmosphere in an unload session I feel its  a good time to introduce new exercises.  So today we do a SOTS press, developed by a Russian lifter, with the idea of developing core strength & stability, upper body strength & flexibility and total body mobility.  Alot goes into this exercise as you will soon find out.  Couple key things to remember...start with a good solid squat - if you aren't solid in your stance you will fall over (and I will laugh).  Look at the KB during the press portion.  As in the TGU it helps stabilize the weight and keep it tracking correctly.  And take it slow.  No need to rush through these till you get the movement wired - I give you plenty of rounds to practice.

Warmup  5 rounds of Mini leg blaster, 10x slasher halos - total, 5x OH press w/ KB, 10x duck walk.  Training #1  8 rounds 3x SOTS press ea side, 6x H. pullups, 100m run, 3x hip activation ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 8x sprawls, 10x lateral shuffles, 90 sec ab bridge complex.  #3  10-1 Deadlifts @40%max, WTD situps M35#/W25#, WTD Russian Twist - total.

So the SOTS press is a KB squat clean, hold the squat position and then press the KB overhead.  We did 3 overhead presses today and obviously there are all kinds of variation but I felt it was a good number to figure out the movement and still give you a rep or two to make it your own.  This is a great movement for hip mobility, upper back mobility and core stabilization that you will surely see again and again.  

The last two circuits are really just alot of core.  Nothing heavy or crazy but some of the athletes came in still sore from the barbell rollouts on Friday so they definitely felt it more.  It comes out to about 50 minutes of work without going at break neck speed...so relax a little and enjoy we'll be going hard again soon enough.   

Some days half the battle is just showing up and then once you start moving things become a little easier and a little less daunting.  After two hard training days this week, it was difficult to get out of bed and get psyched to train but once I got moving everything was fine and I felt surprisingly good as I finished.

Warmup 10-1 goblet squat w/ front press, swings, situps.  Training #1  1 RM Power clean  #2  5 rounds of 2x power cleans @85%, 4x broad jumps, 4x KB windmills ea side - KB held at top of movement.  #3  5 rounds of 5x curl & press, 7x ball slams, 5x cauldrons ea side.  #4  6 rounds 3x SBGUs eas side - HVY, 1 lap waiter walk, 6x barbell rollouts, 6x poorman's hypers.

Last of the strength work for awhile so buckle down and get it done.  Next week we will unload so you'll have time to rest and recover.  The heavy part is really the power cleans and sandbag getups.  The second circuit while not "hard" is pretty arm intensive, which is tough after all the barbell burpees.  But it goes quick. Try and add to the sandbag getups.  Guessing many athletes have been using the same sized bag for awhile.  Today is the day to up it and I cut back on total reps so you could do just that.  The barbell rollout is a new one for us.  Same exercise as that fancy ab roller just using a barbell.  Keeps the core tight - its very easy to start using your back on this one.  Fight it.  Only roll out as far as you are truly able to strength wise, otherwise you'll have a sore back tomorrow.

After a week of unload the hybrid athletes will go back to work capacity - which will probably feel exceptionally hard.  With two strength days per week we haven't been doing much heavy breathing...its time to change that.  Teh rock climbers will start "6 Weeks to the Creek" and ice climbers will continue with a split of ice/hybrid.

And so it goes...another birthday challenge.  The birthday boy, aka Muffin Top, conceeded and gave Skinny bitch the win on this one.  Hard for him to give up, harder for me to program.

Its easy as a programmer or coach to program a hard session.  Stack up all the hard exercises, increase the weight, and limit the rest.  Pretty easy really.  The challenge is to program sessions that develop an athlete.  Pushing an athlete's  limits while increasing strength, power, endurance and not breaking them down - its a fine line.  Some days I hit it and admittedly some days I go overboard.  Then add a birthday challenge to the mix and you've entered a whole 'nother level of programming.

Birthday challenges are fun.  That's all their is to it.  On one special day the athlete gets a session written for them.  Sessions usually include their strengths (jumprope), their weaknesses (rope climb) and it will in some way push them little more than usual (41x overhead presses).  Obviously the biggest factor when writing these sessions is age which usually comes in reps or time.  And then trying to find something different that will set this particular session apart without totally killing the athlete.  When I'm lucky these sessions just come to me - when I'm unlucky it is hard work.  Fortunately for me & Rob the two circuits came easily and I think overall it was fun and challenging.

Warmup 4 rounds of 20x squats, 10x jumping squats, 20x lunges, 10x jumping lunges, 20x situps.  Training #1  3 rounds of 41 seconds of work, 19 seconds rest/transition of jumprope, 2x rope climb Wx1, Swings, wallsits, front/back sprints, kb rack hold, max calories on  airdyne, rest.  #2  41x Barbell Burpees M50%BW/W35%BW for time.

The warmup is intentionally long.  After Monday's lunges, you'll need a couple rounds to get moving normal again and I wanted the body warm and ready without really taxing it going into the first circuit.  Work hard for 41 seconds and rest for the remainder of the minute.  It flies by.  The airdyne as usual is the kicker.  Its all about recovering/resting before and after the 41 second sprint.  And it is what digs the hole for the second circuit.  Its obvious how I chose the number of reps but certainly it was more difficult to choose the weight.  That took alot of back and forth - too much, too little and in the end, just right.  At about 7-10 minutes, that last part is killer.

Obviously the birthday boy was up to the task and out shined everyone on the airdyne (and crushed the warmup, by the way).  But alot of credit has to be given to the other athletes that willingly subjected themselves to this kind of torture.  Paul increased his airdyne calories every round  which is very difficult considering each round he is more tired.  John put up the fastest time on the burpees - by alot.  Rebel did perfect pushups, cleans and push presses from 1 to 41, again very difficult as one gets tired.  Cov, what can I say, has the heart of a champion.  Working amongst athletes who are years younger, gives 110% percent every time which is exactly why she can keep up with these young bucks - I can only hope to be that strong and motivated when I'm her age.  Mike, scrappy as he is, never, ever says die.  Struggling with a bad wrist he came and worked alongside the other athletes not only for his own betterment but to honor and support the birthday challenger of the day.  He didn't get to do the burpees but I can guarantee the tire drag/tuck hold challenge left him feeling as bad as the others.  And finally Kirstin.  Its funny watching women train with men.  Most hold back just a bit.  Or play the "girl" card. Or ask me to work around their weakness.   Nope, not Kirstin.  She is downright fierce.  Challenge day or any other day.  For every moment she is asked to work, she gets after it.  When told to rest, she rests.  She follows the plan and gets results.  She is physically and mentally our strongest woman athlete and is always a pleasure to coach and watch get stronger. 

So another birthday challenge for the books. Hope it was as fun for you as me.  And don't think that's the last you've seen of barbell burpees...I like 'em and my birthday is just around the corner and I'm not young.  Happy Birthday!

Not sure if it was the 3+ hours of sitting on the couch watching football or I was just tired but this felt harder than it should have.  Hopefully its a good warmup for Wednesdays beatdown.  In case you don't see it, the first circuit of the training portion hits the hips in all directions - flexion, extension, abduction, adduction - which I probably why its difficult.  Lots of big muscles at work, which requires a lot more energy.  Part two is heavy on the upper body - pulling and pushing.  And finally a total body round out.  Some of the athletes made it through all 8 rounds but were definitely over the hour mark.  I group I cut to 4 rounds and they were still over.  So if you have limited time cut a round or two out of the warmup and move along swiftly.

Warmup 6 rounds of 4x HSC, 4x PP, 4x lunges ea side barbell on back, 3x DOT drill, 4x OH squat w/ PVC.  Use BBC starting wt for warmup.  Training #1  5 rounds of 3x lunges front/back ea side M85#/W65# incr wt ea round, 1x reverse tire drag, 10x poorman's leg curls ea side, 10x plank kicks ea side.  #2 5-5-5-3-3 WTD pullups incr wt ea rd, TGUs ea side, Box drill.  #3  8 rounds of 7x OH squats, 4x slashers ea side, 20 sec 2-pt plank WTD - use finishing wt from pullups.

In the first circuit do all lunges on one side first.  Lunge to the front and to the back to count as one rep.  As usual one side is easier than the other.  Always start on the weaker side.  Increase weight so lunges are hard but still doable and know you escape route should you need it.  In the pullup portion the men start and add 5# ea round and women if able to do pullups add 21/2#.  For the women who can't do pullups yet - they did chinups.  Chinups are a little easier and I was hoping to build a little pulling confidence, instead of them always struggling with just one.  The Box Drill is an agility drill using the 4 corners of a box.  Run forwards, laterally, backwards, laterally to complete one box drill.  It takes more energy than one would think.  And finally, in the OH squat portion use an weight that you will be able to move through with quickly - don't get bogged down here or you will never finish.  Use the finishing weight from the pullups for the WTD planks.  This is quite challenging and they don't go quickly. 

So yeah, its over an hour.  With all rounds, at a an appropriate weight its probably more like 70 minutes.  If that's too long, cut from the warmup or the last circuit.

Good stuff coming on Wednesday...rest up, eat light, and get ready for fun!

Today's strength includes a couple of pushing and pulling exercises  - deadlift and push press.  Perfect opposites.  I put in a nice long warmup for those of us (me) that were sore from Monday.  Though the total volume wasn't as high as usual, working those end ranges and taking all momentum out of the movements by holding at end range can tend to make one sore.  Especially if you tend to "cheat" yourself out of full range of motion - which apparently I do in both front squats and bench press.  Lesson learned. 

Warmup AMRAP in 12 minutes of 10x swings, 5x single leg deadlifts ea side M65/W45, 10x jingle jangles, 3x pullups, prisoner stretch ea side.  Training #1 1 RM deadlift  #2  4 rounds of 3x deadlifts @ 80% - no dropping the weight, 6x sumo dl hi pull, 10x lateral shuffles, 30 sec plank walkup.  #3  4 rounds of push press M75/W45 incr wt ea round w/ 20 sec OH hold, 7x STD russian twists ea side, 3x shoulder sweeps ea side.  #4  10 rounds of 9x swings, 3x Scotty Bob's every 60 sec.

So no dropping the weight today.  I usually let the athletes drop from the waist if they want but today we work in both directions and everyone will lower the bar back to the ground.  Yeah it just makes it harder.  I also added an overhead hold to the push press - to make it harder - and to reinforce full range of motion.  Arms should be straight at the elbows with upper arms close to the ears.  Bent arms?  You will be wasted in no time but a good extended position will allow full lock out - a position you will be able to hold longer than if you were using muscles alone.  And it gives me more time to correct your form.

Finally I wanted to do some full body work but after doing heavy push presses its tough to find full body movements that don't involve presses overhead.  So I went with a different system.  Put two exercises together, back to back, that will work full body and not include a push press.  So I forced you to move quickly through 2 exercises to help achieve that effect.  Is it perfect?  No.  But it does get you moving, breathing and keeps your attention at the end of the session so you keep moving instead getting progressively slower until you finally finish.  Most athletes were completing the circuit in 30-40 seconds, so there is still plenty of time to rest.

A couple tweeks to the strength session today with a great a little metcon at the end that feels harder than it really should.  Having just completed a mobility/movement seminar yesterday I was able to tweek a couple of the athletes position to make the bench press & push press alot more manageable.  Always fun to watch positive change, especially when the athlete can feel the difference right away.

Warmup 40x airsquats then 4 rounds of 10x DB thrusters, 5x broad jumps, 5x WTD alligator pushups.  Training #1 1 RM Front Squat  #2  6 rounds of 2x front squats @75% w/ pause at bottom, 4x goblet squats, 4x squat jumps, instep stretch w. knee drop ea side.  #3  1 RM Bench Press  #4  6 rounds of 2x Bench press @ 75% w/ pause at bottom, 4x KB floor press ea side, 4x pushups, 4x pullups  #5 2-4-6-8-10-8-6-4-2 KB clean & press, SBGUs - total.

So one thing I learned is that are warmups are perfect...in length and intensity and in fact I could push a little.  I could see it today already with a little more focused warmup for the squats that lay ahead, everyone was ready to go - or ready to be done with the warmup.  The warmup, for the type of training we are doing, should be intense.  You demand alot from your body in short bursts and that should be reflected from the very beginning.  So if you were hoping I was going to change that...no luck.

In the strength portion I added a pause at the end range of movement.  Besides just making it harder it serves a couple other purposes - especially for the squatting portion.  Holding the squat forces range of motion.  And for many of the fast squatters that try and cheat themselves out of a full squat you won't be able to.  Adding in that pause gives me a good chance to see how deep an athlete really is going and push range of motion if needed.  Also it trains you in the most difficult portion of the lift.  The squat and bench press are hardest when you are at end range and trying to come out of that position.  With each rep I force you to work hard coming out of the end range.  At first it doesn't seem that difficult especially since we are working at 75% but it adds up and I have a feeling some of us are going to be sore in places we haven't been for awhile.

The last portion is a good total body effort.  Solid at about 12-15 minutes, it looks easier than it is. 

I think the most common question in my gym is how to eat for training.  The new athletes have an especially hard time dealing with new workloads, new lifts, and trying to eat and hydrate while still trying to perform at their best.  Its tricky - and trickier for me to answer.

Every body is different.  Our metabolisms are different, digestion, likes and dislikes, amount of food required to train or even make it through the day.  Some people are more or less active when not in the gym.  Some have greater stresses outside the gym.  Simple things like when we get up and when we train all play a part.  So if you are looking for an absolute answer, you aren't going to get one.  What I will do is give you a couple things to consider when deciding what to eat or drink before a training session. 

First you have to be willing to experiment.  I always recommend erring on the light side. Cause we all know the effects of eating too much too close to workout time.  Whatever you try should have a little protein and a little carbohydrate and some water, like yogurt and some fruit, bagel & peanut butter.  Start with foods you know you digest well and keep track of what you eat.  Was it enough to get you through?  Did you feel lightheaded or nauseous?  Or maybe just right.

If you didn't feel great, next session add a little more.  And assess at the end of the session. And go from there.

Secondly is when you train.  On either end of the clock its difficult to get it right.  Training in the morning you need to have something before a training session since you have essentially been fasting since the night before.  Its difficult to perform on a 10-12 hour fast.  And then when and how much are you going to need becomes the real question.  Obviously we don't want to get up any earlier than necessary just to eat and digest.  So find out what you can digest quickest and still perform.  To morning athletes I usually suggest a protein shake or yogurt or something along those lines.

Evening is challenging also because you've already been eating all day.  When do you stop?  What is in that last meal?  Again go light and maybe 1-2 hours out so the food is digested but you still have energy to train on. 

Whatever time you train you need to hydrate.  Morning athletes should start their day with a glass of water.  Evening athletes need to be hydrating throughout the day.

Essentially what works for me probably won't work for you. I figured it out by trying different foods out.  Some I have tried just plain don't work.  No need to go there again.  Some work well work well and I have stuck with them.  Its boring and mundane but my body knows what its in for and it makes grocery shopping very easy.

After Monday's session this strength session feels downright easy (yep, I actually said it).  It will still keep your attention as it challenges unilateral strength with some new exercises but nothing nearly as brutal.  Again as I was writing I was keeping my cyclists in mind - single leg work is very important for them not only for strength but also muscular balance.  Take note of how well your body is balanced.  Do you always favor one side  ie always start exercises on the same side?  Do you fall over when standing on one leg?  And which leg is that?  A strong athlete is a balanced athlete.

Warmup 4 rounds of 3x KB squat clean/push press/OH squat combo ea side M12kg/W8kg, 6x squat jumps, 3x pushups.  Training  #1  1 RM Power clean  #2  5 rounds of 2x power cleans @ 85%, 5x ring pushups, 3x shoulder dislocates.  #3  6 rounds of 8x OH lunges M65#/W45# incr wt till hard but doable, 4x single leg deadlifts ea side 75#/45-55#, 1 lap DB crawl, instep stretch ea side.  #4  7 rounds of 5x corkscrews ea side 35#/25#, 30 sec 2-pt. plank ea side, 10x GHD situps, 6x slasher halos - total.

Today really focus on good form - don't be greedy - if things start to slide, hold the weight or decrease.  There is alot of core stability training in this session which means when you get tired your back is going to take the load, be mindful of that and execute every rep perfectly.

The OH lunges is new for us.  Hold the barbell overhead as in an overhead squat and lunge with alternating legs.  Many athletes like to bang out all the reps on one side then go to the other - why?  Cause its easier.  We always gravitate to an easier movement whether we realize it or not.  Without the alternating lunge you've taken out a major component of core stabilization. 

Another new one today is the single leg deadlift.  Exactly how it sounds - do a deadlift standing on one leg.  You realize fast which side is stronger and which has better balance.  Some people are pretty savvy to their strength imbalances but to others it quite a shock just how out of wack their body really is- learn from this and focus on trying to correct it, it will save you from injury in the future.

Finally I give you a nice core circuit to round things out.  Its solid at about 17-20 minutes so move quickly so the session doesn't go over an hour.

Coming up in the next few weeks:

We will do two more weeks of the strength cycle.  During those weeks we will revisit all the major lifts we did at the beginning and see if we've made any progress.  Then there will be an unload week.  Hybrid athletes will move onto a work capacity cycle and climbers will start "6 Weeks to the Creek".  I would like climbers interested in this program to 1. do a couple rock sessions before it starts to get fingers/tendons/elbows ready for the work ahead 2. Tell me if you are interested in doing it.  I would like to know ahead in case I need to add another climbing spot in the evenings or if I need to add another time slot all together to get everyone in.

And as always, if you have questions about what you should be doing or what type of program is best for you and your goals  -  please ask me.  I am always happy to talk with you.

Today's strength session is strongman style which at points just felt like a wrestling match.  Th exercises are similar to what we usually do but just with different types of loading...rocks, sandbags, tires.  Anything awkward goes into a strongman session.  And as you've learned when the list is short the workout is hard.

Warmup 50x TGUs M12-16kg/W8kg then HAM ea side w/ duck walk.  Training #1  8 rounds of Rock squat (6) & carry, 1x lap tire drag, 4x keg lifts ea side.  #2  8 rounds of 8x Double KB swings M12-16kg/W8-12kg, 4x SBGUs w/ push press, 4x cauldron's ea side.

The warmup looks harder than it is.  Yeah 50 is alot and your shoulders might get tired but its manageable in about 8-10 minutes.  The fun starts right after that.  We haven't rock carried in a long time and after just one round it seems like only yesterday.  The rest of the first circuit is just "filler".  Tire drag for leg strength and keg lifts for rotational core strength.  In the second circuit we do a double KB swing.  That is as hard as it sounds.  I first tried doing 10 reps each round but found I spent more time trying to recover than anything.  So I cut it back to just 8.  Which is still aggressive.  The SBGU/push press is a combo exercise - do 1x SBGU then do 1x shoulder to shoulder push press for a total of 4 times.  I loaded my athletes just slightly below what they would normally do thier getups at and it was just fine.  This is surprisingly taxing at just 4 reps.  And finally cauldrons, another rotational core exercise that always seems harder than it should.

No doubt this is a hard session, everyone felt it.  I've packed alot into the hour but there is alot of new and different stuff so it makes it seem a little more doable and a little less like a wrestling match.

Comparatively, the cyclists get away easy.

Warmup  2-4-6-4-2 Curtis Ps, jingle jangles, pullups.  Training #1 5 rounds 10x lunges w/ DBs, 10x jumping lunges, 30 sec mtn climbers, 15x poorman leg curls ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 10x toe raises 153/95#, 20 sec toe raises, 60 sec jumprope, 10x back extensions 8 kg.  #3  5 rounds of 3x SCotty Bob's HVY, 6x H. pullups, 12x WTD situps 35#/25#.  #4  8 rounds of 3x squat cleans @ 70-75%max, 8x swings every 60 sec.

Wednesday will be another hard/heavy day with full body strength on tap - as opposed to breaking it into lower & upper.  The session will be a bit shorter but you'll thank me in the end.

A little power endurance session to finish off the week.  Again I used many of the same exercises that we used earlier in the week maybe just a little variation.

Warmup 8 minutes of 10x OH squat w/ PVC, 30 sec jumprope, 10x STD russian twist - total M25/W15, 30 sec plank, HAM ea side.  Training #1  AMRAP in 15 minutes 10x thrusters M65#/W45#, 10x ball slams, 4x SB 1/2 moons ea side, 10x alligator pushups 7xW, rest 1 min.  #2 4 rounds of 30 sec swings, 30 sec rest  #3 AMRAP in 15 minutes 6x SB clean & squat from floor ea rep, 10x Sumo DL Hi pull M65#/W35#, 5x KB floor press ea side, 10x dips 7xW, rest 1 min.

The warmup is really just a warmup - for a change.  Don't rush through to get the most rounds.  Save your sprint mode for the remaining rounds.  Move through the 2 circuits as fast as possible and take a full minute of rest and start again. 

My cyclists got to use the airdyne instead of the swing series.  They did 8 rounds of 7x swings - heavy, 20 sec max effort airdyne every minute.  The first couple rounds go pretty smooth but it adds up quickly around 5 and 6 and then you just need to hold on for the ride. 

Seems the shorter strength session on Monday left its mark on most all the athletes, surprising even myself with some soreness.  Guessing today's will produce some of the same though I expect more fatigue than actual soreness.

Warmup 4 rounds of 4x Atomic man makers (pushup/row ea side/push press/OH lunge ea side), 4x burpees, 10x steps duck walk.  Training #1 5 rounds of 4x 1-leg stepups ea side 75#/45#, 4x 1-leg hopups ea side, 30 sec mtn climbers, 15x situps.  #2  5 rounds of 1x rope climb, 8x sumo deadlift hi pulls, 10x rows ea side light, 10x toes 2 sky.  #3  5 rounds of 4x KB squat clean 16-20kg/12kg, 8x HSC, 30 sec rollers, 4x kneeling slasher ea side 12kg/8kg.  #4  5 rounds 12x OH lunges 35#/25#plate, 1 lap DB crawl, 15x plank kicks ea side, 10x poorman's hypers.

So I sat down to program a bike training session and knew which elements I wanted to include today - single leg work, upper back and core stability - and as I wrote it out, it came out perfect for all the athletes without being to heavy on one aspect.  The cyclists got a pretty heavy dose of legs on Monday and they needed a shift to  focus on their "holding" strength - especially core and upper back.  The exercises I picked are good for any athlete regardless of their sport.  The more we do the 1-leg stepup the more I am convinced of their value not just for single leg strength but also core strength.  The hi pulls & rows are great for developing upper back strength and well the rope climb..I'll let you fill in your own thoughts there.  And finally the last circuit is really all about core stability.  So  hopefully we hit a few spots we didn't on Monday and it helps to work through some of the lingering soreness.

More fun on Friday from Doug...we'll see what he has in store this time. 

OK you are safe from the Airdyne for today...at least the regular athletes are.  If you are a cyclist the airdyne is going to be your new best friend.  Back to strength today and to keep things interesting I set it up a little different.  we've done this type of format before - its just been awhile.  What would normally be an accessory lift is the main lift we will go heavy on and then go to one of our primary lifts to help us move quicker then down to no weight to move as fast as possible.  I thought it was kind of fun. 

 I also gave you another complex to try out.  This is a KB complex done with just one KB and was actually written by yours truly.  We'll see what you think.

Warmup 4 rounds of KB complex M16kg/W12kg.  Training #1 5 rounds 4x KB front squats M20-24kg/W12-16kg, 8x front squats same wt as KB combo, 30 sec max airsquats, 10x back extensions.  #2  5 rounds of 4x RDL HVY, 12x swings M16-20kg/W12-16kg, 30 sec max jumping lunges, 10x WTD situps.  #3  5 rounds of 4x Elevated Ring pushups, 8x DB seesaws ea side M35#/W15-20#DBs, 30 sec plank walkup, 5x slashers ea side.  #4  30x Overhead squats M55-65#/W35# 5x burpees everytime you set down the bar.

The KB complex is 6x deadlifts, 6x hi pulls, 6x goblet squats, 6x swings, 6x slashers ea side, 6x OH press, 6x jingle jangles, frog stretch.  

As you move through each circuit the first exercise is slow and heavy but they get faster and lighter as you finish.  The 30 second portion you should moving as quickly as possible.  

DB seesaws are like piston presses except done from a bench in an horizontal position.  And finally on the last portion load up the bar and bang out as many good OH squats possible.  Obviously loading is key on this one and good form.  If you aren't hitting at least parallel on the squat it doesn't count.  Better to have good form and do a few burpees.

For the cyclists, they will not do #3 & #4 of the regular workout and instead do 4 rounds of 5x Box squats, 5x Box jumps, 3x 30 sec on airdyne RPM @ 70-75/30 sec recovery @ <50RPM.   

Another strong session by Doug Shepherd.  Don't you worry, I feel your pain.  We push the power by doing intervals which means that nasty Airdyne again.  You will also notice that we are repeating lifts that we have done earlier in the week to help nail form on all of our big lifts and so you aren't "learning" while moving fast.

Warmup 4 rounds of 30 sec squats/1x box jump every 15 sec., 60 sec swing/1x goblet squat every 30 sec, 90 sec DB OH hold/ 1x push press every 45sec.  Training  #1 5 rounds of WTD lunges across gym M 95#/W65#, 5x jumping squats w/ bar, 5x burpee broad jumps, 5x STD Russian twist ea side M35#/W25#.  #2  3 rounds of 10x squat cleans @ 50%max, 2 min stepups w/ KB racked M12kg/W kg, rest 3 min.  #3 3 rounds of 10x DB bench press M35#/25#, 2 min Airdyne, rest 3 min.  #4  Accumulate 300sec plank.  3x pushups every time knees drop.

The best part of the warmup?  Seeing how slow you can do a DB push press and then 45 seconds later how fast you can do a push press.  Pretty sure I set some kind of record on the first slow push press.  From then on its just a whole lot of suffering...interval training at its best.  Work as hard as possible and then rest.  Take the rest so you are ready to fire again.  Big gains from interval training but it sure does suck while you are doing it.

Some of the rock climbers have started the rock sessions these past couple weeks.  Those first few sessions are a shot of reality - especially if you haven't been climbing.  I would strongly encourage anyone interested in the upcoming "6 Weeks to the Creek" to check one of those out ahead of time.  Like any of the sport-specific programs we have done, it will be pretty intense.

So the last but not least are the cyclists.  I can't believe it but its time to start thinking about the spring cycling season.  So the cyclists in the mix will move to more lower body focus with upper body maintenance.  So strength days for everyone will be more complex training to develop strength & speed all at once.

For those of you who suffered through all the box jumps from Mondays session you'll be happy to know there are no box jumps today.  Actually this session is pretty light on the legs but pretty heavy on the core.  Also today we try another DB complex.  Similar but just a bit different.  There are many different complexes that coaches use so I thought it would be fun to try some of them, just in case we are missing a good one.

Warmup 4 rounds DB complex M20-25#/W15-20#DBs.  Training #1 6 rounds of 3x lunges ea side incr wt ea rd.  M95#/W65#, 30 sec mtn climbers, 30 sec plank, 3x supermans.  #2  6 rounds of 5x WTD situps M55#/W45#, 5x SB good mornings HVY, 2x 4-cone suicide.  #3  6 rounds of 6x GHD situps, 15 sec GHD hold, 10x windshield wipers, 30x SB plank hops, 5x side bends ea side M24kg/W20kg.

Todays complex is 6x deadlifts, 6x bent over rows, 6x hi pulls, 6x front squats, 6x push press, 6x split squat ea side, mtn mobility.  Pretty similar to our barbell complex with just a couple tweaks. 

The strength movements today are lunges and situps.  On the lunges we will go as heavy as possible and still do 3 good ones on each side.  Then onto WTD situps - Its been a long time since we've gone heavy on these.  Men will load a bar to 55# and women will load a bar to 45#.  It seems daunting at first - but then its just kinda fun.  And the session finishes with more core work to balance it all out.

Overall this should be "feel" alot easier than Mondays session but there's still alot of work packed into it.

For the first part of this session we slow it down and go heavy.  The second part I'm gonna make you move and breathe hard.  I'd say move fast but after the first 20 or so box jumps...how fast are you really moving? 

Warmup 4 rounds of DB complex M25#/W15-20#DBs  Training #1 1 RM squat clean  #2  5 rounds of 2x squat cleans @ 85%, 3x DOT drill, Pigeon stretch.  #3  5 rounds of 3x bench press incr wt rd, 3x R. rows ea side M45#/W35#, 6x slasher halos 8kg.  # 4 50-40-30-20-10  Swings, Box jumps, Situps.

Today we test out a different complex for our warmup.  These complexes are a great way to warm up and make sure all body parts are ready for heavier loads...so basically it helps me from forgetting something and the load light enough that you won't be taxed before the heavy lifting.  This complex is all done with 2xdumbbells and is 6x Romanian deadlifts, 6x Squat cleans, 6x Thrusters, 3x Scottie bob's, 6x situps and 1x hip swivel ea side.  The dumbbells should be moderately light so you can move through the complex fairly easily.

We haven't done heavy squat cleans for awhile so this is a good reintroduction.  After the heavy front squats & deadlifts last week the weight shouldn't be problem, its just a matter of putting it together AND not psyching yourself out with the weight.  The squat clean is a big, fast, technical lift that requires some good technique.  Focus on key points then step up and do it.  Try not to think too long or your head will get in the way of the lift.

As for the last part...put your head down and just get it done.  Its not gonna be fun or fast or pretty so the sooner its over with the better. 

Fridays power endurance session was written by Doug Shepherd and I think its pretty darn good.  Doug wanted to try his hand at programming some power endurance and I wanted to work strength - so I decided to combine the two.  The first two days of the week we do strength and then Doug programs power endurance off of those specific lifts or complementary lifts that will develop power.  After doing this one, I am pretty excited to see what else he comes up with and we get to see some new stuff.

Warmup 4 rounds of 5x SBGUs L, 5x SB squats L, SB run L, 5x SBGUs R, 5x SB squats R, SB run R, instep stretch.  Training #1 5 rounds of 10x DL @ 50%max, 10x ball slams, 5x box jumps high, frog stretch.  #2  6 rounds of 5x Renegade Man Makers M35#/W25#, 30 sec sprint on airdyne, 90 sec rest.  #3  8 rounds of 20 sec Thrusters M45#/W35#, 10 sec rest in rack position.

I am alot kinder than Doug - rarely do I make you do SBGUs as a warmup.  But it does get them out of the way and you are warmed up when you finish.  And it really isn't as bad as it sounds.  Things start to get interesting after that.  The DL circuit is just plain good.  It will get the breathing going for the next circuits.

At first I thought 90 seconds was forever to rest.  After 2 rounds of RMM/airdyne - 90 seconds wasn't nearly long enough.  But then nothing would have been long enough.  Work hard, sprint on the airdyne, and lay down and rest.  Its fierce.

Fortunately the Tabata thruster is the last circuit...just 4 minutes of work.  But like any Tabata, 4 minutes is a lifetime and pressing a mere 35# bar overhead seems impossible.  Guaranteed there will be some whining.  Maybe even a few deals with the devil.  And definitely some cussing. 

Meanwhile, I will be off to the races...the Nederland High School ski team begins its bid for the state championship on Friday and I have a feeling my coaching skills will be put to the test. 

Strength day number 2 this week with front squats and weighted pullups and the return of the barbell complex.  Again today athletes put up some good numbers and PRs.  A little longer than Mondays so you really need to hussle through.  I have yet to have an athlete finish as written and end up cutting rounds on the last part.  We'll see how it shakes out in the end.  For sessions like these its difficult for me to judge time.  When I do it, I know my max and usually hit it in the first couple of reps and training alone I don't share weights/bars/equipment with anyone so am able to move consistently without waiting for anyone - so sometimes I miss the mark a bit.

Warmup 4 rounds of Barbell complex increase wt ea round.  Training #1  1 RM front squat  #2  10 rounds of 1x FS @90% of max, 2x 1-arm situps ea side HVY, KB mobility.  #3 5-5-5-3-3-3 WTD pullups incr wt ea rd if all pullups are strict, KB floor press ea side, SB 1/2 moons ea side.  #4  8 rounds of 5x Mr. Spectaculars, 30 sec 2-pt. plank, 10x poorman's hypers.

I am starting to add more mobility into the strength sessions - one for more rest and two to try and work form and mobility while do the lift.  With front squat we did the KB mobility.  Hold one KB and do a goblet squat.  Go deep enough so the elbows are between the knees.  Set the KB down and come up as if you were coming out of a front squat.  For some athletes it helped hammer good form before going back to a heavy bar.  For others it helped open up the hips a little more to allow full range of motion on subsequent lifts.  For all the last few rounds of front squats were better than the first - even though the athletes were getting tired.

Friday morning Doug Shepherd will coaching the sessions and bringing some of his own programming.  I've seen it and you might just like it. 

Birthday challenge for our favorite sheriff, Jason...easy to guess how old he is.  When writing challenges I  like to include some exercises or formats that the athlete likes and then add a bit of a challenge for them.  The strength part is Jason's favorite.  He will take strength any day because he's good at it, as evidenced by a 305# deadlift and 15# PR in the push press.  But just to keep him honest I had to add a short metcon at the end.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x KB deadlifts M20-24kg/W16kg, 5x sumo hi jumps no wt., 1 lap plate walk, box stretch ea side.  Training #1 1 RM deadlift  #2  5 rounds of 2x deadlifts @85%max, 35 sec KB rack hold M20-24kg/W16kg, frog stretch.  #3 1 RM push press  #4  5 rounds of 2x push press @85%max, 35 sec WTD plank M25#/W15#, 4x shoulder openers ea side.  #5  For time - any which way  3x rope climbs, 35x swings, 35x box jumps, 35X WTD situps 35#, 35x jingle jangles.

Use the warmup today.  I tried to make it as specific as possible to help increase the athletes max.  Try not to just rush through and move on to the next part.  A little mobility at the start will pay off later when lifting heavy weights and help you increase your 1 RM.  For the sumo jump just touch the ground and jump straight up - no weight needed.  Set up a series of three plates of differing heights and do pushups over the plates.  Great way to hit all aspects of the pecs in one easy exercise.

Focus on form and try and push the deadlift and push press max today.  In part 5 I'm just trying to make you breath hard for 7-10 minutes.  Break up the exercises however you need to to move faster.  If you slow down on one - move to another so you keep your speed up throughout.  If you need to sub out rope climb - do 15x strict pullups.  Meaning chin over bar and no feet...even if you do them one at a time.

The month ahead is a big strength month.  Monday and Wednesday will be strength days.  Friday will be power/strength endurance.  We will keep to this pattern till the end of January.  For the rock climbers there will be one session per week that they can choose to do.  My recommendation is 1 strength/1 rock/1 power endurance this way you get a little of everything.  Ice climbers will have this same option.  Preferably I would back the ice climbers off to just 1 or 2 days of ice and get them back into the hybrid training to help them rebalance their bodies and because they should be climbing alot and too much training in the gym will take away from their ice performance.

Questions on which is the best combo for you or how to use the sessions to help achieve your goals this year?  Please ask.  I always have time after a session to talk or send me an email - happy to help in any way I can.

Happy New Year! 

OK, ok, ok Monday's unload was slightly more than unload.  So I backed way off.  If you move consistently this should take about 50 minutes to complete.

Warmup 5 rounds of mini leg blasters, 10x slasher halos, 20 sec 2 pt. plank ea side.  Training #1  10-1 DB thrusters M20-25#/W10-15#, Romanian deadlift, STD russian twist ea side M35#/W25#.  #2  10-1 Pullups, elevated pushups, GHD situps.  #3  10-1 1-leg stepups ea side, sprawls, back extensions.

Usually we do what is called a 4 pt. plank with 4 points of floor contact.  With the 2 pt plank lift opposite arm and leg so only 2 points are touching the ground.  Its surprisingly challenging at only 20 seconds and really forces body awareness and balance.  The elevated pushups we did on 2 45# plates stacked on top of each other.  Everything else is same old stuff.

Relax and enjoy before we start a strength cycle next week. 

After a holiday weekend I figured ease the athletes back into things.  Turns out it was a good idea.  I tried to hit a bunch of different movements to get things moving and hopefully get hte body back in rhythm.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x OH squats w/PVC, 1x shoulder pull ea side, 10x lateral shuffles, SEAL mobility.  Training #1  6 rounds of 1 lap OH lunges M25#/W15#, 7x ring dips 5xW, 45 sec alternating swings.  #2  5 rounds of 5x DOT drill, 10x goblet squats w/ pulse, 5x 1-arm situps, 15x plank kicks ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 1x rope climb, 6x Bent over rows, 1 lap DB crawl, 60 sec jumprope.

Wednesday will be another unload day.  Fridays session is not unload and will be a regular session at either 60 or 90 minutes. 

So I wrote this with a few of you in mind..not to torture you but so you know that sometimes I listen.  For "Muffin Top"  aka Rob C. we FINALLY do a circuit that you get to decrease the weight.  For "Billdozer" aka Bill W. the men pull off more weight than the women.  And for the nameless who have "mentioned" that their aerobic capacity isn't what it should be we do jingles jangles for time instead of reps.  Just trying to make everyone happy.  Don't get used to it.

Warmup 10 rounds of 10x goblet squats, 10xpushups, 10x situps, 10x swings.  Training #1 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 Deadlift at 80% of last max men decrease by 10# ea rd/women decrease by 5# ea rd, WTD situps M45#/W35#.  #2  10 rounds of 6x front squats, 3x push press done at 60% of your last max, 3x supermans.  #3  2-4-6-8-10-8-6-4-2 dips, pullups, x10 sec jingle jangles.

This is all about strength endurance and for those that are sore from Monday this should help work through some of the soreness and leave you feeling better afterwards.  The goal of the deadlift is to get to 50% of max when you hit 10 reps.  For the women this could be close so if the weight is about to drop below 50% stay where you are for the final rounds.  Men won't have that issue.  In part 2 the push press is the limiting exercise so I chose a weight based on what I would expect for 10 rounds of 3x push press - the front squats should feel pretty light.  And finally some aerobic work with longer segments of jingle jangles.  I don't really expect anyone to sprint through 100 seconds of jingle jangles but to move continuously and as quickly as possible.

This is a long session but doable in an hour if you keep moving.  The key is to load the deadlift so you can easily pull weight off - put small stuff on the outside.  Men that means lots of 15s and 10s and women 5s and 2 1/2s.  Loading up with just big plates is going to take awhile...not only from a reloading standpoint but the math can become challenging.  Make it easy on yourself.

OK enough with the wackiness...at least for today.  The past couple weeks I have been kind of free form with programming.  We still get in our strength and work capacity and all the must-dos but after the ski cycle it was time for a break.  Try new stuff.  Mix things up a bit.  Break away from the strict progressing cycles.  Don't worry it won't last much longer.  Come January 1 we will dive back into more strict programming with goals and loads and the tried and true.  But for now - we have some fun.

Strength today.  And pretty much classic ATC strength day - low reps high weight on upper body, moderate reps moderate weight on lower body, high reps lower weight on total body.  Its actually pretty cookie cutter until you get to the Airdynne.

Warmup 4 rounds of 4x Atomic Man makers M20-25#DBs/W10-15#DBs, 8x jingle janlges, mtn mobility ea side.  Training #1  1 RM Bench Press. #2  4 rounds of 3x Bench press @ 85% of max, 4x plyo pushups, 1x tire pull.  #3  6 rounds of 4x SB lunges ea side M65-70#/W55-60#, 4x split jumps ea side, 8x ball slams.  #4  6 rounds of 6x DB thrusters M35#/W25#DBs, 6x burpees, 15x toes to sky.  #5  30 calories for time on the airdynne.

Pretty straight forward.  Then everyone gets a spin on the new Airdynne.  Not sure what one is...find the nearest 70 y.o. and ask them.  For whatever reason old people have these things and supposedly use them.  Or at least hang their clothes on them.  But the fact is, done correctly, with a little intensity, this thing flat out sucks.  Which is pretty much why I bought one.  Next is to find another...so more people can suffer at once.  So far today time to beat is 50 sec by Aaron...impressive.

Wednesday is strength endurance with a totally different twist.  Kinda psyched to try just to see.  Friday there is only 1 session at 9am - you can choose between a 60 minute or 90 minute option.

 This is really a mind game/mental toughness training.  In the gym I took away all the clocks and made the athletes work for a solid 55 minutes.  With no real warmup, the athletes jumped into it and made it their longest stamina session yet.

Interesting to watch.  Especially when the athletes first realized there were no clocks, all their thoughts were instantly shown on their face.  Some good some bad.  Many just put their head down and plowed on.  Some tried to ask me how much time was left, how long they had been going, who the fastest and slowest was - all in an attempt to gauge thier work. 

I chose some of our more difficult exercises intentionally to push the athletes.  Begging the question, "How many more times do I have to do the Barbell complex or leg blaster?"  And it worked.  Stepping up to the bar to start the complex just about everyone stopped took a breath and then proceeded hoping it was the last round.

Training AMRAP in 55 minutes of Barbell Complex M65#/W45#, 7x ring pushups 5xW, Mini leg blaster, 5x DOT drill, 7x Renegade rows ea side 5xW, 1 lap KB OH carry, 12x GHD situps, 10x mtn climber mobility ea side, 12x jingle jangles.

No matter how many rounds you complete, there is alot of volume packed into a 55-minute session.  If you are doing this on your own setup your station away from a clock and see if you can resist temptation to look.  If not, the max complete rounds were 8.  Though Jason was a few jingle jangles away from completing 9.  With a clock to watch, he certainly would have done it.

Seems I have been doing us all a disservice.  Fortunately I rectify that today...for better and worse.  Box squats.  Tall athletes can squat to an 18" bench and still hit parallel.  The average athlete squatting to 18" never comes close to parallel and thus the lift is alot easier.  So I figured out a way to go below parallel - for everyone.  Quickly one realizes how big a difference an inch can make or really what parallel and below parallel feels like - not so easy. 

Warmup  4 rounds of 6x KB clean/press/fr squat ea side, 20 sec 1-foot hop ea side, 20x situps.  Training #1  1RM Push Press.  #2  4 rounds of 3x push press @ 85% of max, 1x rope climb, 4x pushup mobility.  #3  6 rounds of SB clean & squat (3) R, run 1 lap of gym, SB clean & squat (3) L, run 1 lap of gym, 3x 1-arm situps ea side HVY.  #4  6 rounds of 8x Box squats @ 75% of front squat max, 5x KB swings HVY, 5x box jumps, 1 lap bear crawl.

Another heavy day.  And it should feel like that.  Moving slower, pushing bigger weights.  A good change of pace from Monday's work capacity effort.  All athletes went up on their 1- arm situps whether they liked it or not.  Even if they could only do 1 rep at the heavier weight - they did that.  The only way to get stronger is lift bigger weights, no rocket science here.  It isn't easy or comfortable but you'll never get to the bigger weight until you do it.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well upper body strength has been maintained or increased in some cases over the last several months.  With a leg dominant cycle, the upper body, theoretically, should have lost strength.  So far all the athletes have matched their last max or increased it.  Impressive.  And it means we weren't as out of balanced as I thought we might be.

Enjoy...Friday we do mental toughness training....

Well reading the session, it doesn't "look" that hard but it only takes one round on the first training circuit and you realize what kind of day its gonna be...unpleasant (per Paul) at best.  This is a solid work capacity effort with 2 x 20+ minute blocks.  There is no room for resting and maybe not even breathing and you are gonna have to fight to get in under an hour.  But its doable.

Warmup 5 rounds of 50x stepups no wt., 5x goblet squats w/ pulse M16kg/W12kg, 7x dips 5xW.  Training #1 10-1 Front Barbell stepups ea side - alternate legs - M65#/W45#, DB Bench press M35#/W25#, x 10 sec. jumprope.   #2  10-1 KB lunges ea side M20kg/W16kg, slashers ea side same wt., x 10 sec plank.

While nothing is excessively heavy or hard, the combination of it all really pushes the athlete.  And with the clock ticking, or not ticking fast enough, it just makes it that much more of a mental game.

That being said, good luck.

 Strength day.  Its heavy but it feels good.  I've been trying to mix things up this week to give the mind and body a rest from endless leg blasters.  A little different programming format can go a long ways to keep things interesting.  Today's goal was to make everything heavy.  Total reps are fairly low though the volume will add up by the time you finish.

Warmup 4 rounds of the Barbell Complex increase wt ea round.  Training  #1  6 rounds of 3x Deadlifts start at 50% last max incr wt M by 20#/W10# ea rd., 2x TGUs M16-20kg/W12kg, Box stretch ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 3x WTD pullups incr wt ea rd, 30 sec WTD plank with same pack as pullups, 6x shoulder openers w/ PVC.  #3  7 rounds of 5x OH squats incr wt ea rd start 45# for men/25-35# for women, 5x Back extensions 12kg, 5x side bends ea side M24kg/W20kg, 3x inchworms w/ pushup.

The ice climbers had an opportunity to do this same workout and performed just as well as the hybrid athletes - impressive. 

If you follow the numbers on the deadlift the 6 rounds should get you to within 85% of your last max and probably your 3RM for a deadlift.  With 5 rounds of lifting in front of that and the barbell complex - things start to add up.  Everyone went up to a bigger bell for the TGUs - hard but still doable.  The weighted pullups were different for every single person.  Most of the women started with no weight and either stayed or added for just a few rounds.  The men were all over the board - they all started with 10# and added.  Some more than others.  We haven't done WTD pullups in a long time and the skiers are still suffering from leg dominance - so all in all everyone did great on those.  The overhead squat was thrown in for two reasons.  One its a great total body lift - which you realize quickly once you do a few.  Also its a great core stabilizer.  Good form is a must here, so the weights were quite conservative.  A good oppportunity to "grease the groove" and get the movement down before we start adding to it.

Its hard work but kinda fun really and different.  I know my body appreciated a little change of pace hope yours does also.

Today's session is adapted from strength coach, Alan Cosgrove's workout, Spartacus.  There are a total of 10 exercises that collectively cover all movements; push, pull, lift, bridge, and the ice climbers get to do the carry portion.  Each exercise is done for 60 seconds with a 15 second transition period.  The majority of the exercises are the same as Cosgrove's but of course I had to swap out a few to include a few ATC favorites and maybe make it a little more challenging.  I've never done the original so not sure which is harder.

Warmup 5 rounds of 7x DB thrusters, 20 sec OH hold, 3x burpees, 10x situps.  Training 3 rounds of 60 seconds work followed by 15 second transition of Goblet squats, Mtn. climbers, Alternating KB swings, Scotty Bob's, Box jumps, WTD situps, split jumps - 30 sec ea side, Plank, Sumo DL hi pull, STD SB Russian twist, rest.

As Matt Kennedy "it can't be good if you are only doing 3 rounds."  Some parts are easier than others but I tired to alternate hard with easy so you get a little relief.

The ice climbers will do a similar version of this with the same rep scheme only I swapped in a few ice specific exercises...that one is definitely harder. 

Good old fashion fun.  A little strength, a little core and a little metcon to finish it all off.  Overall well rounded and nothing gets hit too hard - except maybe the forearms at the end.

Warmup 7 rounds of 10x Goblets squats, 10x Deadlifts, 10x DB Bench press.  Training #1 4 rounds of 5x Curtis Ps incr wt ea rd., 5x kneeling slashers ea side.  #2 6 rounds of 7x corkscrews ea side, 10x WTD alligator pushups, 5x cauldrons ea side, 10x GHD situps, 20x SB plank hops.  #3  4 rounds of swing ladder. 30 sec swings, incr wt, 30 sec swing, incr wt, 30 sec swing, 30 sec rest.

Hopefully everything is different enough to let the body recover from last weeks testing.  But you will still have to work hard and quickly to finish in an hour.  Weights in the warmup should be light and you should be able to move quickly from one to the next.  For the Curtis Ps I started women at 45# and increased by 5# each round.  Men started at either 55# or 65# and increased by 10#.  Four rounds is plenty.

Wednesday's format will be similar in that the session will be a mix of strength and work capacity.  

Well the preliminary results are in...all the skiers did great on their post test.  But the real test begins now.  Get out do some skiing and then tell me how you feel (cause I know how those leg blasters feel).  What's your stamina for long ups and long downs?  Are you crushing your buddies?  Do they wish they had come to the ATC?  Are you starting the season in mid-winter shape? 

My hope is that you are able to ski harder and longer, recover better for back to back days, and reduce your risk of injury.  And if so then you have "passed" the test.

Honorable mention goes to Donny Roth for not only increasing his maxes the most but for the 11 rounds of leg blasters...impressive.  Rob Coppollilo who literally got sandbagged today and didn't even know it.  He pretested with a 60# bag but tested today at 65# and added 16 extra getups to his original attempt...gotta hand it to him.  Kirstin Freemantle and Will Gordon both added two full rounds of leg blasters to their pretest score.  Paul Hamer who improved across the board and was the only one to suffer with an 80# in the pre and post test - and still did more the second time round.  Katy D. all around good sport.  She got suckered into both the pre and post test and still crushed both..and quietly admitted that SBGUs weren't so bad after all.  Alex and Kristi who are both new to the gym sweated, suffered and learned that little steps make for big gains in the end.  As new athletes they both did 8 rounds of leg blasters and though I don't have pretest numbers, I know there gains would have been huge.  You can tell by how they move now compared to when they started.  Last but not least the Lanes.  Gotta love 'em.  Big hearts and big efforts every day of training.  Jenny improved in every category.  Mike what can I say...he will always be remembered for his 4:32 tuck hold and while his improvement wasn't quite as exaggerated as others he is the only one that got sandbagged with the 70#er and still improved.

In the end it was hard and it was fun and it will make for a better ski season.

Thanks guys!   

My legs were so happy for this one.  They are literally blasted from rounds of leg blasters and pounded from sandbag getups.  My first thought was to sleep in but then I knew what was coming so motivated myself out of bed to see what kind of strength my upper body had maintained through the ski cycle.  Turns out not as bad as expected.  Now tomorrow morning might be a different story but for now I'm pleasantly sore all over.

Warmup 60-50-40-30-20-10  Squats, sec jumprope, x1/2 situps.  Training #1 Max pullups.  #2  7 rounds of 6x Bench press M95-105#/W55-65#, 6x Bent over rows, 6x SB 1/2 moons.  #3  6 rounds of 5x OH squats M55-65#/W25-35#, 1x rope climb, 5x ring pushups, 5x SB Good mornings.  #4  4 rounds of 50x stepups M25#/W15#, 3x WTD burpees M25#DB/W15#DBs, 3x burpees, HAM ea side.

Either everyone was tired or this is longer than expected.  Finishing in an hour is tough.  This is filled with exercises we haven't done in awhile - designed to give the body a rest from all the heavy leg pounding.

The warmup is easier than it looks, which never happens.  While the legs were sore to start by the time I had finished I could walk normal again.  Then its just a couple upper body circuits - light weight, different stuff - good rest for the mind and body.  We did weighted OH squats for the first time in a long time.  We'll be seeing more of them.  Not heavy but more moderate weight to really focus on core strength and control.  Challenging at first, but rewarding when you get it.

Eight long weeks of work all end today with the ski post test.  Almost half the athletes have done it so far with great results.  Strength, work capacity and endurance were increased for both legs and core.  It should be a great ski season for everyone and hopefully in the process we've had some fun and decreased the risk of injury.

Why test?  Athletes spend alot of time and energy training but don't always "see" the results in the gym which is great.  The real results come when they are doing their sport.  Sometimes its nice to be able to quantify all the training.  Setting a new max - we all crack a grin, if not on the outside, at least on the inside.  Moving faster through a particular circuit, like leg blasters, is gratifying.  So today is a day to see results of the work and congratulate yourself on a job well done.

The ski test included tuck hold for time, max front squat, max power clean, 15 minutes of full leg blasters w/ 30 sec rest adn 10 minutes of SBGUs.  Its a hard test and a hard session.  Just completing it is challenging for most.

The non-skiers got a long, "solid" session.  It included a little of everything and keeps you moving for a full hour or more.

Warmup  4 rounds of 30x stepups, 5x KB clean & press ea side, SEAL mobility.  Training 8 rounds of 15x swings, 10x WTD situps, 10x box jumps, 10x ring rows, Mini leg blaster, 10x slasher halo and Sean Special 30/5/30.

Next on the horizon?  Friday will be a recovery day of sorts.  Not totally unload but the legs are going to get a break and we will revisit some of the other body parts that have been in maintenance mode.

The remainder of December will be a rebalance month.  The skiers and non-skiers have both been leg dominant so we will be working on total body balance.  It will be a refreshing change of pace, though I anticipate some upper body soreness as we start the cycle. 

Programming sessions  are sometimes tough.  And they get harder the more I have to think about them.  This one was especially tough for a couple reasons.  The skiers are getting ready to post-test after several days away from the gym.  I needed a session that would get them moving, practice movements that would come up in the post-test while not making them too tired or sore.  It also has to be worth  your while.  That's alot all rolled up into one hour.  But I'm pretty happy with how it came out and we'll find out for sure on Wednesday.

Warmup 5 rounds of 15x goblet squats M16-20kg/W8-12kg, 30x swings same wt., 1x KB squat mobility, 20s 1-foot hop ea side.  Training #1 10 rounds of 5x Deadlifts @ 50%max, 3x Power cleans @ 50% of deadlift wt., 3x Burpees, 4x kneeling slashers M12kg/W8kg.  #2  5 rounds of 10x OH plate lunges M35-45#/W25#, 10x jumping lunges, 5x Scotty bob's M35-45#DBs/W25#DBs.  #3  6 rounds of 30 sec SB hops, 30 sec rollers, 30 sec tuck hold, 30 sec rest.  #4  10 rounds of 8x jingle jangles every 30 sec.

While not particularly hard in anyone spot all the circuits will keep you interest.  The warmup felt like I had been out of the gym for a few weeks and not a few days but then I was warm and ready to go.  The first circuit is really designed to get the blood flowing in the legs and to revisit the power clean before we max again.  Part 2 is an eye opener.   By the second round my arm were already tired and then it got worse.  And finally a couple firebreathers just to make sure you can still move quickly.  Its a solid hour and for some will be a little longer.

Non-skiers again got the brunt of it with "atomic man makers".  They are about as awful as they sound.

Warmup same except sub in 3x DOT drill for 1-foot hops.  Training #1 10 rounds of 3x power cleans, 3x push press, 3x burpees, 4x kneeling slashers.  #2  5 rounds of 5x Atomic Man Makers M20-25#DBs/W10-15#DBs, 15x situps.  #3  6 rounds of 30 sec box jumps, 30 sec mtn climbers, 30 sec plank hold, 30 sec rest.

Atomic man maker - holding dumbbells do one pushup, row ea side, stand up push press, hold DBs overhead and lunge ea leg.  That's one.  It's alot by itself and more with everything else.  The non-skiers never made it to the jingle jangles.

Check out FB pictures to see how the KB squat mobility, kneeling slasher and atomic man makers are done.

See you Wednesday... 

While not particularly hard at any one point, this one has a tendency to make you work increasingly harder as you progress through the session.  The last part being quite challenging to push through.

Warmup 6 rounds of HSC, 10x jumping lunges, 10x mtn climbers.  Training #1 6-5-4-3-2-1 Front squats @ 70%max, box jumps, SB 1/2 moons ea side.  #2 6 rounds of 8x deadlifts, 8x shuffles w/ jump, 3x TGUs ea side.  #3  8 rounds of 5x split squats M35#DBs/W25#DBs, 5x split jumps do R then L, 20x swings, 10x situps.

In part 1 the men increase weight by 10# each round and women 5#.  At the end all athletes will be at 90-95% of their last front squat max.  And I'm gonna say, personally looking forward to another max test cause I felt strong.  And even considered just doing it but realized I had a ways to go and my time will come.  But the point of that first circuit was to remind the body what a heavy front squat feels like as we will retest it next week in the post-test.  Part 2 is pretty self explanatory and if it looks like there are no rests - you are right.  And finally for the split squat/jump combo, do the first part with the dumbbells then drop and go directly into the jumps and then switch sides.  The swings while lighter than normal felt hard after the squats and probably the mental crux of day.

The non-skiers got a healthy dose today as well.  Warmup 6 rounds of 5x HSC, 4x pushup mobility.  Training #1 3-5-7-9-7-5-3 KB clean & press, pullups, 2x back extensions.  #2 6 rounds of 10x WTD alligator pushups, 1x tire pull, mini leg blaster  #3  7 rounds of 7x sumo hi jumps, 7x lunges R, 14x swings, 7x lunges L, 7x situps.  Use the KB for the whole circuit.  Work quickly cause its long and will take a full hour to complete.

This week Jeremy will be in on Tuesday to coach and Doug will be in on Wednesday to coach.  It will be fun for the athletes to have another face to look at for a bit and meanwhile I am going to put all the ski training to the test.

The past few weeks Friday has been the toughest day.  Not sure about today.  I was tired and a little sore going in which made it seem difficult but I don't think much more than anything else this week.  If anything it offers a good dose of mental toughness to push through the two blocks of training.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x KB Deadlifts, 5x sumo hi jumps, 5x burpees, frog stretch.  Training  #1 8 rounds of 8x goblet squats - HVY, 8x pole hops, 20 sec SB hops, 40 sec tuck hold, 8x push press.  #2  8 rounds of 8x KB clean & press, 4x 1-leg stepups ea side, 75 sec wall sit, 10x sunrises.

Non-skiers did a classic strength session today.  Warmup 4 rounds of BBC incr wt ea round, SEAL mobility.  Training #1 1 RM deadlift.  #2 6 rounds of 2x DL @ 90%, 10x situps.  #3  5 rounds of 5x Scotty Bob's HVY, 10x back extensions.  #4  8 rounds of 4x thrusters, 30 sec jumprope, 10x sunrises.

I can always tell what kind of day its gonna be when I get into a stretch and just never want to leave.  In just the first round of the frog stretch I knew I would be in for a long haul.  The first part of training was easier than expected and the second part was harder than expected.  I had originally programmed 90 sec wallsits but only lasted 2 rounds before realizing that it wasn't going to be pretty.  I can deal with some ugliness - but when things get sloppy its time to readjust.

Non-skiers get to go heavy today starting with the Barbell Complex.  If you haven't done it in awhile you quickly realize what a great tool it is for developing total body strength and work capacity.  Heavy deadlifts and heavy Scotty bob's leading into thrusters.  We haven't done thrusters with a barbell in awhile and even at a relatively light weight - they are challenging.  All in all alot of work here.

The work begins right in the warmup and finishes in an hour.  Solid all the way through.  Good stamina for the legs and core for both the skiers and hybrid athletes.

Warmup  AMRAP in 10 minutes of Full Leg Blaster, 30 sec rest.  Training #1 2-4-6-8-10-8-6-4-2 Hang Squat clean M85-105#/W45-55#, x10sec rollers, SBGUs - total.  #2  6 rounds 30 sec swings, 1 lap DB crawl, 5x STD Sandbag Russian Twists ea side, 15x leg curls ea side.

Non- ski Warmup 10-1 swing, 1-10 Goblet squats.  Training #1 2-4-6-8-10-8-6-4-2 HSC, x10sec planks, SBGUs.  #2  6 rounds of 1x rope climb, 1 lap DB crawl, 5x STD SB Russian twists ea side, 15x leg curls ea side.  #3  4 rounds 5x WTD Burpees, 10x jingle jangles, 30 sec rest.

I know what you're thinking..so cruel to start with the leg blasters.  It was that or orginally I had them at the end.  The coin flip said do them first.  At least then they are done with.  Max so far in 10 minutes has been 6 rounds.  I think that's going to be about it.  You have to hussle to get in 6 as it is.  Part 1 of training is just hard.  Both groups get it,  the rollers or planks are rough and to have HSCs and SBGUs on either side, some would say is cruel.  Depending on how fatigued or sore the athlete comes in this portion can take anywhere from 20-25 minutes.  Part 2 isn't nearly as tough.  But still a challenge with the seated sandbag Russian twists.  Its a mouthful but they are good.  Men used 45# and women at 25-30#.  Everyone got their money's worth on that one.  While its the same weight as we usually use - the awkwardness of the sandbag really adds alot.  Enjoy.

Today is all about power.  And if you are unsure exactly what that is...power is the combination of strength and speed.  So in each circuit there is a strength component and a speed component to help the atheltes build power.

Warmup 4 rounds of BBC w/squat jumps use start wt for all rds, SEAL mobility.  Training #1 10 rounds of 5x power cleans 75-80% max, 5x box jumps, 7x dips 5xW.  #2  10 rounds of 10x WTD lunges M20-24kg/W12-16kg, 10x jumping lunges, 10x situps.  #3  8 rounds of 1x HVY tire drag, 8x lateral shuffles w/jump, 10x back extensions.

Non-ski  Warmup same.  Training #1 10 rounds of 3x HSC+Push Press @ 75% PP max, 5x box jumps, 7xdips.  #2 Same.  #3  8 rounds of 7x WTD pushups M20#/W10#, 7x bench press M75#/W45#, 10x back extensions.

The SEAL mobility is from the Navy SEAL mobility program.  If they can do it, we can do it.

The skiers are all starting to hit the 30" box, myself included.  The first question is always "what if I miss?"  Well the beauty is you can't.  You have no choice.  Jump and hit it.  The longer you think, the higher it gets.  In fact when you go back to the 24" its gonna seem weird because you will be "overjumping" it.  Finally the tire drag...we are skiers people, yes you will do it outside.  I have to say I did it this morning just as it was getting light  and just as it started to snow.  It was kinda fun and easier when the ground is wet.

Bring your A game today..you just might need it.  I'm not going to classify this as strength or work capacity or power endurance - because its all of the above with a little mental toughness thrown in.

Warmup 5 rounds of 5x WTD thrusters M25#DBs/W15#DBs, 5x DOT drill, 15x plank kicks ea side.  Training #1 6 rounds of 8x Deadlift @70-75% max, 8x KB swings, 5x broad jumps, 5x 1-arm situps.  #2  6 rounds of 8x front squats 70-75%max, 60 sec rollers, 5x tuck jumps, 5x side bends ea side.  #3  2-4-6-8-6-4-2  1-leg stepups ea side M12kg/W8kg, x10 sec wallsits, plyo pushups.

Non- ski Warmup 5 rounds of 5x WTD thrusters, 5x DOT drill, 12x alligator pushups.  #1 same  #2  6 rounds of 8x bench press, 1x lap DB crawl, 5x pullups, 5x side bends ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 5x Mr Spectaculars every 60 seconds.

We've never done WTD Thrusters - don't let em scare you.  Worry more about the front squat/roller/jump combo cause that's gonna take a toll.  The thrusters are similar to our Renegade Man Makers just without the rows and a little more dynamic.  Would you believe they are kinda fun?  In part one keep the swings on the light side.  The idea is to get the hips moving quickly to set up for the broad jumps.  The last part is just hard...

Move steady through this - no need to rush but its a full hour and longer if you linger.

Often, really as often as possible, when my athletes come into the gym I ask them how they are doing/feeling, if they are sore and if they are are sore what else have they been doing.  Usually a confession of soreness from an athlete just results in a laugh or chuckle from me.  And while this may seem unkind or even cruel the fact is I ask for a reason.  That feed back is invaluable to me and helps me determine how much and how hard the next sessions should be and also when to pull back.

The best way for me to evaluate how a training cycle is going or even a given session is feedback from the athletes.  And soreness or fatigue is probably the biggest indicator.  It tells me if I have targeted the muscles I had intended or if I was totally off the mark.  For example, Kirstin is trying out some programming for Nordic skiing.  She nor I have tried it before.  Trying to target power from the outer hip muscles she did some lateral jumps over some smaller benches.  She was a little skeptical at first but came into the next training session with sore glutes.  Yes I laughed and said "good" because that was exactly what I wanted.

Couple weeks ago the climbers post-tested at the end of an 8-week cycle.  Both the climbers and I were curious and anxious to see results.  While everyone did well, James came out of the cave a little disappointed.  He bettered his time but realized the limiting factor was not his grip strength but his abdominal/back strength.  They fatigued before his arms.  After the last few sessions he is probably regretting telling me this because the climbers are now on a more core focused cycle.  The first core session left the climbers pretty sore but already only a week later with more volume they are less sore.  Seems to be working.  My point is that this feedback helps me determine where the athletes need to focus or in what direction I need to take them and how much they can or can't tolerate.

So next time I ask how you are doing or if you're sore and I say "good", I'm really not as cruel as I may seem.

Tired legs on Monday gave me one of two options for today - unload or core.  I chose core.  A little shorter session today to help recovery and get ready for Friday's session.  It will be the hardest of the week.  Almost all core movements were hit in this one.  I chose to leave out any back extension movements since some of the athletes had tight back after Monday's session.  But I hit everything else and then some.  All athletes will do this session today - ski or non-ski.

Warmup 10 rounds of 10x airsquats, 10x situps.  Then HAM ea side with duck walk front and back.  Training 7 rounds of 10x SBGUs - total, 10x Windshield wipers - total, 10x SB 1/2 moons - total, 10x ball slams, 40x plank hops - total, 1x rope climb - no feet.  If you can't do without feet do 3x staggered pullups R and L on the rope.

No one thing will get you here - its one of those cumulative deals.  There is no rest built just moving from one exercise to the next.  The training portion is only about 35 minutes long, so move through and enjoy an easier day.

I know you are thinking that I added the rope climb just for the torture of it - especially without feet - but wait till you try it and then wait till you get up tomorrow morning.  It requires a huge amount of core strength to climb that rope without feet...and that's why I stuck it in.

The ice climbers get a strength workout only backwards.  The strength portion will be with weights and the rest portion will be on tools.  The idea is to add some variety and to push the climbers when they are fatigued.

Warmup 5 rounds of 4x Mr Spectaculars, 60 sec system board for rock.  Training #1 6 rounds 10x piston press - total 16kg, 2x peg board laps, 30 sec WTD plank 25#.  #2  6 rounds of 4x deadlifts incr wt ea rd, 60 sec cave hang - feet can move, hands can not, 3x 1-arm BP 45#.  #3  6 rounds of 5x 1-leg stepups 12kg, 30 sec slasher halo 8kg, 5x WTD V-up 25#, 30x toe raises.

Not that I expected anything less, but the athletes did very well with this session even though they haven't been lifting heavy during the climbing program.  Apparently the rest was good and everything they have been doing has helped maintain or increase their strength.  And its always good to have a little change up...good for the mind and the body. 

As we progress through the ski cycle more and more of our training will switch to work capacity efforts.  We need to prepare our bodies for long powder runs (hopefully) and quick recovery to be able to ski day after day (if we are that lucky).  I think these longer efforts that combine a strength, plyo and core component are going to do just that.

Warmup 7 rounds of 5x thrusters, 4x pullups 3xW, 4x pushup mobility, frog stretch.  Training #1 8 rounds of 6x SB lunges R & L, 6x lateral box jumps, 30 sec SB hops, 10x back extensions.  #2  8 rounds of 5x KB squat cleans, 9x jingle janlges, 30 sec tuck hold, 10x WTD situps.  #3  25x burpees for time.

Modified Warmup is same.  Training #1 6 rounds of 6x front squats, 3x push press use same wt and incr ea round, 20 sec SB hops, 10x back extensions.  #2  6 rounds of 4x DL @ 80%, 10x jumping lunges, 5x WTd pushups, 10x GHD situps.  #3  1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1  Burpees, x10 sec wallsit.  The modified session today is a strength session with heavy loads on the push press and deadlift.  Its a little more balanced than some in the past because instead of just modifying the ski portion I actually wrote a separate session.  And in the end it came out better.

The sandbag lunges are done with same weight as your sandbag getups.  Alternate legs ea time and after 6 put the sandbag on the other shoulder.  Then move right into the box jumps and sandbag hops - to keep the legs firing.  The back extensions serve as a quick rest.  The second part is the same.  Clean the KBs, run and drop right into your tuck.  Its not pretty but again you'll get a rest with the situps.  In part 3 go as hard as possible.  25x burpees isn't that many, less than 2 minutes of work, so give it all you got.  Time to beat is 1 minute flat. 

If you haven't noticed the trend...Friday's session is the hardest of the week.  This is no exception. 

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x KB deadlifts, 5x KB sumo hi jumps, 1-foot hopscotch R & L.  Training #1 10 rounds every 45 seconds of 3x DL, 3x HSC, 10x KB swings.  #2 10 rounds of mini leg blaster, box jump series - 5 jumps, 30 sec WTD planks.  #3 5 rounds of 7x 1-leg stepups, 7x 1-leg hopups R & L, 60 sec tuck hold, 5x supermans.

No real rest after the warmup so don't expect one.  The one consolation is that if done quickly you can finish in less than an hour.

Modified Warmup is same. #1 10 rounds every 45 seconds of 3x Renegade Man Makers.  #2  6 rounds of mini leg blasters, 1x rope climb, 30 sec WTD plank.  #3 5 rounds of 7x 1-leg stepups, 7x 1-leg hopups R & L, 10x WTD situps, 10x back extensions, 10x side bends ea side.  This one is no picnic either.

Dreams of powder will help you power through part 2 of today's session.  Part 1 is basically a core circuit using front squats as one of our spinal stability moves, along with the sandbag runs.  The remainder are just the different movements of the core that help complete the package.  Part 2 is where the money is today.  It takes about 15-20 minutes to power through this leg endurance portion.  Tough to call it strength because it is all body weight...but after finishing, tough to call it just endurance.  Your legs will be talking to you.

Warmup 4 rounds of 10x goblet squats, 5x broad jumps, 20 sec 1-foot hops R & L, 5x pullups Wx3.  Training #1  6 rounds of 6 front squats @ 65-70%max, 1x lap DB crawl, 10x poorman's hypers, 5x slashers ea side, 7x ball slams, 200m SB run.  #2  5-10-15-20-15-10-5 airsquats, jumping squats, lateral shuffle with jump, poorman's leg curl ea side. 

Modified Warmup is same.  Part 1 is the same.  Part 2 5-10-15-20-15-10-5 airsquats, jumping squats, bent over rows, bench press.

Not sure who got off easier on this one.

For the sandbag run I used the same weight bag as athletes have been using for SBGUs.  Seemed just about right.  Like I said #2 is the business.  The faster you go the sooner you get it done. 

The ice climbers start a new cycle in which they will use the strength they gained from the last eight weeks.  They made alot of gains in pulling strength, deadhang strength and time in the cave.  But think overall balance needs to be addressed - putting all the strength pieces together and get even more sport specific if we can.

Warmup 4 rounds of 3x Scotty bob's, 1x rope climb - no feet, 60 sec jumprope.  Training #1 6 rounds of 1 cave lap - rings only, 200m run, 10x poorman's hypers.  #2  8 rounds of 6x Figure 4s on tools, 3x A2B, 10x back extensions, 10x poorman's leg curl ea side.

A couple of the guys have done this one already and have done really well.  I made them go without feet for the rope climb until they couldn't go further.  They came down from there - wherever that was.  Its easy to fall into the habit of just grabbing on with feet if you know you will have to at some point.  Telling you you can't, adds a whole new dimension.  I think the guys surprised themselves.  I also took out the rest in the cave..its a crutch.  They had no problem doing laps without it.  The second part of training is really just core work that will hopefully fine tune the climbers even more.  They have been doing alot of core work all along but not as sport specific.  Now that they have the strength and endurance to hang, this type of work will be more doable.  I'm pretty excited to see the climbers develop their strength, endurance and skills even more over the next several weeks.

 Today starts the second phase of ski conditioning training.  All that strength we've been building is going to be coverted to power.  So while we will still lift heavy on some days there will be no true strength days for the remainder of the month.

Warmup 4 rounds of Barbell Complex - sub 6x squat jumps for the pushups, HAM ea side.  Training 15-1 Deadlifts 45-50% max, swings, situps, curl & press M20-25#DB/W15#DB, lateral pole hops, 60 sec rollers.

Modified or non-ski Warmup is the same.  Training 15-1 Deadlift, swing, situps, curl & press, plyo pushups, 60 sec jumprope.

Don't think you are getting away with anything by doing the modified. Its harder than the ski version.

On the warmup use your starting barbell complex weight for all four rounds.  The idea is to get everything moving before jumping into the count down.  Deadlifts are the heavy component and then right into swings to create your power movement for the day.  The curl & press is tougher than you think...don't get fooled into thinking its a rest.  For the lateral pole hops I setup two boxes and placed a PVC pipe between the two.  There is a 20" and 24" option.  Like the lateral box jumps we did the other day, its a little more difficult but once you do a couple its really not that bad.  The rollers start to add up towards the end.  The first few rounds they didn't seem too hard and I thought I had miss judged.  But as you get down to rounds 5 and less, the rest period from roller to roller is alot less and the volume adds up.  In a good way of course.

Last of our big strength days.  While we will still be lifting heavy objects we won't be seeing the volume increase like we have over the past couple weeks.  With a good strength base the athletes are ready to turn that strength into power.  So watch for more power movements, plyometrics and agility work.

Warmup AMRAP in 15 minutes of 7x Renegade Man Makers, 20sec tuck, 20 sec rollers, 20 sec tuck, 60 sec jumprope, HAM ea side.  Training #1  6 rounds of 4x power cleans @80%, 4x lateral box jumps, 8x cone hops, 10x situps.  #2  6 rounds of 10x walking lunges - total - heavy, 10x jumping lunges, 1x lap hopscotch, 15x toes to sky.  #3  5 rounds of 60 sec wall sit, 10x 1-leg stepups ea side, 20 sec toe raises every 2 minutes.

The warmup is a bit longer than normal but I figured after a long week of training that the athletes might be coming in sore and tired.  I wanted to get that fatigue out of their system before the clean/box jump combo.  The power cleans were pretty ehavy at 80% and for the first time we tried lateral box jumps.  Stand next to your box and jump up.  You'll find it more challenging than a box jump done from behind.  So proceed with caution.  Then go right to the cone hops and jump fast.  In part #3 you are going to have to hussle to get it all done and have some kind of rest before starting the next round.  My fastest athletes squeezed out 10 seconds of rest between rounds.  Some went right from the toe raises to the wall with no break.  That's ok - its only 5 rounds.  Watch for rounds of that to increase and we change our focus to more work capacity and strength endurance type sessions.

More fun to come... 

Performance week for the ice climbers starts with this session.  Throughout the week the climbers will try and hit some of the goals I had laid out for the program and do the post test.  This will give me and them a good indication of how far they have come...and not just in the "feel" sense but in concrete numbers.

Warmup 10-1 Lunges ea side 12kg, H. Pullups, pushups, situps.  Training #1 4 rounds of 10x R sticks ice, 60 sec system board rock, 10x L sticks ice, 5x thrusters 25#.  #2  8 rounds every 30 seconds of 15 sec deadhang, 3x A2B.  #3  Tabata toe raises.  #4  5 rounds of 1 cave lap, 30 sec rest.

So this session had 2 of the goals:  Tabata toe raises and 5x cave lap with just 30 seconds rest.  The toe raise were easier to accomplish than the cave laps.  However performance in the cave has increased dramatically and in the end that's what it is all about.

Next session will be the post test and the third session this week will include two of the other goals.

Next for the ice climbers will be a maintenance program.  Two days of ice training and 1 day of hybrid training.  The ice training portion will be more technical in nature and less total body fitness.  The third day will be true hybrid training.  This will be a good chance for the climbers to increase strength and durability that will be used in climbing that might have been put aside.  For example...core strength.  While climbers did great in the cave over the past several weeks, core strength played as much a part in failure as forearm strength.  As we neared the end of the cycle so much had to go into forearm/grip strength that the legs got a little neglected.  We will be adding more leg work on the hybrid day also.  So a little everything coming up for the ice climbers! 

Seems the athletes are getting tired of the Wednesday strength enduro efforts..oh well.  Another great day of core work with a few leg blasters and 1 tire drag.  Seems the tire dragwas difficult for everyone this time around.  Never underestimate that thing...especially when you have it attached to you for 400m.

Warmup 4 rounds of 200m run, 10x corkscrews ea side, 10x pushups, mtn mobility ea side.  Training #1 400m Tire drag.  #2  5 rounds of Full leg blaster, 50m rock carry, 5x SBGUs ea side, 10x side bends ea side, 30x SB hops, 30 sec swing, frog stretch.

Modified Warmup - same.  Training #1 same  #2 5 rounds of Full leg blaster, 50m rock carry, 3x SBGUs ea side, 10x side bends ea side, 10x H pullups, 10x DB push press, 10x ball slams.

You might not like the tire drag right now, but some day some where you will thank me.  Buckle down and move through on this, its easy to drag it out.

Last big strength day that includes deadlifts and front squats.  Though the total volume is up again from last week I thought this session moved well and I never really got bogged down with the heavy stuff.  Which is good.  Its always nice when things go smooth.

Warmup 5 rounds of 5x DB thrusters M25#/W15#, 5x burpees, 10x lateral cone hops, 10x plank kicks ea side.  Training #1  7 rounds of 5x deadlifts @ 75% of max,10x 1-leg stepups ea side, 5x 1-arm BP M35#/W25#.  #2  6 rounds of 7x KB front squats M16-20kg/W8-12kg, 60 sec rollers, 5x tuck jumps, 6x back extensions 25#plate.  #3  5 rounds of 3x HSC M95-105#/W55-65#, 3x bi-level box jumps series, 90 sec ab bridge complex.

Modified: Warmup is the same.  Training #1 7 rounds of 5x DL @75%, 5x push press @ 50% of DL wt., 5x 1-arm BP.  #2  5 rounds of 7x KB front squats, 60 sec jumprope, 1 lap hopscotch, 6x back extensions.  #3 same.

The KB front squats get me every time.  Though lighter than using a bar the awkwardness and balance required make these difficult and unpleasant (by more than just me) which is exactly why we do them.  Also it teaches the front squat weight position without stress to the wrists.  Keep moving through the rollers - try not to break the tuck - then go right into the tuck jumps.  Its a short lived pain.  In the last part we try a bi-level box jumps series.  Using 2 different sized boxes, set the smaller into front of the larger spaced so there is just enough room to land between the two.  Jump to the first, then jump off between and then immediately jump to the higher box.  We only do a couple at a shot and while the actual jumping is not that difficult, the landing and jumping higher right away will keep your attention.  As we progress into more plyometric work next week we will be doing alot more of this kind of thing.  Challenging the body through strength, coordination and agility all wrapped up in one exercise.

On Wednesday we will be outside for at least one portion of the training...planning accordingly.

Sorry ice climbers - got a little behind on my posting.  So you will #15 and #16 together.

Session #15 was inspired by a session written by Aaron Mulkey which was modified by Doug Shepherd which I then tweeked a bit to fit our climbers - bottom line is I can't take all the credit for this one.

Warmup 6 rounds of 1x Tire pull - light, 4x plate pushups ea side, 6x shoulder dislocates.  Training #1 5 rounds of 3x 1-arm pullup/lockoff/swing ea side, 5x Renegade rows ea side, 30 sec WTD situps.  #2  4 rounds of 10x Romanian deadlifts, 4x 20 sec on/10 sec off toe raises, 20 sec STG dead hang ea side.  #3  4 rounds of P1 40x stepups w/25# pack while P2 hangs in cave - no movement except for feet - till P1 is done. 

The climbers are spending more and more time in the cave each session and I can see the improvement.  When they first started there was a lot of tool swinging, lots of missing and poor core control.  That has all changed for the better.  Movements are precise, controlled and the climbers are able to stay on the wall longer.  Seems like its working.

Session #16 is a strength workout.  With pullups at 50% of max and WTD peg board laps - this session may be a little shorter but certainly not easier.

Warmup 30x Renegade Man Makers w/ 25#DBs.  Training  #1 7 rounds all done with 15#pack of 2x peg board laps, 5x dips, 1 lap waiter walk 16kg, 5x rev wrist curl ea side.  #2  5 rounds of 3x STG pullups 50% max w/ 20 sec lockoff R & L, 5x KB floor press ea side, 15x situps.  #3  5 rounds of 5x A2B, 10x ball slams, 5x STD Russian twist ea side 45#plate.

A few of the guys were a little surprised with the warmup.  Though they have all done it before, they are so sport specific right now that stepping out of the climbing realm can be a bit of a shock.  No worries it goes by fast (sort of) and then you are right back to familiar ground.

If you aren't sore from Wednesday's session you need to increase your weights...a little goes a long way.  And that core is your body armor so make sure its getting as strong as your legs.

Friday means a return to power cleans and heavy lunges.  Coach Jenkins wrote a great session that keeps pushing the volume without feeling overly hard especially if you are coming in sore. 

Warmup 5 rounds of 3x DOT drill, 5x KB snatch eas side M16kg/W12kg, 10x overhead squats w/PVC.  Training #1 7 rounds of 4x power cleans @ 80%, 10x jingle jangles, 5x KB floor press ea side M16-20kg/W12kg.  #2  6 rounds of 5x Box squats incr wt ea rd., 10x OH lunges 35#DBs/25#DBs, 15x toe raises ea side, 7x STD Russian twist.  #3  6 rounds of 60 sec wall sit, 5x WTD V-ups M25#/W15#, 5x WTD crossover stepups ea side M75#/W45-55#.

Modified version.  Warmup is the same.  #1 5 rounds of 3x Mr. Spectaculars, 20x stepups, 5x KB floor press ea side.  #2 same  #3 6 rounds of 30 sec mtn. climbers, 30 sec plank, 5x WTD v-ups, 5x crossover stepups ea side.

Couple new ones for us today.  WTD V-up is the classic V-situp using a plate.  With body fully extended, hold plate in hands over head, situp so plate and feet touch.  Yes a little coordination is required but it only takes a couple to figure it out.  The crossover stepup requires a box or bench at about 16-18" high.  Any higher you are going to compromise the knee joint while its weighted = bad.  Standing next to your bench with barbell on your back, the outside foot "crossovers" to step up onto the bench.  Other leg follows up.  Then you cross behind to come back down.  Pretty much hits all heads of the glutes = good.  Again it takes a little coordination so if you need to start a little lighter and add on.

One more strength week on tap for the skiers then we will focus more on work capacity and strength endurance.  Expect alot of jumping, heavy breathing and fun.    

...a few leg blasters and some core work.  While I say it alot - we all know I don't mean it.  Another test of strength endurance for the legs and core.  And again probably the more difficult one of the week.

Warmup 4 rounds of 8x goblet squats, 30 sec rollers, 30 sec tuck hold, 8x dips 5xW.  Training 5 rounds of Full leg blaster, 30 sec elevated plank, 1x rope climb.  #2  8 rounds of 15 swings 20-28kg/16-20kg, 10x GHD situps, 20x SB hops, 5x windshield wipers ea side M115#/W85#, 5x slashers ea side, 8x lateral shuffles with jump.

Modified Warmup 5 rounds of 8x goblet squats, 8x dips 5xW, 5x pullups 3xW.  Training 5 rounds of Full leg blaster, 30 sec plank walkup, 1x rope climb.  #2  8 rounds of 15x swings, 10x ball throws, 5x windshield wipers ea side, 5x slashers ea side, 5x Renegade rows ea side.

Everyone gets to rope climb today.  Skiers, climbers, general athletes.  It is great for the upper body and when done without feet, it is a great core exercise.  The modified session is very similar to the skiers session, I just took out a few of the jumping series and added some upper body work in its place.

Pull up your boot straps cause things are starting to get serious.  More strength on tap today with more volume than last week, it sure felt like alot.  But everyone is getting stronger and moving very well.  So no need to backoff yet. 

For non-skiers there will be some other "options" in training to maintain upper body strength and total body balance.  Please let me know at the start of the session if you would like to do that...otherwise I just assume everyone skiis.  The modified version will appear at the end.  Assume everything is the same unless otherwise stated.

Warmup 4 rounds of 5x Deadlifts 95#/65#, 10x swings M20-24kg/W16kg, 60 sec jumprope, HAM ea side.  Training #1 8 rounds of 3x DL @ 85%max, 5x sumo hi jumps use same wt as in warmup, 5x squat jumps, 7x pushups. #2  6 rounds of 5x 1-leg stepups ea side 12kg/8kg, 5x front squats, 60 sec rollers.  #3  6 rounds 45 sec wallsit, 10x WTD situps 45#/35#, 5x STD Russian Twist ea side, 10x poorman's leg curl ea side.  #4  Tabata squats jeopardy style.

Modified version: Part #1 8 rounds of 3x DL @85%, 5x BP incr wt ea rd till hard but doable M75#/W45#, 5x clapping pushups, 5x ball slams.  Part #2 6 rounds of 5x 1-leg stepups ea side, 5x front squats, 20 sec/20 sec/20 sec of DB push press, OH hold, push press.  Omit part #4.

The deadlifts were heavy which made the sumo hi jumps feel real light - which was nice.  The stepup/front squat is the real crux - especially since you get no rest in that little circuit.  Then a brief rest before revisiting the Tabata squats.  I was nice today though - the rest is a true rest, except you have to match the number of squats you did in the first rounds throughout...or there is a penalty.

Friday brings another strength day for the skiers.  Again we focus on power cleans and heavy lunges and a couple tire drags for a bonus.  This session stays consistent throughout until the tire drag...truly the crux of the session.

Warmup 5 rounds of 6x Deadlifts M85/W65#, 6x Bent over rows same wt., 6x Broad jumps, 3x inchworms w/ pushup.  Training #1  5 rounds of 5x power cleans @75%, 3x SBGUs ea side, 6x poorman's hypers.  #2  6 rounds of 4x BB lunges ea side M75/W45 incr wt ea rd., 4x box jumps, 30 sec tuck hold, 10x swings - light.  #3  3 rounds of 100m tire drag, 10x RDL, 30 sec extended plank, strider stretch ea side.

Believe it or not, there are some out there that aren't skiers (not sure why) so for those people I will start replacing some of the leg exercises with upper body work for a more "balanced" session.  I will include those modifications here if you are interested.  Monday is another strength day..front squats and deadlifts...a little more than last week. 

Session 14 for the climbers is a little shorter but still a stamina session.  Two 20 minute blocks does a good job at hammering the forearms and shoulders - so in that respect it was a stamina effort.

Warmup 3 rounds of 5x Bent over rows 85#, 5x dips, 1x rope climb, wrist stretch ea side.  Training #1 AMRAP in 20 minutes of 5x pullups, 30 sec deadhang, 30 sec swing, 20x toes 2 sky, 10x 1-arm bench, 30 sec extended plank.  #2  AMRAP in 20 minutes of 60 sec cave movement, 10x pushups, 10x thrusters 20#DBs, 30 sec OH hold 20#DBs, 10x situps, 4x SB 1/2 moons.

Part 1 is more forearm intensive while part 2 is more shoulder/full body.  Both challenging in their own way.  

All the guys worked hard on this one and I had considered doing an unload/recovery day next, but the guys are psyched and no one seems to be getting tweeks, so no such luck.  You'll have to wait a little longer for a rest. 

 What can I say, this is pretty much perfection.  Strength endurance for skiing at its best.  Those who have already done it, they might or might not agree.  Its hard.  You will feel like your heart is coming out of your chest.  You'll wonder if eating in the last 24 hours was really such a good idea.  The up side?  Hang squat cleans to hammer the eccentric motion and hip power required in skiing.  One-leg stepups for the uphill climb.  Situps/back extensions for core strength and overall durability.  And a couple sandbag hops for agility.  You tell me, perfection or what?

Warmup 5 rounds of Mini leg blaster, 3x Scotty bob's M35#/W25#.  Training 15-1 Hang squat clean M75-85#/W45#, 1-leg stepups no wt., WTD situps M45#/W35#, 2x SB lateral hops, Back extensions.

Your welcome.

Lucky13 brings a strength session for the ice climbers and probably one of the most difficult yet with WTD staggered pullups and deadhangs and heavy push presses after time on the peg board.  This could leave a few of the climbers tired and sore.

Warmup 8 rounds of 3x pullups - use something besides tools, 2x 20 sec toe raises, 10x sec rest.  Training #1 5-1 pegboard laps, 2x push press @ 70%max.  #2  6 rounds of 2x WTD staggered pullups w/ 15 sec lockoff R & L @ 50-60% max, 4x Scotty bob's 35#, 6x back extensions 12kg.  #3  4 rounds of 4x side bends ea side 20kg, 8x walking lunges 20kg, 8x jumping lunges no wt., 4x TGUs ea side 12-16kg.

Don't let this fool you.  Its harder than it appears.  Climbers cruised through the pegboard/push press combo but the WTD pullups with WTD hang was difficult for all.  I had originally thought they would be able to do this portion at about 75-80% of their max, but that didn't last long.  And quickly realized that 50-60% was more reasonable but still very hard work.  And while some had to drop weight, all rounds were completed and the climbers are getting stronger.

The other day I was out climbing and trying to pull a roof that was a little over my leading level...so my partner told me "start hard, finish easy."  It worked on the roof.  Unfortunately for my athletes this session goes the opposite.  Start easy, finish hard.  Today's session was written by Coach Jenkins, which is always a nice change up since he always brings new interesting ideas.

Warmup 4 rounds of 10x KB Deadlifts, 10x swings, 5x surrenders ea leg, 30 sec jumprope, hip swivel ea side.  Training #1  10 rounds of 3x Deadlifts @ 80% of mac every 45 seconds.  #2  9 rounds of 30 sec wall sit, 30 sec plank walkup, 5x Glute ham raise.  #3  8 rounds of 3x Front squats M115-135/W60 incr wt ea rd., 7x KB goblet squats jumps M16-20kg/W12kg, 30 sec rollers, 1x waiter walk lap.

I thought the crux was going to be the 10 rounds of deadlifts - with a high percentage and lots of rounds.  But the rest was good and helped maintain good form throughout.  Wall sits/plankwalkup pretty easy really...and was almost thinking unload in the back of my mind.  Then the 8 rounds of front squats.  Adding weight each round got many of the athletes to within 90% of their max so several of the rounds were at a high percentage.  High enough for some that after 4-5 rounds they had to keep the same weight for the remaining rounds.  Add a few wtd squat jumps and rollers and you got yourself some tired legs.  Perfect finish...harder than the start.

Wednesday I have a great strength endurance session on tap.  My best sessions are ones that just come to me.  When I am forced to program something it takes longer and just doesn't flow as well.  This one flows for a solid 40-45 minutes.  None of this start easy or finish easy stuff, this one is hard work start to finish.  See you Wednesday!

Session 12 is a work capacity effort for the ice climbers.  Three 10 minute blocks to work forearm and leg strength.  Work hard and move fast on each one.  In part 1 try to maintain constant movement on the ice holds, reduce the shake out time.  Forearms get a rest in part 2 and you blast the legs.  And then back to forearm and grip work, again push each part here as you are only working for 10 minutes before the next break comes.

Warmup 10 rounds of 3x H. Pullups, 3x WTD situps 45# every 30 seconds.  Training #1 5 rounds of 2 min ice holds, 10x poorman's hypers, 10x dips.  #2  10 minutes of stepups w/ 25# pack.  #3 AMRAP in 10 minutes of 2 peg board laps, 1 lap farmer carry, 10x GHD situps.  #4  4 round sof 3x SBGUs ea side, 3x slashers ea side 20kg, 30 sec WTD side plank 10# DB ea side.

The WTD side planks are done holding a DB with the top arm extended.  Helps maintain good form during those side planks and adds a little more work.

If you hadn't noticed I started the week with a "relatively" easy session and made them progressively more difficult as the week went along.  I knew if I made Monday too hard the rest of the week would be slop...I don't like slop.  So I took that into account and made Fridays the most difficult of the week.

Warmup 5 rounds of 200m run, 5x DOT drill, 5x OH squat w/PVC.  Training #1  5 rounds of 4x SB lunges, 10x jumping lunges, 5x pushups, 4x SB lunges, 10x jumping lunges, 1x rope climb, instep stretch ea side.  #2  6 rounds of 3x Power clean @75%max, 6x lateral shuffles, 30s ec mtn.climbers, 30 sec plank.  #3  5 rounds of 10x WTD toe raises M155#/W95#, 1x tire drag, 5x STD russian twist M35#/W25#.

Varying degrees of soreness in the athletes today which is what I expected.  Use the OH squats to open up the hips and work through some of that soreness.  If you are still feeling pretty tight start with #2 and then go back to #1 & #3.  Weighted lunges with sore legs are sloppy at best..give yourself a chance.  For the lunge series, put the SB on your right shoulder and do a total of 4 lunges, drop the bag and go right into jumping lunges.  The second round put the SB on the other shoulder and do the same thing.  My athletes used the same size bag as they use for SBGUs, seemed just about perfect.  Use your most recent power clean max to set the weight for part 2.  Lateral shuffles are done between 2 cones set 10m apart - stay low and move fast.  Finally we hit the calves hard at the end -  heavy toe raise followed by a tire drag.  Pretty much solid work from start to finish, so just get in and get it done.

Session 11 gives the climbers alot of cave time.  10 laps in the cave to be exact.  Pushing strength endurance as they complete lap after lap and continuing to improve.  As I said before the unload day at the end of last week really helped out - the climbers were motivated and trained harder all week.

Warmup 4 rounds of 3x Hammer pullups, 10x elevated pushups, 1x rope climb, 5x wrist rolls ea side.  Training #1  10 rounds of 1x cave lap, 30 sec toe raises, 10x windshield wipers, 10x toes 2 sky, 6x shoulder openers.  #2  4 rounds of 45 sec hang on tools, 45 sec swings.

The climbers are all wearing their ice boots these days which adds to the overall difficulty of each session.  The toe raises are done with feet on the horizontal footholds of the system boards in hopes of getting as sport specific as possible. 

Strength endurance for the legs and core.  Skiing involves predominantly eccentric movements.  We start that building today with a total of 70 hang squat cleans.  The swings follow for a couple reasons.  First to extend the hip flexors after all the squats, secondly to develop hip power and finally we use them to develop hip extension or lower back strength.  The second part of training is all core and mostly alot of SBGUs.  By the end of this cycle everyone will be good at them or at least dislike them a little less.  And even if you don't - they are a great core exercise that really increases an athletes durability.

Warmup 8 rounds of 10x OH plate lunges M25#/W15#, 20 sec toe raises, mtn mobility ea side.  Training #1 10 rounds of 7x HSC M75-85#, 10x Swings M20-24kg/W16kg, 30 sec WTD side plank alternate sides ea round.  #2  5 rounds of 5x SBGUs ea side, 5x ball slams, 5x A2B, 15x plank kicks ea side.  #3  1 round of Bottom-Bottom Tabata squats.

While its all challenging, the Tabatas at the end are the most fun.  The toe raises in the warmup are done off a plate or something equally high and as fast as possible.  The HSC should be done at a weight that you can move through all 7 without resting.  Again looking more for speed than strength.  Finally Bottom-bottom squats means that the rest portion of the Tabata is done in a tuck position.  They suck...unless you cheat.

A short rest last session for the climbers - which was well earned and needed.  Always good to take a break and recharge.  The climbers came back in this week strong and ready for more.  So a little strength session is what they got.  We put the max weighted pullups to use and some weighted work on the peg board with the same size pack.

Warmup 6 rounds of 20 sec deadhang on rope alt. lead hand ea round, 10x alligator pushups, 10x piston press ea side.  Training #1 7 rounds of 2x WTD pullups @ 85%max, 2x pullups no wt., 4x DB push press 35#, 4x Back extensions 12kg.  #2 7 rounds of 5x 1-leg stepups ea side 12kg, 5x front squats 12kg, 5x A2B, 5x Ball slams.  #3  7 rounds of 1x lap peg board w/pack, 30 sec. elevated plank, 5x scarecrows 21/2#.

The climbers wore their boots for the whole sessions and the true go getters (that would be all of them) wore their pack for the entire 7 rounds of #3..yep weighted elevated planks.  I hadn't even thought of that. 

And away we go...first session of ski training is strength...leg strength that would be.   As we progress through these first 4 weeks the volume on our main lifts at 80-85% of your maxes will increase (hence the reason for all the maxes the past few weeks - there is method to my madness). The front squat we do about 8 reps at between 75-80% of the athletes max and the deadlifts we do 21 at 80% of max.  The number of reps will go up while still working in that 75-85% range.  The beauty of all this strength?  While the skiing your will be all that much easier overall durability as an athlete will increase and risk of injury will decrease.  Good stuff all the way around.

Warmup 10-1 Goblet squats, squat jumps, sunrises.  Training #1 5 rounds of 4x front squats M115-125/W60 incr wt ea rd, 4x KB front squats M12kg/W8kg, 20 sec rollers, 4x back extensions 12kg.  #2  7 rounds of 3x DL @ 80%max, 5x DL @50%max, 5x box/depth jumps, 5x 1-arm situps M16kg/W12kg.  #3 6 rounds of 30 sec wall sits, 1 lap DB crawl M45#/W35#, 5x Glute Ham Raise.

So in parts 1 & 2 we do the heavy portion of the lift and then go to a lighter version of the same movement and then a fast movement.  In this manner we can develop strength and power together.  The "rollers" we will use in addition to tuck holds.  A roller is a moving tuck hold.  With hands out in front assume your tuck position and then move up and down without ever fulling extending your legs.  Aim for constant and quick movment here to help simulate skiing. 

Mondays and Fridays will be our strength days and Wednesday will be a strength endurance day with a big focus on core and eccentric movements in skiing (read leg blasters).

For the athletes that completed the ski test this week this is a great unload, designed to work out the kinks and soreness (if there is any).  Its about 45 minutes of movement trying to hit all body parts.  You will feel better once you've done it.

Warmup 10-1 swings, situps, pushups.  Training #1 AMRAP in 15 minutes of Run 200m, 10x walking lunges no wt., 10x push press M85#/W55#, 30 sec jumprope.  #2 AMRAP in 20 minutes of 10x corkscrews ea side M25#/W15#, 1x rope climb, 90 sec mtn climber complex, HAM ea side, 10x steps duck walk.

For the mountain climber complex do 30 seconds of side plank, 30 sec mtn climber in teh front plank position, and 30 seconds of side plank again.  Otherwise everything else is pretty standard.

Monday we get after it.  The first 4 weeks of the ski training will be strength/strength endurance.  Mondays and Fridays will be true strength days and Wednesdays will be more of a strength endurance/work capacity day.  These workouts are going to seem like alot especially in the first few weeks.  Focus on rest and recovery - what ever that takes for you - and everything will be just fine. 

Session 8 is a strength endurance session and for the athletes who have done it, I am pretty sure they would agree with me.  The time in the cave is truly a test of strength endurance.  And while the forearms get the worst of it, the core is working pretty hard to keep you in position.  The calves get a fair bit of work also as we work towards a full calf Tabata.

Warmup 6 rounds of 3x squat clean & push press, 3x Staggered pullups on rope w/ 15 sec lockoff R & L, 3x wrist rolls ea side.  Training #1 3 rounds of 45 sec hang tools, 45 sec swings.  #2 4 rounds of 20 sec toe raises, 10 sec rest.  #3  6 rounds of 5x sticks in ice R & L, 2x cave laps, 1x tire drag, 30 sec plank walkup.  #4  4 rounds of 20 sec toes raises, 10 sec rest.

My athletes will do their staggered pullups on the climbing ropes and finish each set of 3 with 15 sec lockoff.  This will serve as a good warmup for forearms and pulling movements but also the core.  Climbing or even hanging on the rope is a great core stabilizer.  As you move to the toe raises, move as quickly as possible for the 20 seconds then take your rest.  Your calves should be on fire if you are working hard.  Not on fire?  Go faster.  The hang/swing time is going up but I cut some of the rounds to allow for this.  Not much you can do with the hangs but hang.  But as you move to the swings really focus on using your hips to swing the kettlebell and work for a light grip.  Overgripping is only going to pump you out faster.  Part 3 is really the meat of the session.  2 laps in the cave doesn't seem like much but everyone has struggle thus far.  Move quickly, rest as little as possible and move on.

My athletes next session will be an unload.  A good opportunity for active recovery and to hit some of things we have been missing out on.  Also starting next week, week of October 4th, my climbers will need to bring in ice boots for training.  

Session 7 is strength for our ice climbers.  Today they tested their 1 RM in pullups.  We have never done this before and I was a little hesitant but I think it will prove beneficial in the long run.  Setting an arbitrary heavy weight to do pullups wasn't really working.  Some the guys could do all the rounds easily and some struggled to complete even the first round.  In all our other lifts I test 1 RMs so that everyone is working at an appropriate weight for their strength.  So finally I came to my sense and tried it with WTD pullups.  So going forward the athletes will be working at a percentage of their 1 RM and then we will retest in a few weeks to see if their strength has increased.

The other strength components included rope climbing and WTD toe raises.  The rope climbing is coming along great.  Both strength and technique are increasing rapidly which is fun to watch from my end.  For the toe raises the athletes loaded a bar and put it on their back for the weighted portion which was followed by a quick 20 sec of toe raises with no weight.

Warmup 5 rounds of 3x Scotty Bob's 25#DBs, 30 sec slasher halo 8kg, 5x reverse wrist curls.  Training #1 1 RM WTD pullups.  #2 5 rounds of 1x rope climb, 1x rope pull, 10x WTD toe raises 125# incr wt ea rd, 20 sec toe raises - fast.  #3  30-60-90-120 Seconds in the cave, seconds of 1-leg stepups w/ 12kg.  #4 6 rounds of 1x lock-off/swing R & L, 2x laps peg board, 5x side bends ea side 20kg.

A little reprieve before the real work begins.  The athletes got to unload - and recover from Friday's sesson - and get ready for the ski pretest.  Nothing heavy or fast or crazy just some good movement for about 45 minutes.  Hopefully it works out any leftover kinks and allows a little rest time for the body.  Friday we will do the same.  So if you are sore from the pretest, the best way to help work it out is to come in and train.

Training 10 rounds of 100m run, 10x swings, 10x bench press, 10x renegade rows - total, 10x OH squats w/ PVC, 10x sumo hi jumps, 10x piston press - total, 10x slashers - total, 10x situps, 10x jingle jangles.

Pick weights that are appropriate.  Nothing should be too hard and really you shouldn't get stuck anywhere.  Just keep on moving.  I missed judged on a couple of the bench presses, so warning - this is 100x bench presses - err on the cautious side and you'll be happier for it. 

Ahhh work capacity - good for some, harder for others.  Little bit of everything in this one as my body can attest cause I am sore just about everywhere.  Its a good sore though..whatever that means.

Warmup 5 rounds of 10x DL M95#/W75#, 10x Goblet squats M16-20kg/W12kg.  Training #1 3-5-7-9-7-5-3 KB Clean & Press M 16-20kg/W8-12kg, Lunges ea leg same wt., Side Bends ea side M24kg/W20kg.  #2 Done with partner P1 400m Tire Drag, P2 SBGUs till P1 is done.  #3  4 rounds 1x rope climb, 1 lap DB Crawl Fr/Bk, 30 sec side plank R & L.  #4  5 rounds of 10x DL M95#/W75#, 10x Goblet squats M20kg/W12kg. 

The warmup is quick and relatively pain less.  Even the clean & press combo with lunges wasn't all that bad.  And dragging the tire in the rain was welcome.  But come the SBGU the work set in.  I had to fight for every getup - which we all know sucks.  But moving on the rope climb was smooth and crawl effortless but 30 seconds in a side plank...wow.  Who knew?  Almost has difficult as the SBGUs.  Part 4 is optional based on the amount of time you have left.  The tire drag is the real unknown - if each partner can finish in about 5-7 minutes you'll have extra time at the end for a few more DLs & squats.  If the drag doesn't go so well and each partner gets to do 10 minutes on each - part 4 can be saved for another day.

Next week will be combo unload and test week for our hybrid athletes.  Monday and Friday unload adn Wednesday is test day.  While only a pretest its gonna test you, so I want my athletes to be rested and then have a chance to rest afterward before we start into ski conditioning.

I'm off to the races to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and put all this training to use.

Session 6 is really just a test of forearm endurance.  The last session I gave the climbers a short break but then we hit it hard again.

Warmup 10 rounds of 5x Horizontal Pullups every 30 seconds then 3x TGUs every 30 seconds alternate R & L.  Training #1 5 rounds of 1x Rope climb, 60 sec mvmt ice/cave, 60 sec jumprope.  #2  5 rounds of 100m Farmer carry 24kg, 3x laps Peg Board, 30 sec toe raises.  #3  5 rounds of 30 sec swings, 30 sec hang from tools.

In the warmup do all the pullups first then move onto the Turkish Getups.  Our climbers had the first shot at the new climbing ropes.  They are hard, don't let em fool you.  But progress comes pretty quick if you work hard and stick with it.  Part 2 & 3 are just different ways to pump out the forearms.  Work hard and power through - it will be worth it in the end. 

Strength day and for whatever reason it is similar to the last one in that it starts slow and then by the end you are at full throttle.  Good or bad?  Not sure, but if you are worried in the first few circuits that you aren't getting enough - save that thought till the end.

Warmup 4 rounds of 6x Goblet squats, 20 sec squat hold, 6x piston press ea side, 10x steps of duck walk.  Training #1 Work up to 1 RM Box squat.  #2  6 rounds of 3x box squats @ 85%, 3x SB 1/2 moons ea side, box stretch.  #3 6 rounds of 4x Bent over rows M85#/W65# incr wt ea rd., 8x SB pushups, 20 SB hops.  #4  6 rounds 6x squat clean & push press M85#/W55#, 6x sprawls, 10x back extensions 8kg.

In the warmup the men did 2 rounds with a 12kg bell and then 2 rounds with a 16kg bell.  Women used an 8kg and 12kg.  Hold onto the KB during the squat hold.  That and the duck walk are meant to increase mobility in your hips before going into the box squat.  The sandbag pushups are done with one hand on the bag and one on the floor, alternate sides each time.  Then use that same bag for your sandbag hops.

We haven't box squatted in awhile at the gym so I thought we better get it in before we start ski conditioning when we will be focusing more on the front squat.  Its kinda nice to put the barbell on your back and lift a little more.  Depending on your size, strength, flexibility and familiarity with the lift your box should be somewhere between 12-18 inches.  My guys that are 6 feet plus are doing a whole lot more work just going to 18 and lower would be too much.  On the flip side if you are shorter 18 inches is going to allow you to lift alot more because of the shorter range of motion. 

New climbing ropes in the gym...bet you can guess what's coming on Friday. 

Session 5 takes the climbers off their tools just for the day and gives them an opportunity to work durability.  Durability, good when you got it but it takes alot of work to get it.

Warmup 6 rounds of 5x RMM 25#DBs, 5x A2B on tools, 5x scarecrows 2 1/2# plates.  Training #1 6 rounds all with 25# pack 30x stepups, 5x pullups, 15 sec dbl lockoff, 30 sec plank hold.  #2 6 rounds with partner P1 1x tire pull, P2 ball slams till P1 is done.  #3 8 rounds 8x DL M105#, 4x 1-arm situps ea side 16kg, 4x standing russian twists ea side.

Lots of work here but the climbers are getting strong fast.  Typical at the beginning of a new cycle.  I expect those gains to level off in the next week or so and then the athletes will put in a few tough weeks of work before their next big gain comes along.  But for now we'll take it.

Another birthday, another challenge.  This one was for athlete, Jenny Lane, one tough lady - if she ever challenges you to something - just let her win.  It will be alot less painful.

Warmup 5 rounds of 200m run, 30 sec mtn. climbers, 30 sec plank hold, mtn. mobility ea side.  Training 5 rounds of 30 sec on/30 sec off for each exercise.  Rest 1 minute between each and count your reps.  1-leg stepups M12kg/8kg, Scotty Bob's M35#/W25#, Lateral shuffle 10m, push press M85#/W55#, HSC same wt., jumprope.

Its really the jumprope that makes or breaks this challenge.  My strongest jumpers were getting in 80 to 90 jumps per 30 seconds.  Its hard to make that up in push presses or stepups.

But the good thing about a challenge is everyone works hard - which is really what its all about.  

Firebreather.  Pretty much all I need to say.  The warmup will wake you up fast.  Part #1 will make just want to lay down and Part #3 just adds a little cruelty to the whole deal.

For those that have trained with me more than a year - they have actually done part #1.  But there are some sessions we have done that are better forgotten.  You'll remember quickly after starting.  Its not the first round that's really bad, its the second and third and fourth.  The last felt kinda good.  I wanted to cry when I finished - but since there was no one else in the gym with me its seemed pointless.  So I just moved on.

Warmup 5 rounds of Mini leg blasters, 5x box jumps, 20x situps.  Training #1 25-20-15-10-5 Burpees, 2x swings M20-24kg/W12kg.  #2 6 rounds of 7x dips 5xW, 7x H. pullups 5xW, 90 sec ab bridge complex.  #3 5 rounds of 10x ball slams, 3x TGUs ea side M12kg/W8kg, 6x lateral shuffles.

I was surprised at how tired my legs were after the last session.  That Mr. Tabata really did a job and those first few box jumps were sketchy at best.  Then the pushups in the burpees - my triceps were screaming from the first one and all I could think about were the dips coming up.  Blast through part 1.  There is no place to hide.  Work as hard as possible and get it done.  Need to breathe?  Fine, take 5 breathes and get back in the game and finish up.  For whatever reason the swings were alot easier for me than my athletes - they were breaking them up left and right but did a better job of blasting through the burpees.  I certainly had a couple burpees in there that were questionable and I saw a few that were tough to call a burpee.  Part 2 is just active rest.  Catch your breath, slow down, enjoy it cause it ends too quickly.  And the dips weren't as bad as I thought.  Part 3 again, no place to hide.

So while I may be gone...you'll be remembering me and probably throw a few curses my direction.  Which is just fine.

Enjoy!

Session 4 is another strength session for the ice climbers.  In this one all climbers will use the ice holds to practice swinging and work the strength that is needed to penetrate the ice.

Warmup  4 rounds of 10x piston press ea side 25#DB, Dead hang for time, 5x reverse curl ea side 10#DB.  Training #1 5 rounds of 5x sticks R in ice, 5x hammer swings R, 5x sticks L in ice, 5x hammer swings L, 2x laps on pegboard, 10x WTD situps 45#.  #2 5 rounds of 3x Push press incr wt ea rd, 3x bent over rows incr wt ea rd, 3x wrist rolls ea side.  #3  6 rounds of 5x 1-leg stepups ea side 2x12kg in rack position, 5x front squats w/ KBs, 5x squat jumps, 20 sec toe raises, 10x alligator pushups.

In the warmup try and hang as long as possible for each deadhang.  Its actually harder to stay on when there isn't a number goal in front of you - there in lies your challenge.  You know how long you can hang, try and push it each time.  For the "sticks" the athletes are throwing into the ice holds.  The left pick must be solid in the hold you can hang on it and each stick must be solid enough that you would be comfortable to move on it.  If not, redo.  Then a couple quick swings with the hammer to get work some power training.

In part 2 I had the athletes start at 75# for both push press and bent over row and added 10# each round.  This worked pretty well - and it was plenty by the end.  

Finally the leg portion, back to the one-leg stepups.  KBs should be in rack position and just leave them there for stepups and front squats.  Lose the bells for the jumping squats.  Toe raises should be both feet at once and take a quick break with your pushups.

The next one is more work capacity in nature with some good core strength coming into play.  A little less time on the tools to give the wrists, elbows & shoulders a bit of a break before we up the ante again on the tools.  It has a fun partner section that I am hoping the athletes will like.

Happy hanging! 

Starts out strength - slow heavy easy going.  Then by the end you will think your arms are going to fall off and you won't want to stand on your legs.  But its really fun!

Warmup 6 rounds of 3x DL, 3x hang power clean, 3x box jumps, 3x pullups.  Training #1 Work up to 1RM Power clean.  #2 10 round sof 1x power clean @90% of max, 3x elevated pushups, frog stretch.  #3 6 rounds of 3x SBGUs R, 200m SB run, 3x SBGUs L, 3x cauldrons ea side, 6x pole press w/PVC.  #4 Tabata push press M65#/W35#, rest 2-4 minutes, Tabata Front squat with same weight.

The power clean is a combination of a deadlift and a hang power clean.  The warmup is designed to break down those 2 movements, let the athletes get comfortable with them and then put it together for the power clean.  I started athletes at their 2nd round BBC weight and then used that weight for the first set of the power cleans.  Then I started adding for the max.   We have done heavy power cleans so it seemed a great way to break everyone in.  We will be doing alot more come ski conditioning - so practice now and get the movement honed.

Part 2 is part strength, part sufferfest.  Go heavy on the SBGUs - there aren't that many total.  Then take the bag for a run (the sufferfest part).  Running with a heavy bag is awkward, it crushes the lungs and mostly just feels like you are being driven into the ground.  That's where the fun part comes in.

And finally part 3 is all sufferfest.  The only good thing about it is that it's "relatively" short.  Though its going to feel like the longest 4 minutes of your life.  The push press as a lift is the worst of it.  Its just hard.  Physically - but mostly mentally.  The front squats are difficult but honestly the difficult part is just keeping the bar on your shoulders. 

Friday...firebreather.  This was just a little taste of it.  Also Doug Shepherd will be coaching all of Fridays sessions as I take a little break and work on my climbing techinique!

Round 3.  Nothing better than starting the session, or any session really with some sandbag getups and then jumping right on to the tools to get the pump going.  The guys tonight did a great job and are already showing improvement.  Another stamina effort that is sure to test your grip and holding power over time.

Warmup 5 minutes of Sandbag getups then 10x pushup mobility.  Training #1 4 rounds of 30 sec KB swings, 30 sec hang on tools.  #2  6 rounds of 30 sec double lockoff, 30 sec movement in cave or ice holds, 12x bench press M95#/W65#, 6x shoulder openers.  #3 5 rounds of 10x WTD lunges - total, 10x jumping lunges - total, 5x DOT drill, calf stretch.  #4  6 rounds of 5x A2B, 10x ball slams, 1 lap DB crawl, 5x side bends ea side.

Part 1 is really just pure grip training.  Last week you did just 3 rounds and as you progress through the cycle both the rounds and time will increase.  Part 2 again starts with more grip training but after you get pumped you are forced to move - great training for real climbing.  Then you get to do some calf training to give the arms a rest and finally a some more core training to complete the session.  Lots of work squeezed into just one hour.

Even the best of us get writer's block.  I spent more time on this one session than I have in a long time, which then only makes it harder to write something good.  The first part was easy and have been wanting to do it for awhile now - just needed the right time.  The beauty of a Curtis P is that it encompasses alot of different movements in one exercise.  Pull, push, squat and lunge, all while using the core to stabilize and actually perform the exercise.  There isn't alot left to do after all that - especially if you do more than just a few.  And there was my sticking point.  Fortunately I solved the puzzled and I think it came out pretty good in the end, if I do say so myself.

Warmup 10-1 Squats, jumping squats, pushups.  Training #1 6 rounds of 4x Curtis Ps M75-85/W45-55, 4x pullups, 400m run.  #2 10-1 DB floor press ea side M35#/W25#, Renegade row ea side M35#/W25#, x10sec jumprope, back extensions 8kg.

Easy enough.  And as happy as I am about how this turned out, I can't wait till Wednesdays...

Session 2 of ice training.  This one is easier than the first one.  As a strength session it requires short bursts of work where as the first session was a stamina effort that made the athletes work hard over a long period of time.

Warmup 5 rounds of 30x stepups w/25# pack (15# for women), 5x Scotty bob's 25#, 5x OH squats w/PVC, 5x shoulder openers.  Training #1 5 rounds of 6x WTD pullups w/ 25# pack, 6x DB thrusters 25# DBs, 30 sec OH hold, 15x situps.  #2 5 rounds of 5x hammer swings ea side, 1x STD tire pull, 10x back extensions.  #3 5 round sof 5x RDL, 10x WTD toe raise 25#DB, 1x lap peg borad, calf stretch on wall.

In part 1 use the pack only for the WTD pullups.  For the hammer swing we use a 3-5# sledge hammer and swing in one hand as if it were your ice tool.  With the other hand, hold a 15# DB in the locked out position overhead.  The tire pull is seated and should be heavy, it is the strength component of this circuit.  Finally we have our rock system boards set up as peg boards also.  Start with just 1 lap hitting all holes on the way up and the way down.  This seemed to be the most enjoyable part of the whole session.

Strength day.  Its nice to slow down and lift heavy sometimes.  Mentally the crux of this one are the burpees in the warmup but once those are done, its smooth sailing...sort of.

Warmup 3 rounds of 10x swings, 10x burpees, 10x toes to sky, 5x split squats ea side, HAM ea side.  Training #1 Work up to 1 RM Front squat.  #2 7 rounds of 2x Front squats @85%, 5x A2B.  #3 5 rounds of 5x SDHP (sumo deadlift high pull), 10x piston press ea side light, 1x seated tire pull, 5x KB floor press ea side.  #4 6 rounds of 5x Power cleans incr wt ea rd, 5x RDL, 1 lap waiter walk.

Not much rest in part 2 going from squats to A2B, so just power through and get it done.  Keep the SDHP on the lighter side along with the piston press but the tire pull and floor press should be heavy and harder.  No tire to pull?  Sub in bent over rows or horizontal pullups.  Finally on the power clean men started at 65# and women 45# and both increased by 10# ea round till 5 was hard but doable.

OK enough unloading, its time to get back to business.  Starting the new cycle out with a test of power endurance.  The two power exercises chosen were the hang squat clean - a great full-body exercise that emphasizes legs and core - and the push press - again full body but emphasizing upper body and core.  Needless to say lots of core work involved in this one, as in so many others.

Warmup 8 round sof 10x airsquats, 5x squat jumps, 5x pushups, 1x box stretch ea side.  Training #1 8 rounds of 8x HSC M75-85/W45-55#, 12x jingle jangles, 8x sunrises.  #2 8 rounds of 8x push press same wt as HSC, 6x Renegade rows ea side M35#/W25#, 10x back extensions.  #3 8 rounds of 8x side bends M16-20kg/W12kg, 60 sec dynamic plank.

Lots of new mobility stuff on the horizon for the hybrid athletes.  I have been following Kelly Starrett's mobility WOD.  Kelly is a Crossfit clinician and coach for all the mobility certifications, a physical therapist, and kind of a funny guy so it makes doing mobility a little more interesting (http://mobilitywod.blogspot.com/ ).  Anyway, he is a strong proponent of improving mobility through movements as opposed to simply stretching a muscle.  So today we try the box stretch which targets external rotation of the hip and flexion of the knee otherwise known as a squat.  A perfect mobility exercise before the 64 hang squat cleans that you have to do.  Simply place the lower leg on a box or table or bed that is about 24" high load the hip joint and then fold forward for a deeper hip stretch.  The hardest part about this one is leaving the stretch part and going back to the work part.  If feels good and through each round you should notice just a little more mobility in the joint.  Instant gratification is a great motivator.

Moving right along.  The weight for the hang squat clean should be about 50% of your max.  Err on the light side if you are unsure.  You should be able to hit all 8 for 8 round without breaking up the rounds.  Then get right into the jingle jangles.  Lots of heavy breathing but then I let you lay down and rest.  Same for the push press, pick a weight that you can do continuous for 8 rounds of 8, grind through the rows and then rest on the back extensions.  The last part simply finishes off the core with some lateral movement and bridge work.  Sixty second planks don't seem to difficult individually but pile 8 of them on top of each other and it feels like alot of work.

Session 1 for the ice climbers today.  Reality can be humbling for some but then they make the most progress in the end.  As we start into the ice sessions the athletes will begin with short bursts on their tools and gradually build throughout the cycle.  Find today's hard?  Couple weeks down the road it will be a piece of cake.

Warmup 4 rounds of 10x KB clean & press M12kg, W8kg, 6x H. pullups, 6x pushup mobility, wrist stretch ea side.  Training #1 6 rounds of 3x staggered pullups R w/ 15 sec lockoff, 3x staggered pullups L w/ 15 sec lockoff, 6x DB push press 35#/25#, 30 sec plank walkup, 30 sec plank hold.  #2 6 rounds of 5x stepups ea side w/ KBs in rack position M12kg/W8kg, 1x tire drag, 1 lap hopscotch, 15x toe raises ea leg.  #3 3 rounds of 30 sec KB swing, 30 sec dead hang on tools.

Originally there was a #4 but I cut the athletes off after the first 3.  Seemed like it was plenty and after part 3 they weren't going to be able to hold onto to anything anyway.  So what strength they might have had left was saved for holding onto the steering wheel to get home.

Tonight the athletes alternated between the hammer handles and their tools for the pullups and hangs.  While it doesn't seem like alot, if you haven't been on your tools in awhile a few pullups and a few lockoffs really add up.

Last day of unload is a partner workout.  Thought it would kinda fun, different and challenging all wrapped up into one before heading into a long weekend.  If you find yourself flying solo cut everything in half.

Warmup 100x walking lunges.  Training 1 mile run, 100x pullups, 100x box jumps, 100x airsquats by both partners, 100x SBGUs, 1 mile run.

So in the training the part only one person can be working at a time except for the airsquats - both partners must complete 100x squats before moving onto the sandbag getups.  Pretty straight forward.  Depending on your ability to do pullups will determine how long this takes.  Able to bang out 10 at a shot and you will be around 35-40 minutes.  One pullup at a time takes alot longer, even with a partner.

On the ice front, we have had 6 people take the pretest thus far with just a few more to go.  Next week we start the training.  Options include 3 days of ice training or if you want to mix in a or two of hybrid training that would be fine also.

Regular athletes will start a new cycle that will include strength, work capacity and strength endurance.  Count on a minimum of 1 strength session per week - but probably not more.  At the end of the cycle all athletes will do the pretest for ski conditioning and then move into a heavy strength cycle when the ski conditioning starts.

Reminder that the gym is closed on Monday - get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.

Little different today...trying to mix things up and give the body a break as we unload this week.  Alot of max testing but everything on a low easy level.  Its actually kind of fun and challenging all rolled into one.

Warmup 4 rounds of 100m run, 5x plank kicks ea side, 5x alligator pushups, 5x ball slams, 5x back extensions, 5x A2B.  Training #1 30x stepups, Max pullups, 30x stepups, Max pushups, 30x stepups, Max situps, 30x stepups, Max Push Press M95#/W55#, 30x stepups, Max Front squat same wt as PP, 30x stepups, Tuck hold for time, 30x stepups, Max Bench press M105#/W65#, 30x stepups, Plank hold for time.  #2 6 rounds of 5x Renegade rows ea side, 1 lap DB crawl FR/BK, 10x corkscrews ea side M25#/W15#, 5x SB Good mornings.

Some good numbers were put up by all the athletes.  For all exercises keep working till you stop.  There are no rests, just a single effort push for each.

The ice climbers started testing today.  Anyone doing the ice cycle will be required to do the pretest.  The training program starts on your next session.  Several of the sessions are written in their entirety already and I am pretty happy with how they turned out.  And more importantly i think the ice climbers are going to be happy when they hit the ice later this fall.

Couple of easier days on the horizon, makes for a great chance to recharge and maybe focus on some of your other goals for a bit.  The hybrid athletes will unload this week before starting a new cycle after Labor Day.  Ice climbers unload today and then get psyched up for their cycle.  Should be fun.

Warmup AMRAP in 10 minutes of 7x DB thrusters, 30/30 side planks, 60 sec jumprope.  Training #1 4 rounds of 400m run, 2x Hopscotch drill, 6x OH squat w/ PVC, 20 sec squat hold, 6x pushup mobility.  #2 8 rounds of 10x deadlifts M95-105#/W65#, 10x WTD situps 35#/25#, 1 lap Farmer carry, 45 sec lateral shuffle.

Nothing heavy or hard.  You'll breathe a little and maybe sweat a little but overall very doable with a little left in the tank when you're done.  The 30/30 side planks are done 30 seconds on each side - no front plank.  Do 2 laps of the hopscotch drill or 4 lengths - harder than it sounds for a school yard game.  After you do the OH squats go deep into the squat still holding the PVC and stay there for 20 seconds.  This is a mobility drill.  Try and let the hips relax and loosen up.  The difficulty of this depends on your mobility.  Tight hips and 20 seconds is an eternity.  Loose hips and you'll wonder why I didn't make it longer.  Part #2 of training is easy enough to move right through.  Steady work and you'll easily be done in under 50 minutes.   

Coach Jenkins is back in action and came up with a great strength session.  Heavy on the squat clean and a nice little firebreather at the end.  Seems this is a real kicker for the core which at first doesn't seem obvious but then makes alot of sense.

Warmup 4 rounds of 5x Goblet squats, 5x clean & press ea side, 5x sumo kb hi jump, 5x snatch ea side, 5x swings, run 200m.  M12/16kg, W8/12kg.  Training #1 Work up to 1 RM Squat clean.  #2 6 rounds of 1x squat clean @ 90%, 3x hip swivel ea side, wrist stretch.  #3 6 rounds of 3x H. pullups ea side, 5x Floor press incr wt ea round, 10x STD Russian twist - total, 10x WTD situps.  #4 5 rounds of BBC as follows; 1st rd wt, rest 60 sec., 2nd rd wt, rest 60 sec, 3rd rd wt, rest 60 sec, 2nd rd wt, rest 60 sec, 1st rd wt.

On the horizontal pullups, pull so your chest touches (or get as close as possible) R hand and then pull so it touches L hand - that's what the each side means.  Floor press starts on the floor and elbows come down only to floor and then press up.  Start a little heavy than you would a regular bench press, cause you are going to be able to go heavier.  Core combo on this is loaded at 35# for men and 25# for women.  The last part just blast through.  It gets harder before it gets easier so no need to linger - just makes it worse.

Next week...unload.

Work capacity today or really 8 minutes of Sandbag getups in disguise.  But a little easier than the last couple work capacity efforst we have done - and different which is always nice.  Basically we work for 1 minute and rest for 30 seconds over and over again.  Don't cheat yourself.  Go hard for the minute and take the rest.  It actually goes by pretty quickly and while it looks tough on the board its proves to be not so bad in the end.

Warmup 4 rounds of Mini leg blaster, 10x swings, 10x ball slams, 10x skater strides.  Training 4 rounds of 1 minute of wor/30 sec rest of Curits Ps @ 2nd rd wt of BBC, SBGU R side, box jumps, SBGUs L, jumprope, planks.

Couple things to remember when doing the leg blasters keep hands behind your head the whole time.  Swing should be comfortable but make you breath after 10.  Most men are doing 20kg and women 16kg.  Curtis Ps should be done at 2nd round BBC weight.  If you haven't done that yet - load bar so you are doing about 5x Curtis Ps every minute.  Doing more?  Add weight.  Struggling to complete 4 then take some off.  The rest is pretty self explanatory so grab a clock and get to work.

Prgramming notes:  Coming next will be an unload week.  Hybrid athletes will unload all week or 3 sessions.  Ice climbers will unload Monday then do their pretest Wednesday (or whenever your second session is) and they have an option to start the cycle or wait till the following Monday.  This is really based on the number of times per week you plan on training. 

Hybrid athletes will start a new cycle the following week and it will be a mixed bag of stuff.  At least 1 day will be strength but then the rest will be coach's choice (as if they aren't all coach's choice).  Actually we will be mixing in some strength endurance, power and work capacity to add a little variety to our training.  Especially since come October we have a big strength cycle coming up. 

Questions about where you fit in...please ask.  Not sure which program is better for you...just ask. 

Well today's strength session is going to feel a little different from Fridays, which is good.  Variety keeps things interesting and never allows the body to adapt.

Warmup  4 rounds of 30x stepups, 4x Scotty Bob's, mtn mobility ea side.  Training:  1. 5 rounds of 3x BB lunges ea side, incr wt ea rd.  M95#/W55#, 6x jumping lunges - total, 1 lap hopscotch, strider stretch.  2. 6 rounds of 6x WTD pullups 4xW M25#/W15#, 6x push press 4xW M95#/W60#, 10x poorman's hypers, 6x shoulder openers.  3. 5 rounds of 5x Mr. Spectaculars, 10x lateral shuffles, 90 sec ab bridge complex.

For the lunges, load the barbell on your back like you are doing a back squat and then just start lunging.  We added 10# each round till it was hard but still doable.  For the hopscotch lap, we run the DOT drill the other way.  I have 8 blocks of the DOT drills lined up next to each other so the athletes just did the hopscotch the length of the DOT drill instead.  Down and back is one lap.  While each circuit is difficult in its own way, the Spectaculars with the shuffles really have a way of sticking it to you. 

Big strength day today though I don't think it will feel as bad as some we have experienced.  The weight is heavy but there is not a lot of running around in between to wear you down.  For a change I let you rest in between lifts, which you'll need to reset and refocus and make everyone perfect.  The weight is too heavy to do a single one incorrectly.

Warmup 10-1 KB swings, pushups.  Training #1 Work up to 1 RM deadlift.  #2 10 rounds of 1x DL @ 90% of max every 30 seconds.  #3 Work up to 1 RM Bench Press.  #4 10 rounds of 1x BP @ 90% of max every 30 seconds.  #5 5 rounds of 200m Run, 10 x box jumps, 3x TGUs ea side, 60 sec plank.

Funny how the athletes could lift heavy weights, run, jump and get up and the plank would crush them.  Why?  While the working rounds don't seems that difficult while you are doing them, it really is alot of work especially for the core.

Enjoy..it really is kind of fun.

This is a full hour of fun.  Well, fun might be over stating but its an hour of work for sure...strongman style.  Bring out the kegs, the sandbags and the rocks and you'll be ready.

Warmup 6 rounds of 5x RMM M25#/W15#, 100m SB run.  Training #1 8 rounds of 1 lap rock squat (6) & carry, 5x keg lifts ea side, 5x KB clean & press M16-20kg/W12kg.  #2  8 rounds of 1x tire drage, 4x SBGUs ea side, 30 sec OH hold M70-80#/W45-50#.

Pretty self explantory.  Rock squat - hold the rock high on your chest and squat 6x and then carry - we carry a total of 50m.  The OH hold - use a barbell and load appropriately then lock out over head for 30 seconds.  The weight should be heavy enough that at the end of 30 seconds you are ready to drop it.  Too easy - add weight.  Great way to build spinal stability and get used to having weight above your head.

Lots of volume of here and alot of work.  Just put your head down and grind through it.

 Nothing like starting the week with the barbell complex - at least its done.  I have always had a love/hate relationship with the barbell complex, as you might have guessed.  Its such a great tool for warming up, for work capacity efforts, and for measuring progress but it sucks.  Though we all know there's nothing better than watching your finish weight go up, just ask Mike.   The first try, however, at a higher weight...well those are the hardest efforts.  It hurts.  Its hard to focus.  The body says no, the mind says keep going.  And that's all in the first 10 minutes of the session.

After all that you get to continue on with a test of Push press max.  It will be interesting to see where the numbers come in after a great session last week with the push press.  Some leg work and total body work round out the session, not a minute too soon.

Warmup 4 rounds of the Barbell complex - incr wt ea rd.  Training #1 Work up to 1 RM push press.  #2 6 rounds of 2x push press @85%, 5x ball throws, 3x Renegade rows ea side - HVY, 4x STD Russian twists ea side.  #3 6 rounds 5x 1-leg stepups ea side M1x12kg/W2x8kg, 10x jumping lunges - total, 5x Goblet squats - HVY, 5x A2B.  #4 5 roundns 5x Power cleans M115#/W65#, 5x squat jumps, 5x RDL - HVY, 10x GHD situps.

Had the pleasure of training with Jenny, John & Jeremy with morning.  Its so rewarding for me to watch my athletes grow and become stronger but its also pretty fun to jump in and throw down with them also.  Thanks guys!

So the original plan was another big strength day, but after two hard sessions this week I knew that would result in disaster.  So I pulled out the eraser and started over.  Today's session is part strength and part recovery.  I felt the need to stick to my original strength plan so we will still do heavy bench presses but then decided we should work some different muscles and focus on some recovery and a little less of the beat down.  Having done this, I am happy that I changed it.

Warmup 4 rounds of 200m run, 5x WTD alligator pushups, 5x horizontal pullups, 5x slasher halos ea side.  Training #1 5 rounds of 3x Bench press incr. wt ea rd, 3x Sprawls, 5x Bent over rows, 5x shoulder dislocates.  #2 6 rounds of 1 lap lateral tire drag, 6x lateral shuffles, 10x WTD situps, pigeon stretch ea side.  #3 6 rounds of 1 lap Bear crawl, 15x plank kicks R, 30 sec Mtn climbers, 15x plank kicks L, 15x Swings.

I started athletes at 65% of last max on the bench press and increased from there.  The bent over rows were 95# for men and 65# for women and that stayed constant.  Make sure when doing the lateral tire drag to face the same way in both directions so each leg getst he chance to be the lead leg.  For the shuffles I just set up a jingle jangle length and do a lateral shuffle between the cones.  Finally keep the swings light at the end - men 16kg-20kg and women 12kg.  I added them only to give the core a break from all the isometric planks.

The lateral tire drag and shuffle, while difficult, felt good.  So many of the lifts and circuits we do keep us in a linear plane so its nice to break away for a bit.  The weights aren't heavy or the shuffle long but you will still be breathing because we are using different muscles in a different way.  Mentally it was a nice change of pace and physically my body thanked me for training smart - not just hard.

I wish I could take credit for this one but I can't.  This session was actually written by Rob Shaul from Mountain Athlete and is really called the Ultimate Ski Machine.  Its always scared me a little bit so I never tried it.  Then I decided it was time...so here we go.

Warmup 4 rounds of Mini Leg Blaster, 10x situps, 5x pushups, 10x skater strides.  Training 15 - 1 Deadlift, Hang Squat Clean, DB curl & press, GHD situps, Toe raises ea leg.

I added the toe raise - cause I thought I might need a breather and I needed to get some in for the ice climbers.

The new mobility is the skater strides.  Stand on one leg and cross the other leg behind so the outside of the foot touches the ground.  Hop laterally onto the foot and cross the other leg behind.  Great mobility for lateral movment and an IT band stretch.

This is a full hour of work so grind through and get it done.