Conditioning

Conditioning Overview 

I believe there are two different types of conditioning. First is sport specific. This is somewhat self explanatory but think along the lines of runners run, jumpers jump and throwers throw. There is a reason that powerlifters and marathons runners look different. The body adapts to specific training and will be conditioned for that specific purpose. However, there are many sports and life events that require a full spectrum of physical readiness. This is where general physical preparedness (GPP) comes into play. Think about about hiking deep into the woods to hunt a deer. You need to have the endurance to get out there. The strength to carry the deer out and the speed/agility to out run that bear that is chasing you. (FYI you are not out running a bear.) I’ll go into more detail below but my favorite ways to build GPP is through various weighted carries, sled pushing/drags, rucking and hill sprints.

Challenges

10 minute farmers walk challenge. This one is simple. Just pick up two DBs, KBs, or a trap bar and walk for 10 minutes. Put the weight down only when you absolutely need to. Vary the weight and have some fun. Bonus: Walk in one direction away from where you are training the whole 10 minutes. The fun part will be getting the weights home.

30 minute push-up, dip, pull-up

If you don’t have access to weights these 3 movements are the best for upper body development and the ability to move your own bodyweight efficiently is always a good thing.

A solid goal is 150 of each movement in the 30 minutes.

Tip: Perform sub max sets to get the highest total of each movement. ie if you can do 30 push-ups, 20 dips and 10 pull-ups, break up each set into 10 push-ups, 5 dips and 2-3 pull-ups.

If you find that your elbow starts to flair up don’t keep pushing.

The Eagle. This one comes from Dan John and its no joke. The only equipment needed is two kettlebells and the movements are simple. Clean the kettlebells to the front rack position. Perform 8 double kettle bell front squats. Drop the KBs to your sides and farmers walk them 20 yards. Clean the kettlebells back to the front rack position and perform 8 more squats. Do this for a total of 8 times. Males aim for 24 kg per hand, females 16 kg per hand. If you can complete this workout at those weights you are ready for just about anything.

64 total squats, 140 yards farmer walk, and a whole lot of time hanging onto two kettlebells. Simple and brutal.

TABATA

Farmers walk (aim for bodyweight and go from there)

KB swing

Front squat (start light. 65lbs will get heavy very fast)

Thruster

Med ball slam

Battling ropes

Assault Bike (one of my favorite pieces of equipment)

Concept Rower

Prisoner squat

KB swing + push-up (getting up and down adds a level of difficulty)

Push-up + TRX row

Plank + jump rope/battling ropes

The TABATA protocol consists of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds. A total of 4 minutes. It can be done with any exercise you want but some are far superior to others.  This protocol can be used as a “finisher” or string a couple together and call it a day. The point of a finisher is to be the cherry on top of a workout; condensing a high volume of work in a short amount of time. These can be used to lower body fat, improve conditioning, test mental toughness and get that “ass kicked” feeling after a workout. These are to be used sparingly but when they are done effort level needs to be high to get the full benefits.

Here is a list of some of my favorite exercises to implement with the TABATA protocol.

As many rounds/reps as possible (AMRAP)

15 KB swings

10 Goblet squats

5 Push-ups

10-20 minute AMRAP

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Bear crawl 10 yards in each direction, forward, back, side and other side. Then hop right up to a pull-up bar.

Hang on a pull-up bar for 30 seconds then do 2 pull-ups. (If you can’t do a pull-up just hang.)

10-20 minute AMRAP — Hanging is great for the shoulders, grip, posture and keeping the pull-ups to a reasonable amount helps avoid the elbows from flaring up.

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The AMRAP protocol calls for as many rounds or reps of a certain exercise in a given time. As with the TABATA method the possibilities are pretty much endless but here are a few that I/my clients have used regularly.

Double Kettlebells 20 minute AMRAP (strength focused)

5 double swings

5 double clean and presses

5 double front squat

5 Gorilla rows

5 Push-ups on the bells

All bodyweight 20 min AMRAP

10 bodyweight squats or 15 bodyweight squats

5 push-ups or 10 push-ups

3 pull-ups or 5 pull-ups