Labor Day Workout Program - Day 2: Strength (Level II)

Day 2: Strength, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

I'm working on adding more instructional videos to my Youtube channel to explain exercise technique and exercise progressions.  Until I get that up and running you will have to do some research on your own for exercises that you aren't familiar with.  Check the LEAF Lifestyles channel for weight training exercise instruction.  Check out my main man Al Kavadlo's channel for instruction on bodyweight training, like pistol squats and single-arm push-ups.

Bodyweight Workout

10-minute joint mobility and dynamic warm-up

THEN:

20x Bodyweight Squat + 10x Hanging Leg Raise (HLR) w/ 2 second pause at top

Perform 3 Rounds

THEN:

5x Plyo Push-up + Stretch Plank 20 seconds

Perform 3 Rounds

THEN:

5x Pistol Squat + 5x Single-arm Push-up (SAPU)

Perform 5 rounds

THEN:

20x Walking Lunge + 10x Frog Jumps

Perform 4 Rounds

THEN:

Cool down

Note: Use the progression of Pistol Squat and Single-arm Push-up that fits your skill level.  Limiting ROM by squatting to bench or assisting yourself with a pole are good progressions for Pistols.  Progressions for SAPU are the same as a regular push-up.  Start from the wall, move down to a bench, go to your knees on the floor, and limiting ROM are all ways to progress the SAPU. 

Gym Workout 

If you are unfamiliar with the Turkish Getup or uncomfortable with anything in this program do the Strength Level I program I posted today.

10-minute joint mobility and dynamic warm-up

THEN:

20x Kettlebell Swing (KBS) + 10x Hanging Leg Raise (HLR) w/ 2 second pause at top

Perform 3 rounds

THEN:

5x Turkish Getup (each side) @ approx. 70% of 1RM

THEN:

5x Deadlift (DL) @ between 70-80% 1RM + 5x Single-arm Push-up (SAPU) Progression

Perform 4 Rounds

THEN:

10x DL @ 50% 1RM + 25x Box Jump @ 24” box

Perform 3 rounds, no breaks

THEN:

Cool down

Note: Progressions for SAPU are the same as a regular push-up.  Start from the wall, move down to a bench, go to your knees on the floor, and limiting ROM are all ways to progress the SAPU.  

3 Sprint Workouts to Ignite Fast Twitch Muscle and Your Metabolism

When you have to catch your meal or run for your life, only the fast survive. Our Paleolithic ancestors evolved to move in ways that ensured their survival.  Based on what we know about their lives and hunting methods we can assume that there was a premium on running fast.

Their hunter-gatherer existence meant that food was often scarce while danger was abundant.   Those that moved the fastest had the best chances for catching dinner, while the slowest had the best chances of being dinner.

In order to move fast our ancestors had to travel light.  They carried only what was necessary for survival and couldn’t afford to have anything slowing them down, especially body fat!

When sprinting means life or death, there is the ultimate premium on power-to-weight ratio.  Under those circumstances body mass must be as functional as possible.  Any excess in adipose tissue, aka body fat, beyond what was needed for basic metabolic functions and emergency energy stores is a hindrance.

If you want to build a primal physique that is lean with dense, explosive muscle you have got to start sprinting.  Sprinting is the ultimate expression of total body power, coordination and grace.  It’s a movement pattern that is hard wired into our primal DNA.  It is also one of my favorite forms of exercise for several reasons.  For starters, it is exercise minimalism at its best.  Literally, no equipment needed and you can do it anywhere.  I also love it because it is such a bang for your buck exercise.  Sprinting is a fat burning monster that builds a killer physique and explosive power.  Obviously it builds great legs, but it is also a great exercise for building chiseled abs and shoulders.

3 Sprint Workouts to Build A Primal Physique

1.  The K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, stupid)

This workout will develop your top end speed/power output.  It is as simple as it gets, hence the name.  Sprint the straight-aways and walk or slowly jog the curves for active rest.  This works on a football field too if you take extra time walking the width of the field because it will be far shorter than the curved portion of a track.

First, you must understand that you should not start a rep until you have recovered from the previous rep to a point that you can actually sprint at or near your top capacity again.  If you are still breathing hard from the previous rep, rest longer.  Running a bunch of 70% effort reps because you didn’t rest enough is an endurance workout that is training your body to run medium fast by activating slow twitch fibers.  A good rule of thumb is to wait until your heart rate has gone back into the 120’s or lower before sprinting again.

The best neuromuscular and fat burning adaptations come from high intensity reps.  Your goal is to stimulate fast twitch fibers, which have the most potential for power and growth.  Also keep in mind that high intensity reps, meaning those run at a level that is at least 85% of your top speed, stimulate the greatest growth hormone release which is responsible for burning body fat and improving your power-to-weight ratio.

Break the 100 meters up in the following manner:

• First 20 meters is an easy build-up to top speed. Focus on lengthening your stride, picking up your knees and building the speed of your arm swing towards a theoretical top speed.
• 20 to 80 meters is show time baby!  If you did the first part correctly you should be in full stride and at about 70-80% of your theoretical top speed at the 20-meter mark.  At 20 meters you want to step on the gas hard, accelerating to your top speed and then trying to hold on for as long as possible.   This will take you to the 80-meter mark and the end of your realistic acceleration capabilities.
• Between 80 to 100 meters your goal is to hold on to good form, staying relaxed and graceful.  You are still trying to run hard, but you have to be realistic here. Straining to run harder when you are out of gas is how you get hurt. If you are making an ugly face at the finish you are fighting it too hard.
• Do not come to an abrupt stop!  Gradually slow down to a very light jog or walk.

Jog the curve slower than you think or just walk.  This is not a conditioning drill.  You want each sprint to be near your theoretical top speed because that is what creates the adaptations that build power and dense muscle while burning fat.

2.  Rhythm Sprint

Acceleration is crucial for sprinting because the person that can get to their top speed the quickest has a huge advantage.  The importance is magnified in athletic competition, or real life, when the distance of the sprint isn’t pre-determined and the ability of one person to accelerate faster than another may be the difference in the sprint lasting 20 meters or 200 meters.   Let’s say I find myself in the wrong place with a pissed off attack dog bearing down on me and a fence I can jump to safety 40 meters away.  If I can accelerate fast enough to keep my distance from the dog that sprint will last 40 meters to the fence regardless of my actual top speed.  If I don’t accelerate fast enough and the dog bites a chunk out of my ass at 20 meters my top speed is irrelevant and so are the pants I was wearing.  This logic applies big time to football and soccer as well.

Acceleration training is also great for building a lean primal physique because it is the phase of sprinting when fast twitch fibers are firing the hardest and when your body is working the hardest to provide explosive energy, which stimulate the release of positive growth factors.

You will need something to mark off distances like cones or lines on a football field to do this workout.  Mark off 100 yards with markers at each 10-yard increment.  Start each set accelerating as fast as possible until you get to the first marker at 10 yards.  As soon as you hit that marker slow down dramatically without shortening your stride. Your stride length should stay the same while your stride frequency slows down.  When you hit the next marker (20-yards) accelerate again until you get to the 30-mark where you will once again slow down your stride frequency.   Continue that same rhythm until you have finished the 100-yard set.

3.  Abuse of Power

This is workout touches on all phases of sprinting (acceleration, top speed, and power endurance), but tends to favor adaptations in power endurance, which is a relative term in this case.

• Start workout with five 40-yard sprints accelerating hard out of the start.  Rest at least 2 minutes with fast and loose drills.
• Follow that with three 75-yard sprints focusing hard on hitting your top speed and maintaining it as long as possible without tightening up.  Rest at least 3 minutes with fast and loose drills.
• Finish the workout with two 150-yard sprints.  Focus on staying relaxed, even breath rhythm and maintaining good form.  Straining for something that isn’t there will only slow you down more (a metaphor for life).  Rest 5 minutes or longer between sets so you can give each 150 your absolute best.

After you have done this workout several times you can add a little volume.  Start by adding a couple sets of 75-yard sprints.  After that you can add another 150, while taking away one 75-yarder.  I don’t recommend doing more volume than that in one workout.  If you feel you are recovering well from this workout add frequency of sprint workouts to your weekly split rather than more volume per workout.

Start your quest for a primal physique by adding one of these workouts to your weekly routine, preferably not after a leg intensive workout or plyometric training day.  After 2-3 weeks feel free to add a second training day with a different workout.  Respect your body during sprint workouts.  If you start getting tight or feeling twinges in a muscle shut the workout down early.

Building a primal physique with minimalist training is about addition by subtraction.  The unnecessary is discarded to make room for the maximum development of attributes that are necessary.  This approach to training will unlock your athletic potential by tapping into your primal genetics.   It also serves as a metaphor for a very enlightened way to live.

Labor Day Workout Program – Day 1: Circuit

The Labor Day barbecues are one week away and you have a lot of work to do to earn a cheat day.  I can’t promise miracles in 7 days, but if you follow this workout program and the upcoming nutrition articles you will set yourself up for a guilt-free Labor Day. I have created two versions of the workout program.  One program is bodyweight only for those of you without access to equipment or that just love the minimalist approach.  The second program is for those of you with access to a gym.  Feel free to try some of the bodyweight workouts and some of the gym workouts for variety.

I tried to keep the movements and equipment requirements basic because everyone has different situations and levels of fitness.  Obviously, I can’t write a program that is individually tailored for everyone.  This is a loose outline so make adjustments as you need to.  Be solution oriented.

Day 1: Circuit, Tuesday, August 26 –

Bodyweight Workout

10-minute joint mobility and dynamic warm-up

THEN:

50x Jumping Jacks + 20-30 second high plank for 5 rounds (note: increase speed of jumping jacks in each set)

THEN:

Prisoner Squats (hands behind head) 3 sets x 20 reps

Jump Squats 3 x 10

Tuck Jumps 3 x 8

Notes: Take a 30-60 second rest between each set of each exercise.  Perform all three sets of each exercise before moving on to the next exercise.

THEN:

6-Way Circuit: Perform 6 reps of each of the following 6 exercises (6x Pull-ups + 6x Pike Press + 6x Australian Row + 6x Push-up + 6x Walking Lunge + 6x Lateral Lunge)

Do 4-6 rounds non-stop taking only minimal breaks when needed.

Notes: Use band, chair or partner to assist on pull-ups if necessary…Pike press is like a push-up from down dog position…Australian Row is also commonly known as an inverted row or Australian push-up.  This can be done with a suspension trainer if you don’t have a low straight bar. 

THEN:

Burpees 4 rounds (20 seconds work/40 seconds rest)

Gym Workout

10-minute Joint Mobility and Dynamic Warm-up

THEN:

50x Jumping Jacks + 20-30 second physio ball plank for 5 rounds (note: increase speed of jumping jacks in each set…stir the pot on physio ball planks if you are ready for that progression)

THEN:

Back Squats 3 sets x 20 reps @ 75-135#

Jump Squats 3 x 10

Tuck Jumps 3 x 8

Notes: Take a 30-60 second rest between each set of each exercise.  Perform all three sets of each exercise before moving on to the next exercise.

THEN:

7-Way Barbell Circuit: Perform 6 reps of each of the following 6 exercises (6x Deadlift + 6x Bent Row + 6x Front Squat + 6x Push-Press + 6x Back Squat + 6x Pull-ups + 6x Push-ups) @ 75-95#

Do 4 rounds non-stop taking only minimal breaks when needed.

THEN:

Burpees 4 rounds (20 seconds work/40 seconds rest)

Notes: Adjust weights according to your fitness level.  I suggest being conservative the first time through this workout.  You can always add weight the next time. 

# = lbs.

Return to Your Lean, Muscular Primal Roots

In the last decade there has been a shift in thinking within the universal mind of the those involved in physical culture.  By "universal mind," I mean the collective thoughts and goals of the community of us that consider exercise a necessary part of our lifestyle. The age of the hypertrophy obsessed bodybuilder and the strength training phobic female has been ushered out in favor of a return to our primal roots.  Today, both men and women are congregating in the middle areas of the spectrum of physical culture where a functional brand of fitness resides.

Let me just say that I hate using the word "functional" to describe this shift because I personally think it has been played out beyond belief and lost much of its original meaning, but it does do a great job of describing a philosophy of physical training that maximizes all the attributes of athleticism and sustainability that the human body has evolved to have in abundance.

Without the optimal balance of movement skill, coordination, strength, speed, power, endurance, body composition, resilience, mental focus and toughness our ancestors would not have made it possible for us to be here today.  Personally, I think we owe it to the generations to come to carry on that tradition of physicality and mind/body connection.  Even if human survival is never again dependent on the direct abilities of the human body the way it was in the past, it is always better to have something you don't need than to need something you don't have.

Over the last decade there has been a shift in the kind of body men and women want to develop through their training.  Men want to be lean, muscular and athletically fit for action (or at least look that way).  No more bodybuilding physiques that are all show and no go.  Women want to feel empowered by building strength, muscle and athleticism.  They have realized that feminine is strong.  They don't want to rely on a man for strength, they want to lift if, carry it, or do it on their own.

The good news is that there is one single exercise that can accomplish all these goals.  It is at the same time one of the most crucial types of movement to human survival and the most underrated forms of exercise.  If you haven't figured it out yet I'm talking about sprinting!

Sprinting has so many benefits that I can’t even begin to cover them all the way I would like in one article.  Whether you are a high performance athlete, a weekend warrior looking to get an edge, or someone who wants to improve body composition, sprinting is something that you absolutely MUST integrate into your program.

It is the most reliable way to increase any athlete’s performance is to improve his or her strength-to-weight ratio.  That is a fancy way of saying minimizing the amount of bodyfat the athelete carries while maximizing functional muscle mass.  Pay attention to the next pro track meet you see on television and you will notice that even the last place finishers in the sprint events looks like a world champion thoroughbred.  They all have great muscular development, especially the posterior chain, with very low bodyfat revealing chiseled abs.

Increased posterior chain development is another HUGE reason to start sprinting.  If you’re like most Americans that sit on your butt all day in front of a computer screen your posterior chain is probably not your best ass-et (pun intended).  This is because the glutes and muscles in the upper back literally “turn off” when you sit down typing on a computer or holding a steering wheel all day because they are lengthened and relaxed for hours on end.

Here is a basic weekly training split that incorporates sprinting.  The reason there is only one day devoted to strength training for legs is because sprinting is such a great leg developer.  Doing another day of leg training would be overkill.

• Monday: Primarily Upper Body: Horizontal Push and Pull Day
• Tuesday: Sprints
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Primarily Legs (alternate between hip/quad dominant exercises every other week)
• Friday: Primarily Upper Body: Vertical Push and Pull Day
• Saturday: Sprints
• Sunday: Rest

When you are doing your sprint workouts the warm-up is critical to avoid injury, especially if you haven’t been doing any sprinting or plyometric style workouts.  The following is a good general warm-up routine:

Warm-up Exercises

Distance

Sets

Rest Period

Light Jog

400 m

1

2-3 mins

Joint Mobility (Head to toes)

n/a

1

none

Front-to-back Leg Swing (Hip Flexor)

n/a

1

none

Side-to-side Leg Swing (Hips)

n/a

1

none

Backward Lunge into Hamstring

20 m

1

none

Spider Walk

20 m

1

none

Walking March w/ Hamstring Activation

20 m

1

none

Knee Pulls w/ External Hip Rotation

20 m

1

none

High Knees

20 m

2

1 min

Butt Kicks

20 m

2

1 min

Cariocas

20 m

2

1 min

A-Skips

20 m

2

1 min

Strides, Half Speed

50 m

2

2 min

Split your sprint days into an 80% day and a max effort day for the first 3 to 4 weeks doing less volume on your max effort days.  Your sprint distance should be between 50 and 75 yards.  That is about as long as most people can actually accelerate with 75 yards being the absolute elite upper limit of acceleration.  Anything longer than that becomes strength endurance work, which is great, but is best to be saved for down the road after you have at least 8 weeks of shorter sprints under your belt.

Start with 6-10 sprints on the 80% day and 5-7 on the max effort day in your first 3 to 4 weeks depending on where your conditioning is at.  If you haven't been doing any sprinting or plyometric training you should be very conservative.  After the first phase progressive up your volume on the 80% day to as many as 20 sprints, but keep the max number on the max effort day at 10 or less.

If your primary goal is fat loss your rest periods should be between 60-90 seconds.  If your primary goal is strength/speed/muscular development your rest periods should be in the 3 to 4 minute range so that you can fully recover for another 80%, 90%, or max effort sprint.  If conditioning is more of a priority you can shorten your rest periods to as low as 30 seconds.

There is one thing, however, that should always stay the same.  Sprint, not run, as fast as you can.  If your speed starts slowing down too much take a longer break before continuing with your regular rest periods.  If you are still struggling to maintain form or speed call it a day because you're done.  Sprint workouts drain your body in a way that is different from endurance training.  Less is usually more, especially in the beginning.  Your focus in these workouts is max, or near max effort, not volume.

Always conclude your sprint workouts with a cool down including some 50% effort striders, a slow jog, and an active assisted hamstring stretch using a towel, band, or help from a friend.  Remember, be conservative with your volume the first few times you hit the track.  It’s best to ease your way into a sprint routine.  The volume will come with a little time.

A well designed and executed sprint program can be an efficient strategy for fat loss, muscle growth and/or maintainence, increased anaerobic capacity, and a great posterior chain.  It also never hurts to be able to run fast if the need arises.  Remember, it is better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.  To paraphrase a quote by Arthur Jones:

Every man and woman should have the athletic ability and physical fitness to save his or her own life.

Hierarchy of Fat Loss: Los Angeles

Teaching my body transformation clients how to prioritize their time and energy on addressing and applying change to their life is the most important thing I teach. The level of success anyone has with weight loss is directly correlated to the net improvement of their decision-making over a period of time.

The level of success anyone has with weight loss is directly correlated to the net improvement of their decision-making over a period of time.

To ensure that you have a large net improvement, your decision-making must be in the black in all the following areas: nutrition, physical exercise, time management and planning.  In an effort to make the learning process easy for my clients I was inspired by Alwyn Cosgrove to create my own Fat Loss Hierarchy for Los Angeles*.  Los Angeles is one of the easiest cities in the US in which to get fit because we have amazing places to train, high quality food, and knowledgeable health & fitness professionals, but you still have to know how to prioritize your time and energy because it is limited.  Use the following hierarchy as your guide for prioritizing your time and energy to maximize your results.

1. Proper nutrition is #1 in the Fat Loss Hierarchy.  You can’t out train a bad diet.  Improving food choices is the biggest hurdle to jump when your goal is fat loss.  The more natural and less processed your diet the better.  Year round great weather in Southern California ensures that we have access to fresh produce all year long.  The 3rd Street Promenade farmer’s market on Wednesday or the Sunday farmer’s market in Hollywood are the best in the city with a great variety of organic produce and grass-fed meat without spending your whole paycheck at Whole Foods.  You can even score raw dairy products for a reasonable price at both of these markets.
2. Nutrition is so important that it also holds the #2 spot. Even though Angelino’s tend to get a late start to work they are hard working, busy people that burn the midnight oil.  Many of you don’t have time to do your own cooking. Fortunately, food delivery services like My Fit Foods and Annie's Edibles will custom make your meals to meet your weight loss goals, satisfy your palate, and address your allergy concerns.
3. Surrounding yourself with positive influences is #3 on my list.  It is said that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.  Make an effort to spend more time with positive people that support your goals.  Hire a trainer, find a training partner, or join a group that will hold you accountable and support you.

4. Up to 3 hours/week of resistance interval training with bodyweight exercises and basic implements like barbells and kettlebells is by far the best use of exercise time for fat loss. I have Body Transformation clients that have made dramatic changes doing only calisthenics (bodyweight training) and kettlebell exercises.  Research has shown experienced subjects doing a kettlebell swing burned an average of 20.2 calories a minute, making it one of the most efficient fat burning exercises ever tested.  At that rate you would burn 1200 calories in an hour!  The best part about calisthenics and kettlebells is that you can do them anywhere while enjoying the sunshine and beautiful views around Los Angeles
5. High Intensity Anaerobic IntervalTraining (HIIT) is the next best use of training time if you have another 1-2 hours to train/week.  Hillsprints are my top suggestion for HIIT training.  The hills in the neighborhood north of Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica or the sand dunes in Manhattan Beach are two of my favorite locations.  Sometimes to mix it up I do sprint interval workouts on stairs.  Matt Aporta from Stronger Faster Healthier introduced me to the Culver City stairs which offer the most challenging stair workout in the city.  The staircase is over 230 yards with randomly varied step heights that have an average height of 10.5" and a max height of 20".  I still haven't gotten the chance to thank Matt with a kettlebell workout yet.
6. Aerobic intervals and steady state aerobics round out the best kinds of training for weight loss if you have even more time to exercise.  Since most people spend way too much time inside during the day, I like to recommend getting as much exercise outside as possible.  Rowing, swimming and cycling are great ways to get your aerobic exercise.  If you like a little variety and more intensity try a fitness scavenger hunt.  If you are interested in swimming, Santa Monica College has open swim hours at their world class salt water pool facility.  I get my aerobic exercise by commuting back and forth from work all week on my bike.  Several of my clients that are big cyclists tell me that the roads in the Santa Monica Mountains are the best in Los Angeles for riding.

Time and energy are our most precious and limited resources.  People that have the most success in any area of life are the ones that do the best job of utilizing them.  Use my fat loss hierarchy as your guide to ensure that you will be a massive success.

*This hierarchy applies to fat loss in any city.  With a little research I'm sure you can find places similar to the ones I describe in your town.