Week 6
WATCH THIS FIRST.
Week 6 Training Plan & Exercises
- Please do the following workouts "in order".
- If unable to do a workout (because of work, family, illness), just skip it and move on to the next (do not try to catch up).
- Any QUESTIONS: please post on the Facebook page so everyone can benefit from the answer.
Workouts - Week 6
Day 1: ENDURANCE: WEIGHTED STAIRS OR HILL CLIMB - 60MIN.
Day 2: ENDURANCE RUN: RUN SQUATS 20-45MIN.
Day 3: STRENGTH: HEAVY DEADLIFT - 30-45MIN.
Day 4: STRENGTH: HEAVY SHOULDER RAISES - 20-30MIN.
Day 5: ENDURANCE: KETTLLEBELL SWING - 20-30MIN.
Day 6: REST DAY.
Day 7: SPEED-FOCUSED RUN - 30-45MIN.
Exercise Descriptions & Instructions
ENDURANCE: WEIGHTED STAIRS OR HILL CLIMB - 60MIN
What you will need: a long hill or a building with 10 floors or more, a weight-vest or a comfortable backpack you can fill weight weights (e.g. bottles of water or sand).
Total weight to use: 25%-30% of your "target" bodyweight. E.g. if your target bodyweight is 60Kg, use 15kg-20kg.
Your form and posture are important. Keep your eyes looking straight ahead, do not tilt your head down. Keep your hips tilted forward: imagine your hips are a glass of water, you don't want the water to spill from the front.
**WARMUP** - repeat 3 times: go up 3 flights of stairs then go back down WITHOUT any weight.
**MAIN SET**
Go up 15 flights of stairs at a walking pace, then walk back down. If using a hill: walk up the hill continuously for 5min, then walk back down.
Level 0: No added weight - 3 total sets.
Level 1: weight weights - 3 total sets.
Level 2: with weights, 5 total sets.
Level 3: with weights, 7 total sets.
Real Life Application: the ability to have the full-body strength (hips, legs, core, shoulders, etc) to carry a weight or bag up a hill is a basic human ability we've all lost. We need to gain it back!
ENDURANCE RUN: RUN SQUATS 20-45MIN
What you will need: a place to run or a treadmill.
NOTE: if using a treadmill, set incline at 1% during the whole exercise.
See video for demonstration of bodyweight squat.
Level 0
- 20min of continuous run at a comfortable pace (slowest pace you can sustain for the duration) with 10 bodyweight squats every 5min.
Level 1
- 30min continuous run with 20 bodyweight squats every 5min.
- Run pace: Heart rate zone 2, or Effort level 7/10. You should be able to breath comfortably and speak in short sentences.
- NOTE: if unable to run, speed-walk.
Level 2
- 45min continuous run with 30 bodyweight squats every 5min.
- Run pace: Heart rate zone 2, or Effort level 7/10. You should be able to breath comfortably and speak in short sentences.
Level 3
- 45min continuous run with 40 bodyweight squats every 5min.
- Run pace: Heart rate zone 2, or Effort level 7/10. You should be able to breath comfortably and speak in short sentences.
Real Life Application: one of the best exercises to build endurance in your legs without the damaging pounding from running long distances!
HEAVY DEADLIFT - 30-45MIN
What you will need: a barbell and weights.
Watch this video for a demonstration of the exercise.
WARNING: make sure you follow all instructions in this video as this is a HIGH risk exercise. If in doubt, consult a trainer at your local gym. Watch our for these from the video:
(i) keeping the bar touching your body/legs throughout the WHOLE movement.
(ii) NEVER EVER let your lower back round. Watch her lower back in the video, it's completely FLAT, and that's how it should be.
1-2min rest between each set. All levels.
- Set 1: 5 repetitions with the lowest weight: empty bar or very light weight.
- Set 2: 5 repetitions with the lowest weight: empty bar or very light weight.
- Set 3: 5 reps adding 10kg to the bar.
- Set 4: same weight as set 3.
- Set 5: 5 reps adding 10kg to the bar.
- Set 6 onwards: Keeping adding weight with every set. Once you reach a set you can only do 5 times, STAY at that weight and do 3 more sets.
Real Life Application: the deadlift, when done properly, is the single best exercise to build full-body strength. In addition, it builds the strength required to lift heavy objects off the ground without getting injured (a basic human requirement).
SHOULDER RAISES - HEAVY - 20-30MIN
What you will need: a set of dumbbells.
1min rest between each set. You can click on the name of each exercise for a video demonstration.
All levels.
Exercise 1: Dumbbell Front Raises. 6 sets of 5 repetitions alternating arms. First 3 sets gradually going from very light weight to a weight that feels challenging. Then do 3 sets with that "challenging" weight.
Exercise 2: Dumbbell Lateral Raises. 6 sets of 5 repetitions. First 3 sets gradually going from very light weight to a weight that feels challenging. Then do 3 sets with that "challenging" weight.
Real Life Application: developing overall shoulder strength and resilience.
ENDURANCE FOCUSED KETTLE-BELL SWING - 30MIN
What you will need: a kettle-bell or dumbbell. Use weight equivalent to 20% of your target bodyweight (e.g. my target weight is 78kg, 15% = 16kg).
Watch this video for a demonstration of the exercise, especially if you're not very familiar with the movement.
NOTE: the purpose here is to POWERFULLY thrust your hips forward with every movement. The "power" in this exercise comes from DRIVING the hips forward, NOT the arms/shoulders.
NOTE 2: KEEP YOUR LOWER BACK FLAT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MOVEMENT.
Exercise: each set of KB swings: up to 15 repetitions (stop when you can no longer do the movement with proper form).
Level 0: 5 sets total, Level 1: 8 sets, Level 2: 12 sets, Level 3: 15 sets.
1min rest between each set.
SPEED-FOCUSED RUN - 30-45MIN
What you will need: treadmill or a road measured to 400m in length, water to hydrate. If you have access to a running track, use it. If not, use your phone or GPS to measure 400m.
Stay mentally focused on the task at hand, and always ALWAYS maintain good running form.
**WARMUP** - 10min easy jog.
**MAIN SET** All of these should be done at YOUR OWN maximum SUSTAINABLE speed with GOOD FORM!!!
- 400m run at max speed, followed by 1min rest.
Level 0: Up to 5 sets.
Level 1: 5 to 8 sets.
Level 2: 9 to 12 sets.
Level 3: 13 to 15 sets.
Real Life Application: studies have shown that a FAST run of 400-500m is typically what is needed to get away from most threats.