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.