Hi all,

Welcome to Week 6 of 8 of our “Longer Workouts” cycle. And WELCOME to week two of December. I’m working on a new look and feel AND new content starting in the New Year for this newsletter, more details to come!

Let’s get into it.

Day 1 

• Mobility

  • Low Runners Lunge

  • World’s Greatest Stretch + Hamstring Stretch

  • Samson Stretch 

  • Inchworms + Push-up

• Warm-up - complete 4 rounds of…

  • 10 Plank Shoulder Taps (Left + Right = 1)

  • 20 Unweighted Forward Lunges (10 per leg)

  • :20 Inverted Plank Hold

  • 10 Half Burpees 

• Conditioning:

  • Super Tabata - :40 on / :20 rest - 8 rounds (8 min)

    • Rounds 1 & 3 & 5 & 7: Single DB Goblet Reverse Lunges (<25 / 35 / 50+) (alternate sides)

    • Rounds 2 & 4 & 6 & 8: Single DB Offset Push-ups (from the knees or toes are both OK) (alternate sides)

  • Intended Stimulus: Keep moving for the full 40 seconds, all the way through. This is meant to serve as muscular conditioning, not maxing out weight.

  • Log total reps completed on both movements as two separate scores.

• Strength:

  • In 18 Minutes, complete 6 rounds of…

    • 6-10 Box Dips (or Chair Dips)

    • 6 Single DB Goblet 1 ¼ Squats

  • Intended Stimulus - Use the Box Dips as a chance to slow down and concentrate on driving the elbows behind you. Another option is to hold an Inverted Plank Hold for time (:30 or :40, for example). If you are slowly squatting and the weight still feels too light on the 1 ¼ squats, opt for Double DB Front Rack 1 ¼ Squats instead to push the weight more.

  • Log weights used for heaviest UNBROKEN set of 1 ¼ Squats, adding variations chosen in the notes for Squats and Dips.

• Recovery

  • Chest Opener on Foam Roller - 4 min.

  • Foam Roll Quads - 2 min. per side

Day 2

• Mobility

  • Thread the Needle

  • Unweighted Windmills

  • Deep Squat + Arm Rotation

  • Up Dog / Down Dog

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 15 Air Squats

  • 10 Single DB Windmills (5 per arm)

  • 5 Unweighted Tempo Strict Press

  • :30 Jump Rope

• Capacity:

  • In 32 Minutes, for quality (aim to complete 8 rounds):

    • Single DB Half Kneeling Strict Press (4 per side) (<25 / 35 / 50+)

    • Wall Sit (Accumulate :30 / :40 unbroken / :60 unbroken)

    • Double DB Overhead Carry (<20s / 30s / 40s+)

    • :45 Jump Rope (Singles or Doubles are both OK)

  • Intended Stimulus - Today is an overhead press and full-body work combo day. On the Half Kneeling Strict Press, only use one dumbbell and press on the same side that has the knee down on the ground. Full lockout at the elbow for both overhead movements, and show control with a split second pause at the top of the rep on every strict press.

  • Log total reps completed on the jump rope, adding weights and variations chosen for all movements in the notes.

• Recovery

  • Child’s Pose with Thread the Needle - 2 min. per side

  • Trap smash with LAX ball - 2 min. per side

Day 3

Rest Day

• Try and fit in two to three walks of 1.0-1.5 miles apiece.

• Another good option is a light jog / Stand-up paddle board / hike / slow bike / etc.

• Mobility and/or restorative yoga are other great options on rest days.

• Some is better than none.

• Getting outside in any capacity is encouraged!

Day 4

• Mobility

  • World’s Greatest Stretch + Hamstring Stretch

  • Adductor Rock Backs

  • Wide Legged Good Mornings 

  • Alternating Thread the Needle

• Warm-up - complete 4 rounds…

  • 6 Double Leg Glute Bridges + 3 Single Leg Glute Bridges per side

  • 8 Single DB Pull-throughs (4 per direction)

  • 10 Light Double DB Bent Over Rows 

  • 12 Light Double DB Push Press

• Strength:

  • In 20 Minutes, complete 5 rounds of…

    • 10 Tempo DB Pull Throughs (5 per side) (3-second pull)

    • 8 Alternating Single DB Bent Over Rows (4 per arm) (3-second ascent) (3-second descent)

    • 6 Double DB Suitcase 1 ¾ Deadlifts 

  • Intended Stimulus - Time Under Tension is a focus today. Aim to complete each round in about 4 minutes. Set-up near the DB rack and use any remaining time in your four minute round to ascend in weight. Like we always say for the Bent Over Rows - try not to “urge” the weight up by “kipping".” Instead, pull the DBs into your torso by sending your elbows straight to the sky and isolating the movement into your upper back.

  • Log weight used for heaviest set of unbroken reps for each movement as three separate entries. Add in the notes any imbalances you felt on the Pull Throughs or Bent Over Rows between one side and the other.

• MetCon:

  • 5RFT (5 Rounds for Time) - capped at 12 minutes:

    • 15 Single DB Swings (<20 / 30 / 40+)

    • 10 Scissor Kicks (Left + Right = 1) (hands under tailbone / no hands / weight overhead)

    • 5 Renegade Rows + Push-up (<20s / 30s / 40s+)

  • Intended Stimulus - Use weights on the Renegade Rows (and Scissor Kicks if desired) that make you slow down and need to rest between. If you go through this entire workout unbroken, you went too light!

  • Log time it took to complete all allotted work, adding weights and variations chosen in the notes.

• Recovery

  • Foam Roll Hamstrings - 2 min. per side

  • T-spine Smash with LAX Ball - 2 min. per side

Day 5

• Mobility

  • Unweighted Windmills

  • Banded Curl + Press

  • Hamstring Stretch

  • Reverse Snow Angels

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 20 Mountain Climbers (Left + Right = 1)

  • 10 Plank-ups (forearm plank to hand plank and back down = 1)

  • 10 Tuck-ups

  • 10 Light Single DB Hang Snatch (5 per side)

• MetCon:

  • AMRAP18 (As Many Rounds and Reps as Possible in 18 Minutes)

    • 9 Double DB Push Press (<25s / 35s / 50s+)

    • 10 No-arm Sit-ups (regular Sit-ups are OK too)

    • 11 Double DB Devil’s Press (<25s / 35s / 50s+)

    • 12 V-ups (Tuck-ups are OK too)

  • Intended Stimulus - please go out conservatively and pick your weights with a thought toward how long this workout will feel. 18 minutes is mid-range in duration, but all of these movements are taxing on the system. Take your time, especially on the Sit-ups and V-ups. Breaking those into two sets each will help you keep the heart rate down. On the Devil’s Press, TAKE YOUR TIME. Good luck.

  • Log rounds and reps completed in the allotted time, adding weights and variations chosen in the notes.

• Accessory:

  • In 9 minutes, complete 3 rounds:

    • 8 Single DB “On-end” Strict Press (4 per side)

    • :30 Side Plank Hold (per side)

  • Intended Stimulus - On the Single DB “On-end” Strict Press, slow them down with 5-second descent and slow ascent. Try to complete the Side Plank Holds in one, unbroken set as long as you can.

  • Log a “checkmark” if you completed all three rounds.

• Recovery

  • T-spine Smash with LAX ball - 2 min. per side

  • Massage Gun Glutes - 2 min. per side

Day 6

• Mobility

  • Samson Stretch 

  • Adductor Rock Backs

  • Inchworms + Push-up

  • Child’s Pose + Lat Stretch

  • Scorpions

  • Bootstrappers

• Warm-up - 6 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 6 DB Weighted Good Mornings

  • 6 Up Dog / Down Dog + Push-up

  • 6 Reverse Jackknives (Left + Right = 1)

  • :40 Jump Rope

• Long Workout Day!

  • For Time, capped at 30 minutes:

    • 100 Double DB Suitcase Deadlifts (<30s / 40s / 50s+)

    • 100 Weighted Box Step-ups (or Reverse Lunges) (50 per leg) (<20#, 12” / 35#, 20” / 50+#, 24”)

    • 100 “Tough for You” Push-ups (from the knees or toes / hand release / deficit)

    • 100 Alternating Single DB Hang Snatch (50 per arm) (<25 / 35 / 50+)

  • Intended Stimulus - The Deadlifts are out of the gate so you do not have to perform them under extreme fatigue later in the workout. Ideally you would complete this workout unpartitioned, meaning do all of the Deadlifts before moving on to the Step-ups, do all of the Step-ups before moving on to Push-ups, etc. As far as timing goes, you’ll likely finish your deadlifts in 3-4 minutes. The Step-ups will vary based on the weight you choose - but I recommend you choose weights and heights that make you really want to set the weight down every 10 reps. Challenge that weight! If you do that, Step-ups should take around 8 or 9 minutes. The Push-ups will likely be the slowest movement today. Pick a variation where 100 reps scares you! Aim to complete the 100 “Tough for You” push-ups in 10 minutes or less. That leaves 8 minutes to complete the snatches. The snatches should take less than 6 minutes realistically.

  • Log time it took to complete allotted work, adding weights and variations chosen in the notes.

• Recovery

  • Chest Opener on Foam Roller - 4 min.

  • Pigeon Stretch (assisted or unassisted) - 2 min. per side

  • EXTRA CREDIT: Wide Legs up the Wall - 5 min.

Day 7

Rest Day

• Try and fit in two to three walks of 1.0-1.5 miles apiece.

• Another good option is a light jog / Stand-up paddle board / hike / slow bike / etc.

• Mobility and/or restorative yoga are other great options on rest days.

• Some is better than none.

• Getting outside in any capacity is encouraged!