Greetings Tribe Member! I hope this week’s content finds you well and that your prep for the holidays is going well. Whatever that looks like for you. As we dive further into our Agility Block, we are looking at some very unique workouts.
Our focus is to get in some challenging but enjoyable sessions as we continue to explore movement competency. As a refresher for this week, and for some upcoming training, you may want to take a quick look at Standardized Nomenclature for Footwork. You can use that direct link or search in Articles (menu item on bottom right of App) for that. It’s a quick read but it also has an associated podcast if you’d like more information.
This week’s sessions are set at 2-3 times per week for each workout, depending on how you are feeling. If you feel a bit fatigued or sore following one of these sessions, just sub in one of our world famous free choice recovery days in which you do a little Zone 1 cardio, some light mobility work, and a touch of heat or cold exposure. Solid gold.
Week of 2024-12-16 (week 3 of month 1: Agility Block) KB = KETTLEBELL, MB = MEDICINE BALL, DB = DUMBBELL, BB = BARBELL, E = ELASTIC BAND OR TUBING
BW = BODYWEIGHT, SB = SANDBAG, OHP = OVERHEAD PRESS, UNI = UNILATERAL
Workout A Breakdown: High(er) Impact and LB Emphasis. Locomotion-based aerobic training starts us out. Zone 2 is your aerobic endurance output that allows you to talk in short sentences fairly easily. Don’t feel the need to go hard here.
The Elastic Combos are sort of a Jump and Pump deal, although we respect the difference between a jump, bound, and hop (reference article and podcast available). You spend 30 seconds at the anti-gravity station (but only do the number of reps you want) and then bang out 6 good reps of the lift with a manageable weight. Take plenty of rest breaks because this isn’t intended to be a huge gasser.
For the box jumps, just use a moderate height and it’s fine if you use any technique (countermovement, approach, flexed landing, etc.). The goblet squats use a high, front hold on the sandbag and a ramp or board under heels is always a nice option for depth. The broad jump takes you back to PE class (but watch the landings) and the deadlift (standard technique) can be done with any implement you prefer. Those bounds go side to side with a little vertical displacement and the cleans come off the floor. Sub out the bar if you don’t have one. Then hop in place on one foot before doing a 1-arm hang clean (from the thigh to the shoulder) using a DB heavier than you could strictly curl.
The accessories use duration as a significant challenge so take lengthy breaks between the movements as needed. The Bench Bridge has you lying on the floor on a mat, face up, and putting your foot on the edge of your bench, box, or cooler. Lift hips for a minute using one side only. Then do the other. Hammies will feel this. Leg raises use only the range of motion that your back likes while your abs and hip flexors get a nice tune.
Workout B Breakdown: Low(er) Impact and UB Emphasis. Hit some basic activation to get going. For the Medicine Ball Throw (mimicking) Situp, anchor your feet with bent knees and simulate an overhead throw with each rep (but don’t release the ball). Then use a floor-level anchor for an elastic tubing and do a straight arm pullover in a 180 degree arc as you are laying on your back facing up. Use any technique or hold you like for the kettlebell overhead presses and same goes for the row.
You are really going to like these intervals. Bike strong for a minute, dismount, and then hit 10 reps of the first lift. Rest 30 seconds, get back on the bike, and then hit the next exercise in the list. Decide how many rounds you want to go through. The single arm work allows you to find comfortable movement paths and to work on your isolated function on each side. This is rarely perfectly symmetrical, but we want it to be close. Feel free to put your signature on any of the exercises and remember that a push press is an overhead press that uses a little bit of leg “umph” (or full body impulse) to get it going.
Rolling will take you back to infancy and restore your mastery of the developmental sequence. This is actually tougher than it looks. Start out by laying on your back, arms overhead, with the goal of rolling to your stomach using only the momentum of the left arm. Keep legs relaxed and let the body do a serpentine domino-like translation. Then only the right arm. Then only the left leg, followed by 3 reps on the right leg. After this, lay on your stomach (face down) and perform that sequence again. By the end you will feel amazing, but go slowly so you don’t get dizzy.
We added quite a bit of scientific magic this week. Ping into Member Submissions and report how much you loved (hopefully not hated) it and also feel free to ask any questions. Love ya and appreciate ya!