Happy New Year! We’re beginning week 1 of month 2 in our Agility Block. As you know oh so well, this period is all about practicing movement with a skill emphasis. Sure, we maintain our strength and conditioning needs, but we work (and play) at being better overall movers. Lifetime Athletes.
We’ve got an exciting mix of workouts this week. Our goal will be to go through A-B-C in order, twice this week. None of the sessions are overly lengthy or taxing, but they will give you a chance to evaluate your prowess and engage in some movement problem-solving opportunities.
As a reminder on our priorities, we’re working on combining movements and getting in some good full-body stimulus this week. Try to slide your thinking away from max loads, going to failure, or making yourself sore and exhausted. Select loads that are only mildly challenging so you can really control the workout and not let it control, or overwork, YOU. I recognize this requires a mindshift from traditional thinking. As a Lifetime Athlete, you outthink and outmaneuver the masses, the sheep, the lemmings. You are the apex predator. Somebody has to win. May as well be us.
Week of 2024-12-30 (week 1 of month 2: Agility Block) KB = KETTLEBELL, MB = MEDICINE BALL, DB = DUMBBELL, BB = BARBELL, E = ELASTIC BAND OR TUBING
BW = BODYWEIGHT, SB = SANDBAG, OHP = OVERHEAD PRESS
Workout A Breakdown: This workout begins with a cardio warmup. Pretty standard except we are making it a multimodal affair. Spend 5 minutes each on 3 different options using whatever you like and have available. Everything is Zone 1-2 (easy) and you can use any machines and order you like. Bike-rower-treadmill is one option. Elliptical-air bike-stairmaster is another. Only have a bike? How about walk-bike-jumprope? Got nothing? Do walk-alternating step ups-jog. Let me know if you need ideas by pinging into Member Submissions and I’ll give you 20 more options.
We are picking up the footwork this week using low (3-12”) box jumps, with an on/off option for those who like this technique and for whom it is safe. Try to bounce on and off the box like a rubber ball. However, it’s fine to just step down if that’s where your body is at. The thrusters are a full front squat with an overhead press finish, smooth like a piston. You can sub in a BB, SB, or MB as preferred. This main sequence has a strong conditioning element so work your breathing techniques to the max, using strong exhales during the movements and nasal inhalations in the rest breaks.
For the accessory, get into pushup position with your hands on two DB’s. Tighten up and row 6 times on one side, then 6 on the other, then do 6 pushups. It’s fine to use your knees as well. Bear crawl (in any direction within the space you have) trying to stay in sync with arms and legs, but keep your neck relaxed or soft (look down not up).
Workout B Breakdown: Get activated with some really light and bouncy extensive plyos. Put your signature on the moves as always. These are common moves but as a reminder, the skater bounds go side to side left to right and back. The pogo jumps are submax vert jumps coming mainly out of the ankles (more than the knees). Hippety Hoppity Pippety Poppity.
You’ll love the Power Line and find it electric. Organize your stations in a line and progress through with focus and execution, then rest a full minute before hitting it again. Deadlift can be with any bar or bell you’ve got and the suggestion is give or take around your bodyweight as this is a weight easy to lift and not risky. Try to accelerate the bar upwards, almost jumping with it. Pick the box height and weights for the rest of the line as you see fit.
The HIIT works best on an air bike or rower, but you can do this on any machine, running inside or out, power walking up a hill, etc. Just go really hard, then really, really easy. LMK if you need 57 different ideas on how to rig this using nothing but a thong and a sack of dogshit. #thereisalwaysaway
Workout C Breakdown: Elastics are always a great way to get going. Pull aparts are at chest level. Monster walks have the band looped (probably doubled) around your ankles. Step on the band for deadlifts. Anchor behind you for half-kneeling chest press. Kneel on both knees (on padding) to flex into the crunch, bringing elbows toward knees. Turn around and sit in a full squat for the rows.
The primary is pretty straightforward. Pick (or mix) your jumping style and practice one good box jump, stepping off slowly. Hit a few reps of a UB lift, and go again…and again.
Any style and implement/setup can be used for the accessories. No time limit on the rest breaks, just descend the ladders executing good reps.
Delicious and delightful. These sessions will have you feeling powerful, fresh, and agile. Let me know which workout you like best (post a comment in Member Submissions).