"BIG FIVE 55"

So for my first post I will post one of my favorite training routines I perform during off season and also during footy season to stay in shape.I personally like this one cuz it builds on the right systems for footy.
It's a very challenging program especially if you are looking to build overall strength and endurance.


Warm-up 1
ROWING - 10 mins 
at a pace less than 20 SPM.


Warm-up 2
In this next warm-up do the exercises as a circuit. For each exercises you'l hold a specific position for 30 seconds and then have 10 seconds to change stations, before starting the next exercises. Do a total of 4 rounds.


RING DIP HOLD
Hold yourself in the to position for 30 seconds. If you do not have rings gymnastic rings available, use a regular dip station. 


KETTLE BELL FARMER HOLD
Grab a pair of heavy kettle bells or dumbbells and let them hang arm's length at your side.


L-SIT ON PARALLETTES OR DIPS BARS
Use parallettes to perform this exercise but it can also be performed on a dip station that has parallel bars.
Hold you up at the top position of a dip station facing the outside of the station. Now raise your legs until they are parallel to the ground. Hold for 30 seconds.


BODY WEIGHT SQUAT HOLD
Lower yourself to the bottom position of a squat with your thighs parallel to the ground and hold.


WORKOUT
Perform a circuit of 5 exercises, for a total of 10 times. There is no prescribed rest, ideally you want to move continuously from one exercise to another keeping the sets unbroken. Focus on moving as fast as possible while maintaining form and control. Start with 10 repetition of each in the first round, 9 in the second round, 8 in the third round and so on. In the end you would have completed 55 reps of each exercise.

1. Front Squat (95 Pounds)
2. Pullups
3. Decline parrallette pushups
• This last exercise you can do it with aerobic steppers. Place steppers on each side of your body and one behind you. Perform the prescribed reps and go much deeper in the bottom position if you are able to.
4. Power Cleans
5. Knees to Elbow
1. Hanging from a pullup bar or from the rings at half cocked position (elbow at right angle) raise your knees until they touch your elbows. Lower them back down in a controlled fashion so you don't swing.

CUMULATIVES MOVEMENTS

This next routine is going to be the last one n this series of exercises.  After this routine, I will post a weight training routine for people who are looking to get big and add muscle mass.. So don't forget to check on the blog for the next explosive routine that'll turn you into a BEAST!


Now this next workout is also one of my favorite ones. It's designed to be metabolically demanding. You will train the entire body with multiple exercises that train the entire body and work multiple muscle groups. In this routine however, you will only do one trip through as oppose to a circuit workout in which you cycle back through the same movements.


WARM-UP
ROWING 10 MINS


WARM-UP
THE BEAR CRAWL AND CRAB CRAWL.
Alternate back and forth between the bear crawl for a distance of 15 meters and the crab walk for 15 meters. Repeat until you have done 5 increments of each.


WORKOUT
Do one set of each movement, completing all of the prescribed number of repetitions before moving on to the next exercise. Perform each exercise as quickly as possible while maintaining proper form and full range of motion. Use a stop watch and minimize your rest! 


EXERCISES         
7-meter Fat rope climbs; Since I don't have a rope for this exercise I do lateral pull downs with a neutral grip and my palms facing me. Perform 5 reps. If you are lat pulldowns make sure that the weight is heavy and challenging for 5 reps.


Front Squats: Perform 5 reps, again use a heavy weight you can handle.


Ball slams: Perform 5 reps, 30 pounds


15-rope pulls: Again for this exercise I don't have a rope available so I so SEATED CABLE ROW. Perform 10 reps.


Bench Press; Again here, load the heaviest weight you can push for 10 reps. 


Ball Slams; Perform 10 reps at 25 pounds


Pullups; Perform 15 reps with a neutral grip


Dips; Perform 15 reps


Ball Slams; Perform 15 reps at 20 pounds


Resisted Fat Rope Pulls; Perform 20 reps. For this last one I do a standing cable row. For the handle I use the rope handle used to perform triceps extensions. To do the exercise, set up the rope handle and pull back the rope as if you were going to do a tug war. But hold it with one hand. Now to perform the exercise squat at 45 degrees and pull the rope like you would doing a cable row. When you are pulling the rope back, twist your hand so that your palm is facing up. You should finish the move looking like your were elbowing someone in the gut behind you. Then return to starting position with your palm facing down. 


Smashes: This last one I'm unable to do it because I don't have two heavy fat ropes I can whip. If your are lucky, and have access to two fat ropes, grab the ropes one in each hand and start whipping them. Your arm movement you should cause the rope to create a wave. Perform 20 reps. 


NOW GO! THE STOPWATCH IS RUNNING!


So there you have it for this series. Hope you like it and try at least one of the routines. They are all great and challenging. 

Eliminated from the Competition.

Today is pretty sad day for me. We lost a crucial game in the preliminary finals yesterday... I hate losing and I'm not taking it very well.... But anyhow on to the workout routine. This next one is still part of this series. In this routine we will focus on the front squat for strengthening and total body conditioning.

WARM UP 1
Rowing 10 mins.. This exercise keeps coming up in this series because it is a great exercise and also a good warm up. It prepares the necessary muscles you are going to use during training.

WARM UP 2
20 repetitions of bodyweight squat.

WORKOUT
Front squat workout
The weight below is only used for guide line. Your weight may vary and may less or more.


Reps      Weight    Rest
5             175lbs    90s
5             175lbs    90s
5             175lbs    90s
5             175lbs    90s
5             175lbs    90s

COOL-DOWN
Now this last portion of the workout may the cool-down but it may feel like a workout nonetheless.
It is a very challenging cool-down if you ask me.. So here it is.

In this portion your goal is to reach 200 pushups. You will perform this workout using a ladder routine. When I did this workout I did it partnered with my friend. It makes it a lot easier and you can push each throughout the training session. So it works like this, you will do ladders of 1 to 5. In total you will do 13 ladders plus 5 extra pushups at the end. To start you will do 1 pushup and hold at the top position. Then your partner will do 1. Then you do 2 he does 2. You do 3 he does 3. You do 4 he does 4. You 5 he does 5.  Your only rest is the time it takes for your partner to do pushups.

In all this approach allows you to do a large volume of quality work. So there is no reason the pushups shouldn't be done explosively and be perfect. You can also use this approach for knee raises and pullups.

So there u have it enjoy and work hard. Again remember to challenge yourself but if its too difficult start small and work your way up to the ultimate goal.

CARDIO TRAINING

For cardio training I really like interval running. But since right now most of us are going to be indoor for the rest of the winter and won't have access to an outside track and since I'm the type of person who likes training using new and sometimes unconventional methods, I'm going to post an interval training that involves rowing. YES! that one machine no one ever uses and gets overlooked at the gym. This interval training is still a challenging routine and will give you a great pump and a total body workout.. So here it is


Perform six interval of 500 metres. Between each 500 metre sprint engage in active rest for 3 minutes (meaning you must be walking around, skipping, light jogging just don't stand still). As a point of reference try to keep your sprints under 2 mins. 


That's it for now. Come back next time for another intense training routine. Train hard in the mean time.

An Easy one for the starters "Progression to 1 RM"

So since I have a lot of friends and teammates that are interested and pumped about training, I'm going to post an easy training routine for starters. This workout is designed to build pure strength with the most effective total body lifts; the deadlift.


WARM-UP 1
Rowing for 10 mins


WARM-UP 2-PYRAMID CIRCUIT
Do these three exercises as a circuit, performing one set of each in succession without resting. Using a pyramid repetition structure; In your first round do 1 repetition of each exercise and 2 repetition of each exercise in the second round, 3 repetitions in round 3 and so on. Once you have completed five rounds, keep going ! but reduce the reps. So in round 6 perform 4 repetitions, 3 in round 7 and so on until you work your way back down to one.

1. Pushup
2. Pullups
3. Bodyweight squat

WORKOUT

THE DEADLIFT

Start with with a light weight about 35% of your 1RM and then slowly start adding weight and reducing repetitions. The weight in here are just examples my friend can lift use it simply as a guide line. 

Reps      Weight          Rest

10          135lbs          1 min

5            185lbs          2 min

3            235lbs          3 min

2            285lbs          3 min

1            325lbs          3 min

1            340lbs          3 min

1            350lbs          3 min

1            360lbs          3 min

1            365lbs          3 min