"SLIDER"

Obj: Strength Endurance

Warm up: 25x Turkish Getups each arm (M-25#, W-15#)

Training:

5 Rounds
20x Weighted Situps (M-45#, W-25#)
20x Back Extensions (M-12kg, W-8kg)
20x KTE
20x Halfmoons (M-30-35#, W-15-20#)

Comments:

Beware "Slider" - this simple looking workout left me exhausted, and my stomach sore for 3 days. Grind through - don't race, you won't be able to anyway. Don't underestimate this effort.

Some more e-mail questions and answers .....

QUESTION:

Rob, I am training for the three peaks challenge in the UK, basically three peaks in 24hrs. Would you recommend doing the workouts you post everyday or picking a just a couple a week

Thanks, Richard, UK

ANSWER/COMMENTS:

Richard - Without getting specific, here are a few general suggestions. I'm assuming you have 5 days/week to train, and have your nutrition and clothing systems dialed.

1) Train in the gym 3 days/week until July first
- Hit strength 1 to 2 days.
- Hit Power Endurance at least once each week

2) Train outside the gym 2 days/week
- one day run or bike long - 1-2 hours
- on the other day, load a pack with 40# of rocks and walk uphill for an hour - hammer it.

3) Do one long day (6 hours or more) on the weekend climbing/hiking on the weekend.

4) Come July 1, limit your gym training to twice per week
- one strength day (legs)
- One power endurance day

5) In July - really hit the hiking uphill with weight - I like 40#. Do this twice a week

6) In July - Take one long run once a week.

7) Still get in that long day on the weekends.

8) Start tapering off a week and a half before the event. Take a couple of days off before d-day, then hammer the fucker!

- Rob

QUESTION:

Hey Rob, Thanks for all of the great work you're doing. I come from a crossfit background and it's been great turning it up to the next level with your program. I was lacking creativity on my own. I'm bummed you started right after I left Jackson, though! I moved away in '06 or so.
So now I am out in San Diego and training a team of boxers. Even though some of them have professional careers, their physical prowess leaves a lot to be desired. I've just started them on a basic crossfit model to get their legs under them, so to speak. My question is this: when they've achieved a good, broad base how would you go about programming for them if you only had Tues., Thurs. and Saturday to train them? I am curious if you would make sure to do power/endurance one day, strength one day and met-con one day? Or would you stick with the idea that randomization is best? I appreciate any thoughts on this, even though the application of our training is somewhat different (mtn. sports vs. boxing). Thanks for everything, say hi to the Tetons for me.

Rory, CA

ANSWER/COMMENTS:

Rory, while I understand the randomization philosophy behind CrossFit - I'm not sure it's accurate, and if it is, I don't believe in it. There is a programming philosophy to CrossFit - I remember reading it in the CrossFit Journal one time, and if I recall, it revolved around gymnastic movments/calesthentics, barbell work and one more type of movement I can't remember.

The "randomization" - while I understand the theory, has never worked for me. It could be the best way to go, but it's too loosey-goosey for me.

Concerning conditioning your boxers, here are some things I recommend you consider:

- Understand that time conditioning outside the ring will take away from skill work. There is a cost. Who wins boxing matches - the more skilled boxer, or the best conditioned one? What makes the boxer throw harder, more accurate punches? Skill or strength? You only have so much time with your athletes. Get the most bang for the buck!

- Don't re-invent the wheel. For most mountain sports, there is no tradition of gym training, but that's not true for boxing. Who are the best boxers? How do their coaches get them conditioned? Find out - and copy them! There is some innovative coach out there - find him or her. Better yet - buy the best books on the subject and study them.

- If I couldn't find anyone to copy, I'd probably focus on power endurance, strength, and strength endurance (upper body and mid section). I tend to define metcon as intense, but "short" efforts. Power endurance efforts are intense, but longer, and force the athlete to control breathing, and learn to pace. Try this - 3 Rounds, 3 min swing, 1-min rest. Killer!

- Strength training is tricky. It takes time to teach the dead lift and front squat, but will a 2x bodyweight deadlift help in the boxing ring. Will a big front squat help? Try to be disciplined and ensure the strength & conditioning your are doing is transferable to the ring. Sometimes in the gym rat/CrossFit world we can get caught up in the exercises and workout completion times - but these can be a dead end. Be careful.

- Concerning cardio/power endurance training - remember that this can be mode specific - in other words, wind sprints will certainly help develop cardio - but a boxer doesn't do a lot of sprinting in the ring, so is that cardio from sprinting going to help in the ring? Maybe the best thing to do is bouts of intense sparing.

- Look into upper body plyo work - I don't do a lot of that at Mountain Athlete, but I would think it has some transferability to boxing.

- I competed in one of those redneck "Toughman" competitions a couple of years ago with my welder lifting buddy, Curtis P.

I got creamed in my first bout! My opponent was probably 19 years old and had a little boxing experience - and he teed off on me! TKO in the second round (these were just 1-minute rounds) - because of a 3 knock down rule. I hadn't been in a fight since middle school (I lost that one too) and like all men was curious how I would do, and if I would be scared. While I got beat up bad, I did manage to get a couple licks in myself, and better yet - wasn't scared at all!

Curtis P and I were doing training together at the time, usually doing 3 or more CrossFit WOD's a night, plus other crazy stuff I could think up. We would hit "Fight Gone Bad" hard - for 5 rounds - and crush it! But we weren't doing much boxing or heavy bag work to prepare.

But despite all that gym training, I remember being pretty gassed after the first, 1-minute round. It could have been adrenaline/nerves, etc.

Curtis P beat his first two guys handily, but the second bout went all three rounds, and in the championship he lost on points to a much older, but much more skilled boxer. Curtis was so exhausted .... by the end of the fight the other guy could have pinky-pushed him over.

I'm sure Curtis could have crushed that older guy during one of our gym workouts, but that guy also fought 3 bouts, and simply had better "ring" conditioning.

Interesting, huh?

- Rob

Kris is enjoying a strength spurt this week.

Jannine smoked the halfmoons.

Marybeth on round 5.