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SOFT SPOT FOR SKANKY WOMEN
Obj: Strength
Warm up: 4x Barbell Complex @ 85#, 95#, 105# 115#
1x barbell complex = 6 reps of each:
dead lift
bent over row (back angle 45-degrees)
hang power clean
front squat
push press
back squat
push up
Attack the barbell, don't linger. Keep it in your
hands until the back squats are done. Go full depth
(below parallel) on the squats.
Training:
(1) Work up to 1RM Box Squat
(2) 5 Rounds
5x Box Squat @ 65% 1RM, plus small bands
15-foot rope climb
(3) 5 Rounds
8x Dead Lift @ 70% 1RM (Dead Stop. No bouncing!)
20m Sled Push
Rest 1 minute
- go directly from the dead lifts to the sled push.
No rest.
(4) 5 Rounds
10x Dips
30x Air Squats
5x Glute Ham Raises
Comments:
"Soft Spot for Skanky Women" is a simple strength workout on the surface, but seriously sophisticated underneath.
Let's start with the barbell complex, by far my favorite "warm up" and beautiful in its effectiveness.
First, by no means is the barbell complex a "warm up." It definitely employs the Dan John, "make the warm
up a workout" maxim.
By the last round all of my athletes, myself included are breathing hard, sweatin' buckets, and fully pumped.
Myself and my veteran athletes approach the barbell complex with both a little bit of fear, and a little bit of excitement.
Loaded correctly, the third round is painful, and the fourth, heaviest round, starts to test mental toughness about the time
of the front squats. I'll encourage, prod, cajole, haze, etc. my athletes to finish without putting the barbell down.
This warm up takes around 7 minutes to complete, and not only is a great strength and conditioning tool, but fantastic
for drilling exercise form.
By the end, athletes have completed 24x deadlifts, hang power cleans, front squats, push presses and back squats - all
before the official "training" has started!
This "practice" underneath the barbell is great for learning fundamental movements and exercises.
Next, Westside Barbell has proven that the box squat, with its load, unload, explode sequence builds serious squatting
power and strength.
Go heavy, and be sure to not to just "touch and go" on the box, but unweight your feet completely, then explode
upward.
This workout is the first where I subject my athletes to bands on the box squat. Bands and chains apply "accomodating"
resistance to the barbell. Without them, physics of the body's structure makes it easier to lift the weight at the top end
of the movement. A back squat with heavy weight is much easier the last 6" to lock out than the first 6" off the
box.
Bands and chains help eliminate this advantage. As the barbell increases height, the bands increase tension downward.
Again, Westside Barbell, uses accomadating resistance extensively and studies have shown it accelerates strength gains.
I love the rope climb as a great, functional, gymnastics upper body exercise. Most of my male athletes climb it without
feet, and so far, two of my female athletes can.
The dead lift/sled circuit is an application of Dan John's Litvi-Sprint concept. The idea is to perform a full body, compound
lift, followed by and explosive, resisted sprint of some type. Dan beleives it develops fantastic athleticism.
All I know is this stuff is incredibly hard. After each sled push I have to lay down for 30 seconds My quads are on fire
and my lungs are fixing to burst. Killer.
I really like dips as a upper body chest, shoulder and tricep strengthening exercise. Many of my climbers struggle mightily
with these at first.
Air squats help build leg strength endurance, and the glute ham raise hits the other side of the leg - hamstrings. This
is a great combo.
The Glute Ham raise is very hard, however. Be easy on the reps or pay.
Finally, "Soft Spot for Skanky Women" comes from a couple conversations I had in the gym recently.
First, the Hole song, "Violet" was playing in the gym and Dave Carmen asked who the artist was. Courtney Love,
Hole lead singer, definitely has a skanky side. I still think she's hot, though I probably wouldn't want to take her home
to meet Mom.
Then one friend said his first wife as "skanky." I was surprised he described her that way, then I realized,
most men have a soft spot for skanky women. He just happened to marry one.
I'm sure there is some comparative type of man most women have a soft spot for. Maybe "dangerous" or something
like that.
All I know is that I was a "nice" guy all through school and it sure didn't get me anywhere with the girls.
I would try to pull off the "dangerous" thing if I could, but it would be a total fraud. I could never fully hide
the geek underneath. Dang it.
- Rob Shaul
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| Kim |
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| Shawn at the top of a glute ham raise. |
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| Renae vs. The Sled. |
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| Allison |
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