Stephen Makes Stuff Up #5: "Double or Nothing"

I really wanted to do a workout with some Double Unders in it, so I decided to put this one together. It's a little rough, so approach with caution!

"Double or Nothing"

1. 10 Double Unders
2. 10 Thrusters @ 135/95#
3. 20 Double Unders
4. 20 Cleans @ 135/95#
5. 30 Double Unders
6. 30 Front Squats @ 135/95#
7. 40 Double Unders
8. 40 Back Squats @ 135/95#
9. 50 Double Unders
10. 50 Deadlifts @ 135/95#

--20 Minute Time Cap

Notes:

1. All Double Unders must be unbroken to continue to the next exercise. 
2. Whenever the clock hits 20 minutes, stop and see how far you've gotten.
3. Feel free to scale the weight down if you need to.
4. The second weight listed after the "/" is the female weight recommendation.
5. This is a rough workout, to be sure. Your legs are going to hate you.
6. The Cleans can be Full Cleans or Power Cleans. As long as you end up at in the front rack position at the top of the movement, you're fine.
7. Maintain proper posture and core tension throughout this entire workout. You don't want to try to blaze through the workout with bad form and end up hurting yourself. When in doubt, slow down or lower the weight. Leave your ego out of the gym.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Stephen Makes Stuff Up #4: "Another Round of Squats"

Got another workout for you guys! Thought I'd go ahead and throw this up here while I'm working on some other things for you.  Enjoy!


Another Round of Squats

10 Reps each exercise. As many reps as possible in 20 minutes. If you reach the bottom, start over from the top.

1. 65# Back Squat
2. 65# Front Squat
3. 65# Zercher Squat
4. 65# Overhead Squat
5. 95# Back Squat
6. 95# Front Squat
7. 95# Zercher Squat
8. 95# Overhead Squat
9. 135# Back Squat
10. 135# Front Squat
11. 135# Zercher Squat
12. 135# Overhead Squat
13. 185# Back Squat
14. 185# Front Squat
15. 185# Zercher Squat
16. 185# Overhead Squat
17. 225# Back Squat
18. 225# Front Squat
19. 225# Zercher Squat
20. 225# Overhead Squat

Notes:

• Back Squat
• Front Squat
• Zercher Squat
• Overhead Squat
• Keep the clock running as you change your weights. 
• I recommend using a Squat Rack to help you during this workout.
• Keep your core tight during all of these lifts, try to get the crease of your hips below your knees. Really observe all of those videos if you need to learn form. Let me know if you have any further questions.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Stephen Makes Stuff Up #3: "The Curse of 5"

I get the joy of making up a lot of workouts for my day job, but I have to say that this is one of my favorites so far. I got the idea from a friend of mine who I have the opportunity to train. He often has the problem of getting stuck on the number "5" while counting reps or rounds in his workouts. He then suggested that we make a workout with five exercises, each for five reps, for five rounds. I took this as a challenge and this is what I came up with.


The Curse of Five

1. 5 Deadlifts
2. 5 Burpee Pull-ups
3. 5 Manmakers (w/KB or DB)
4. 5 One-Arm Push-ups (each side)
5. 5 One Arm KB/DB Thrusters (each side)

--5 Rounds

Notes:

• The deadlifts should be heavy. Not necessarily your 5RM, but something you would normally be able to get 8 reps with should be fine. 
• A Manmaker starts with a Kettlebell or a Dumbbell pressed overhead on each side. You then, bend down and place the weights on the floor, shooting your legs out behind you like a burpee. However, you should have your feet be wide for this next part. You then row one of the weights, while pressing the other into the ground. After placing the weight down again, you do a push-up while holding onto the weight and then row on the other side. Next, jump your feet back up and stand up, pressing the weights back over head. That's one rep. This should be fairly heavy, since it's only five reps. 
• The One-Arm Push-ups should be done with your feet close together. If you cannot do them with your feet close together, you may start with them spread out and move them closer as you get stronger. You may also do a OAPU Progression, which is starting with both hands directly underneath your shoulders. You do one push-up and, while keeping one arm close to your side, move one arm out a little ways from your body and do another push-up. Do this once more, reaching out farther. Ideally, you should try to reach the non-pressing arm out to full extension. 
• For the One Arm Thruster, hold the KB or DB in one hand at the bottom position of a shoulder press. Squat down deep, below parallel, and, as you come up, press the weight to full extension. You are using the drive from your legs to help press the weight. Once again, we're looking for a heavy weight.
• The most important thing in this workout is not how fast you complete it, but maintaining good form with the heaviest weight possible and completing the bodyweight movements as described.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Stephen Makes Stuff Up #2: Dead Rising

Yet another workout I made up. The point of this workout is to simultaneously tax muscular strength and endurance, while also keeping your heart rate relatively high. You'll start with a low weight and increase it as high as you can using the following format: (Please note that you can start wherever you like, but must follow the prescribed weight increments)

15#, 25#, 45#, 65#, 95#, 135#, 185#, 225#, 275#, 315#, 365#, 405#, 455#, 495#, 545#, 585#, 635#, 675#, 725#

The weights can go very high and I doubt many of you would be able to touch a 700+# deadlift, but it's there just in case one of you is a world class powerlifter and you want to make a point or something. The score on this workout is the highest weight you lifted without failing on any of the sets. Therefore, if you got to the fifth set of deadlifts and only completed three reps without stopping, your score would be whatever that weight was (as this will be an accurate gauge of your strength, endurance, and cardio combined). However, you should go ahead and attempt to complete the workout anyway. More on that in the notes.

On a side note, I like clever names for things. :P  Thus, the name of this workout.

Dead Rising

1. 10 Deadlifts
2. 25 Push-ups (One Minute Limit Each Set)
3. 9 Deadlifts
4. 25 Push-ups
5. 8 Deadlifts
6. 25 Push-ups
7. 7 Deadlifts
8. 25 Push-ups
9. 6 Deadlifts
10. 25 Push-ups
11. 5 Deadlifts
12. 25 Push-ups
13. 4 Deadlifts
14. 25 Push-ups
15. 3 Deadlifts
16. 25 Push-ups
17. 2 Deadlifts
18. 25 Push-ups
19. 1 Deadlift
20. 25 Push-ups

Notes:

• So this means that if you started with 15#, you would do 10 reps with it. Then you would complete 9 reps with 25# and 8 reps with 45# and so on. 
• You may need to use a smaller bar for the 15 and 25# sets, because a normal Olympic bar is 45#.
• If you get up into higher weights during the workout and need to break up the listed reps into smaller sets of 1 or 2, that's perfectly fine. However, your score for the workout will be the heaviest weight you completed in an unbroken set.
• If you are unable to pick up a listed weight for a set at all, your workout is over and your score reverts to the heaviest weight you lifted prior to that set.
• Pay attention to the fact that you will also be completing 250 push-ups during this workout. Don't worry about failing on a set of push-ups, because you are allotted a full minute to complete all 25. If you are not able to complete 25 push-ups in one minute, your score will revert back to the heaviest weight you lifted prior to that failed set. Go ahead and attempt to finish the workout, however, in order to push your endurance. 
• It will obviously take a little time to change your weight in between sets, but that's fine and has been taken into account. 
• Once again: Your score is the heaviest unbroken set of deadlifts you completed. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Stephen Makes Stuff Up #1: Burpee Workout

I made this workout for a class I teach and it turned out pretty awesome, so I figured that I wouldn't let this one just float on by without passing it onto you guys. I'm going to start posting some of the workouts that I have previously made or make for the classes that I teach, just to give you guys some variety and because I can! :P

See? I just kind of make stuff up as I go along!

I'll be listing all of those workouts under "Stephen Makes Stuff Up," so there won't really be any association with an anime or anything, but I hope you enjoy them anyway.

Stephen Makes Stuff Up #1: Burpee Workout

1. 10 Burpee Pull-ups
2. 10 Burpees
3. 10 Manmakers w/25# DBs
4. 8 Burpees
5. 10 Double Burpees
6. 6 Burpees
7. 10 8-Count Bodybuilders
8. 4 Burpees
9. 10 Wall Burpees
10. 2 Burpees
11. 10 Squat Thrusts
12. 1 Burpee
13. 10 Mountain Jumps

Notes:

• To perform a burpee pull-up, you'll need a pull-up bar at least a couple of inches higher than your hands can reach when fully extended over your head. Ideally, it should probably be about 8-12 inches, so you have to put some effort into your jumping. You begin doing a standard burpee, including the push-up and then, at the top, you jump up and do a pull-up. That's 1 rep. Repeat until the listed rep count is completed. 
• A Manmaker begins with a Dumbbell in each hand pressed over head, followed by the squatting motion of the burpee, placing the weights on the ground and then you jump your feet back just like a burpee, but with your feet wider than shoulder width. However, this is where the movement deviates. With your hands still on the handles of the weights, do a push-up. When you reach the top of the first push-up, perform a row with one of the dumbbells, making sure your shoulders stay parallel with the ground. Then, when the weight is lowered to the ground, perform another push-up and then row on the other side. You will then perform one more push-up. That's three total push-ups and a row on each side. Then, you hop your feet back in and return to standing with the weights pressed over your head. That is one rep. Have fun!
• A Double Burpees is the exact same movement as a normal burpee with the push-up and jump, but each move is done twice before moving onto the next one. Squat down twice, legs out twice, two push-ups, legs in twice, two jumps from the bottom of the movement. 
• We've covered 8-Count Bodybuilders in Gaia's Basic Military Training.
• Wall Burpees are the exact same as a normal burpee, except that you will stand with your back facing a wall and when, you shoot your feet out, your feet end up going up high on the wall instead of the ground. The closer you get to the wall, the harder the movement.
• Squat Thrusts are just a burpee without a push-up or a jump. Squat down, feet out, feet in, stand up. You're welcome.
• Mountain Jump are just the bottom portion of the burpee. Start from the squatted position, hands on the ground and shoot your feet out to the top of the push-up position and then return to the start. That's one rep and probably a welcome exercise after all of the burpees from before. 
• Rest as you need to, but try to get through this as quickly as possible. 

That's all for today! Hope you guys enjoyed this one. Until next time, good luck and train hard!