Philosophy on Fitness, the Workout of the Day (WOD): Legs and "Captain Caveman"

My theory on exercise? Pretty simple really: I want to be able to do my job, challenge myself physically and have fun. I don't do it to compete with people around me, I haven't bought into the Crossfit craze of doing exercises for time. I don't think that I will ever be the strongest or fastest, but I will be fit and healthy for me.

My job at NOLS often times requires me to be in wilderness settings with novices for weeks. My level of fitness allows me to take care of myself and others in remote settings for long periods of time.

My partner Rebecca is a second year medical student and has a very busy schedule. Fitness is also very important to her but was a challenge to work into her busy schedule. As a couple we committed to working out six days a week lifting weights. These workouts are a big part of my daily routine.

There are times that I like to challenge myself whether that was climbing 14,000 foot peaks when I lived in Colorado, running a marathon while living in southwest Virginia or participating recently in the GoRuck Challenge in Tucson. My fitness level allows me to do things that are challenging and to push myself.

Finally, I like to have fun. My weightlifting routine is pretty consistent and if that is all that I did I would probably get pretty bored. I supplement my traditional lifting exercises with functional workouts that can be strenuous, but also very fun at the same time. Here is an example of my workout from today:

Lifting with Rebecca (Each exercise is done for three sets):
Dumbbell Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Barbell Front Squats
Body Weight Calf Raises
Straight Leg Dead-lifts
Glute-Ham Developer (GHD) (This is a simple DIY device that we made).

Supplemental Workout:
Back Squats with Heavy Chains (3/4" links, 5 foot sections. 22.5 lbs. each. Purchased at McMaster-Carr).

Today's WOD is named "Captain Caveman". The idea was to simulate hoofing out into the dangerous world of the caveman, clubbing your dinner and busting it back to your hole in the rock with your grub!

100m Shuffle (not really a walk, not really a run) with a sledgehammer (in this case it was a Rogue Fitness SISU War Hammer at a lead-filled 28.5 lbs.).
20 Hammer Swings on a large tire (The big, old earth mover tire was free! I just went over with a pickup to a commercial tire place and drove it home. Ten reps right handed, ten left handed).
70m Weighted Sled Drag (35m out and back. This is a DIY sled made out of an old tire, an eye-bolt, some webbing and weighted with 120 lbs. of kettlebells).
400m Shuffle with a Sand Bag on one shoulder and the hammer in the other hand. (The sand bag is also DIY and weighed in at 40 lbs.) This shuffle is a loop that brings me back to the large tire where the routine picks back up at the Hammer Swings.
Three complete rounds with a swig of water between sets.

Hard but fun!