Legs and Cal Ripken Jr.

Thirty-two years ago today Cal Ripken Jr. started his 2632 consecutive game streak which ended on
September 20th, 1998. Today's leg workout will forever be named "Cal" after baseball's Iron Man. A champion, an all-star and a guy that avoided getting caught up in the steroid era of baseball.

Today's quote is of course from Cal Ripken Jr.:

"When you're an athlete and you play every day and are conditioning yourself every year, the aging is gradual."

Morning Lifting Routine: Legs
Dumbbell Box Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Barbell Front Squat
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Body Weight Calf Raises
Glute Hamstring Developer

Evening WOD: Cal
One-mile Run
15m Weighted Walking Lunges, 3 sets
30" Box Jumps, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
15m Weighted Dog Sled Push, 3 sets
Back Squats with Heavy Chains, 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Have a Great Day!!

Back to the Back and The WOD: "Suckfest"

It is a good thing that this workout day came after a full rest day. We implemented a lot of the old favorites in the circuit and then added one new element: The Close Grip Weighted Sled Row.

The motion was essentially that of a seated close grip cable row  (video from Bodybuilding.com.... an amazing resource!) but instead of sitting, the pull is initiated from a standing squat position. Instead of pulling a stack of weights up in a pulley system, we were pulling a weighted Dog Sled along a measured concrete floor. The key to the success was to plant ones feet and pull with a classic close grip row motion. Only after the sled had stopped moving did you walk back until the line was tight and then repeat the pulling motion. This was brutal at the end of each circuit set so we called it: "Suckfest".

Today's quote is from George Carlin:

"The status quo sucks."

Morning Lifting Routine: Back
Dumbbell Pullovers
One Armed Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
Upright Barbell Row
TRX Row
Weighted Close Grip Pull-Ups
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers

Evening Circuit: "Suckfest" (Each exercise done in order to complete one set. Three sets total. Take a break for water as needed.)
SISU Sledgehammer Swings- 10 repetitions per side
Tire Flips- 5 repetitions
Atlas Stone Lift to 48" Platform- 1 repetition
5 meter Rope Climb- 5 repetitions
15 meter Close Grip Weighted Dog Sled Row- 5 repetitions
Pull-Ups- Maximum repetitions to failure.

Have a Great Day!

The WOD: "Leaping Lizards"

One thing that I love about the desert is the myriad of lizards zipping around the property. Growing up on the east coast I just never saw lizards. Here they are as common as squirrels in Virginia. The male lizards crack me up when they do their little push-ups to get attention. Today I watched a Western Whiptail make what seemed like an impossible leap from the ground up onto a Mesquite tree trunk and the name for this WOD was born!

Today's quote is from Henry David Thoreau:

"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success."

The Circuit WOD: "Leaping Lizards" (Do each exercise in order to complete one set. Three sets total with a water break after each set.)
Jump Rope- 100 repetitions or 50 double unders
30" Box Jump- 10 repetitions
Glute/Hamstring Developer- 15 repetitions
Pistol Squats- 5 repetitions per leg
20 meter Crab Walk with Resistance Band

Weight Training: Legs
Back Squats with Heavy Chains- 3 sets
Stiff Leg Deadlifts- 3 sets
Weighted Calf Raises- 3 sets
25 meter Heavy Dog Sled Work (half pulling, half pushing)- 3 sets

Have a Great Day!

And we decided to call it "The Meat Grinder"...

We were back to work today after folks returned from weekend adventures: a mountain bike race, a weekend in Joshua Tree, returning from a trip to Seattle. Our in-town team here at NOLS Southwest got a well deserved break and are now ready to finish out our spring season.

After work we had one of our best showings yet at a workout with six people showing up for a leg workout. When it was all said and done we took a poll on a good name for the routine and decided that we would call that WOD the "Meat Grinder".

Today's quote is from Hope Solo:

"My confidence comes from the daily grind- training my butt off day in and day out."

Morning Weight Lifting Routine: Legs
Dumbbell Box Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Barbell Front Squats
GHD
Bodyweight Calf Raises
Straight Leg Deadlifts (also known as a Stiff Leg Deadlift...)

Evening WOD: "The Meat Grinder" (Each exercise is done in order to complete a set. Three sets total. No rest.)
5 meter Lateral Slide, 10 repetitions
60 meter Weighted Tire Sled Drag (Walking backwards pulling the weighted tire sled.)
30" Box Jumps, 25 repetitions
Abdominal Crunches, 65 repetitions
10 meter Weighted Rogue Dog Sled Push, 6 repetitions
5 meter Crabwalk with Resistance Band, 4 repetitions

Evening Weight Training:
Back Squats with Heavy Chains

Have a Great Day!