Day One
Openers – The Openers are designed to increase mobility (range of motion while maintaining torque), but also to test and see if a certain body part is ready for loading. If not, you might need to do an extra set or two.
Two sets of:
Biceps Opening Curls x 5/5/5 reps
Rest as needed
Triceps Opening Extensions x 5/5/5 reps
Rest as needed
followed by…
Rear Delt Warm Up
Two sets of:
Incline T Raises x 10 reps @ 2121
(face down, raising straight arms at 90 degrees)
Incline Y Raises x 10 reps @ 2121
(face down, raising straight arms at 45 degrees)
Incline I Raises x 10 reps
(face down, raising straight arms in front)
followed by…
Two sets of:
Landmine Row x 6 reps each arm
(aim to ensure engagement of the oblique and lat insertion – pull the dumbbell to your hip, not your chest)
Rest as needed
followed by…
Two sets of:
Wide-Grip Pull-Ups x max reps
(find a width at which you cannot default to your traps and must engage your lats)
Rest as needed
followed by…
Two rounds of:
30 seconds of L-Seated Dumbbell Presses with Neutral Grip
30 seconds of L-Seated Dumbbell Overhead Hold
Rest 60 seconds and repeat
Strongman Conditioning Session
A.
Build to today’s 8-RM Single-Arm Barbell Snatch + Overhead Press each arm
(each rep is a snatch, followed by a strict overhead press; focus on lats and pecs through the movement; on the descent you should feel activation through lats and inner obliques – similar to doing lat pulldowns; on the way up, create internal torque and activate your external obliques)
B.
Two sets for max weight of:
180-Foot Hand-Over-Hand Rope Pull
Rest 2-3 minutes
The rope pull is one of the best exercises to get strong lats and healthy shoulders. Your focus should be to move your hands as fast as possible, and keep your chest horizontal to ensure that your lats stay engaged throughout.
C.
Two sets for max weight of:
60-Foot Seated Rope Pulls
Brace your feet against something sturdy (a tire, yoke, heavy sandbag, etc…), and reach with your arms as far as possible and pull on the rope while driving with your legs – try to use your legs as much as possible as if you were trying to push something away with your legs. By the time you’re done, if you’ve gone heavy enough, your forearms and core will feel it.
D.
Two sets for max weight of:
50-Foot Overhead Yoke Carry
Rest 2-3 minutes
D.
Two sets for max weight of:
120-Foot Farmer’s Carry
(turn every 60-feet, but don’t put the weight down)
Rest 3 minutes
E.
One set for max reps of:
Sandbag Front Squats
Rest 30 seconds, and then…
Max Distance Sandbag Carry
Finishers
One set of:
300 Meter Sled Push
Day Two
Openers – The Openers are designed to increase mobility (range of motion while maintaining torque), but also to test and see if a certain body part is ready for loading. If not, you might need to do an extra set or two.
Two sets of:
Biceps Opening Curls x 5/5/5 reps
Rest as needed
Triceps Opening Extensions x 5/5/5 reps
Rest as needed
followed by…
Rear Delt Warm Up
Two sets of:
Incline T Raises x 10 reps @ 2121
(face down, raising straight arms at 90 degrees)
Incline Y Raises x 10 reps @ 2121
(face down, raising straight arms at 45 degrees)
Incline I Raises x 10 reps
(face down, raising straight arms in front)
followed by…
Three sets of:
Supinated-Grip Barbell Rows x 10 reps
(for max weight – pull the barbell to your bell button and look for engagement in you lower lats)
Rest 20 seconds
Ab-Wheel Roll-Outs x 15 reps
Rest 60 seconds
followed by…
Build to today’s 5-RM for each arm of Viking Sloth Press
(Do not sit at the bottom, sit right at parallel and maintain tension from head to toe.)
followed by…
Two sets of:
Wide-Grip Pull-Ups x max reps
(find a width at which you cannot default to your traps and must engage your lats)
Rest as needed
followed by…
Four rounds of:
15 seconds of Dumbbell Lateral Raises
15 seconds of Hercules Hold with Thumbs Facing Up
Rest 60 seconds, and then…
Four rounds of:
15 seconds of Dumbbell Lateral Raises with Thumbs Facing Up
15 seconds of Hercules Hold with Palms Facing Up
Strongman Conditioning Session
A.
Two sets, for max weight, of:
100-Foot Yoke Carry
Place your hands on the sides of the yoke so that you can press the yoke forward like a bench press, creating pec engagement (and internal torque). Place the yoke as far back on your back as possible (back…not low) so that the weight stays centered over your hips. Take short, quick steps keeping your hips square and legs slightly bent. This is the best structural exercise for the barbell squat, and one of the best exercises overall. It strengthens the thoracic structure (lats, pecs, etc…), the erectors (isometrically, in accordance with their primary function) and obliques.
B.
Two sets for max weight of:
75-Foot Reverse Sled Drags
Rest 2-3 minutes
C.
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 5 minutes of:
5 Sandbag Front Squats
5 Sandbag Overhead Presses
Use a lighter sandbag, one that you can use without putting down.
D.
Two sets for max weight of:
75-Foot Harnessed Sled Pulls
Rest 5 minutes
This is a strength session, not a conditioning session. Most of the weight should be on your hands as you bear-crawl your way forward with short, fast, choppy steps. Put the absolute most weight you can on the sled, move your feet fast and get it moving. Go heavy!
Rest 3 minutes, and then…
E.
Every minute, on the minute, for as long as possible…
120-Foot Sled Sprints
Your first sprint should take 10-12 seconds. The workout is over when you cannot finish your sprint in under 15 seconds.