Warm-up:
10 Anchored squat/ hinge transition
10 Halo + extension
10 Squat (with implement)
50 Jumping jacks (touch hips/ legs at bottom, touch hands over head at top)
5 Push-up
5 Straight jump
:30 sec. unweighted hinge hold
Warm-up should leave us warm, not tired; Scale accordingly, especially if just beginning training or adjusting to this style training for the first time. Range of motion, details of each movement, and bracing are all to be practiced and applied in warm-up just as they are in the training day; Attention in one leads directly to improvement in the other.
Movements linked to demonstrations in our Movement Library; Watch and refresh- Don’t guess.
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5 rounds of:
5L, 5R Bent-over row
5 Double-arm push-out + hold
:30 sec. rest
Each bent-over row features a braced, hard 3/1000 @ bottom, and an organized 3/1000 @ top. Bottom position sees back flat and engaged, arm aggressively “pulled back” and straight. Top position features hand as close to body as possible and level with ribcage (same as push-up).
Each “push-out” should be as violent and patient as possible; Minimum 3/1000 on the way out, 3/1000 hold, and 3/1000 on the pull back in; Minimum.
Take short rest between reps if absolutely needed, but do not shorten holds.
Train of thought in both movements should be “better, not faster”; Brace hard, stay that way, insist on great position and full range-of-motion in all reps.
Then:
15 “Panic” squat
15 Airplane push-up
10 “Panic” squat
10 Airplane push-up
5 “Panic” squat
5 Airplane push-up
20 Squat (same mechanics, range, bracing, and positioning- no hold)
20 Push-up (same mechanics, range, bracing, and positioning- no hand-release at bottom)
With a lighter- yet positionally versatile- tool, the attentiveness, bracing, and violence-of-action can make or break the usefulness of any given drill.
The “Panic” squat features a hard 3/1000, down-not-up, fat-not-tall bracing prior to beginning the level-change, staying braced, pausing for another hard, minimum 3/1000 in the organized bottom position, and then driving with force and intent back to standing. Once back to standing, hold firm for enough time to secure your position, and then compose yourself for a 5/1000 before beginning the next rep.
This provides “Time under tension”, reinforces the value of “hard” vs. “soft” movement, and begins to evoke the *extremely* important “panic response” that occurs in heavy lifting, hard training, and any sort of self-defense and/ or non-gimmick martial arts training.
All standard squat mechanics apply; This strategy should insulate and improve them, not the other way around.
Airplane push-up simply begins and ends with chest/ hips on the ground (or chest resting on whatever scaled surface is needed- bench, couch, rack, wall… ) and hands off the ground; Maintain tension, set position, and move with intent. Add a plyometric element to the push-up as skill level dictates.
And then:
5 x :30 sec. full-effort hollow hold
Building a bulletproof “power source” will improve all elements of your physicality- and simple, hard, non-gimmick sit-ups and holds are a sure-fire way to do so. Do not make this easy- make it the opposite; It’s the insulation for your hardest efforts.
Each day will end with varied durations of hollow hold, and the cool-down is a minimum of 25 cat/ cow stretch and 100 yd. brisk walk/ exercise bike ride/ etc.
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