It was really “one of those weeks” last week and I used that as an excuse to justify shoving a sled around for what happened to be 3 days in a row (I didn’t realize it until now…). Needless to say I was feeling very good in some respects for doing that, and was as always taking dinner very seriously. One of my advanced small group members was up for an extra “partner challenge” so we did this VERY MUCH inspired by Zach Even-Esh’s The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning circuit workout together. It’s reasonably scaleable (let me know if you’d like more specifics on that in the comment section below).
In this relaxed state I often think up the most intense workouts. (The “chill out chair” is a fun take-away I found out about from the Salt Room–click here for blog post about it. It’s a so-called “Zero Gravity Lounger” and usually lives folded up under the couch. I take it out for chill out time, reading time, and occasionally movie watching. Sure it looks funny, but you’ll stop laughing when you try one. This particular model is from Amazon and most of the negative reviews are from people who have used them as an actual pool deck chair. Considering this one will probably never go outside, I wasn’t worried about it rusting.)
Some of this circuit got intense QUICK…
We warmed up with some Primal Move and the Convict Conditioning Vol2 Trifecta then after I made sure we were both on the same page with all the exercises (and possible substitutions) we got right into it with FIVE rounds of:
- Ring Dips 3x or 1 and a hold at the top
- Regular or Aussie Pull Ups 6x (I did the first 2 rounds regular pull ups)
- Ring Dip position hanging knee raises 6x (the raising of the knees is the easy part)
- Double ettlebell Long Press* 10x
- Sled work added 135lbs to an 83lb prowler type sled pushed down and back the length of our gym (or 50 kb swings – choices are good)
- Active rest: water break and brief rants about how we don’t think computer operating systems have really “improved”**
Cooldown with some farmer’s walks and then a little mobility work.
At home I “invented” a paleo ground-lamb and cauliflower based shepherd’s pie which I will share with you after standardizing the recipe (this was entirely made from leftovers: ground lamb cooked the night before, pulverized cauliflower mash, roast root veggies, and pre-carmelized onions. Come to think of it, I should share all those recipes then link them to what you can make from the leftovers… the shepherd’s pie! If there’s just one or two under your roof, this might be a new favorite approach.)
*It’s a lead-up drill to some more advanced RKC-II kettlebell activities, but for some reason I’ve taken to using it in our small group when the “old timers” are present. Clean two kettlebells, keep them in the rack position. Squat, then as you stand up, allow the momentum and power driving up from the ground starting though your heels to carry through and get those kettlebells overhead. This isn’t an “arm or shoulder exercise”, the arms are just transferring the power from your legs. This full body combo really works a lot at once, especially as a part of our little evil circuit above. Do not attempt that drill without proper coaching or experience, it’s difficult and requires intense immense core strength too. It will also make you work up a MASSIVE appetite for some reason!
**My workout partner works as a systems administrator, and as a fellow “old timer” in that field, we have a lot to rant about… mostly to do with faster computers not being all that fast because of operating systems designed with needless animations, and bells&whistles we think are unnecessary annoyances. LOL!!! GRUMBLE GRUMBLE. So we take it out on the sled! RARRRRRRRRRR!!!!
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