Speedwork

I wanted to get a quick ninja warrior workout in and then go for a run.

I did the following x 3:
dead hang for 1 min 15 sec
plank for 1 min 15 sec

For today's run, I focused on speed work. I went to the local track (the one with workout and exercise stations) and spent time warming up, sprinting, then cooling down. HEre's how it went down:

1 and 1/2 mile warm up
1 mile sprint
1/4 mile cool down
3/4  mile sprint
1/2 mile cool down
1/2mile sprint
1/4 mile cool down
1/4 mile cool down
Total: 5 miles

1 and 1/2 mile cool down with workout (2 of the following per 1/4 mile). You can modify the workout depending on equipment.

2 muscle ups or 5 dips
climb wall
5 hanging toes to bars
5 swing taps
2 x monkey bars
5 x burpees
parallel bar walk 1 step per arm and then dip until walk length of bars
monkey bars or rings x 2

5 hanging toes to bars

5 swing taps

monkey bars or rings x 2
4 foot wall climb x 2
tire flip x 4

1/2 mile walk/run.

#run #ninjawarrior #spartanrace #toughmudder #running

Monday's Run

I run Madkin Mountain on Monday's. It's not too tall, but rises 600 feet over the distance of 2 miles. Today I ran it 2.5 times for a total of 1500 feet.

The first trip I ran at a slow pace. For the next trip up I added  sprints and was able work in 6 x 30 second up hill sprints.

For an evening workout, I did the following x3:

1 minute and 10 seconds of dead hang

1 minute and  10 seconds of planking

ring pull ups

pegboard traverse

Recovery Day?

How do you recover? 

I work out almost every day (see my other article about foundation workouts). 

I run 5 days a week and rest 2. I workout with weights three days a week and go to the Ninja gym 2-3 days a week. With all of that, there is no true rest day.

However, I do commit Sundays to yoga. I find it a great day to recover, reset the body, and prepare for the next day's hard run.

What does your recovery look like?

Recovery Day Workout (sort of)

Are you a creature of habit, or do you like to mix your work outs up a bit? How do you motivate yourself to finish the course?

You have to finish what you started," That's what my father always taught me. "It doesn't matter how you finish, but get it done". In my case, I usually finish my week owing about 2-4 miles to my 40 mile goal. Today I owed 1 1/2 miles. 

An amazing book for Run In Mud Obstacle Race Training: Exercises, obstacles, and  more:

I invited my 16 year old son to work out with me and he wanted to the Air Force Physical Fitness Test. Last week he did the Marine's version and this week it's the Air Force. Heck I just wanted to do an easy 1.5, but I am up for the challenge.

The Air Force test is 1 minute of push ups, 1 minute of sit ups, and then a 1.5 mile run for time. I used to be in the Army and we had to do a similar test, but it has been 15 years and I wasn't sure what the past few years of Run In Mud Obstacle Race Training would result in. After a 1/2 mile warm up, we hit the test.

Here are my results:

45 push ups

42 sit ups 

10 mins for 1.6 miles (I went too far)

Afterwards we used the obstacles on the track as a cool down. We have pull up bars, monkey bars, rings, and more. It was a great workout and I got more than just the 1.5 miles.

What is your foundation workout?

What is your core workout? What do you absolutely have to accomplish every week?

Here's my minimum:

Running:
Weekly goal 40 miles
1 x hill session for 9-10 miles
1 x sprint session for 7-8 miles
1 x easy run
1 x 14 mile run
1 x recovery run

Weights:
2 x per week:
3 sets - pull ups, dumbbell curls, dumbbell overhead presses, push ups

Ninja Training:
...the heck they put me through at Ninja Obstacle Academy

When I'm bored at home (backyard):
Balance Beam
Rings workout
Slack line
Spear throw
How about you? What do you do to stay in peak shape?