Wednesday: 3m easy 9:30/pace, 40 min upper body (pics below!)

Thursday: 7m easy 8:44/pace

Friday: 2m easy 9:40/pace, 30 min legs + shoulders

I’m sharing a workout i’ve done 3x since Jan 1st. I absolutely love it and it’s prepping me for the Spartan Beast and unassisted pull ups. The number one thing i’ve heard from people who’ve finished an obstacle course race is to work on grip strength. I will be pulling myself out of mud pits by a rope, carrying large pieces of wood on my shoulders and buckets of rocks up and down hills during this race. My grip cannot be weak during any of these events. I’m happy to note that my grip is getting stronger week by week and workouts like the one i’m sharing is actually fun and works grip like no ones business. (Side note: my clients tell me that my version of “fun” is not very accurate.)

5 Rounds
Rope pull ups & downs 5x up & down 
Walk out pushups 10x 
Offset Farmer’s Walk (or suitcase carry)

Rope Pull ups/downs (I tied a battlerope to pullup handles on a sturdy machine): Start in a laying position and use your arms to climb upward. When you get your body off the floor, raise your hips into a plank position and climb until standing. Reverse the move and slowly lower yourself all the way back to the floor.

Walk Out Pushups: Start in a standing position. Keep your legs as straight as possible and reach for the floor.

Then walk your hands into a tall plank position, do a pushup (or multiple for a challenge), then reverse the move and walk your hands back to your feet and return to standing.

Offset Farmer’s Walk (offset uses one weight, forcing your stabilizing muscles to work)- Pick a weight that is difficult for you to walk 50-100m. Stand tall with your weight, shoulders back & down, core tight. Walk for a chosen distance (mine was across the room & back) then switch hands with the weight & repeat.

I love workouts that don’t involve a ton of thinking and don’t feel like a traditional workout. This is like, pull yourself up, lower yourself down…do pushups, walk with a heavy weight. I love it. I love functional training!

Now to the snow. Wednesday the DC area got an inch of snow and it was totally embarrassing how many accidents, delays (6-7-8-9 hours of people trying to get home on the beltway!). I was extremely thankful I’m only a few minutes away and didn’t have to deal with the craziness. I am also thankful my gym is next door to a beer/wine store.. don’t mind if i do!

But i did get to walk outside in the nice quiet neighborhood and experience LE’s first time walking through snow. It was adorable 🙂

How’s the weather near you?

What is your favorite kind of workout (other than running yo!)?