Daily Extras -
At the top of each minute perform 15 strict pushups. Continue as far as you are able. Note rounds accomplished to comments.
If you can't do a single strict pushup, do them from knees. If you cannot do them from knees, do strict OH DB presses 15/20.
Workout Notes:
- We are certainly getting our running in this week. Only Wednesday and we already have 3+ miles behind us (well, after this one we will). If you are new, or the weekend BBQs are hitting you extra hard, do every other run as a row. That, or just do 200s. Vets ignore :).
- Be careful with your spine after jumping to your feet and preparing to loft the weight overhead. Take a little extra time after springing to your feet to "set" your back.
- If you don't have space, or don't wan't to do a traveling lunge step, feel free to do step back OH lunges.
- If you are using rubber bumpers (like we are at the gym) be careful after throwing them to the ground. Sometimes those little suckers bite back. If they land at an angle they'll bounce backwards into your shins. This is not only painful; it is potentially deadly. OK not really, but it does sting. Like, a lot. Maybe you could just throw it at the ground a little softer? This way it'll have less of a chance of getting away from you. We think it as funny as you do when the thing hits the ground at a weird angle from 8' OH and forcefully bounces into the lady next to you. Facial swelling and discoloration, while "super cool," is usually not looked upon with the same ardor by the inflicted as by the inflictor.
Increase the speed to increase your strength
Looking to increase your strength a little? Don't worry about adding weight to the bar, yet. According to the European Journal of Sports Science, you can build your strength by up to 53% just by increasing the speed of your lifts.
During the lifting phase (concentric contraction) of a given lift, go faster. How fast? Not so fast that it screws up the form of your lift, but as fast as you can go while still maintaining complete control. Now, go back and re-read that first sentence. It says "during the lifting phase." This means you should only be speeding up half of the movement; the part of it where the muscle shortens. Lengthening a muscle at high speeds may increase your chances of becoming injured. So, just the "up" phase please.
One last thing to know. Don't do high speed reps to failure. You should never struggle for that last rep in a set. It messes with your nervous system (slows you down) and increases your chances of becoming injured. Instead, do sets where you become fatigued, but still have a couple of reps left in the tank.
Some of the girls from Animal House Fitness & Training (Durham, CA) killing the Bookends 2.0 workout!