March 23rd, 2012: Carrying to Safety Workout

So today, I did the aptly named "Carrying to Safety Workout" because, well, sometimes you gotta carry somebody.  To accomplish this, Chad Howse talked about some key things that you have to work on:

• Grip Strength
• Lifting Power/Strength
• Muscle Endurance
• Lifting Technique

So he starts us off with power cleans, which is one of the best athletic movement you can possibly do; it works your entire body in one explosive movement, burning major calories and really testing your grit.  Admittedly I haven't done these in a very long time, so I need to get my form back.  Then doing a workout geared towards endurance particularly in the legs, shoulders and back.  The endurance challenge was designed to have me lift heavy weight, so breaks were required (as in, I had to lift heavy enough weights to stop a couple of times)
But me being me, I threw in some extras.  Yes, that means I did my ab exercises, but I also threw in some extra chest work, because I like pushups.  I threw in some clap pushups, and some swinging planks, which work the whole body.  I also had to vary up the heavy bag lifting exercise, seeing as how I didn't have a bag.  Let's go.
Explosive Movements: 

• Power Cleans: 4 sets of 3: 115/135/145/145
• Clap Pushups: 3 sets of as many as possible without sacrificing form at all: 17/17/18

Endurance Challenge: as fast as possible for time:

• Farmers Walk: 60 seconds: 45 pound dumbbells in each hand
• Hack Squat (barbell behind you on the floor): 30 reps: 125 pounds
• Lumberjack Press: 30: 65 pounds (this one hurt a lot)
• Front Squat (barbell positioned on your shoulders, working your postural muscles): 30: 95 pounds (it's harder than it sounds, trust me).
• TRX Row with feet suspended: 30 (keep in mind I had my entire body suspended)
• Lunge Walk: 30 each leg: 45 pound dumbbells
• Weight Walk: 100 feet x6: 45 pound plate (also held out shoulders to put more stress on them)
• Swinging Plank (start in a Yoga Child's Pose but with your legs out to the side; slide out into a low pushup position; switch sides): 30

Time: 23:21
Ooof.  This one was tough.  My weakness seems to be odd lifts (i.e. the front and hack squats).  The lumberjack press also threw me for a loop.  Because I've never done about half of these lifts, I'm not too concerned.  I'll just get faster :)
Until tomorrow, where I will try to get something in, but with filming all day, that will be doubtful.
And for my own inspiration, here's a photo of Bruce Lee, because he brought the term "Superhero" to real life.  Now to finish watching the UNC/Ohio U. game.  Cheers!

So freaking badass.