SERIOUS Strength and Conditioning, Plus WODs and Programming Explained

As my Spartan Race approaches and I find myself doing more outside things because it is summer, I have really taken strength and conditioning seriously.  On one hand, I want to be fast and have endurance during races.  On the other, I still want to have a base level of strength.  So I have tailored this summer's WODs to accomplish both objectives, as well as still let me charge hard in my hobbies and be a STRONG weekend warrior.  I have used my basic training template before for ultras and mountain biking races.

Basic Weekend Warrior Training Template

Monday: Strength (Heavy)

Tuesday: Metacon and/or your Skill Set (moderate intensity)

Wednesday: Strength (Medium)

Thursday: Metacon or your Skill Set (light intensity)

Friday: Strength (medium to light intensity)

Weekend: Charge Hard or Do Skill Set for Long Time Period

If you follow the blog, you will see how I rotate different exercises and WODs for a balanced approach to full body workouts. It keeps me in peak performance for my age.  And the last thing anyone wants to be is injured.  Look at the videos below for my WODs, plus commentary on how and why I train like I do.

Tuesday Metacon Meltdown!

Basically, I am a believer that more is less sometimes: that is, you can train too hard in your skill for your event.  Rather, I have found that strength training, interwoven with metabolic conditioning and your skills, (e.g., biking, running, etc.) produces better overall results.  The first major reason is that strength and conditioning training makes your body stronger and more durable.  The cascading effect is that you can train harder on your skill day.  For example, if you don't run hard everyday, you can run harder on your skill day.

Wednesday: Wicked Strength and the Frek Fighter WOD (A Keeper)

Matt's WODs and Weekend Warrior Training Template

Sunday: Long Slow Distance (kind of) 2 Hours on the Mountain Bike at a Good Clip--Up and Down Hills

Monday: Strength WU: 5/5 TGUs (32K)  8x3 (Moving up in working weight by round 4) Clean and Press (28Ks) Weighted Pullups (24Ks) Squats (32Ks Finisher: 15/15 Snatch for 5 min. (32K)

Tuesday: Metacon 3 Rounds 20 KB Swings (32K) 10/10 Push Press (32K) 2 15' Weighted Rope Climbs 800 meter sprint Finisher: 5 min. 16. lb. sledge hammer swings on tire

Wednesday: Strength WU: Indian Clubbells and 2x WOD at 50% of working Weight  WO1: 5x5 1-Arm Floor Press (30K/36K) 1-Arm Row (32K/36K) Trapbar Deadlift 295 lbs. Finisher: 3 Rounds of 200m rower, 20 Hand-2-Hand KB Swings (30K), and 20 Pushups