The Get Lean and/or Die Formula

The genesis of this post came from IronGarmX, where, for some reason, most of my creativity is sparked with regards to training.

We were discussing the "Thruster", which is basically a front squat + push press combination with any number of different implements, and discussing how it was a great "bang for the buck" exercise.

The thruster is a movement that will ramp my heart rate up very quickly.  Perhaps even on par with sprinting up a hill.

Attempts to find a minimalist program engaging a lot of muscle we made, with mine looking like this:

1. Thrusters (barbell, 2 dbs, 2 kbs)
2. Swings (probably 2H kb swings inside the legs to get the wide stance musculature working. If working with barbells only, maybe the muscle snatch (or tall snatch here) from an RDL.

Further discussion delved into similarities between popular "fat loss" programs:

1.  Big movements, higher reps, low rest
2.  Meat and veggies diet (Green Faces diet as per Alwyn Cosgrove)
3.  HIIT interval training.

Tom Furman's contribution (see his Physical Strategies blog on the side for more good stuff from Tom)

Thruster/Snatch
Burpee/Pullup
Abdominals/SkipRope

I was thinking that the tall snatch from an RDL position would make a really nice addition to the thruster, but I'm also considering what's called a "low pull" from the same RDL (romanian deadlift) position.  The low pull is pulled up into a shrug on the toes and then actively stopped at arm's length.  I'm sure a high pull would work well too. (the low pull idea was culled from Bryce Lane's message board, The IronWorks)

I am thinking that it's best to keep this as low skilled as possible, because you are going to be sweating and breathing very hard very quickly.  The burpee/pull up (or burpee into a jumping pull up) combo will serve up a second helping of hurt.

I think I'll try something like this tonight or tomorrow.  Fun stuff.

Comments

[Allen Yeh]

Thrusters suck.

[Nick McKinless]

I've been doing Tabatas again Steve. Stringing 2 or 3 full Tabata circuits together with 4 exercises done over and over again. I've like bag work/punching, pushups side to side over a block, situps with a med ball and jumping chins...12 minutes does the job just fine. I really want to try rope climbing, KB swings and pushups for max reps/sets in 10, 20 and 30 minutes. So much to do, so little time! Also, Ross Enamait's stuff is the shnizzle...basically don't overthink, just do. I like the new format!

Nick

[Dano]

you're a fat cunt. it's about time you shape up.

equally fatty and equally cunty,
Dano