Super Five

Before the Eagles shock the world tonight by defeating the insuperable New England Patriots 27-24 (mark my words, it is now 1930, kick off in one hour), I would like to take some time to list the five workouts I have been cycling in and out of my Advanced S&C Class over the last 6 weeks.

Those of you who train with me know that I improv 90% of my workouts. Holiday classes and rep busting 10 minute snatch tests aside, I rarely concoct a workout until i see who is there, and what I am working with. recently, however, I have taken a new approach. I needed to become opportunistic with my workouts, much like I was in my early days as a trainer, when I was swamped with work at LA Fitness and knew that the end of the day would see me rushing home to shower and then "get my club on", leaving no time for a workout. What I came up with is this: If I get to my Advanced Class, and there isn't anyone in attendance who needs to be baby-sat, I will produce a manifest detailing the night's workout and send them off into the wild. All but one time in the last 2 weeks this has worked. And in creating these ready made workouts I have refined some of them to the point of beauty. Here are my Super Five, named in honor of fallen hero Donovan McNabb.

The Centurion
Double Jerk x 10-15-20-10-15-20-10
Run 100m (use incline if possible)
Swings x 10-15-20-10-15-20-10

Run through the drills circuitously (jerk-run-swing rest 1:00)
You may use long cycle C&J if you like, and you may perform any style of swing you prefer, so long as your hip extensions total out to the preset number (e.g. 5 swings each arm for your sets of 10).

The Spec Ops Man Maker
1 arm swings x 10/10-15/15-20/20-10/10-15/15-20/20-10/10
Push Ups x 10-15-20-10-15-20-10
8 laps around a 400m track.

Also performed as a circuit. In order to balance the 8 laps with the 7 sets of drills, you must bookend the Push Ups and Swings with laps. What I have done is use the initial lap as a means to get loose and establish a time to beat. When you become proficient at this workout, make an attempt to come in earlier each round. Two weeks ago I finished my workout with a final lap[ at 1:37, better than any lap that night. There are no other guidelines to this workout other than to PACE yourself.

Executioner Style
Max Pull Ups, rest 2:00
50% max set, rest 1:00
Get Ups for 5 Minutes, HEAVY KETTLEBELL* switching hands every rep. rest 1:00
Tabata 1 arm Swing, rest 1:00
10 sets of 10 Push Ups, resting :45 between, rest 1:00 when done.
Fast 100 Snatches (20/20-15/15-10/10-5/5 without resting the bell), rest 1:00.
Deck Squat to Pull Up (1 for 1) Max Reps in 3:00 (if you get more than 50 reps call me and I'll buy you a steak).
This workout was modified from the original version as the OG version took too long.
When I say heavy kettlebell, I mean heavy. Women should use this as a chance to work with a 16KG kettlebell, and men should work with the standard issue 24KG or higher.


Black Jack
21 Jumping Pull Ups*
21 Snatches each arm
21 Scorpion Push Ups on each leg (21 left 21 right)
21 Tactical lunges each leg (1 set)
21 Alternating Jerks
21 Deck squat thrusts
Use this workout as a 1 round, short and sweet metabolic boost, or run through it for rounds in, you guessed in, 21:00.
*The Jumping Pull Up is not for everyone. And when I say jumping pull ups, i mean that you get under the bar, go into a half squat, jump to the bar and, here is the important part, GRAB THE BAR WITH BENT ELBOWS AND PULL RIGHT AWAY! When you get to working in High Rep with the JPU, you have to use as much of the jump as you can to aid in the pull. Otherwise, you are going to get burnt before the set even starts.
How you dismount is up to you. I recommend dropping off the bar into your squat and developing some momentum for your set.

And finally, the most evil and sinister workout I know.
The following drills will be performed for 15 seconds at the top of every minute. You will rest only for the remainder of the minute. Oh yeah, keep the bells in your hands, or racked, for the entire set.

Full Metal Straight Jacket
Double Swing (rack them and hold)
Double Push Press (rack them)
Double Squat (keep them racked!)
Double Snatch (hold them overhead on the last one)
Single leg dead-lift (weak side leg, hang the bells and rest)
Single leg dead-lift (strong side leg, rest the bells and then rest yourself for 1:00).

Repeat for 45 minutes.