The answer is Brad Womack, age 48, and a bar and restaurateur in Austin, TX. In other words, a man who, by most logic, had no business being there. But then again, Womack is no ordinary man… he’s an Onnit Gym member.

After he got the sand out of his ears and the blisters off his feet, Womack talked to us about the most trying experience of his life, and how, in contrast to what action movies taught us, it’s teamwork and friendship that really make a person unbreakable.

Onnit: What is KOKORO™?

Womack: It’s basically the same training Navy SEALs do in their Hell Week, or at least the first couple days of it. You don’t do actual warfare training, but everything else. It started as training for guys who were going into BUDs [Basic Underwater Demolition, the SEALs’ introductory course], and when they realized they had a good success rate with it, they opened KOKORO™ to civilians. But, they said, “We’re not going to make it any easier on them.”

Kokoro is a Japanese word that means a blending of heart, mind, and spirit, because that’s what you need to get through the training. The event is 53 straight hours—you don’t sleep a wink—and you’re being tested physically, mentally, and emotionally the whole time. KOKORO™ has been written up in every magazine you can imagine and it’s always billed as the very hardest thing a civilian can do.

My group started with 15 people and only six of us finished. Two were pulled for hypothermia, some voluntarily quit, and some had injuries. And these are the toughest kinds of people—pro athletes, UFC fighters, CEOs of companies, linemen for electric companies… The event only has a 30% completion rate.

When you’re on hour 25, and it’s cold, and muddy, and you realize you’re not even halfway done… that you’ve got another sunset and another sunrise… you really have to be mentally strong.

Where and when was it?

It’s done in Temecula, California, an hour north of San Diego. They have three KOKORO™ events a year—in March, July, and October. I was originally going to do the one in October last year for my second try, but it was cancelled due to Covid. So I did the one in March this year, the 12^th to the 14^th.

Let’s back up a moment. Your “second try??” You mean you put yourself through this meat grinder before?

I did! In July 2018. They had a heat wave that year and when I showed up it was 108 degrees. Right out of the gate, I couldn’t stop throwing up. They make you do Murph [the CrossFit WOD] as part of the physical training, and we were dropping like flies. They have a Navy medic with you 24/7, and I made it to hour 8 or 9, but the medic finally said, “Womack, if you throw up one more time, I have to pull you.” I did, and so he did.

I went to the restroom, and when I peed, it was literally black. It looked like Coca-Cola. It turned out to be rhabdomyolysis [when muscle fibers die and release their contents into the bloodstream]. I wound up in the hospital for four days, and the doctors said my kidneys were functioning at 30%. I had trained eight or nine months specifically for that event, so to be pulled early was just devastating.

I had to give it a second shot. I just wanted to show that I am as capable as I think I am. I wanted to prove it to myself.

You own a bunch of bars and restaurants—a very successful man by most standards. And most guys your age don’t want to push themselves that hard physically. Why did you want to put yourself through KOKORO™ at all?

I’ve always been the type of guy who wants to push himself. That’s why I joined Onnit initially. I’ve always wanted to better myself, and I live and breathe Onnit’s Total Human Optimization philosophy. I want to know that I’m giving 100% all the time. That’s what keeps me going. Part of it is to battle age, and getting slow mentally… I just want to be the very best version of myself that I can be.

Also, 2020 was crippling for the restaurant industry. I’m very pleased to tell you that we’re finally bouncing back, but that was one of my main motivators. I wanted to develop my mental tenacity. I wanted to be able to better handle times of adversity and stress like what we’ve seen with the pandemic. I hate to admit it, but my mind isn’t as strong as I’d like it to be sometimes.

And I have such respect for military personnel—anyone who serves, not just Special Forces. I just wanted to see if I could hang with them, if only for a weekend.

But going into KOKORO™, they tell you that you have to have very solid reasons for what you’re doing. You need a why, and it can’t just be, “I want to try KOKORO™.” You won’t last.

The motivation to train like a Navy SEAL has to come from someplace very deep, and probably dark. Is there something in your past that drives you to push yourself like this?

My brothers and I grew up in an environment where there wasn’t much love shown. My entire family struggles with mental health issues—depression, lack of self-esteem—and there was physical abuse too. My brothers and I were told, “You’re not good enough; you’ll never be anything.” That’s a tough thing to overcome. It gave me imposter syndrome, which is when you reach whatever level you deem to be success in life and you question whether you’re even supposed to be there. Your whole life you’re asking, “Do I fit in?”

But I’ve learned in my life that you can control where you take yourself, and when you allow yourself to be in control of your own trajectory, what a powerful feeling that is. It’s the best feeling you can have. By pushing myself to accomplish hard things, I’ve overcome some dark places mentally and strengthened my mind. So I think that led me to KOKORO™.

Tell us about the training you did to prepare for KOKORO™.

I trained at Onnit Gym [in Austin, TX] with Juan Leija [Director of Fitness Programming; follow him on Instagram, juannit_247]. I want to say that your facility, your trainers, and the whole mentality of Onnit is amazing. I showed up in such great shape that some of my KOKORO™ teammates actually thanked me for being so well-conditioned—because it made it easier on them. And at 48, I was the second-oldest guy there! A few of them asked me where I trained and, sure enough, the majority of them knew about Onnit. These are people who look for the very best, and Onnit is the very best.

Before we started the training, Juan asked me to send him videos of the types of exercises I was going to have to do at KOKORO™. He wanted to be as prepared as possible to write a training program for it, so he really educated himself on the event. We did dedicated, KOKORO™-focused training for about five months leading up to it.

The key to the training was always keeping my heart-rate elevated. You’re in fight-or-flight mode pretty much the whole event, so you have to be conditioned, and you need to get used to training under duress. So if I was doing an exercise like squats, I might do 20 reps and then immediately run to the ski ERG or the bike. You carry a log a lot at KOKORO™, so Juan had me do presses and lunges with a log-shaped barbell. We did sled drags to simulate dragging a buddy through deep sand.

I remember one circuit that was 20 reps of squats into 10 box jumps and then a single-arm farmer’s carry for 50 yards—then switch arms for 50 yards back. Rest a minute, and repeat. Lots and lots of sprinting and hiking with a weighted rucksack too. I even drove out to Big Bend [National Park in west Texas] to practice ruck hiking—carrying a 60-pound pack for 16 miles on the trails.

There were times when I thought I was going to die in the middle of the Onnit Gym, but one thing I really respected about Juan was that he never let up. He’d say, “No breaks. This is what you asked for. You may hate me now but you’re gonna thank me later.” He treated me like I was a professional athlete, which I’m very far from. But I sure felt like I was getting the best quality training.

I get choked up thinking about it—that an elite trainer who works with world-class athletes would take the time to help me be the best version of myself. I couldn’t have gotten in shape for KOKORO™ on my own. I couldn’t have gotten into the same shape with another trainer. I will forever be grateful to Juan and Onnit for that.

Also, I’m proud to say that I didn’t have a single injury throughout the event. That’s probably thanks to all the mobility and stretching Juan had me do.

OK, it’s time for the main event… Tell us what KOKORO™ is like. Let’s start from the moment you got there.

We checked in at 9 a.m. Friday at Vail Lake Resort in Temecula. Right off the bat, we had to run two or three miles from the front gate to the basecamp—with all our gear in hand. We got to the base, what they call the Grinder, and Commander Mark Divine came out and addressed us. He gave a brief introduction, basically saying, “Thank you for being here, but this is about to get really, really hard.”

That’s when what they call the “welcome party” arrived. All of a sudden, smoke bombs go off and you hear sirens wailing and they start spraying you with hoses. All stuff that’s designed to disorient you. While all that’s going on, they have you doing countless burpees, pushups, and air squats, and dunking yourself into troughs of ice water. The coaches are giving different commands, so you don’t know whose to follow, and that’s all by design. Mentally, you’re thinking, “What the hell is going on?,” and physically, your heart rate is through the roof. We lost two or three people during those first few hours.

After that, we rucked six miles to a hill for hill sprints and stretcher carries—one guy lies on a stretcher while two others carry him, and you rotate. This isn’t just to make you tired, but also to build teamwork and communication. They have a saying in the SEALs that “Rambos don’t make it,” meaning that you can be a physical specimen, but if you want to go out there and prove that you’re a bad ass by working alone, you’re not going to last long. You need your team for mental and physical support.

Next, you take the Physical Standards Test, which every Navy SEAL candidate has to do. It wouldn’t be that hard by itself, but you do it after everything I just described, so it’s awful. It’s 50 pushups, 50 situps, 50 air squats, 10 dead-hang pullups, and then a one-mile run in under nine-and-a-half minutes. After that, you do the Murph WOD, which is what stopped me last time: another mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 air squats, and an extra mile run at the end—all while wearing a 20-pound weight vest. You have to finish it in 70 minutes or they’ll automatically drop you from KOKORO™.

Then, finally, they allowed us to eat.

How was the food?

They gave us MRE’s—meals ready to eat. They’re everything you think they are, packaged not to spoil. They’re terrible. The next day, though, we got breakfast burritos, and our last morning there, we had a breakfast buffet with eggs and pancakes. We had to eat it all within 15 minutes, but at that point, any food felt so good [laughs].

And throughout the whole event they give you water with electrolyte powder mixed in to keep you hydrated.

Was that it for Day 1?

Except for the 14-mile ruck after dinner when it started raining on us… And then we did this cognitive test where we had to walk 300 yards and pick up a backpack with 10 objects in it. You had to memorize those 10, walk back, and tell your teammates what you saw, and God help you if you got it wrong. They never told us what test was coming next, so you had to be ready for anything.

How about Day 2?

The second day is such a blur. Nobody is allowed watches and you don’t sleep, so forgive me if I’m mixed up on some details. We were basically delirious by the end.

They bused us down to the Pacific Ocean, but we had to ruck to the water, which was about 10 to 12 miles. There, they had us lock arms and lie down with our heads right where the waves come up to the sand. It’s to condition your body to the cold, and that water is freezing.

We did a lot of log PT [physical training]. Carrying the log overhead like it was a boat. Lunges with the log in the sand, and dragging it. By this point, all the guys were really coming together as a team. By the end of it, we looked and sounded like one person—which is exactly what the coaches are looking for.

When we got back to base, Commander Divine showed up again and ran us through—of all things—yoga. This felt great, because your body is really seizing up by that point. He told us to close our eyes, which up till then we weren’t allowed to do at all, so we thought we were done. But it’s the worst mind-screw ever because he hit us with buckets of ice water, and then it was back to the smoke and sirens and burpees for another couple hours.

This is unbelievable. Be honest—was there ever a moment you were tempted to quit?

There was never one time in that 53 hours that I questioned my ability, or was tempted to quit. Of course, you go through moments where you think, “I’m colder than I’ve ever been in my life,” and “I’d love a hot shower right now.” But I can honestly say that I wanted to finish so badly there wasn’t a time in my mind where I thought it would be real good to quit. I showed up knowing I was going to do it no matter how tough it was.

And I’ll tell you, my respect for Onnit was a big motivator. At different times during the event, I would think about the people who work at the front desk of the gym, the manager of the gym, and the people I take classes with… I wasn’t going to come back to them and say that Onnit took a loss! That just wasn’t going to happen. I wasn’t going to allow myself to let you guys down.

We were secured—which means we completed the event—sometime around 2 p.m. on Sunday.

And how did you spend the next day?

They very strongly suggest that for 24 hours afterward you don’t fly or drive, so I had already booked a hotel room in Temecula. I felt like I’d been in a car wreck—the muscle soreness was to a degree I’d never known. But the feeling of accomplishment was so good it kind of masks that pain.

I showered at the hotel, and that was the best shower I’ve had in my whole life! [Laughs] There was sand coming out of my ears. I had been awake for almost 65 hours straight, so I went to bed and slept about six hours. Then I woke up, ordered some food, and slept another 10–12 hours. Woke up, ordered food, slept another eight. I didn’t set foot in a gym again till a week later.

Do you think you could have made it as a Navy SEAL?

In the back of my mind, I always wondered if I could have been one. Of course, it’s real easy to sit on a couch and say, “Yeah, I could do that.” But getting a little taste of it affirmed that thought and I think now that yeah, maybe I could have done it. But Hell Week is seven days and BUDs training goes 24 weeks, so it’s easy for me to sit here and say I could have done it after completing just a weekend course. I may have been able to tough it out, but who knows? Humbly speaking, maybe I could have.

So was it worth it? What did you get out of KOKORO™?

Those 15 people, not just the six of us who secured, will forever be family to me for the rest of my life.

I’ve also become a much better businessman since then. I’ve learned to shut the hell up and realize that some people are going to be better than I am at many facets of our operation. I’ve learned to let go of ego and admit what my weaknesses are. I understand now that there’s no way in hell that I can do any of the work I do on my own. I’ve learned to rely on a team. I mean I need every single one of those 100-plus people that my business partners and I employ. I always say they work with us, not for us. We all work together.

I have learned how to be a better listener. People want to be heard, and it’s such a profound thing to see someone’s reaction when they realize that we are shutting up and listening to their invaluable input. Sure enough, in a short amount of time, I already feel like my team is a more cohesive unit.

It’s such a rewarding experience seeing people coming into their own simply because they were allowed to excel.

That sounds a lot like our Onnit Tribe, the social media support network for Onnit fans. Anyway, what’s next for you?

The SEALfit team [the active and ex SEALs who run the event] asked if I would be interested in interning as a coach in July for the next KOKORO™. It probably just means loading the ice baths, but I can’t wait. Three of my teammates from this KOKORO™ are going to try it again, so hopefully I’ll be able to encourage them.

As far as other physical challenges in the future, I don’t know, because nothing will ever compare to KOKORO™. I don’t know what’s next, but I have to find something. I always have to have a goal on the horizon, and a pretty lofty one, so rest assured, I’ll find it.

Learn more about KOKORO™ at SEALFIT.com.

The post “Rambos Don’t Make It”: How Brad Womack Survived Navy SEAL Training appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Before we answer these questions, let’s review what it takes to get ripped. First of all, you need to cut calories from your diet.

It doesn’t matter if you’re in the low-carb camp or you like to eat Froot Loops every morning (either approach can work); you need to create a caloric deficit to lose fat.

Secondly, you need to lift weights. Without strength training, dieting will leave you soft and weak—resistance exercise sends the muscles the message that they’re not allowed to burn up.

Plus, the more muscle you have, the greater your resting metabolic rate and the more calories you’ll burn daily, inside the gym and out.

That brings us to cardio. There’s aerobic (steady-state) work and interval training. Both are good adjuncts to your diet and lifting regimen, but neither contributes as much to a lean body as you probably think.

Cold, Hard Cardio Facts

Let’s look at how many calories aerobic training can burn, starting with one of the most efficient and probably the most popular form of steady-state cardio—jogging. According to research from Harvard, a 185-pound person running at an eight-minute mile pace can burn 555 calories in 30 minutes.

“Golly,” you say. “That’s a lot.”

Well, yes and no. It’s more calories than you’re likely to burn given the same amount of time lifting weights (266 calories), but, at some point in the day, you’re going to have to eat something. And that’s the problem, because it’s much easier to consume calories than it is to burn them off. Let’s say this 185-pounder follows up his run with a healthy, high-protein meal of eight ounces of skinless chicken breast, one cup of brown rice, and as much broccoli as he can fit on his plate, dressed with a mere one tablespoon of olive oil. The calorie total for that meal? Just under 600.

In other words, just one HEALTHY meal (most people don’t eat this well) pretty much cancels out the calories you burn in one intense aerobic session. Furthermore, you’re going to have to eat more than once in a day, but you’re not going to go back to the gym again and again, so it’s clear that eating even the “cleanest” foods can overwhelm your calorie-burning efforts.

“Shit,” you say. “That sucks.”

Indeed it does. But what about interval training? According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), alternating hard bouts of exercise with periods of light work or rest (which you probably know as high-intensity interval training, or HIIT) can burn more calories per minute of exercise than aerobic training. That makes it more time-efficient, but because interval sessions are more intense than aerobic ones, they can’t last as long, and that means you won’t burn more calories overall.

A study published in the American Journal of Human Biology compared steady-state training to HIIT. Subjects performed two protocols: they alternated sessions where they ran for 20 minutes straight, keeping their heart rates at a moderate level, with workouts in which they did multiple, all-out 20-meter sprints. After seven weeks, the total exercise time in the jogging workouts was naturally much greater, and so were the calories burned: approximately 4,410 calories from the steady state training versus only 907 for the HIIT.

You may have heard of a phenomenon called EPOC—excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. This is the period after a workout where your body is recovering from the session and burns calories at a faster rate compared to a resting state. Some trainers like to make a big deal about EPOC, arguing that it’s better than steady-state cardio because it allows you to burn calories when you’re not doing anything (similar to the effect that building muscle has on the metabolism). But the truth is, the effect of EPOC isn’t that dramatic. According to the ACSM, it’s actually quite “modest,” burning only about six percent more calories than you burned in the workout itself (more if you went extremely hard—harder than most people are capable of—but still not a lot).

So what are we saying? Is cardio a huge waste of time?

Of course not. It still burns fat and increases endurance and, more importantly for your health, it strengthens your heart, lowers blood pressure, helps you recover from weight training more quickly, and a host of other good things. But the fact remains that exercise of any kind—when done independently from diet changes—just doesn’t make much of a difference for weight loss. A study from the journal Obesity looked at obese women who either dieted, exercised, or combined diet and exercise to lose weight over the course of one year. Unsurprisingly, the exercise-plus-diet group lost the most weight at about 20 pounds (and nearly six percent body fat). But the women who dieted alone weren’t far behind with around 15 pounds lost (and four percent body fat). And the exercise-only group? A mere four pounds and a little more than one percent body fat.

All of this means that lifting weights and doing cardio is well and good, but unless you’re eating less food than you were last month, the only six-pack you’ll see will be from Budweiser.

For ideas on setting up an effective diet, click HERE.

How Much Cardio You Need, and How To Do It

Now, to answer the questions at the beginning of this article (yes, we know that was a long time ago)…

How much cardio do you need to get ripped?
The answer: Not as much as you think.

And which kind should you do?
The answer: All of it.

Let us explain.

Assuming you’re cutting calories and lifting weights three to four days per week (three is the minimum amount that most trainers say you need to see progress), you only need about three cardio days per week to see your abs. That’s the recommendation of Don Saladino, a New York City-based trainer to celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively.

On each cardio day, do a different type of cardio. But wait, aren’t there only two kinds—steady state and intervals?

Actually, “there are three forms of cardio,” says Saladino. “You’ve got your steady state, your HIIT, and then there’s medium-intensity.” This last category is what most people think of as HIIT, but it really isn’t. “People tell me, ‘I do HIIT training—I run for 30 seconds and then walk 30.’ And I say, ‘No, you don’t. You do medium-intensity,’” which is the gray area in between true HIIT and aerobic work.

Medium-intensity intervals could be alternating fast runs with walking. They could be jumping rope, doing battle rope waves, running through a circuit of bodyweight exercises, or anything else that gets your heart rate up high and lets you sustain it for a little while, recover a bit but not fully, and go again.

This differs from textbook HIIT, which is work that is so demanding that you can only sustain it for four to six seconds. We’re talking a full-on sprint, battle rope slams, or pedaling on an Airdyne bike like a UFC fighter. Because it’s so hard on your nervous system as well as your muscles, Saladino says you should limit HIIT sessions to twice a week.

Finally, there’s steady-state cardio, where all you have to do is get your heart rate between 120 and 150 beats per minute and keep it there for 30–60 minutes. You could do this kind of training virtually every day if you wanted, but for the purposes of getting ripped, one day a week is enough when done in combination with HIIT and medium-intensity intervals.

Each cardio type trains a different energy system, so each is important to develop for well-rounded fitness, but none can replace weight training and diet when it comes to getting beach-ready abs. See the full directions on how to implement each cardio method below, and enjoy your summer.

HIIT

Frequency: 1–2x per week
Exercises: sprints, hill sprints, exercise bike sprints, Versaclimber sprints, battle rope slams
How to do it: warm up, then work as hard as possible for 4–6 seconds. Rest until you feel ready to repeat the effort.
Workout time: 12–15 minutes

Medium-Intensity Intervals

Frequency: 2–3x week
Exercises: fast treadmill jogs, rope jumping, body-weight circuits, sled pushes, battle rope waves
How to do it: make up your own intervals. Any hard but not maximal pace for the work interval will do. Alternate that with active recovery. For example, jump rope for 60 seconds and stretch your hip flexors for 30 seconds.
Workout time: 15–30 minutes

Steady-State Cardio

Frequency: 1–3x per week
Exercises: jogs, cycling, swimming, hiking
How to do it: work at a pace that keeps your heart rate between 120 and 150 beats per minute. You can wear a heart rate monitor or estimate as follows. Subtract your age from 220 to find your approximate maximum heart rate. Now place your index and middle fingers on the pulse in your neck and count for six seconds. Multiply that number by 10 to get your heart beats in a minute.
Workout time: 30–60 minutes

For more about Don Saladino, visit donsaladino.com

Additional reporting by Vince Kreipke, Ph.D.

The post How Much Cardio Do You Need To Get Ripped For Summer? appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Aerobic Capacity and Endurance

There are few exercises in the fitness community that build aerobic capacity and endurance in the upper body, while creating significant intensity in the cardio-pulmonary systems like ropes training.

The dual-force dynamic can build aerobic capacity and endurance for the cardiovascular, pulmonary, muscular, and nervous system (to include the central nervous system – brain), by adjusting the output methodology. If you generate waves as fast as you can (100% output), this will tend to build the power output once the nervous development and timing is there to provide the higher levels of output.

70% to 90% output will create strength and strength endurance adaptation; but if you are looking to build a huge gas tank, there are ways to adjust the variables of the ropes exercise to get 30% to 70% output for longer periods of time. Or you can adjust the active to rest ratios where all the body’s systems are adapting high levels of aerobic capacity and endurance (to include mental toughness and pain tolerance that comes with increased load and volume).

Workouts for Aerobic Capacity and Endurance:

Lower level intensity (30% to 50%) for prolonged periods of time with alternating waves (or several other wave-producing exercises). Try to maintain wave height, length, and speed throughout. (i.e. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, or 30 minutes)

Moderate level intensity for prolonged periods of time with alternating waves (or several other wave-producing exercises). Try to maintain wave height, length, and speed throughout, or use intervals with more work and less rest. (i.e. 40 seconds work and 20 seconds rest for several sets or rounds; 50 seconds work and 10 seconds rest for several sets or rounds; or just 3 minutes work, 5 minutes work, 7 minutes work, etc.)

Continuous pulling of the rope with varied resistance wraps around an anchor in a variety of pulling positions. (i.e. 10 lengths of pulling, 40 lengths of pulling, or 5 minutes of pulling, 10 minutes of pulling, etc.)

As a general rule, the work time should always be equal to or greater than your rest times. Total work volume should not be less than two minutes. The output of your intensity will never be able to reach 100% if the total work volume and work to rest ratios are built appropriately. Building endurance, strength, strength endurance, and power is about embracing the science of physiological adaptation. This information will give a practical and basic approach to this science.

Strength and Strength Endurance

Battle ropes are an excellent implement to increase strength and strength endurance.

Being level 1 and level 2 qualified through John Brookfield’s Battling Ropes certification, as well as using the ropes as a vital component for Innovative Results clients (which include several MMA Champions, several Special Operations Elite Military, and high school/collegiate/professional athletes) for several years, we are frustrated when the fitness community says battle ropes are just a good conditioning tool for the upper body.

It would be like saying, “the barbell is just good to hang my clothes when they need to air dry.” If I said that, I obviously have very little idea of how the implement works. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”

Battle ropes, if utilized correctly, can create an extremely high demand on the musculo-skeletal system and create incredible muscular adaptations.

Workouts for Strength and Strength Endurance:

Moderate to moderate-high intensity (60% to 90%) for prolonged time or intervals with alternating waves (or other wave-producing exercises). Try to maintain wave height, length, and speed throughout work sets or rounds. (i.e. 2 minutes of work once or several times; 30 seconds work/30 seconds rest for several sets or rounds; 40 seconds work/40 seconds rest for several sets or rounds; 60 seconds work/60 seconds rest for several sets or rounds; 20 seconds work/40 seconds rest for several sets or rounds; 40 seconds work/60 seconds rest for several sets or rounds).

Moderate to moderate-high intensity (60% to 90%) with extra wraps while pulling ropes around or through anchored points. (i.e. 5 to 40 pulls with 1 to 3 minutes of rest between sets or rounds).

As a general rule, the work time should always be equal to or less than your rest times (equal rest to work or greater rest to work ratios to build strength endurance or strength), and total work volume should not be less than twenty seconds or more than 40 minutes otherwise you’ll be going into aerobic or power work.

The output of your intensity will never be able to reach 100% nor go below 70% if the total work volume and work to rest ratios are built appropriately. Building endurance, strength, strength endurance, and power is about embracing the science of physiological adaptation.

Power

I have found no better power improvement tool than the rope. When utilized correctly, the rope provides a ceiling-less growth to the body’s power output, while keeping injuries to an all time low (putting thousands of people through several power programming sequences and progressions, I have seen no injuries from the ropes – I am not saying injury is impossible, but it is highly improbable).

Workouts for Power:

High intensity (90% to 100%) for intervals with alternating waves (or other wave-producing exercises). Try to maintain wave height, length, and speed throughout work sets or rounds. The intensity is the same for pulling exercises, and is built through wraps to increase friction, as well as force output from the body. (i.e. 20 seconds of work once or several times; 20 seconds work/60 seconds rest for several sets or rounds; 10 seconds work/50 seconds rest for several sets or rounds; 5 seconds work/30 seconds rest for several sets or rounds; 6 reps with 20-60 seconds of rest; 3 reps with 20-60 seconds of rest and the list goes on).

As a general rule, the work time should always be five times less than your rest times (at minimum, a 1:5 work to rest ratio), and total work volume should not exceed 20 minutes. That amount of total work volume is usually only possible with elite athletes.

The output of your intensity should always strive to be 100%. The biggest inhibitor here is nervous development and mental understanding of complete force output. If the total work volume and work to rest ratios are built appropriately, the athlete will build an amazing amount of power without injuries.

Battle Ropes Improve the Basic Movement Standards

The squat, hinge, push, and pull can be performed while producing waves, while pulling the rope around an anchor, or while simply loading under an outstretched rope attached securely to an anchor.

With the ropes dual-force dynamic, the body learns positioning, movement, and timing through two chains of movement: gravity through the body to the ground, and the body through the rope to the anchor. This creates an amplified experience for any athlete, helping adaptation and body awareness significantly.

Through varying the exercise, intensity, load, time, planes of motion, work, and rest, you have an endless supply of techniques to help build a human to the highest level of optimization through one of the most ancient inventions ever used in a fitness capacity.

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As a little girl, my dad woke me up at 5:30 A.M. five days a week to run with him. Running, tome, has been just like breathing; it’s just something I do. My first marathon was in 2000 and I’ve been hooked ever since! I love variety, so I gave triathlons a shot. I just ended my 4th season of triathlons.

I tried one sprint distance and one Olympic distance my first season and realized they weren’t really for me. It turns out that I LOVE distance! I made the switch to long distance triathlons. The last three seasons I competed in the half Ironman and full Ironman distances.

My last three races have been my personal best. In the Lake Havasu Half Ironman, I placed 1st woman and 5th overall. Running through the banner was quite a rush! I just finished my 4th full Ironman in December 2012 with a time of 10:38. My last race was the Ironman St. George 70.3 where I came in as the fastest amateur female runner.

I am a proud mommy of three crazy little girls and blessed to have an amazing hubby to support my adventures! Throughout these adventures, I’ve learned many things that have made me a better athlete and have increased my performance.
Here’s just a few of the lessons I’ve learned:

Don’t Set Yourself up for Failure

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked the same two questions: How do you GET the motivation to exercise?, and How do you STAY so motivated to exercise? The answer is simple: find something YOU love!

If you HATE running, is it really a good idea to say, “I’m going to run every day?” You’re pretty much setting yourself up to fail. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a HUGE believer in mastering your weakness and you could grow to LOVE it.

What I’m saying is to find something you can be passionate about! Something that you can be excited to do! Try mixing it up. I get bored just running and I can’t even begin to tell you my passion for running, but running EVERYDAY? No way! That is one of the many reasons I enjoy crostraining; it spices things up a bit.

moNOTony

Say NO to monotony! As the saying goes, “You can’t keep doing the same thing everyday and expect different results.” With any training, monotony can actually be a negative drain on the mind and body, not to mention the negative effect it has on motivation. It’s easy to fall into the trap of “more is better.”

I know, I did in the past (and sometimes still do now) until someone corrects my behavior. When I first started long distance triathlons, I figured longer hours in the pool, on the bike, and out running would make me faster. However, much to my disappointment, my race times weren’t improving. More of the same didn’t get me different results. So, I had to break-up the monotony and change.

The last year my fitness levels and body accelerated by leaps and bounds and I’ve seen better results in all of my races. I’ve been adding in CrossFit with my training. I’ll be honest with you, I’m not a huge fan of weight lifting. I’d much rather be outside riding through the canyons or running on the trails.

But remember what I said about our weaknesses… MASTER THEM! So, I practice what I preach and in the process I’ve learned strength train ing is essential for endurance athletes.

Why is Strength Training Improtant For Endurance Athletes

Earlier this week after my strength training class, I had a gentleman ask me, “Does lifting weights really help my running?” umm… YES! Some people (especially endurance athletes) often shy away from strength training out of a fear it will make them bulk up. Others are intimidated by going to a gym.

But for most people, the reason is simpler: they know one hour of intense cardio burns more calories than one hour of strength training. If you’re pressed for time, it would seem that intense cardiovascular exercise would pro- vide more bang for your buck, leading to a greater weight loss than pumping iron. Right? Not necessarily.

Facts & Research on Strength Training

Now, I’m not a scientist and can’t take credit for this research. To be honest, I’ve attended many seminars and read a lot of training material so I can’t properly give credit to anyone for these facts, but they are taken from years of notes and more importantly years of personal results.

The truth is that taking the time to add strength training to your routine a few days a week has a number of benefits that can help boost your weight loss. Studies have shown that strength training can improve body composition by helping you maintain or increase your lean body mass and can decrease your percentage of body fat, helping you look leaner and burn additional calories. Here’s how it works.

Quick Tips to Spice up your Strength Training

• ROPES: Builds grip strength, leg power, and works the arms, shoulders and back.
• PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES: Gives your legs and muscles an intense exercise which guarantees an increase in muscle potential.
• SLEDS: They look scary. Why? Cause they are hard! You can do hard things!
• BLEACHERS: Great for agility. Nothing makes me feel more like an athlete than days I’m running up the bleachers full speed!
• BENCHES/PARKS/PLAYGROUNDS: If you run outside, odds are that you pass parks, bench- es, playgrounds, stairs, etc. Incorporate these into your run. Have a goal to do 50 push ups, or 50 “box-jumps” or dips on benches or 50 pull ups at the park in the middle of your run before you get home. The options are endless.
• TRAILS: Trails are easier on the joints. Increased elevation which makes a flat road really easy!
• FRIENDS: I couldn’t imagine doing what I do without friends as crazy as me! Find people that share your interest. My friends hold me account- able and I work harder with others around me.
• OPEN WATER: The distance of an ironman swim is 160 lengths of the pool. Shoot. Me. Now!! Pools are great for speed work but get out in the open water for your longer swims.
• NEW ROUTES: Don’t step out of your door and do the same ol’ run around the block every day. Be adventurous!

3 Reasons Why All Endurance Athletes Need Strength Training

Reason #1. Strength Training builds More Muscle

FACT: Fat burns pretty much nothing at rest, whereas muscle uses oxygen. If you increase lean muscle mass, you’ll increase the body’s ability to use oxygen and burn more calories. More calories burned means more food right? No brainer for me and my love for food

Reason #2. You’ll Be More Efficient with Strength Training

Strength training can help you run longer, faster, and more efficiently. Fact is that runners who add three days of resistance training exercises to their weekly program increase their leg strength and enhance their endurance.

Obviously, runners with better endurance can run longer and burn more calories. You’ll also be able to recover faster from those long runs because strength training makes your body more efficient at converting metabolic waste into energy.

Reason #3. You’ll be Less Injury-Prone with Strength Training

When you increase your strength, you’ll also increase your joint stability and reduce your risk of repetitive stress injuries. Incorporating moves such as squats, single-leg hops, and core work into a workout can not only prevent lower-body injuries, but improve performance as well.

Leg exercises are particularly important when it comes to reducing injury; they strengthen muscles around the knees and hips

• two areas that often cause problems for runners. Breaking up the monotony and adding strength training to your program will ultimately increase your performance not only in training but also on race day. Change your routine and you’ll change your performance.

Sample Strength Training Workout Week

The post 3 Reasons Why All Endurance Athletes Need Strength Training appeared first on Onnit Academy.

As an athlete in an event that is constantly testing the limits both in strength and endurance, I have found a few formulas I use to test your fitness levels.

The combination of gymnastic movements, static holds, kettlebells and running time trials will test any athlete to their maximum capacity if given the right objective and right intensity, here are a few of my tests.

Endurance Training Test#1: Kettlebell Snatch Test

Max Kettlebell Snatches in 10 minutes, allowing yourself to switch arms or place down the kettlebell when ever necessary.

Men- 24kg
Women- 16kg

If you’re just starting the goal is 100 plus, advanced is 200 and elite is 250+ This test is great for showing grip strength while exhausting your hip power at the same time.

Endurance Training Test #:2 Mile Run Time Trial

if you hate running the mile and you hate running 5k’s I give you the perfect answer, run two miles! Go all out and have no regrets at the finish line!

Endurance Training Test #3: 10 Minute Plank Test

Holding plank seems simple but it will break down the strongest of athletes within minutes. Being able to demonstrate a strong midline over extended periods of times is what defines an efficient strength endurance athlete.

During the test you have 10 minutes of a running clock, you can rest when ever you’d like but your shaving off from your potential perfect 10 minute score. for every second you’re down shave off one point from the perfect score of 600.

Endurance Training Test #4: Ascending Box Jump

Men use a 24 inch box, women use 20. you start by jumping once, you add a rep each minute and your next round starts at the top of every minute. Your goal is absolute failure, be careful for your shin and get ready to sweat.

Endurance Training Test #5: 100 Burpees for Time

It is pretty self explained, make sure your chest hits the ground and your feet completely leave the ground.

Final Thoughts on Endurance Training Tests

The tests you see above don’t necessarily define what one might call “endurance.” The reason i use tests like those listed above is to find an athlete’s levels of efficiency. If you are a monster at one of these tests that shows a narrow scope of athleticism but the goal is to be good, if not great at all of them.

Another way to look at these tests is by watching how well you can pace yourself throughout these tests. Meaning if your first 400 meters of the run should be the same as your last. By using short intense tests like these, you can slowly add more intervals or try to add more distance/reps to your last score.

To become an a better endurance athlete one must become efficient over time. The more economically your body functions over a distance the faster you can eventually become.

By using interval based tests such as these an athlete will train their body throughout testing to become more efficient at certain domains; Allowing yourself to become a better endurance athlete by increasing the length of the intervals and sets performed. Eventually these interval workouts will become long, grueling tests of endurance.

To find the most success with these tests perform each of them once and repeat them every 4 to 6 weeks. At first, test them separately of the others and eventually you’ll become so fit you can turn the whole list into a crazy circuit. Good luck and never shy away from a challenge!

The post 5 Endurance Training Tests for Elite Athleticism appeared first on Onnit Academy.

The High Octane Sandbag Endurance Workout will put your lungs to the test, focusing on improving endurance and conditioning, this sandbag workout is a no holds barred battle to the finish. Targeting your aerobic capacity, the imbalance of sandbag training will also improve your muscle endurance. Give the High Octane Sandbag Endurance Workout a try and take your conditioning to the next level!

Workout Instructions

Perform all sandbag exercises in group A as a circuit, resting 60 seconds before moving onto the next sandbag endurance round. Perform the first sandbag exercise of group B for 40 seconds, resting 20 seconds before moving onto the next sandbag exercise in group B. Alternate this method until the completion of all 5 sandbag endurance rounds.

A1: Sandbag Clean to Overhead Squat – 5 rounds x 8 reps
A2: Sandbag Alternating Rotational Slam – 5 rounds x  8 reps (each side)
A3: Sandbag Alternating Shin Box to Press – 5 rounds x 8 reps (each side)

B1: Sandbag Shouldering – 5 rounds x 40 sec on/20 sec off
B2 Sandbag Deck Squat –  5 rounds x 40 sec on/20 sec off

Other Workout Details

Workout Created By: Mark De Grasse
Workout Demonstrated By: Taylor Loyd
Equipment Used: Onnit Sandbag

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Somehow notification was never given, or I completely missed it, but the sandbag ended up being 100lbs (talk about a rude awakening)! Either way, my suffering is still your gain, because today I am going to show you how you can condition yourself to get used to the demands of carrying 50 lbs-plus of gear while going into the fray of a wildfire, even if you haven’t done conditioning work in years (like I hadn’t).

To go from never wearing gear and carrying tools ever in your life to throwing all of it on and expecting not to fatigue when danger is at its highest would be crazy. The system I’m showing you today will allow you to work up to the weight of your gear and beyond so that you can get ready for these physical demands and also get that psychological edge as well.

This system involves loading chains around your body in order to gradually increase the amount of weight that you can carry while performing conditioning work. There are several great things about chains that make them perfect for preparing for the physical demands of your job.

1. Chains Come in Many Sizes.

You can find them very thick or very thin, they are made of different materials that make the links either heavier or lighter, and they can be cut to various lengths, which also modifies their sheer weight.

2. Chains are Flexible.

Because chains can be twisted, you can literally turn them into a suit of armor that you can use to make you training much more functional and beneficial for the type of work you need to prepare for.

3. Chains Go On & Off Quickly.

Setting up your chains for training takes less than a minute. When you are done, spent, and ready to collapse, they are easy to remove, either by yourself or by a training partner. If by chance they seem a bit too heavy, you can rip off single portions of chain to get some relief, and then pick them up later when you are done training.

4. Chains Offer Progressive Resistance.

You can start out light when you first start using this system, and then by adding additional chains, you can gradually make your loading more and more challenging each time you train.

These are just a few of the great things about chains. I am sure there are more, but you get the point. Now, let’s look at the various ways you can use chains for your much needed firefighting conditioning.

Beginning Strongman Endurance with Heavy Chains

The main way I used chains was with my running. I had to prepare to carry a 40lbs and bag (so I thought) for a mile, yet when I began training the run, I didn’t even add any chains and I could only go for 3 minutes before I had to stop and rest (pathetic)!

I started out with a couple of very light chains looped around each side of my neck. Even though I knew I would have to carry a sandbag and I would be unilaterally loaded, I knew I had to start out balanced first.With the chains crossed, I could run with an additional 20lbs, but the weight was balanced, just like wearing a weight jacket, so my back and core could handle it fairly well.

As I progressed, I would add chain weight and on one occasion I worked up to 96lbs in chains. This was TOUGH. Once I finished that session, I knew my cardio had improved greatly and I knew I was ready for some unilateral loading.

For the unilateral loading, I filled up contractor bags with sandbox sand and then inserted them in to a feedbag. This is a great combination because the contractor bags are very thick and can take a beating.The feedbags are pretty tough too, plus they give you a little something to grip onto so when you are running it is a bit easier to keep the bag in place.

Along the way, I also trained with a ruck sack. Chains do not work well for loading a ruck,because all of the weight ends up at the very bottom of the ruck sack and as you run, beat- ing your lower back to hell. But, the way the ruck sits on your body is very similar to the way your gear will sit on your body, so there might be some value to experimenting with something smaller, like a school backpack loaded with sand, or one of the cool weight loadable ruck devices that are becoming available these days.

As you can see, as we add chain weight, we are also working to increase the time we run and decrease the time we stop to rest. This is very close to how I progressed. If you are in better shape than I was, then you may be able to lengthen your runs and decrease your rest already. After the fourth week though, regardless of your conditioning, it is time to start eliminating rest periods altogether as much as possible.

Important: I did my runs in a field. I knew I would be running on a beach for the Warrior Challenge, so I did not want the traction benefit of a road or track. Also, I wanted to look after my knees and back. I was 280+ lbs when I started out. That bodyweight plus chains added, I was afraid that I might wear out my knees and back due to the shock force of running on a hard road. Luckily, since I ran in the grassy field and started out light and gradually increased chain weight, I felt NOTHING in either my back or knees the entire time I did this.

Strongman Endurance Progression with Heavy Chains

Take note, since I was training for a mile run, I ran at a fairly constant speed throughout the run. While you may see times where you will need to cover a great distance in your skirmishes, you will also most likely have to do some sprinting as well, or at least some periods of rushing. With this in mind, you may also want to work in some faster-paced conditioning with the chains by either adding an extra day into the 4-week layout or by replacing one of those days with sprint/ rushing work.

Naturally, there’s no rule saying you need to use chains for this conditioning method. If you don’t have piles of chain laying around, then the sandbag, ruck sack, backpack, or even a regular weight vest will work just fine. But I can tell you that when you train with chains wrapped around your body, it feels awesome. The weight can feel smothering, but it also gets you pumped up at the same time, just like Squats with big weight on your back, or pushing yourself further with ultra-high-rep Kettlebell Snatches. It is HARD, but that is what makes it GREAT.

Finally, chain work does not have to be limited to running. You can also wear the chains while you do other forms of training. They are great for adding weight to bodyweight exercises such as Pull Ups and Dips. They can also be worn throughout a workout session in order to increase the overall demand on your full body and postural muscles. Also, when you wear chains, packs, or vests and keep them on between sets, it challenges your recovery ability. Remember, even if you step back from the flames to catch your breath, you will still have the weight of all that equipment on your body.

Doing full gym workouts while wearing some chains could be the last “link in the chain” to getting you as prepared as possible before your first wildfire fighting experience. It has been my pleasure to pass on my experience with chain training to you. You have an important job that I respect greatly, and each life you save touches countless others. If I help only one person to get just a little better prepared, then I am happy. If you have any questions about this training, feel free to contact me at DieselCrew.com. Thank you for what you do.

Strongman Endurance with Heavy Chains Workout

Here is an example progression over the course of a month to get you going with your loaded conditioning. This is interval work, where you move back and forth between running and either resting or walking. I encourage you to walk during the rest period unless you absolutely must stop and rest with your hands on your knees for instance. Sitting down or laying down is out of the question though. It is harder on your heart and doesn’t do much to get you ready for the rigors of your job. At least when you walk you are moving, so lean towards that if at all possible.

The post How to Use Heavy Chains for Strongman Endurance appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Pick up “The Beast” and try this killer conditioning single Kettlebell workout! The Heavy A** Single Bell Endurance Battle uses one Kettlebell, ” The Beast,” to give you a full body blast using compound movements. Targeting your chest, back, legs, posterior chain and conditioning levels the Heavy A** Single Bell Endurance Battle is for experienced trainees. The Heavy A** Single Bell Endurance Battle is a quick timesaving workout which can be done anywhere, from the gym to outside in your back yard, helping you build strength and power while building up your aerobic and work capacity. Whether you are getting ready for your next fight or just want a kick in the face, this workout is for you.

Workout Instructions

Perform all rounds of each group before moving onto the next group.. Once one round of a group is completed, rest as needed before moving onto next group. Move through group B as quickly as possible with as little rest as possible.

A1: Heavy Kettlebell Goblet Squat – 5 rounds x 10 reps
A2: Heavy Kettlebell Bent Over Row – 5 rounds x 10 reps
A3: Heavy Kettlebell Floor Press – 5 rounds x 10 reps
B1: Heavy Kettlebell Swing – 5 rounds x 30 sec
B2: Heavy Kettlebell Thruster- 5 rounds x 30 sec

Other Workout Details

Workout Created by: Mark de Grasse
Workout Demonstrated by: Juan Leija
Equipment Used: Onnit Kettlebells

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Mark de Grasse created bodyweight workout geared for strength and endurance. The bodyweight training workout involves some beginner and moderate level bodyweight exercises. Simpler bodyweight exercises could be substituted for the more difficult ones during the workout.

Workout Instructions

Perform as many reps as possible in given time frame before moving onto next exercise. Once completed with group rest for 45-60 seconds and repeat for a total of 5 rounds. Perform the same sequence for the group B but for a total of 4 rounds.

A1: Hand Walk Out to Extended Push Up – 5 rounds x 45 sec
A2: Split Squat Jump – 5 rounds  x 45 sec
A3: Hop Out – 5 rounds x 45 sec
A4: Gladiator Hold – 5 rounds x 30 sec (each side)
B1: Butterfly Sit Up – 4 rounds x 60 sec

Other Workout Details

Workout Created by: Mark de Grasse
Workout Demonstrated by: Bernie Wallner
Equipment Used: None

The post Bodyweight Workout For Strength & Endurance appeared first on Onnit Academy.

If you are short on time, try the Barbell Axle Strength Endurance Circuit. The Barbell Axle Strength Endurance Circuit is a quick time-saving workout that can be completed with only a barbell in a minimal amount of space. Testing your endurance as well as targeting your hips, core, back, arms and rotational strength, The Barbell Axle Strength Endurance Circuit will give you the most effective full body workout in a minimal amount of time. Combining these 5 movements at such a rapid pace, provides the perfect workout for a fighter trying to increase their conditioning or the average joe who just wants to shed some fat!

Workout Instructions

Complete as many reps as possible in 30-60 seconds before moving to next exercise. Once one round of all exercises is completed rest as needed and repeat for a total of 4 rounds. 

A1: Barbell Squat to Press – 4 rounds x 30 sec (each side)
A2: Barbell Busdriver – 4 rounds  x 60 sec
A3: Barbell Shoulder Toss – 4 rounds x 30 sec (each side)
A4: Barbell Renegade Press – 4 rounds x 30 sec (each side)
A5: Barbell Bent Over Row- 4 rounds x 60 sec

Other Workout Details

Workout Created By: Mark de Grasse
Workout Demonstrated By: Eric Leija
Equipment Used: Barbell

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