Exercise/Routine of the Week

[JPH]

3/9/2009-3/15/2009: The N-Up
 
Let's get back to our core, shall we?
 
Lie prone with the arms extended over the head. Bring the hands and feet off the ground a few inches and tighten the abdomen, this is that start position. Now lift the entire body off the ground while drawing the knees to the chest and sweeping the arms overhead and out in front. Pause briefly and slowly return to the start position by a reversal of that motion. Perform several sets of 8-12.
 
This is a good overall core strengthing move with a particular focus on the anterior abdominal muscles.

[JPH]

3/16/2009-3/22/2009: Tire Flipping
 
Remember our tire from a few weeks ago? Time to dust it off for an awesome total body exercise!
 
Squat deeply with the torso upright and the eyes forward. Grasp the tread of the tire with both hands and drive upward. Transition from an upward pull to a foraward push once the tire reaches hip or abdomen level.
 
Sets and reps are influenced by the size of the tire. Smaller tires can be flipped over and over again as quickly as possible for mult. sets 1:00 work and 1:00 rest, thus producing a conditioning benifit. Larger tires can be flipped for 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps with rest in-between for a strength benifit.
 
Again, any tire shop will be glad to rid themselves of bad tires for free! Steel belted semi tires are an excellent option because they are not as large as old tractor tires but they are quite heavy. Take your pick-up down to the tire shop and get yourself a free home gym!
 
 

[JPH]

3/23/2009-3/29/2009: The Leg Blaster Routine
 
It's time to begin working in the occaisional routine. This one comes from www.mtnathlete.com (excellet site). It is designed to prepare someone for the rigors of working in a mountain enviornment but translates well for the flatland deer hunter IMO.
 
Beginner
Five rounds of:
- Bodyweight Squats X 10
- Alternating Lunges X 10
- Jumping Lunges X 10
- Jumping Squats X 5
- Rest X 1:00
Intermediate
Five rounds of:
- Bodyweight Squats X 16
- Alternating Lunges X 16
- Jumping Lunges X 16
- Jumping Squats X 8
- Rest X :45
Advanced
Five rounds of:
- Bodyweight Squats X 20
- Alternating Lunges X 20
- Jumping Lunges X 20
- Jumping Squats X 10
- Rest X :30

Watch: http://www.mtnathlete.com/subpage_details.php?subpage_ID=110&page_ID=14

Note: Ease into this slowly. I did the advanced right out of the gates and I was unable to finish each round w/o stopping to recover during my sets plus I was in bad shape the next two days. Unless you love pain, start at the beginner level.

[JPH]

3/30/2009-4/5/2009: Russian Twist
 
More core work! This time we will add a movement that builds rotational strength.
 
Sit on your butt with knees bent up toward the ceiling. Holding your legs with your hands, lift your feet one inch off the ground and balance. When your balance is perfect and your back straight, clasp your hands in front of you. Twist down from side to side, tapping your elbows to the mat, twenty-five times each. Advanced: Hold a hand weight or medicine ball while twisting.
 
These can be done in several sets to "burn" with a brief rest in between.
 

[JPH]

4/6/2009-4/12/2009: Mini Core Routine #1
 
Here is a brief routine that will work the entire core in a short period of time. It should be conducted at the end of a workout session (lifting, running, whatever) when the body is fatigued and you are cooling down.
 
Perform three rounds of the following:
- Plank (post #2 above) X :60*
- N-ups (post #11 above) X 10-12
- Russian twists (post #14 above) X Quality**
- Rest X :60
 
* = Hold the position for as long as possible during a 60 second period. If you are unable to hold for the entire time, take a brief rest and get back into position until the minute is up.
** = A quality set implies that you perform the exercise to the point of a good "burn" but stop before structural pain is encountered.

[Scot]

JPH,thank you for posting these routines! What do you do on Mountain Athlete to ber able to view the exercises? I can't seem to do it.

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: Scot

JPH,thank you for posting these routines! What do you do on Mountain Athlete to ber able to view the exercises? I can't seem to do it.

Go to: http://www.mtnathlete.com/index.php then click on the "exercises" tab on the left. You will have a list of exercises and routines to watch.

[JPH]

4/13/2009 - 4/20/2009: Dips
 
Here is an exercise that is a must for any treestand hunter. This will develop your ability to lift yourself off the edge of your stand or over a limb. It may be the the movement that saves your life.
 
Below are several variations. I prefer the bar dip (shown at the top)because it works the large muscles of the chest. If you do not have access to a set of bars, you can substitute the chair or bench dip. This will shift the focus to the triceps, but is still a good exercise. Elevating the feet will add intensity to the bench dip.
 
You may wish to perform these in several sets of 8-12 with a short rest between. Once you can easily do 12 or more dips, you may want to add weight by placing a dumbell between your legs or placing a weight plate in your lap.
 
 

[JPH]

4/20/2009-4/27/2009: Tire Drags
 
Remember the tire we picked up? It is a complete home gym!
 
There are many ways you can set this up, but we'll keep it simple. Get a sturdy rope and secure the tire on one end. On the other end, secure a loop, loops, or a knot. The longer you make the rope, the harder it will be to pull. It is a fantastic lower body exercise that translates directly to the deer woods!
 
I suggest pulling in intrevals. For example: 3 rounds of Pulling for :60 and resting :30-:60 before moving on to other exercises. Experiment and see what works for you.

[JPH]

4/27/2009-5/3/2009: Sprint Interval #1

We have had a lot of talk about running here lately and since it is finally spring, I'd like to share a running routine. This one comes to us from QDMAMAN. Thanks!

"You can also do the interval training at a local track.  Run at race pace 200 meters then walk 200 meters.  Do that 8-10 times once a week."

Note that he said "race pace". To me this means all out, whatever that happens to be for you. "Sprint" is a subjective term. Also understand that this type of training is of tremendous benefit to the avid runner and the non-runner alike. It will burn fat and improve stamina while maintaining muscle mass.

Finally, access to a 400 meter track is not a must for this. Simply find a long level stretch of ground. Mark a starting point and run as hard as you can for 90 seconds and mark that spot. This will become your 400 meters. Mark a half-way point and use it, back and fourth, as your interval track.