Coming up soon, we’re going to have a challenge day. We’re in a lull between power lifting meets or sans any good summer goals right now, so why not throw something together that gives us all a day of groaning, straining powerful fun. Since I’m not a porn director, I figure a good alternative would be a collection of prowess and strength tests.
The details are still be ironed out, but we’ll have max effort challenge, a strongman-style challenge and something that will require a bit of good ol’ stamina.
These are subject to change, but meanwhile I’m planning something like this:
Challenge 1: deadlift/strict overhead press/40m. There is nothing like a good max effort challenge, and to make it a bit more even, we’ll be utilizing a whacky formula (we’ll show the men’s division version here), because nothing makes us work harder than a little math when figuring out our totals. Like a powerlifting meet, we’ll have three attempts at all three events. Taking the best of the three, let the arithmetic begin: DL + OH – bodyweight – (40m x 10).
So 200lb guy lifts 500 and 200, then runs a 6.6. His total will be 434. Get it?
Challenge 2: The Strongman-style event. Sandbag carry (bodyweight for men, 75% BW for women), tug (possibly a car), chain-yoke carry (heavy weighted chains on a bar, carried across the back for a given distance), KB throw. First three events for time, the last for distance.
Challenge 3: The Stamina Challenge. The 800m Burpee challenge. 100 meter intervals with 10 burpees in between (plus at the start and end), 8 times (800m plus 90 burpees total), for time.
Summer goal: http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150188/mount-shasta.html
(Yeah, I need to drop weight)
What’s your time frame? I have some program design ideas for you, which we can talk about next time you’re here. But the biggest recommendation I’d suggest is get up to Donner Summit and hike every weekend you can. Altitude will get you more than anything else.
We’re looking at mid June. Yeah, I haven’t been doing a good job of getting myself to some high altitude lately. It’s past time I do that. Now my weekends will be a LOT more free than they have been, so I should be able to change that.
When I attempted last year my experience was like this: I had NO localized fatigue. But the altitude + my bodyweight created a near psychedelic situation. And while I was able to move continuously, my pace was slower than it needed to be to be safe. Note: training at that point was bodybuilding style weights + steady-state “cardio” (le sigh) with frequent weekend hikes w/a lot of elevation *gain* (but not high total elevation) and weighted packs.
With the focus in mind of non-productive bodyweight reduction (fat loss) and lactate threshold elevation, lately I’ve been trying to do more GPP work, circuiting/supersetting, with one ME movement per lifting day to maintain max strength on lifting days, and HIIT on non lifting days. Occasionally there’s a hike with a weight vest thrown in (sport-specific, I suppose, but *really* non-taxing without the elevation).
I’ll be in on Thursday for certain, but likely not today unless my plans change.
There’s a 10 story parking garage near the Tribe. We’ll frequent the stairs on occasion for a good climbing challenge. Meanwhile your training seems pretty darn good these days. Just get thee to a mountain top!
Which garage is that? (intersection?)
I’ll throw on my vest and give it a go. I figure if I hit elevation gain like that with some balls-to-the-wall intensity, that should help simulate the otherworldly experience of the 3-5th hours of climbing at Shasta elevation.
May do some snowshoeing @ 7-8K on Shasta this weekend. Donner to follow…
15th and H.
Snow shoeing = a grand idea.
Hrmm. 15th and H? I am tempted to change my plans today…
A quick heavy lift or two here, and then a quick walk over to the parking garage…?
I’m all about challenge number two.
#2 sounds fun, and I’d be willing to give it a try. But can we fit my BW in that bag?
I’m busting out the old army duffel bags for anyone over 150 pounds.
I think I’ll die in challenge 3! But I’m in! Tell me when, tell me when~
BTW check out what I did at the TSC on my Myspace bulletin.