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"The Boss Lady"
This first Horizon full-body workout will assess your overall fitness, and it's designed to be your personal definition of a smoke-session.
Why Are Full-Body Workouts Even Important? I just want to ruck 50 miles.
Full-body workouts build strength, stamina, and endurance. They also build important internal core strength, which you need to hold your body up for however long you plan on rucking. You don't have to like doing them. But you do have to do them, no exceptions.
Fine. I'm In.
Record your reps or times to fatigue. The assessment is your progression document to evaluate your overall fitness, continued strength, and cardio gains. Your improvement over time matters more than your individual numbers do. Log your results in the Notes section of the Workout screen.
Fatigue is defined as the moment your brain says 'stop.' Listen to your body. If you've gone to true Failure, you've gone too far in this workout.
THE WARM UP - NO RUCK
- :30 x Jumping Jacks
- 15 x Body Weight Squats
- 15 x Inchworms
- 15 x Hip Circles, left, and then right
- 15 x Side-to-Side Hops - high-knee hop to left, high-knee hop to right, ONE, etc...)
- 15 x Walking High Kicks - straight-leg kick up to hand (or as high as you can get, then opposite leg, ONE, etc...)
THE WORK
- 1 Mile Speed Ruck - record your time on a 1-mile speed ruck. This is not the time to run or shuffle with your ruck. This is simply how quickly you can get 1 mile in the books by walking.
- Body Weight Squats - NO RUCK. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor on each squat. Be careful to not dump your weight forward and be sure to maintain good posture throughout the movement. Squat until fatigue. Record your work.
- Overhead Ruck Presses - Using your standard weighted ruck, overhead press until fatigued. As you overhead press, use your core muscles and pelvic floor to press up each time. Record your work.
- Burpees - NO RUCK. The idea isn't to kill yourself here. Do as many as you'd like until you hear your brain say STOP. If it's 1, great (but I have my suspicions...) If it's 81, also great. Record the number.
- Plank - NO RUCK. Hold plank either on hands or elbows until fatigue. Record how long you can hold a plank.
- Sit-Ups or Curl Ups - NO RUCK. Sit-ups or Curl Ups are both acceptable for today's workout. You may not mix. If you start with sit-ups, you end with them. Curl Ups are sufficient if you have lower back issues or are working on your core strength. Curl-ups are preferred over situps as it is a much more reliable indicator of abdominal strength and endurance and does not irritate hip flexors. Never pull on your neck during either a curl-up or sit-up. Any reps where you are forcing a movement do not count.
- Wall Ruck Plank - OPTIONAL - Wearing your ruck, put your hands or elbows in plank position and walk your feet up a wall UNTIL you are level with the ground. (If you are pitched with your head pointing down, you've definitely gone too far, stud.) Hang out there until you hear your brain say STOP. If you have previous lower back pain or injuries, this is not the time to ignore that history. Do not attempt until your back and glutes are stronger and you are activating the appropriate muscles.
COOL DOWN
- Upper Back/Neck Stretch - hold hands with arms extended in front. Pull shoulder blades apart gently and put chin to chest. Hold :15 seconds.
- Chest Stretch - Clasp hands behind back and squeeze shoulder blades together. Gently raise and stretch arms. Hold for 15-20 seconds.
- Quad Stretch - Holding your left ankle, bend your knee back so your foot meets your buttock. Balance safely, and hold stretch for :15 seconds. Switch sides.
- Calf Stretch - Using a wall, plant your heel on the ground and toes on the wall. Lean in to the stretch. Hold for :15 seconds.
- Butterfly Inner Thigh Stretch - seated on the ground, press feet together, legs in a diamond shape. Hold ankles and lean gently into the stretch. Hold :15 seconds.
Once your assessment has been completed and your info has been logged in your preferred format (either in a notebook or in our Notes section under Workout), pat yourself on the back, and get ready to see those numbers climb.