SIGN UPS ARE STILL OPEN FOR CLASS 041!

INT/ADV | Super…? Sets

by Amy Petersen
Super sets are...super?

Super sets have a lot going for them. They're efficient, so you can pack a meaningful amount of work in a relatively short span of time. But they have a reputation as brutally intense. They're like the close-talking, loud-mouthed friend you see out once every few months -- they're fun and they love to party... but you're kinda relieved when the night's over.

The reason for this workout today: super sets are incredible for building muscular endurance. You're using these sets to burn your muscle from end to end (notice how the muscle group pairings we've got lined up today) which will create muscles that last during your Events. In rucking endurance, show muscles are fun, but we need the muscles that are all GO.
This workout should be around 45 minutes in length with brief breaks.

Perform the warm-up first. We need to engage things fast, and your warm-up allows your muscles time to activate. I don't want you wasting reps getting things going. After your warm-up, jump straight into the workout. You can take up to a 2 minute break between each superset, but you don't have to.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?

  • Ruck + weight
  • Sandbag

IMPORTANT WEIGHT NOTES:

  • Your sandbag should be between 20 and 40lbs (9-18kg) for under 150lbs bodyweight and between 30 and 60lbs (13-27kg) for over 150lbs.
  • Your ruck should be adequately heavy, at your current ruck weight. If you would like to increase your ruck weight for this workout, do not go beyond a 10% increase.

WHAT EXERCISES DO I NEED TO KNOW?

RUCK SHOULDER HALOS Holding your ruck in both hands, bring it up to above shoulder height. Circle your head and upper shoulders with your ruck, rotating first to the left for 12 reps, and then back to the right for 12 reps.

SANDBAG SUMO SQUATS Begin by standing, feet wider than hip-width, toes pointed out ala sumo wrestler. Your sandbag should be in both hands, held by the left and right handles. Sit back into your wide-stance squat, slowly bringing your sandbag to the ground. Keep core tight and engaged, glutes firing. Use your glutes especially as you stand back up from your squat.

SANDBAG STIFF LEG DEADLIFT Begin by standing, core engaged, glutes tight. Hold your sandbag by the left and right handles. Do not lock out your knees as you deadlift, but only keep a slight bend as you hinge forward from the hips, grazing your sandbag across your shins as you bring it to the ground. Fire all glutes and hamstrings as you lift. Maintain a straight back and excellent posture - no rolling of your shoulders.

RUCK + SANDBAG WALKING LUNGE Wear you ruck. Hold your sandbag in a Zercher (cradle) carry as you perform your walking lunges, knee over ankle, thinking core, glutes and hamstrings to tighten the movement and create stabilization in the exercise. 

RUCK + SANDBAG GOOD MORNINGS Wear your ruck. Rest your sandbag horizontally across the top of your ruck and shoulders, making sure to not let it press on the back of your neck. Bend your elbows, keeping them close to your body (biceps to ears) and hold your sandbag for support. With a slight bend in your knees, hinge forward from your hips, engaging your glutes, core and hamstrings. Keep looking ahead as you hinge down, and use your core and glutes to bring you back to standing.

SINGLE ARM RUCK PRESS Begin by standing, your ruck in one hand, held by its handle. Hold your free arm out and away from your body, fist curled, arm straight. In your ruck hand, rack your ruck so that your elbow is close to your ribs. Press your ruck up and bring it back down with control. Keep your working shoulder pressed down into it's pocket for rotator cuff stability.

SINGLE ARM RUCK ROW TLDR: Lawn Mower Row Begin in a standing position. Lunge forward, to rest your elbow in the meaty part of your quad, above your knee. Take your ruck in your free hand, engage your core, and while keeping both shoulders and your hips squared, row your ruck, keeping your elbow tight to your core.

RUCK OVERHEAD 4-COUNT FLUTTER KICKS Begin laying on your back, your ruck in both hands, held overhead. Curl your head and tops of your shoulders off the ground, and hover your feet about 6" off the ground. Tighten your core, and flutter your feet like a swimmer in a 4-count cadence (1,2,3, 1... 1,2,3...2, etc)

A note on the Plank Finisher: Ruck is conditionally optional -- the video links do not show rucks. But, if your core is not as strong as it needs to be, wear your ruck for the High and Low plank, and take it off for Side Planks. Create a strong focus on maintaining perfect form for as long as possible with your ruck on. 

WARM-UP - Bodyweight - 2 x Rounds

  • 12 x Ruck Shoulder Halos
  • 12 x Push-Ups
  • 12 x Air Squats
  • 12 x Walking Lunges (hard count)

WORKOUT

Supersets | 4 sets

  • 12 x Sandbag Sumo Squats

  • 12 x Sandbag Stiff Leg Deadlift

Supersets | 4 sets

  • 12 x Ruck + Sandbag Walking Lunges

  • 12 x Ruck + Sandbag Good Mornings

Supersets | 4 sets

  • 12 x Single Arm Ruck Press (Right)

  • 12 x Single Arm Ruck Row (Right)

  • 12 x Single Arm Ruck Press (Left)

  • 12 x Single Arm Ruck Press (Left)

Plank Finisher | 2 sets

Leave a comment

Back to PATHFINDER Workouts