Outside's Shape of Your Life, Part IV: Speed and Power
4 weeks - $9.95
Total Hours: 20
Total Hours: 20
In part four of Outside magazine’s National Magazine Award winning fitness program, you’ll learn to use a basic foundation of strength and endurance to start adding SPEED--like the burst you need in a cycling sprint or 5-k kick--and POWER--the quick-move strength that allows you to shred a long mogul run or hop over an obstacle on your favorite mountain bike ride. WHAT TO EXPECT: Three days a week you’ll be in the pool, or on the road or trail, for 30- to 60-minute cardio workouts, including interval training on Fridays or Saturdays and tempo workouts aimed at raising your lactate threshold. On strength days (two days a week) you’ll get a complete regimen of function training exercises, plus a few Olympic-style lifts to increase power. You’ll also get a plyometric routine--box jumps and medicine ball throws--to work into your cardio warm-ups. These will help you increase your speed. This is a great program for someone who is already in pretty good shape, but needs a focused plan to fine tune their fitness base and reach the next level in performance. IMPORTANT NOTE: If this is your first plan with Outside, we highly recommend that you complete one through three of the Shape of Your Life Program first. Months 4 and 5 of the plan are based on participants having built a solid fitness foundation to be able to carry the heavy load. This is not for beginners.
After purchase, your plan will be available in your own private online training log account. You'll enjoy these benefits and more:
Sample workouts:
Workout #1 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 1:10:00
Welcome to month 4 of the Shape of Your Life! We’ve got a lot going on this month—in addition to your regular endurance and strength workouts, you’ll be mix in some Ashtanga yoga, a set of agility exercises, and a power routine involving Olympic-style lifts (you can wait until tomorrow for more information on the latter). Today is an endurance day, the first of three workouts a week that utilize heart-rate-zone training to raise your lactate threshold, or LT. If you’ve been following us along for the first two or three installments, great work. Of course, you might be getting a little bored of your cardio routine. The trick to staying motivated? Mix it up. If you've been, say, running exclusively, try cycling or swimming this month, etc. But before you head out on the road or trail every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you’ll begin with a two-part plyometric workout designed to increase your quickness. Following a ten-minute warm up, perform the plyometric exercises detailed in today’s exercise plan. Beginners should find a park bench or any other stable, elevated surface between 16 and 20 inches high (anything below the knee will suffice). Also, try to work out on grass (it reduces the impact on your joints). If you are interested in learning more about this workout--and the training philosophy behind the exercises you'll be doing--be sure to read our complete story at:http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/From-Zero-to-6o.html IMPORTANT NOTE: If this is your first plan with Outside, we highly recommend that you complete one through three of the Shape of Your Life Program. Months 4 and 5 are based on participants having built a solid fitness foundation to be able to carry the heavy load. This is not for beginners.Assuming you have a solid fitness foundation already, we also recommend that new participants perform our Lactate Threshold test before getting started. The lactate threshold (LT) is the exercise intensity at which lactic acid starts to accumulate in the blood stream. The higher you can push this threshold, the faster you can go. Our test will help you set a benchmark, and you can check your progress on the final day of this month's plan. Here's how:On a flat route (ideally a track) after a warm-up, run 1 mile at 5 beats below your lactate threshold heart rate, or Zone 3 (Z-3) heart rate, which is 75 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. Mark your time on the run. If you've raised your lactate threshold, this run will be faster than last month's. Finally, for more information on heart rate training, please see today’s pre-workout comments.
Planned Time: 1:10:00
Welcome to month 4 of the Shape of Your Life! We’ve got a lot going on this month—in addition to your regular endurance and strength workouts, you’ll be mix in some Ashtanga yoga, a set of agility exercises, and a power routine involving Olympic-style lifts (you can wait until tomorrow for more information on the latter). Today is an endurance day, the first of three workouts a week that utilize heart-rate-zone training to raise your lactate threshold, or LT. If you’ve been following us along for the first two or three installments, great work. Of course, you might be getting a little bored of your cardio routine. The trick to staying motivated? Mix it up. If you've been, say, running exclusively, try cycling or swimming this month, etc. But before you head out on the road or trail every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you’ll begin with a two-part plyometric workout designed to increase your quickness. Following a ten-minute warm up, perform the plyometric exercises detailed in today’s exercise plan. Beginners should find a park bench or any other stable, elevated surface between 16 and 20 inches high (anything below the knee will suffice). Also, try to work out on grass (it reduces the impact on your joints). If you are interested in learning more about this workout--and the training philosophy behind the exercises you'll be doing--be sure to read our complete story at:http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/From-Zero-to-6o.html IMPORTANT NOTE: If this is your first plan with Outside, we highly recommend that you complete one through three of the Shape of Your Life Program. Months 4 and 5 are based on participants having built a solid fitness foundation to be able to carry the heavy load. This is not for beginners.Assuming you have a solid fitness foundation already, we also recommend that new participants perform our Lactate Threshold test before getting started. The lactate threshold (LT) is the exercise intensity at which lactic acid starts to accumulate in the blood stream. The higher you can push this threshold, the faster you can go. Our test will help you set a benchmark, and you can check your progress on the final day of this month's plan. Here's how:On a flat route (ideally a track) after a warm-up, run 1 mile at 5 beats below your lactate threshold heart rate, or Zone 3 (Z-3) heart rate, which is 75 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. Mark your time on the run. If you've raised your lactate threshold, this run will be faster than last month's. Finally, for more information on heart rate training, please see today’s pre-workout comments.
Workout #2 : Strength
Strength
Planned Time: 0:45:00
You elevated your general fitness during the first three installments of the five-part Shape of Your Life program—now you're ready to tap your real athletic potential. In today’s challenging first strength regimen, you’ll ramp up your power by adding three Olympic-style lifts. For each of the lifts, start with dumbbells equaling 10 percent of your body weight in week 1, and then increase every few weeks thereafter. This won’t feel like much at first, but it’s most important to get your form correct before you start taking on heavier weights.After a ten-minute warm-up, do three sets of six reps as fast as you can while executing good form. In week 16, you'll link cleans and squat-presses into one exercise (the clean and jerk) by ending the clean with a catch—turn your elbows down and your palms up, dip under the weight, and "catch" the dumbbells in the start position of the squat press—and then finishing the rep with the dumbbells overhead. Also, complete each power session with the half-dozen functional-strength exercises pulled from the previous months' routines (these are detailed in the "exercises and intervals" tab.
Planned Time: 0:45:00
You elevated your general fitness during the first three installments of the five-part Shape of Your Life program—now you're ready to tap your real athletic potential. In today’s challenging first strength regimen, you’ll ramp up your power by adding three Olympic-style lifts. For each of the lifts, start with dumbbells equaling 10 percent of your body weight in week 1, and then increase every few weeks thereafter. This won’t feel like much at first, but it’s most important to get your form correct before you start taking on heavier weights.After a ten-minute warm-up, do three sets of six reps as fast as you can while executing good form. In week 16, you'll link cleans and squat-presses into one exercise (the clean and jerk) by ending the clean with a catch—turn your elbows down and your palms up, dip under the weight, and "catch" the dumbbells in the start position of the squat press—and then finishing the rep with the dumbbells overhead. Also, complete each power session with the half-dozen functional-strength exercises pulled from the previous months' routines (these are detailed in the "exercises and intervals" tab.
Workout #3 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 1:15:00
Endurance workout. On Wednesdays this month, you’ll skip the pre-cardio plyometric workout. Instead, you’ll focus on developing your "reserve speed,” meaning the kind of speed you get in third or fourth gear. How? By practicing high-intensity, Zone-4 intervals, then chipping away over the coming weeks at the length of your recovery times.To do that, sometime toward the end of today’s endurance workout, launch into a full sprint for 30 seconds. Resume running or cycling, and when your heart rate returns to Zone 2 on the heart-rate scale, do another 30-second sprint. Start with three repetitions and work up to six or eight by week 16.
Planned Time: 1:15:00
Endurance workout. On Wednesdays this month, you’ll skip the pre-cardio plyometric workout. Instead, you’ll focus on developing your "reserve speed,” meaning the kind of speed you get in third or fourth gear. How? By practicing high-intensity, Zone-4 intervals, then chipping away over the coming weeks at the length of your recovery times.To do that, sometime toward the end of today’s endurance workout, launch into a full sprint for 30 seconds. Resume running or cycling, and when your heart rate returns to Zone 2 on the heart-rate scale, do another 30-second sprint. Start with three repetitions and work up to six or eight by week 16.
Workout #4 : Strength
Strength
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Remember: For each of the Olympic lifts this week, start with dumbbells equaling 10 percent of your body weight. After a ten-minute warm-up, do three sets of six reps as fast as you can while executing good form.
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Remember: For each of the Olympic lifts this week, start with dumbbells equaling 10 percent of your body weight. After a ten-minute warm-up, do three sets of six reps as fast as you can while executing good form.
Workout #5 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 1:20:00
Fridays are for interval training. Start with the plyometric workoout, then complete your endurance training.
Planned Time: 1:20:00
Fridays are for interval training. Start with the plyometric workoout, then complete your endurance training.
Workout #6 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 1:10:00
Welcome back from the weekend. Like last Monday's, today's workout starts with plyometrics, followed by your run, ride, or swim, and ends with a 20-minute yoga series.
Planned Time: 1:10:00
Welcome back from the weekend. Like last Monday's, today's workout starts with plyometrics, followed by your run, ride, or swim, and ends with a 20-minute yoga series.
Workout #7 : Strength
Strength
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Strength training. Last week, you started each of the Olympic power lifts with dumbbells equaling 10 percent of your body weight. Today, you can increase the weight slightly if you feel you can do so while maintaining proper form. After a ten-minute warm-up, do three sets of six reps as fast as you can while executing good form.
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Strength training. Last week, you started each of the Olympic power lifts with dumbbells equaling 10 percent of your body weight. Today, you can increase the weight slightly if you feel you can do so while maintaining proper form. After a ten-minute warm-up, do three sets of six reps as fast as you can while executing good form.
Workout #8 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 1:15:00
Endurance with sprints. No plyometrics today, but remember to work in four or five 30-second all-out sprints at the end of your run, ride, or swim to develop reserve speed.
Planned Time: 1:15:00
Endurance with sprints. No plyometrics today, but remember to work in four or five 30-second all-out sprints at the end of your run, ride, or swim to develop reserve speed.
Workout #9 : Strength
Strength
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Strength training. Last week, you started each of the Olympic power lifts with dumbbells equaling 10 percent of your body weight. Today, you can increase the weight slightly if you feel you can do so while maintaining proper form. After a ten-minute warm-up, do three sets of six reps as fast as you can while executing good form.
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Strength training. Last week, you started each of the Olympic power lifts with dumbbells equaling 10 percent of your body weight. Today, you can increase the weight slightly if you feel you can do so while maintaining proper form. After a ten-minute warm-up, do three sets of six reps as fast as you can while executing good form.