Perfect 10

When time is short, hit one of these mini-blasters and get on with life.

By Eddie Avakoff, owner of Metroflex LBC
As a gym owner, I witness the typical influx of “New Year’s resolution” members in the gym every January. Ironically, these are the same members who also quit the gym after they can’t find a valentine come mid-February. And of course, these same members are also the same ones to rejoin in the late spring (usually May), in order to achieve that “summer beach body.” And once again, by the end of summer, they are nowhere to be seen. Not until next January, at least.

This right here is the plight of the average gym-goer. And they wonder why they can’t achieve their goals in the weight room.

I’ve always said that when it comes to fitness and training, consistency is the most important aspect. Without consistency, everything else crumbles. Not every athlete is going to produce progress day in, day out. Sometimes, even with consistent training, we will undergo a slight loss in performance or a step backward in regards to our goals. Those small setbacks really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Those are merely skirmishes in the larger war. You aren’t going to win each little battle. So take each day of training as a chance to win, and if it’s a bad day of training, cut your losses right there and start fresh tomorrow. Over time, the consistency of showing up, battle after battle, will eventually prove the victory.

And that’s what these average gym-goers are missing: a sense of consistency. When they don’t see the results they want after only a few short weeks, they give up. What they fail to miss is that training is a long-term investment. There are no shortcuts and there is no substitute for hard work. The average gym-goer is always looking for a quick fix to their fitness goals. However, consistency is the ultimate way to achieve any goal.

In an effort to aid in the process of consistently showing up to the gym, I’ve provided 10 mini workouts that you can complete anytime, anywhere, and with minimal equipment. These workouts are short bursts of high-intensity training that will continue to aid your hybrid performance goals. Choose to complete a combo of these mini workouts, or just bang out one of them if your time is scarce. The point is to do something. Maintain that consistency! After all, a short or a basic workout is still better than no workout.

 

HYBRID TRAINING MINI-WORKOUTS
1. Run two miles for time
2. 50 dumbbell clean and press for time (40 pounds per arm)
3. 30 barbell clean and press for time (135 pounds)
(This is a classic CrossFit WOD called “Grace”)

4. 30/20/10 reps of:
• GHD sit-ups
• Hanging knee raises
• Sledgehammer strikes

5. Five rounds of:
• 30 air squats
• 50-meter Prowler push (four plates) or 200-meter sprint
• Rest 90 seconds between rounds

6. 5 rounds of:
• Row 300 meters
• 50-meter Prowler push (four plates) or 200-meter sprint
• Rest two minutes between rounds

7. Complete as many rounds as possible in 21 minutes:
• 9 pull-ups
• 15 push-ups
• 21 butterfly sit-ups

8. Three rounds of:
• Set a timer for two minutes, then complete:
• 50-meter Prowler (six plates) or 400-meter sprint
• Max reps deadlifts with remaining time
• Rest three minutes between rounds

9. Five rounds of:
• Six tire flips or eight deadlifts
• 30-meter Prowler push (four plates) or 200-meter sprint
• Four box jumps
• Rest two to three minutes between rounds

10. Set a barbell weight as the same as your bodyweight, then complete:
• 100 reps back squat your bodyweight for time

 

 

 

 

While reading my workouts, many people notice that there is always a scoring system: “for time” or “max reps possible,” or even “as much weight as possible.” These tangible scores are a great way for us, as athletes, to determine and track progress within our training. As performance increases, so do our scores. Unlike the subjectivity of stepping on a scale or looking in the mirror, the tangible and real number on the barbell does not lie. Let’s say you fail a deadlift at 315 pounds, but a few weeks later, you hit that lift. And weeks after that, you pull 330 pounds. That’s tangible evidence that you’re getting stronger. When completing these workouts, take note of your score so that when repeated in the future, you have a reference to pursue and a benchmark to beat.

The point of these workouts isn’t necessarily for periodized progress, but rather a quick banger you can do on vacation or when you have little time during the week. By doing this workout, you maintain consistency in the gym and assure that you are not losing progress.

Keep these workouts in your back pocket (or in your gym bag) and use them as a quick tool to blast your body when time and life obligations are not in your favor. The key is to maintain consistency in the gym. With consistency, any fitness goal is achievable. IM