The Workout They Missed Tonight
The Warrior Trains Alone
My wife is doing a swim workout and my other typical warrior partner is doing some indoor rock climbing this evening. I was psyched to tear it up, so tonight the warrior trained alone–and, I decided to be particularly cruel to myself.
I started with the following circuit:
1. Backpack Kettlebell Overhead Walking Lunges–walking lunges wearing my backpack and holding the kettlebells extended over my head. This is a very challenging exercise. Watch your shoulders and only do as many reps as you can with good, strong form.
2. Web Hamstring Curls
3. Backpack Kettlebell Step-ups with Alternate Presses–I’ve mentioned this one before, but have added the backpack to challenge myself. One thing it brought out was the strength imbalance in my legs–my left leg is definitely weaker than my right. That is something I will address in my future workouts.
4. Decline Dumbbell Prunches–for the abs of a warrior.
I went through this five times–pushing hard to max reps for each. Minimum rest intervals (just moving to the next exercise) because I had no one to wait for–YAWP!
I followed with an homage to the Spartans:
100 Pull-ups–by far the toughest part of the 300. I started with sets of 12, 10…and finished with two sets of three.
100 Atomic Push-ups–I really concentrated on curling my hips under slightly by contracting my abs instead of letting myself cheat by swinging my knees up into the tuck. It made for a much better core/stability challenge and will make me stronger.
100 Log Bench Rows–I could definitely feel the fatigue in my back and arms courtesy of the earlier 100 pull-ups.
The 300 would be honored by my effort.
Think that was it? NO! The warrior did another three exercise, three set circuit to finish off the evening:
1. Backpack Sandbag Walking Lunges with a Side Lateral Raise–I know, I know–“come up with something other than walking lunges, Kip!” But, they are such a great leg/core exercise. They make you WORK! Obviously, I was wearing a backpack and I had a sandbag in each hand. On the up-push of the lunge I would raise the sandbags out at my sides up to shoulder height and lower them as I stepped into the next lunge. Good thing there weren’t any female Great Blue Herons around–I’m sure I looked like I was doing some kind of avian mating dance.
2. Webbing Ab Tuck/Twists–a great rotational core exercise. After all the push-ups earlier, my arms and shoulders were a-shakin’!
3. Leg Lifts on the Decline Bench
Again, I moved quickly from exercise to exercise and felt great about the completed workout. I know I pushed myself. I’m sure I’ll know it even more when I get up early for tomorrow’s cycling workout.
Kip Koelsch Author 
What kind of backpack are you using? How much does it weigh? How does it ride, hips or shoulders?
It’s an old Salomon adventure racing pack–I think the oldest version I have. Probably about 30 liters capacity. I wasn’t about to go out and buy a new one! Make use of the old–reuse! It rides okay. When I do lunges with it on, it’s not necessary to hook the waist belt. When I do push-ups I hook the waist belt to stabilize the load a bit better. The waist belt is wide enough to take some of the load and be comfortable.
I’m not sure what it weighs–maybe 15 pounds at this point. But, I do know that I’ll be creating a heavier pack from another old Salomon this week–time to step it up. Typically, I fill the pack with a sandbag wrapped in an old towel or old t-shirts.
If you are doing any kind of sports (adventure racing, mtn biking, trail running, even backpacking or day hiking) in which you are wearing a pack, or even a CamelBak, working out with a weighted back creates a much more transferrable, functional workout and should improve your performance in those sports.
What’s up Kip. I rowed for u at Florida Tech. (Freshman lightweight stroke with Kevin Sebastien). Anyways, great to see ur still killin it with the workouts. I’m up in Gulf Breeze flying for the air force special operations command. Later! Matt
Matt–awesome to hear from you. I remember you. Great to hear that you’ve been successful and are flying–well done.
Of course, you guys were the experiment for me–I tried all kinds of crazy workouts on the team. The great thing is that you did them. I asked and you guys did it. That is why you were so successful that year–you did not shy away from the effort or the suffering that was required. I’ll always be proud of that and of what your crew accomplished.
Stay safe and thanks for serving our country–stay in touch.
Did you invent the Kipping Pull-Up?
Jim