Conditioning & Recovery

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Conditioning & Recovery Workouts For The Strength Athlete By Andy Bolton & Elliot Newman 2011, All Rights Reserved. www.andyboltonstrength.com
Conditioning & Recovery Workouts For The Strength Athlete

How To Supersize Your Squat, Bench Press And Deadlift By Increasing Your Work Capacity
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman 2011, All Rights Reserved
Notice To Those Who Are Thinking Of Abusing This Book

(Or in other words Who wants to get sued or go to jail?) This book is copyright 2011 with all rights reserved. It is illegal to copy, distribute, or create derivative works from this book in whole or in part or to contribute to the copying, distribution, or creating of derivative works of this book. If you attempt to copy, steal, or distribute all or any part of my book without permission, I will have my solicitor contact you and make you wish that youd never had such an idea in your life. You can count on this. I am a man of my word. By purchasing this book, you agree to the following: You understand that the information contained in this book is an opinion, and it should be used for personal entertainment purposes only. You are responsible for your own behaviour, and none of this book is to be considered legal or personal advice. I expect you to abide by these rules. I have people who spend a lot of time searching the Internet for people who violate my copyrights. Now that were finished with this notice, lets talk about Conditioning & Recovery Workouts For The Strength Athlete
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1: Conditioning Outside

Walking Hill Sprints Sled Work The Prowler
Chapter 2: Conditioning At Home

Using Bodyweight Using Bands Kettlebells Example Workouts
Chapter 3: Conditioning At The Gym

10 Lower Body Conditioning Sessions 10 Upper Body Conditioning Sessions 10 Total Body Conditioning Sessions
Chapter 4: Key Points Regarding Conditioning For The Strength Athlete About The Authors
Introduction Strength training is an awesome choice of physical pursuit, regardless of whether you compete or not. Sensible strength training, consisting of compound movements such as the Squat, the Bench Press and the Deadlift will do much good for your self-esteem, confidence, body shape, level of muscle mass and bone density. All of these are good things. However, many guys training for strength ignore any form of conditioning work because they cannot be bothered to do it, do not see any value in it or think that itll actually make them weaker. I am here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, if you do the right kind of conditioning work, at the correct level of intensity and do it regularly enough; you will reap the following benefits: - Improved body composition (more muscle, less fat = more strength) - Better health (conditioning work is good for the heart) - An ability to perform more work in the same amount of time or the same amount of work in less time (so your strength training sessions will be more efficient and productive) - Increased tendon and ligament strength (particularly important if you wish to stay injury free) As you can see, the list of benefits that you can gain from conditioning work is numerous. So how come so many strength athletes ignore this aspect of their training routine? I think it simply has to do with a lack of knowledge and a reliance on taking advice from people who have no idea what they are talking about. I have competed against the worlds best heavyweight Powerlifters many times throughout my career. And I can tell you that after just the Squats, many of these guys looked more like they needed Oxygen than 3 balls to the wall Bench
attempts and 3 all out Deadlift attempts. If you have never seen some of these guys huff and puff, you have no idea what bad shape some of them are in. Does it not make sense that if these guys were better conditioned, their Bench Presses and Deadlifts would be better? I can tell you from experience that you cannot pull 1000lbs when feeling like crap. Maybe thats why some of them cant pull 800lbs. The bottom line is this: Regardless of whether you are training purely for strength, or training for strength and size (and regardless of whether you compete or not); conditioning work should be part of your training program, both to help improve your lifts and to better your health. I am sure you will agree that both of those two outcomes are highly desirable, whether you are going for your first bodyweight Squat at 20 years old or a world record Squat at 3.5 times bodyweight at a World Championships. It doesnt matter what stage of your training career you are at, you need to do some conditioning work and you need to do it now. In this book you are going to find out exactly how to perform the kind of conditioning work that will enhance your strength and not rob you of it. I want to point out that all of the conditioning workouts that you are about to discover in this book could also be called recovery workouts. We are strength athletes and therefore, the intensity of these workouts is fairly low. We are not trying to win Olympic Gold in an endurance event; we are trying to Squat, Press and Pull as much as we can. All conditioning and recovery work should help us to do this. Many times a tough strength training session can leave you sore. Having a day off the next day is ok but going to the gym and performing a conditioning/recovery workout will do much more for you. Oftentimes, getting some blood and heat into the muscle will take away much of the soreness.
If you are looking for a way to improve your conditioning and enhance your main strength training workouts; what you will learn in this book is your answer. Good luck in your quest for a bigger Squat, Bench and Deadlift (or whatever strength lifts you prioritise) and do not ignore your conditioning
Andy Bolton World Champion Powerlifter, Strength Coach, Author, Public Speaker and of course, the first man to ever Deadlift 1000lbs
Chapter 1: Conditioning Outside

Whenever possible, it is of great benefit to do your conditioning work outside. The fresh air and change of scenery break up the monotony of the gym work and if the sun is shining you get a healthy dose of Vitamin D, which is vital for optimum health and strength. You can use both your bodyweight and specialised equipment when doing conditioning work outside. Here are some of the best ways to do it: Walking Never overlook the power of putting one foot in front of the other and going for a good walk. Walking is an easy way to get in better shape and by nature it is low intensity, meaning that it will not have a negative effect on the strength of your legs. In fact, if you are really out of shape, or have not done any conditioning work since England last won the Football World Cup in 1966, I highly recommend you start your conditioning program with walking. Its simple and effective. Just like you started Squatting with an empty bar, introduce conditioning work slowly into your program. You do not want to make the mistake of doing too much too soon. For example, if your conditioning levels are low and you start off doing hill sprints three times per week, you will more than likely see a very sharp drop in your Squat and Deadlift strength very quickly. You will then probably decide that conditioning work makes you weak and stop doing it. However, this would be the wrong assumption; in reality you just attempted something that you were not ready for. So if in doubt about where your current conditioning levels are at, start with walking. And there is no need to make this any more complicated than it is, but here are a few guidelines anyway:
- Do your walking at the end of your training session or on the following day. (Do not do it immediately before your training session). If you train in the evening, the following morning would be a perfect time. In contrast, if you train in the morning, the evening of the same day is perfect - Walk continuously. Doing 20 minutes walking spread over the course of the day does not count as conditioning work - Take some water with you. Being de-hydrated is not cool - Wear appropriate footwear. These days I am a big fan of shoes that feel as close to being barefoot as possible because they are healthier than other options. Just say no to those $200 sneakers with the air bubbles in the heels and instead get yourself some Nike Frees or Vibram Five Fingers. You wont regret it and your feet will thank you for it So now that you know when to do your walking and how to do it, heres a very simple 4 week plan to bring your conditioning levels up to a respectable level doing nothing but walking (in addition to your regular strength training sessions)
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4 Week Conditioning Plan Using Walking Week 1: Walk 3 times per week for 20 minutes (non-stop), at as fast a pace as you can manage Week 2: Walk 3 times per week for 30 minutes (non-stop), at as fast a pace as you can manage Week 3: Walk 4 times per week for 25 minutes (non-stop), at as fast a pace as you can manage Week 4: Walk 4 times per week for 30 minutes (non-stop), at as fast a pace as you can manage
This conditioning plan is extremely simple, easy to do and perfect for you if you have not done any exercise apart from strength training for a long time. Be sure to do your walking outside, whatever the weather because there is just something very un-cool and a bit sad about the Treadmill (not to mention the fact that if you use the Treadmill you miss out on the sunshine and overwork the Quads at the expense of the Hamstrings, which is terrible if you value the health of your knees and want to Squat and Deadlift as big as possible). To be honest, if all you did for the rest of your life was to go for 3 to 5 fast walks per week for 20 to 60 minutes; you would have a decent level of conditioning. Whats more, you will find that with this enhanced conditioning, you will recover faster from heavy sets in the gym and can do more work in less time thereby making your training more efficient.
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Hill Sprints Hill Sprints are a much more advanced option than going for a walk. I must tell you that hill sprints are not for everyone (I certainly dont do them myself because I am too heavy, but I do prescribe them for some of my clients). If you are a big guy, (maybe 100kg or more); the risk to benefit ratio of hill sprints may not stack up favourably. Oftentimes, big guys end up with achy knees when they do hill sprints. However, for lighter men hill sprints can be a great option. Just be extremely careful with them because Hamstring tears can be on the cards if you are not used to sprinting at full pace (and if your hamstrings are weak). The hill is essential because you are much less likely to tear a Hamstring whilst sprinting uphill than on a flat surface. And what about sprinting downhill? Just say NO to that one. If you choose to use Hill Sprints as a conditioning tool you can expect to develop awesome levels of work capacity that will in some ways make a strength training session seem very easy. However, unlike walking; it is quite easy to have too much of a good thing with the hill sprints and end up over-trained and feeling weaker on Squats and Deadlifts. For this reason, a sensible plan is required and heres one for you: Perform this session just once per week, preferably the day after your heaviest lower body strength training session (if you strength train in the evenings). Alternatively, perform it on the evening of the same day you perform your heaviest lower body training session, (if you perform that strength training session in the morning). Find a hill about 60 to 80 yards long and of moderate incline (do not choose a hill as steep as Mount Everest because you will end up gassed and over-trained if you do). Surface wise, grass or tarmac are ok; the former being easier on the knees but offering poorer traction in the wet.
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Week 1: General warm up (walking, stretching, mobility drills) Walk up and down the hill twice Run up the hill at 50% intensity twice Run up the hill at 75% intensity twice
Rest 60 seconds between each run (always walk slowly back down the hill having run up it). This is a deliberately easy session to get you used to running and make sure your hamstrings can handle it. There is no need to start out with 5 sprints at 100% intensity on week 1 (and this could be a recipe for disaster) Week 2: General warm up (walking, stretching, mobility drills) Walk up and down the hill twice Run up the hill at 50% intensity twice Run up the hill at 75% intensity twice Sprint up the hill at 100% intensity once
Rest 60 seconds between each run (always walk slowly back down the hill having run up it). Week 3: General warm up (walking, stretching, mobility drills) Walk up and down the hill twice Run up the hill at 50% intensity twice Run up the hill at 75% intensity twice Sprint up the hill at 100% intensity twice
Rest 60 seconds between each run (always walk slowly back down the hill having run up it).
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Week 4: General warm up (walking, stretching, mobility drills) Walk up and down the hill twice Run up the hill at 50% intensity twice Run up the hill at 75% intensity twice Sprint up the hill at 100% intensity three times
Rest 60 seconds between each run (always walk slowly back down the hill having run up it). Week 5: General warm up (walking, stretching, mobility drills) Walk up and down the hill twice Run up the hill at 50% intensity twice Run up the hill at 75% intensity twice Sprint up the hill at 100% intensity four times
Rest 60 seconds between each run (always walk slowly back down the hill having run up it). Week 6: General warm up (walking, stretching, mobility drills) Walk up and down the hill twice Run up the hill at 50% intensity twice Run up the hill at 75% intensity twice Sprint up the hill at 100% intensity five times
Rest 60 seconds between each run (always walk slowly back down the hill having run up it). After six weeks of doing hill sprints you should perform a de-load week. To do this, performing week 2 or 3s workout would be a good option. From here you could increase the difficulty of the hill sprint sessions in the following ways:
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- Work your way up to doing 10 hill sprints in one session - Start over and do the same 6 weeks again, but this time as soon as you have walked down the hill, sprint straight back up (ie do not rest 60 seconds). This will significantly increase the difficulty If your strength training is your priority you must objectively analyse your performance in the gym having included hill sprints into your weekly training plan. If you strength is going up and you are recovering better from your heaviest sets in the gym then keep the hill sprints in your program. However, if you feel weaker, then there may be a better conditioning tool for you. A word of warning. Whilst walking can be safely performed outside, in just about any weather condition (apart from when it is icy); the same cannot be said of hill sprints. If it is raining or has been raining and the ground is wet, only you can decide if it is still safe to do your hill sprints. But make sure you do assess the terrain you plan to run on each and every time you do so. Safety and injury-prevention should be at the top of your list of priorities with every training session you do; strength, conditioning or otherwise.
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Sled Work Originating in Finland and made popular by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell, the Sled is a simple, relatively cheap and extremely versatile conditioning tool. (It can also be used for strength work but that is beyond the scope of this book). In Finland, many of the Lumberjacks would spend their days cutting down trees and then dragging the wood on sleds. This gave them awesome levels of conditioning and it was not un-common to see Lumberjacks weighing a modest 200 pounds, Deadlift 440 pounds (200kg) the first time they ever touched a bar. Sadly the same does not happen when one spends all day sat at a desk working on a computer, as is the norm for many lifters who have adopted a typical Western lifestyle these days. The Sled can be dragged forwards, backwards and even sideways. It can be used for the lower body and the upper body and literally hundreds of movements can be performed. I am sure you will agree that this is pretty good for a piece of equipment that will probably cost you not much more than $100 and last a lifetime; especially when compared to most of the machines in commercial gyms that cost $1000s each and only work one movement pattern (and very often encourage injury). To use the sled to its fullest advantage you also need some straps (these come with most sleds) and a weightlifting belt (your regular power belt will do just fine). Assuming you have those things, here are some sample sled workouts that will quickly bring your conditioning levels up to a good standard for a strength athlete.
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Sled Workout 1: Forwards Sled Dragging This is the most commonly seen use for the sled and for good reason. It is performed by attaching the sled to your power belt (via the straps) and then all you do is walk forwards with the sled. This movement works all the muscles of the lower body, particularly the Glutes and Hamstrings and stresses the lower back very little. This makes it particularly good if performed the day after your heaviest Squat and Deadlift session of the week. Sled dragging like this is awesome because it has no eccentric movement and therefore causes little muscle soreness. If you have never dragged the sled before, heres a simple way to get started using the forwards sled dragging movement: Week 1 6 trips 75 yards 45 pounds on the sled 45 seconds rest between trips
Week 2 6 trips 75 yards 45 pounds on the sled 40 seconds rest between trips
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When dragging the sled forwards keep your chest up and head looking straight ahead. You should take long, purposeful, powerful strides and pull through your heels; this way you best hit the Glutes and Hamstrings (which are exactly the muscles most important for a big Squat and Deadlift). You can run with the sled, but if your focus is your Squat, Bench and Deadlift numbers I would stick to walking with it. Once you can do 8 trips of 75 yards with 45 pounds and 30 seconds rest between trips you must progress. You could use the following progression methods: - Add weight to the sled. This is a good option but remember that this is a conditioning session and not a strength training session. If you go too heavy with the sled work it could negatively affect your strength training sessions instead of helping them. With that said, most strong men should be able to work their way up to using 90 pounds for 8 trips of 75 yards with 30 seconds rest between each trip
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- Increase the number of trips. A fine option. Working up to 12 or even 16 trips will reward you with seriously good conditioning levels for a lifter (remember, we are not trying to win Olympic Gold in the Marathon). Apparently, Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell, can quite happily drag his sled for 30 minutes; maybe thats why he is still Deadlifting nearly 700lbs well into his 60s - Change the movement. This is a good option and a simple change like holding the straps in your hands whilst dragging the sled forwards (rather than using your power belt) can alter the exercise enough for you to keep making progress and not get bored. If you do this you will also find that you get a nice pec/delt stretch if you drag with your arms behind you and down at waist level
Forwards Sled Dragging Using A Belt
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Forwards Sled Dragging Using A Low Hand Position
Forwards Sled Dragging Using A High Hand Position Conditioning & Recovery Workouts For The Strength Athlete By Andy Bolton & Elliot Newman 2011, All Rights Reserved. www.andyboltonstrength.com
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Sled Workout 2: Backwards Sled Dragging Dragging the sled backwards has a very different feel than dragging forwards because the movement is very Quad dominant as opposed to being Glute and Hamstring dominant. You can drag the sled backwards by looping the sled straps through your power belt or simply holding the straps in your hands. To get used to backwards sled dragging you could perform a very similar progression method to the one I laid out in the previous section on forwards sled dragging. However, because of the Glute and Hamstring dominance of Squatting and Deadlifting I prefer to use a conditioning workout that uses both Forwards Sled Dragging and Backwards Sled Dragging. If you are new to sled dragging I would start off with the 6 week forwards sled dragging program that I laid out in the previous section. Then you could try this program that comprises both forwards and backwards sled dragging: Week 1: 4 trips Forwards Sled Dragging 75 yards 45 pounds 30 seconds rest between trips. Then 2 trips Backwards Sled Dragging 75 yards 45 pounds 30 seconds rest between trips
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Week 2: 4 trips Forwards Sled Dragging 75 yards 45 pounds 30 seconds rest between trips. Then 3 trips Backwards Sled Dragging 75 yards 45 pounds 30 seconds rest between trips
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As you can see, throughout this 6 week cycle there is more emphasis on forwards sled dragging because it builds the work capacity in the most important muscle groups for a big Squat and Deadlift: the Glutes and Hamstrings. However, balance is required and adding the backwards sled dragging into the mix will make sure that the Quads are not neglected. This way you get the best of both worlds.
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Backwards Sled Dragging Using A Belt
Backwards Sled Dragging Holding The Straps In Your Hands
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Sled Workout 3: Upper Body Sled Dragging Whilst the lower body sled dragging is best performed on the day after your lower body strength training sessions, the upper body sled dragging is best performed on the day after your upper body strength training sessions. If you train your total body in one training session, fear not. These sled conditioning sessions should still be able to be performed on the days in between your strength training sessions without any negative affect. For example, if you strength train on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and hit the total body in each; there should be no problem performing a lower body sled session on Tuesday and an upper body sled session on Thursday, then taking the weekend off. Just remember that these sled sessions are meant to increase your conditioning levels and work capacity, promote recovery and allow you to train harder during your main sessions. If you bear this is mind at all times it will prevent you from loading the sled too heavy and burning yourself out; which would be the exact opposite of what you are trying to achieve. Never let your ego take over on recovery days. Here is a simple way to use the sled for upper body conditioning and recovery purposes: A. Overhead Tricep Extensions: 15 reps x 3 sets B. Chest Press: 15 reps x 3 sets C. Row: 15 reps x 3 sets D. Rear Delt Raise: 15 reps x 3 sets E. Bicep Curls: 15 reps x 3 sets (Always pull the slack out of the straps before performing a rep). The empty sled or 10 pounds may be enough weight to start out with for this session on certain exercises like the Rear Delt Raises. Other movements, like the rows will require much heavier loading.
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Precede the above routine with a general warm up consisting of 10 minutes of walking, stretching and mobility drills and you will have yourself a simple yet highly effective 20 to 30 minute conditioning workout. Keep the rest periods short (20 to 30 seconds) and progress by adding weight or sets or reducing the rest periods.
I hope you can see how versatile a piece of equipment the sled is and how it can be used to enhance your strength training sessions. Always be sure to use a conditioning session for what it is: a way to increase your work capacity and promote recovery.
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Sled Tricep Extensions: Start/Finish Position
Sled Tricep Extensions: Mid-Point
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Sled Chest Press: Start/Finish Position
Sled Chest Press: Mid-Point
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Sled Row: Start-Finish Position
Sled Row: Mid-Point
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Sled Rear Delt Raise: Start/Finish Position
Sled Rear Delt Raise: Mid-Point
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Sled Bicep Curl: Start/Finish Position
Sled Bicep Curl: Mid-Point
TIP: With all upper body sled dragging movements, remember to take the slack out of the straps before you perform each rep.
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The Prowler The Prowler is quite simply one of the nastiest and most effective conditioning tools I know of. Lifters whose main aim is to increase their Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift must use the Prowler wisely in order to ensure that they do not over-train. Athletes who require a way to develop seriously high conditioning levels and increase their strength at the same time (using an exercise that is very easy to learn) may find no better tool. The Prowler can be pushed, in a similar position as Rugby players push in a Scrum. The Prowler can also be dragged like a sled if you have an attachment. (So all of the workouts that we went through in the sled section can actually be performed with a Prowler, if you have some straps to attach it to your power belt). However, dragging the prowler like a sled is one thing; but pushing the prowler is something else altogether.
Strongman Champion Jack Lovett Of Spartan Performance Pushes The Prowler
Athletes may like to run or even sprint with the Prowler, but I prefer the lifter (Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift connoisseur) to drive purposefully with it at a
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walking pace because there is much less chance of over-training whilst doing this. The surface you push on will affect how much weight you can use. An athletics track is an extremely tough surface, as is grass; whereas tarmac is a lot easier. Adjust the weight accordingly. Perform this session the day after your lower body strength training session and use a moderate weight (you should be breathing hard at the end of the session but if you have to call an ambulance and your legs feel sore the next day, you have definitely overdone it; if a big Squat and Pull are your primary goals): Week 1: 6 trips x 60ft with 45 seconds rest between trips Week 2: 7 trips x 60ft with 45 seconds rest between trips Week 3: 8 trips x 60ft with 45 seconds rest between trips Week 4: 8 trips x 60ft with 40 seconds rest between trips Week 5: 8 trips x 60ft with 35 seconds rest between trips Week 6: 8 trips x 60ft with 30 seconds rest between trips After this 6 week cycle you could carry on with the Prowler and increase the weight or the amount of trips. Alternatively, you could switch to using the sled for a few weeks.
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Chapter 2: Conditioning At Home

If you have a busy schedule and already struggle to fit in your regular strength training sessions at the gym, you may be thinking that the idea of adding a conditioning workout or two each week may be un-realistic. After-all, even though these workouts only take 15 to 30 minutes, the reality is that you have to drive to the gym, get the equipment set up, drive home again etc and it could very well end up taking another hour or hour and a half out of your day. If this is too much time for you, home conditioning and recovery workouts may be the answer. There are many ways to get a good conditioning workout in at home, but three of the best ways I have found are by using the following: - Your bodyweight - Resistance Bands - Kettlebells Using bodyweight Depending on your bodyweight and strength levels, the following exercises can be excellent for conditioning workouts: - Push Ups (remember that there are dozens of variations of push ups. For example they can be done with close, medium or wide grip. You can make them harder by raising your feet on a chair or by adding a resistance band. The only limit is your imagination) - Single Leg Exercises (Bulgarian Split Squats, Step Ups, Reverse Lunges, Forward Lunges)
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Press-Ups, Feet Elevated: Start/Finish Position
Press-Ups, Feet Elevated: Mid-Point
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Bulgarian Split Squat: Start/Finish
Bulgarian Split Squat: Mid-Point
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Using Bands Bands are cheap to buy and very versatile. (Elitefts and Jump Stretch are two places to grab yourself some bands). With a little thought the following exercises can be easily performed with bands at your home: - Band Push Downs - Band Resisted Push Ups - Band Bicep Curls - Band Lateral Raises - Band Pull Aparts in front of the chest - Band Pull Aparts overhead - Band Good Mornings
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Band Push-Downs: Start/Finish
Band Push-Downs: Mid-Point
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Band Resisted Press-Ups: Start/Finish Position
Band Resisted Press-Ups: Mid-Point
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Band Curl: Start/Finish Position
Band Curl: Mid-Point
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Band Lateral Raises: Start/Finish Position
Band Lateral Raises: Mid-Point
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Band Pull Aparts, Across The Chest: Start/Finish
Band Pull Aparts, Across The Chest: Mid-Point
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Overhead Band Pull Aparts: Start/Finish
Overhead Band Pull Aparts: Mid-Point
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Kettlebells Whilst kettlebells will never match a barbell when it comes to developing superhuman absolute strength, they are very good for conditioning purposes and they are an easy tool to keep at home. The following Kettlebell exercises can all be worked into your conditioning workouts: - Kettlebell Swings - Kettlebell Cleans - Kettlebell Snatches - Kettlebell Under-the-leg-pass (a killer core movement) - Kettlebell One Arm Row - Kettlebell Floor Press - Kettlebell Standing OH Press Just remember that if you are buying a Kettlebell for conditioning movements then you need to buy a much lighter one than if you were buying it for strength building purposes. A 16kg Kettlebell would probably be enough for most men if using it for conditioning workouts that are being done in addition to the main strength training sessions. To buy Kettlebells and get great instructional information on the correct way to perform Kettlebell exercises, check out my good friend Pavel Tsatsoulines products at www.dragondoor.com
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Example Workouts So now you have an idea of the type of exercises that you can perform at home for conditioning and recovery purposes, I am going to show you how to put together some effective workouts: All of these workouts can start off with some Foam Rolling, Stretching and Mobility Drills. If this takes 10 minutes and the resistance part of the workout takes 10 to 20 minutes, you have some quick and effective conditioning workouts that should last 30 minutes at the most. Upper Body Workouts: A1. Band Push Downs: 15 reps x 2 A2. Band Pulls Aparts across the chest: 15 reps x 2 B1. Push Ups: 10 reps x 2 B2. Band Pull Aparts OH: 15 reps x 2 You could progress by adding reps or sets. Whatever you do, keep the rest periods short (30 seconds at the most). Note that when you see A1 and A2 it means perform one set of A1, rest 30 seconds and then perform a set of A2 and so on until you have completed all your sets. Another Upper body option: A. Band Push Downs: 20 reps x 3 B. Press Ups feet elevated 12: 10 reps x 3 C. Kettlbell One Arm Row: 10 reps/side x 3 D. Band Lateral Raise: 15 reps x 3 E. Plank: 15 seconds x 3 As you can see, these workouts are not hard to think of once you get the idea. Be sure to avoid going anywhere near failure, keep the intensity low, the rest
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periods short and the movements easy to perform. Save the complicated stuff like Squats and Deadlifts for your low rep strength training. I have seen Cleans and Snatches performed for 30 reps by Crossfit Practitioners and this has to be one of the most stupid and dangerous things ever because it is impossible to maintain form when performing high co-ordination movement patterns for high reps. There is a reason why the Weightlifters of the old Soviet Union and Bulgaria performed their Cleans and Snatches for 1 to 3 reps and no more. This was because they knew that any more reps than that and their form would fall apart. If you want to be amazed by how top Polish Weightlifters conditioned themselves, do a YouTube search for Polish Weightlifting and you will be pleasantly surprised. These guys were medallists on the biggest of stages of world sport and can be seen jogging and performing lunges in the snow, then banging out endless sets of pull ups and dips with ease. And all this was to them was conditioning and recovery stuff. This should make you realise that everybody, including strength athletes, needs conditioning work if they want to stay healthy and reach their strength potential. Of course, you can also perform conditioning workouts at home that are targeted at the lower body or total body. Here are four more options for conditioning. The first two are aimed at the lower body and the second two are aimed at the total body: Lower Body Conditioning Workout 1: A. Kettlebell Swing: 15 reps x 2 B. Band Only Good Morning: 15 reps x 2 C. Reverse Lunge: 8 reps/side x 2 D. Kettlebell Under the leg pass: 10 reps/side x 2 E. Band Only Leg Curls: 15 reps x 2
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Lower Body Conditioning Workout 2: A. Split Squat: 8 reps/side x 4 B. Band Only Leg Curl: 20 reps x 4 C. Side Plank: 15 seconds/side x 4
Total Body Conditioning Workout 1: A. Band Only Good Morning, wide stance: 15 reps x 2 B. Forwards Lunge: 10 reps/side x 2 C. Plank: 30 seconds x 2 D. Press Ups: 15 reps x 2 E. Band Only One Arm Row: 10 reps/side x 2 F. Band Curls: 15 reps x 2 Total Body Conditioning Workout 2: A1. Press Ups, (1 set close grip, 1 set wide grip): 12 reps x 2 A2. Step Ups: 10 reps/side x 2 B1. Band Only Push Downs: 30 reps x 2 B2. Band Only Leg Curls: 30 reps x 2 C1. Band Pull Aparts across the chest: 15 reps x 2 C2. Lying Leg Raises: 15 reps x 2 You have now seen many options for conditioning workouts that you can do at home. You could create hundreds more options with very little effort and a bit of thought. Also be aware that you can do mini conditioning workouts that may only last a couple of minutes. For example, doing Band Only Push Downs three times per
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week for 3 sets of 30 reps will build work capacity in the triceps, as well as enhancing tendon and ligament strength. This is a good thing for your Bench and the health of your elbows. The same can be done with Band Only Leg Curls for the Hamstrings, which will in turn help your Squat and Deadlift. Whenever you add conditioning work to your training schedule, add it slowly and allow your body to adapt to it over a period of a few weeks. If you try to do too much too soon you run the risk of your strength dipping and erroneously coming to the conclusion that conditioning work doesnt work for the strength athlete. It does, you just have to add a little at a time. Two conditioning workouts per week and two mini workouts (like the Band Only Push Downs) would be a great target for any lifter. But dont add it all on week one. Add one conditioning work out and do it once a week for 4 weeks. Then add a second work out and do that for the next 4 weeks. Finally, add the two mini workouts and see what this does for your strength and health.
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Chapter 3: Conditioning Workouts At The Gym

The gym provides a wealth of possibilities for conditioning workouts that will help your main strength training sessions. You can use pretty much any exercise for conditioning work and do them for 2 to 4 sets of 15 to 30 reps. The only movements I do not advocate for this are the Olympic Lifts because their high co-ordination requirement means that keeping good form for so many reps is nigh on impossible. With that said, here are 10 lower body conditioning workouts, 10 upper body conditioning workouts and 10 total body conditioning workouts. Remember that these workouts are meant to be low intensity, use high reps and short rest periods (30 seconds at the most between sets). Do not turn these workouts into another heavy strength building session otherwise you will find your strength goes backwards. You could perform a lower body conditioning session the day after your heaviest lower body strength training session of the week and then perform an upper body conditioning session the day after your heaviest upper body workout of the week. Alternatively, just do two total body sessions per week. The options are endless. You could pick two workouts and do them for 4 weeks, then switch to two different plans. Or you could pick a different workout every time you do a conditioning session. As a lifter whose main focus is the Squat, the Bench Press and the Deadlift, you do not have to be overly concerned about adding a kilo or two to each conditioning exercise every time you do a conditioning workout. Instead, just go by feel and workout reasonably hard a couple of times a week for 20 to 30 minutes and you will find that in a months time you have better conditioning levels than 90% of strength athletes and this will have a positive effect on your strength training sessions. Feel free to start all of these conditioning sessions with Foam Rolling, Stretching and Mobility Drills.
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10 Lower Body Conditioning Sessions Workout 1: A. Romanian Deadlifts: 20 reps x 4 B. Reverse Lunge: 8 reps/side x 4 C. DB Side Bends: 10 reps/side x 4 Workout 2: A. Vertical Jump: 6 reps x 3 B. Band Only Leg Curls: 20 reps x 3 C. Split Squat: 10 reps/side x 3 D. Pull Down Abs: 20 reps x 3 Workout 3: A. Good Mornings, close stance: 15 reps x 2 B. Leg Curl with ankle weights: 30 reps x 2 C. Leg Extension with ankle weights: 30 reps x 2 D. Pallof Press: 15 seconds/side x 2 Workout 4: A. DB Farmers Walk: 25 yards x 6 trips B. 45 degree back extension: 20 reps x 2 C. Glute Ham Raise: 10 reps x 2 D. Crunch: 20 reps x 2
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Workout 5: A. Front Squat: 12 reps x 3 B. Kettlebell RDL: 15 reps x 3 C. Hanging, Bent Knee Leg Raises: 15 reps x 3 Workout 6: A. Safety Squat Bar Good Morning, wide stance: 20 reps x 2 B. Band Only Leg Curl: 20 reps x 2 C. Lateral Lunge: 8 reps/side x 2 Workout 7: A. Swiss Ball Crunch: 15 reps x 2 B. Swiss Ball Leg Curl: 15 reps x 2 C. Zercher Squat: 15 reps x 2 D. Step Ups: 10 reps/side x 2 Workout 8: A. Kettlebell Swings: 15 reps x 3 B. Kettlebell Cleans: 8 reps/side x 2 C. Band Only Leg Curls: 15 reps x 2 D. Pull Down Abs, wide stance: 15 reps x 2 E. Seated Calf Raise: 15 reps x 2
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Workout 9: A1. Leg Curl with Ankle Weights: 30 reps x 3 A2. Band Good Mornings: 30 reps x 3 B1. Split Squat: 6 reps/side x 3 B2. Plank: 30 seconds x 3 Workout 10: A. 45 Degree Back Extension with leg curl: 20 reps x 3 B. Bodyweight Box Squat with mini band around knees: 10 reps x 3 C. Band Only Leg Curl: 30 reps x 3 D. Pull Down Abs, close stance: 30 reps x 3 10 Upper Body Conditioning Sessions Workout 1: A. Band Only Push Downs: 20 reps x 3 B. Press Ups: 10 reps x 3 C. Low Pulley V-bar Rows: 20 reps x 3 D. Bent Over Rear Lateral Raises: 20 reps x 3 E. DB Knee External Rotation: 10 reps/side x 2
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Workout 2: A. Single Arm Neutral Grip Seated Row: 15 reps/side x 2 B. Wide Grip Pull Downs: 15 reps x 2 C. Press Ups, wide grip: 15 reps x 2 D. Push Downs, v-bar: 15 reps x 2 E. Standing DB Shoulder Press: 10 reps F. EZ bar Curl: 10 reps G. Plank: 20 seconds Workout 3: A1. Band Push Downs: 20 reps x 5 A2. One Arm DB Row: 10 reps/side x 5 C. Lying, Bent Knee Leg Raise: 20 reps x 5 Workout 4: A1. Crazy Kettlebell Bench Press: 10 reps x 2 A2. Low Pulley Row, supinated grip: 15 reps x 2 B. Overhead Band Extensions: 15 reps x 2 C. Crunch: 15 reps x 2
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Workout 5: A. Supinated 8 Grip Pull Downs: 20 reps x 2 B. Military Press: 20 reps x 2 C. DB Curls: 10 reps/side x 2 D. Low Pulley External Rotation: 10 reps/side x 2 E. Cable Woodchop: 10 reps/side x 2 Workout 6: A. Close Grip Bench Press: 15 reps x 2 B. BB Row: 15 reps x 2 C. Steep Incline DB Press: 15 reps x 2 D. Neutral Grip Pull Downs: 15 reps x 2 E. Band Only Push Downs: 15 reps x 2 F. Band Only Bicep Curls: 15 reps x 2 Workout 7: A. Kettlebell One Arm Row: 10 reps/side x 2 B. Wide Grip Pull Downs: 15 reps x 2 C. Barbell Curls: 15 reps x 2 D. Fat Bar Holds: 15 seconds/side x 2 E. Push Downs: 15 reps x 2 F. Bench Press: 15 reps x 2
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Workout 8: A1. Close Grip Press Ups: 15 reps x 3 A2. One Arm DB Row: 10 reps/side x 3 A3. Lying DB Extensions, elbows in: 15 reps x 3 A4. DB Curl: 15 reps x 3 Workout 9: A. Swiss Ball DB Press: 20 reps x 3 B. Incline Bench DB Extensions, elbows out: 20 reps x 3 C. Band Only Row: 20 reps x 3 D. Rear Delt Machine: 20 reps x 3 E. Side Plank: 10 seconds/side x 3 Workout 10: A. Band Only Push Downs: 30 reps x 3 B. DB Side Raises: 15 reps x 2 C. Bent Over DB Lateral Raises: 15 reps x 2 D. Machine Row: 15 reps x 2 E. Machine Curl: 15 reps x 2 F. Spread Eagle Sit Up: 10 reps x 2
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10 Total Body Conditioning Sessions Workout 1: A. RDL: 15 reps x 2 B. Split Squat: 8 reps/side x 2 C. Plank: 15 seconds x 2 D. Crazy Kettlebell Bench Press: 15 reps x 2 E. Incline Bench Two Arm DB Row: 15 reps x 2 F. Band Only External Rotation: 10 reps/side x 2 Workout 2: A1. Band Only Good Morning: 20 reps x 2 A2. Lying Leg Curl: 20 reps x 2 B1. Close Grip Press ups: 12 reps x 2 B2. BB Row, supinated grip: 15 reps x 2 C1. Band Push Downs: 20 reps x 2 C2. Single Leg Squat: 6 reps/side x 2
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Workout 3: A. Rack Pull: 15 reps x 2 B. Lying Leg Curl: 15 reps x 2 C. Leg Extension: 15 reps x 2 D. 45 Degree Back Extension: 15 reps x 2 E. Seated Calf Raise: 15 reps x 2 F. Kettlebell Side Bends: 8 reps/side x 2 G. Incline Bench Press, 1 set close grip, 1 set wide grip: 15 reps x 2 H. Machine Row, pronated grip: 15 reps x 2 Workout 4: A. Clean Pull: 3 reps x 3 B. Vertical Jump: 3 reps x 3 C. Lying Leg Curls with ankle weights: 30 reps x 3 D. Leg Extension with ankle weights: 30 reps x 3 E. Press Ups, feet elevated 20: 10 reps x 2 F. One Arm DB Row: 10 reps/side x 2 Workout 5: A. Band Only Push Downs: 20 reps x 5 B. Band Only Leg Curls: 20 reps x 5 C. Band Pull Down Abs, close stance: 20 reps x 5
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Workout 6: A1. Band Only Good Mornings: 15 reps x 2 A2. Leg Curls with ankle weights: 15 reps x 2 B1. Reverse Lunge: 8 reps/side x 2 B2. Hanging, Bent Knee Leg Raises: 8 reps x 2 C1. Crazy Kettlebell Incline Bench Press: 10 reps x 2 C2. Standing, Bent Over DB Row, neutral grip: 15 reps x 2 D. Standing Bent Over Lateral Raises: 15 reps x 2 Workout 7: A. Military Press: 15 reps x 2 B. Zercher Squat: 15 reps x 2 C. DB Farmers Walk: 25 yards x 10 trips Workout 8: A. DB Floor Press, paused: 15 reps x 2 B. Band Only Push Downs: 15 reps x 2 C. Band Pull Aparts, across the chest: 15 reps x 2 D. Pronated, Mid-Grip Pull Downs: 15 reps x 2 E. Kettlebell Swings: 15 reps x 3 F. Reverse Lunge, front foot elevated 4: 8 reps/side x 3
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Workout 9: A. Pull Down Abs, wide stance: 20 reps x 2 B. Pull Down Abs, close stance: 20 reps x 2 C. Press Ups: 15 reps x 2 D. Wide Grip Pull Downs: 15 reps x 2 E. 45 Degree Back Extensions: 15 reps x 2 F. Standing Calf Raises: 15 reps x 2 G. Barbell Curls: 15 reps x 2 Workout 10: A. Squat: 15 reps x 2 B. RDL: 15 reps x 2 C. Forwards Lunge: 6 reps/side x 2 D. Pallof Press: 15 seconds/side x 2 E. Band Only Push Downs: 20 reps x 2 F. Floor Press: 20 reps x 2 G. Barbell Row: 20 reps x 2 H. 6 Supinated Grip Pull Downs: 20 reps x 2 I. Standing DB Curl: 20 reps x 2 J. DB Lateral Raises: 20 reps x 2 You have 30 workouts to choose from and many more can easily be created so that you never get bored. Just remember to keep the rest periods under 30 seconds, keep the intensity below 40% of your 1 rep max and use the sessions for conditioning and recovery. Where you see A1 and A2 it means alternate a set of A1, then a set of A2; backwards and forwards until you have completed the correct number of sets.
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You will notice that there are some workouts with only 3 exercises and some with 10. This is done for a reason so that you never get bored and your body never gets too used to any given stimulus. If you do a couple of conditioning workouts per week like this, you will be a different athlete in 4 to 6 weeks time. You can expect to be less sore from your main strength training sessions and you can expect to be able to do more work in the same amount of time, or the same amount of work in less time. Even better still, your health should improve and that is always a good thing if you want to be in the iron game a long time.
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Chapter 4: Key Points Regarding Conditioning For The Strength Athlete If your goal is to develop absolute strength and get a bigger Squat, Press
and Pull conditioning work is essential to your long-term success
Sensible conditioning sessions will increase your work capacity and

promote recovery
Conditioning sessions for the strength athlete should last 20 to 30

minutes and use high reps (10 to 30) and short rest periods (30 seconds or less between sets)
Avoid the use of Olympic Lifts during conditioning sessions because

they require extremely high co-ordination and this means that it is almost impossible to do them for high reps and maintain good form
Add conditioning workouts to your strength training program slowly. Do

not add three or four sessions per week straight away as this will more than likely negatively affect your strength levels
Conditioning workouts can easily be done outdoors, in the gym or at

home
Weights, your bodyweight, resistance bands, the sled and the prowler
are all great tools to use for conditioning purposes
If in doubt about how much conditioning work to do, start off with
three or four fast paced walks per week, lasting 30 minutes each Great results can be obtained by doing mini-workouts at home that last only a few minutes. For example, 3 sets of 30 reps of Band Only Push Downs will build endurance in the Triceps, increase tendon and ligament strength and promote recovery
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About The Authors
Andy Bolton is one of the greatest Powerlifters of all time. A multiple world champion in the WPC and WPO federations, one of only 5 men to ever Squat over 1200lbs and the only man to ever pull in excess of 1000lbs on the Deadlift.
Elliot Newman is a competitive Powerlifter who has competed in the BDFPA, WDFPF, BPC and WPC. He has competition best lifts of 255kg Squat, 157.5kg Bench and 260kg Deadlift. He is passionate about all things related to nutrition and strength training. For more information on how YOU can develop herculean strength, explosive power and muscular size, please check out: www.andyboltonstrength.com

Conditioning &amp; Recovery

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Conditioning & Recovery Workouts For The Strength Athlete

By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman 2011, All Rights Reserved

Notice To Those Who Are Thinking Of Abusing This Book

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1: Conditioning Outside

Chapter 2: Conditioning At Home

Chapter 3: Conditioning At The Gym

Chapter 1: Conditioning Outside

Forwards Sled Dragging Using A Belt

Forwards Sled Dragging Using A Low Hand Position

Backwards Sled Dragging Using A Belt

Backwards Sled Dragging Holding The Straps In Your Hands

Sled Tricep Extensions: Start/Finish Position

Sled Tricep Extensions: Mid-Point

Sled Chest Press: Start/Finish Position

Sled Chest Press: Mid-Point

Sled Row: Start-Finish Position

Sled Row: Mid-Point

Sled Rear Delt Raise: Start/Finish Position

Sled Rear Delt Raise: Mid-Point

Sled Bicep Curl: Start/Finish Position

Sled Bicep Curl: Mid-Point

Strongman Champion Jack Lovett Of Spartan Performance Pushes The Prowler

Chapter 2: Conditioning At Home

Press-Ups, Feet Elevated: Start/Finish Position

Press-Ups, Feet Elevated: Mid-Point

Bulgarian Split Squat: Start/Finish

Bulgarian Split Squat: Mid-Point

Band Push-Downs: Start/Finish

Band Push-Downs: Mid-Point

Band Resisted Press-Ups: Start/Finish Position

Band Resisted Press-Ups: Mid-Point

Band Curl: Start/Finish Position

Band Curl: Mid-Point

Band Lateral Raises: Start/Finish Position

Band Lateral Raises: Mid-Point

Band Pull Aparts, Across The Chest: Start/Finish

Band Pull Aparts, Across The Chest: Mid-Point

Overhead Band Pull Aparts: Start/Finish

Overhead Band Pull Aparts: Mid-Point

Chapter 3: Conditioning Workouts At The Gym

Sensible conditioning sessions will increase your work capacity and

Conditioning sessions for the strength athlete should last 20 to 30

Avoid the use of Olympic Lifts during conditioning sessions because

Add conditioning workouts to your strength training program slowly. Do

Conditioning workouts can easily be done outdoors, in the gym or at

About The Authors

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Conditioning & Recovery

Conditioning & Recovery