Supposedly, spring is here in the northern hemisphere, but I’m not seeing it. I’m seeing rain and overcast skies and cold weather, all staunch adversaries of outdoor workout enthusiasts (among which I count myself). What to do?
A normal person would retreat to the gym, or devise some living room workout routine – anything to escape the elements. But, this week, try something different. Instead of admitting defeat, challenge yourself and the unseasonably harsh cold/rain/snow by exercising outdoors with the express purpose of exposing yourself to momentary hardship. Consider that exercise itself is a type of stressor that, when applied to the body, creates a net beneficial result. Sometimes you fear the weights or the hills, but you do it anyway because it’s good for you. Well, this week, you’re adding another layer to overcome. The weather.
Pick the grimiest day of the week. Check your local forecast and plan to workout outdoors in rain, cold, snow, whatever. I want your forehead slick and muddy from grazing the ground on the pushups. Go hard and get it over quick.
These exercises work your entire body and require balance and concentration. In other words, they require focus. You’re going to have a lot going on with the weather, the balancing, the sheer ardor required of you, but these are good things. They will make you stronger. The burpees will help keep you warm in between rounds.
A few things to remember:
If you’re not clear on straight leg deadlifts, go over this great simple guide. If you do them weighted, I suggest doing unilaterally weighted deadlifts by holding a weight with the hand opposite from the leg being trained. Right foot down, weight in left hand. Bring yourself up, step forward, switch to the right hand and left foot down. Use a dumbbell, a kettlebell, or a sandbag.
Use the same weight (or double them up) for the lunges.
If you’re blessed with excellent weather right now and can’t find a way to make this WOW work as prescribed, we all hate you. No, but seriously, go out and enjoy it!
What Are WOWs?
Workouts of the Week (WOWs) are an optional component of Primal Blueprint Fitness that add a fractal and often fun and playful quality to the basic PBF protocol.
In most cases WOWs should only be completed by those that have mastered Level 4 of each Lift Heavy Things Essential Movement. Also, it’s recommended that WOWs replace one or both Lift Heavy Things workouts or the Sprint workout (depending on the WOW) each week instead of being done in addition to the Lift Heavy Things and Sprint workouts.
Learn more about WOWs and Primal Blueprint Fitness by getting the free eBook. And access all Workouts of the Week in the WOW Archive.
Mark Sisson is the founder of Mark’s Daily Apple, godfather to the Primal food and lifestyle movement, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Keto Reset Diet. His latest book is Keto for Life, where he discusses how he combines the keto diet with a Primal lifestyle for optimal health and longevity. Mark is the author of numerous other books as well, including The Primal Blueprint, which was credited with turbocharging the growth of the primal/paleo movement back in 2009. After spending three decades researching and educating folks on why food is the key component to achieving and maintaining optimal wellness, Mark launched Primal Kitchen, a real-food company that creates Primal/paleo, keto, and Whole30-friendly kitchen staples.
